Journey Into Mystery Featuring Black Widow #517-519 Review

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About Journey Into Mystery #517-519

Journey Into Mystery #517 is written by Scott Lobdell, penciled by Randy Green, inked by Rick Ketcham, lettered by Jon Babock, and colored by Steve Oliffe. It is published by Marvel Comics.

During this era of Journey Into Mystery, the series was departing from telling Thor stories to focus on mysteries centered around other heroes.

Synopsis: Black Widow spins a web of intrigue as she pursues members of FreedomsLight and their leader, the mysterious Ebon Flame.

Journey Into Mystery Featuring Black Widow #517-519 Review 1

Journey Into Mystery Featuring Black Widow #517-519 Review 2

Journey Into Mystery #517-519 Review

his is a more obscure series that focuses on Natasha Romanoff’s adventures. It was written at the end of the 90s, when we started to see comics move away from flashy styles into deeper storytelling

The story begins with Lottie giving her account of what happened at a bank robbery she was present at a week before. She was among the hostages, along with a new teller named Nancy Rushman. If you’ve seen the second Iron Man, you probably recognize part of that pseudonym. Natasha often goes undercover using names that are similar to her real name. Nancy Rushman. Natalie Rushman.

She mentions that the Black Widow has a very different vibe from other superheroes. While they seem to be having fun while dealing with the bad guys, Natasha is all business. This is one aspect of Natasha’s character that is fairly consistent across portrayals by various creative teams, Natasha does not seem gleeful about her work, she is not quippy or sarcastic in a silly way. Even when she does make a clever comment, it’s often delivered with a slyness. This holds true in this story as well.

The Black Widow ends the robbery and prevents a bomb from going off back at the bank, but that isn’t the end of the story, not by a long shot.

Lottie is our narrator throughout the story as she tells her account of what happened over the last week to FBI agent Tenko. At times, it becomes apparent she knows things she should not know. She also seems almost unreliable, as if she’s giving the story a bit more sparkle for the benefit of Agent Tenko.