Tag Archives: Goran Parlov

Well, there’s the finish.

Morgan leaves it unsatisfactory—some of it—on purpose, but I wonder if he also needed a little more space. The issue ends with a tag announcing the sequel series, almost as though they knew they needed to promise more story….

There’s a somewhat lengthy fight scene this issue. It’s got some good moments (the fight scene), but it doesn’t have very much dramatic weight. It’s like Morgan thought of it in an outline and didn’t realize Sienkiewicz doing a blow-by-blow on the deck of a yacht would get boring.

Maybe it was Parlov’s fault.

Otherwise, it’s a really good issue. Morgan gets a lot in with the cast he’s established; his characterization of Natasha is exceptional. Usually male writers do something awful when writing female protagonists, but Morgan knows when to stop and knows how to sell it.

This one’s a great series.

CREDITS

Now That’s What I Call a Woman (Reprise); writer, Richard K. Morgan; pencillers, Goran Parlov and Bill Sienkiewicz; inker, Sienkiewicz; colorist, Dan Brown; letterer, Cory Petit; editor, Jennifer Lee; publisher, Marvel Comics.

Wow, what a downer.

Morgan gives the issue, for its soft cliffhanger, an extremely depressing turn of events. Not the one I was worried about, but one I dislike maybe even worse.

It comes after the big revelation issue. I mean, there’s some bridging stuff at the beginning, but most of the issue is spent with Natasha learning all about the Black Widow program and what it’s done to her. Morgan does it in story, which really helps keep it fresh.

There’s a lot of talking heads this issue; it’s strange to see Sienkiewicz do the conversation scenes is a little strange, but he does a good job keeping it interesting. Morgan centers the issue around that conversation and it’s a fine scene, albeit expository.

It does nothing to prepare the reader for the finish.

I’m mildly concerned Morgan won’t be able to pull off a finish in one issue.

CREDITS

A Field in the East; writer, Richard K. Morgan; pencillers, Goran Parlov and Bill Sienkiewicz; inker, Sienkiewicz; colorist, Dan Brown; letterer, Cory Petit; editor, Jennifer Lee; publisher, Marvel Comics.

So, for the first issue of the second half, Morgan’s changing it up again. He’s got Natasha in Russia, where she uncovers her past. It’s not the past she thought—I’m not even sure if it’s in continuity anymore—and the way Morgan does it makes the entire series feel like the first Black Widow comic ever. Even though she mentions the second Black Widow from the last series… everything old is new again.

Meanwhile, Morgan gets in the comic relief with Natasha’s friends back in the States (he’s joking about it going bad) and develops the villains. He implies a whole new reveal (which I may remember from the first time I read it).

Sienkiewicz, with his emotive lines, is a perfect fit for the comic, which now feels very Russian.

It’s an excellent issue; I remember why I was so upset Marvel didn’t let Morgan keep doing these.

CREDITS

No Place Like Home; writer, Richard K. Morgan; pencillers, Goran Parlov and Bill Sienkiewicz; inker, Sienkiewicz; colorist, Dan Brown; letterer, Cory Petit; editor, Jennifer Lee; publisher, Marvel Comics.

Morgan quickly makes up for any deficiencies in the last issue. It’s almost like he realized it, because this issue establishes Black Widow as being about gender issues. It turns out the bad guys are this freaky pharmaceutical company (probably using mutant gene in their face cream) and Natasha finding out about it.

Along the way, there’s more with her sidekick and their youthful charge (they rescued a teenage girl from some rednecks first issue). Unfortunately, there’s the implication the sidekick might be a problem later on. But for now, it’s an awesome dynamic. It brings humor to the comic, something it desperately needs.

It also needs Nick Fury to beat up the slimy NSA agent. Morgan’s pretty quiet on the political angles, but it’d be shocking to see Disney’s comic company release a series today about how corrupt the U.S. government has become.

Some especially lovely Sienkiewicz panels too.

CREDITS

Now That’s What I Call a Woman; writer, Richard K. Morgan; pencillers, Goran Parlov and Bill Sienkiewicz; inker, Sienkiewicz; colorist, Dan Brown; letterer, Chris Eliopoulos; editor, Jennifer Lee; publisher, Marvel Comics.

With Parlov taking over the layouts, all of a sudden it reminds me of Ennis.

Well, not really. Morgan does a fine job with Natasha—his brief first person narration works, instead of the usual, lengthy nonsense male writers do when writing first person narration for female characters—but the only other female character in the issue is so bad Jeph Loeb could’ve written her.

Some evil spy lady is—shocker, a lesbian—and violently lusting after a waitress. It’s like Ennis done bad.

Otherwise, the issue is good. It’s not as strong as the first issue because there’s not as much going on. None of the action scenes are memorable. Morgan sort of front-loaded it, especially for a six issue series. His second issue is a bridging issue, which is odd.

I’m confident he’ll get back on track, since he doesn’t leave it here… he just slows down.

CREDITS

Right to a Life, Part Two; writer, Richard K. Morgan; pencillers, Goran Parlov and Bill Sienkiewicz; inker, Sienkiewicz; colorist, Dan Brown; letterer, Chris Eliopoulos; editor, Jennifer Lee; publisher, Marvel Comics.