Black Widow and the Marvel Girls # 4

By Mark Rodriguez

This min-series turned out to be an anthology of Black Widow running into several heroines of the Marvel Universe through different stages of her life. So far she had an encounter with the Enchantress when she was a still a girl training in the Red Room, she worked with the Wasp in the early days of her being an Avenger, and she was sent to investigate Miss Marvel when she first made her appearance. This time she'll be running into Storm. I bought the first three issues over at Bent Wookee during one of the Free Comic Book Days and figured I'd eventually find issue 4 down the line. I actually find it while combing through the long boxes at a comic shop called 'Stories', so let's check it out.

The story opens in current day New York as the Black Widow is telling Storm to make it rain as hard as she dares to. Just then Widow sees a figure crawl out of the sewers, which is exactly what she was waiting for. Several green men crawl out of the sewers and Widow says she knew the rain would flush them out.

Thirty-Six hours earlier, Black Widow is called in by the Violent Gang Task Force. The director says she's in over her head with the current gang war and Tony Stark told her that the Black Widow is able to find solutions.  She explains there have been several deaths, so far only criminals, but she is concerned it might affect innocents. There are also people missing, kidnapped by the Caps for political reasons, who are pressuring the director to turn a blind eye towards the gang war. Black Widow deduces that they must have kidnapped someone important. She then asks why Storm is sitting in the corner looking like she wants to summon lightning. 

Storm shows Widow a photo and explains that the gang way began when Cedric Cedrino was ousted fro the Berto Torino crime family. Widow is surprised he was just kicked out and not killed. The director explains that there was a hit out for him but he disappeared for several months. He then suddenly returned with a small army by his side, calling themselves the Caps. So far they have murdered four members of the Torino crime family. Kidnappings followed, with the first being former senator James Onyango, who was taken alongside his aide when they were touring a park development. Black Widow is surprised that Onyango was taken. Storm explains he was going to be the next American Ambassador in Kenya, and that country needs him back alive. The director explains that this is why they can't risk a full scale attack against the Caps.

The director says this is why they need the Black Widow's expert help. They're also bringing in a man who is familiar with the Caps and has some influence over some of them. Black Widow asks who else would they need if they have Storm on their side. The director explains that the Caps are more than any other gang, they're an underground gang. Widow says all gangs are underground by their very nature. The police escort the Mole Man into the room, who explains they are literally dealing with an underground gang. 

Black Widow is surprised to know they're expected to work alongside a criminal like the Mole Man. The Mole Man says he is the one constantly attacked with people drilling for oil, excavating for minerals and even dumping toxic waste, things nobody cares about since they're out of sight. He asks Widow to admit she doesn't care about his underground world. Widow asks how he can help with this gang war. Mole Man notes that she purposely changed the subject, but agrees they have no time to argue and should get to work on the current situation.

Mole Man explains the Caps are rogue Moloids, an ancient underground race that has been corrupted by infleunce from the surface. When Cedrino ran for his life, he eventually found the Mole Man's underground kingdom. He found the Moloids and managed to mobilize them and formed the Caps, using them to go after the Torinos to settle the score. Mole Man says he can convince them to return home since he is their king. He says the women can call him Harvey Elder, and Black Widow and Storm introduce themselves. Storm asks what's in it for him. The director says if they rescue the Ambassador, he will agree to not build new subway tunnels in certain areas that would affect Harvey.

Twelve hours before the start of the story, Mole Man is strolling through the park with Black Widow and Storm. Widow takes the unlikely team to the core of Berto Torino's operations. She said she made an appointment some time ago, as we see a flashback of her beating up Torino's men and threatening them to tell their boss to meet with her. Widow warns that having two superheroes and Mole Man show up might make things tense for Torino. Storm tells Mole Man she means he needs to stay diplomatic. Black Widow says she actually means for him to just keep his mouth shut.

A guy answers the door, saying they were expecting the Black Widow and asks 'who's the Hobbit'. Mole Man angrily jabs the man in the throat with his cane. Black Widow face palms. Mole Man says they tried diplomacy and were insulted. He whistles for his men to storm the building. Storm asks if they should just play things his way. Widow says it's too late to change games now.

The mole men attack all the guys in the building. Widow tells Mole Man to make sure they don't kill anyone. Mole Man says they already know not to since this is a diplomatic mission. Some more guys showed up, this time packing firearms. Storm's hands light up and the room flashes white. When the flash clears, all the men are down, which even impresses the Black Widow.

Black Widow tackles Storm out of the way of gun fire. Widow kicks a man's legs out from under him, which made him bump up against a staircase and knock a vase off the bannister. Widow spin-kicks the vase, while still in mid-air and it smashes into the guy's face. Storm says she is also impressed and they make a good team. One of the guys smashes the Mole Man's face against a wall, knocking him down. As the man aims his gun at him, his mole man army attack him. Mole Man also says they all make a fine team.

Torino shows up and tells everyone to stop, since they were supposed to come here to talk, not brawl. Black Widow and Storm introduce themselves. Torino says he is attracted to them both, but not to fear him since he is just a harmless old man (kind of an odd thing to say). Torino compliments the Mole Man and his skill and acts like it's a huge honor to meet him. Torino walks with Mole Man, telling his men to treats their guests with respect, despite destroying part of his place. Torino says that's the way the way women act, and Mole Man says they are temperamental. Widow and Storm give each other a look, seeing as it was Mole Man that started all the fighting and commotion. 

Torino asks Mole Man to leave his moloids behind as they talk. Mole Man assures him that they aren't member of the Caps but tells them stay behind. Widow asks where he's taking them. Torino says they requested an appointment for information, and seeing as they are two beautiful women capable of destroying him, he prepared in advance. He shows them an office room with several stacks of folders and paperwork, a map and his laptop. 

Storm reads one of the books and Mole Man checks out the map. Torino explains that the map is a breakdown of all the Caps attacks on his men, but they are having a difficult time predicting them. Mole Man says they come from the ground and the sewers, and now he knows where. 

Fifteen minutes before the story started, the trio are in the back alleys of the city. Mole Man explains that his underground kingdom also has roads, pathways and tunnels. He recognizes that each of the attack sites stem from their current location. Widow says all they see is dirt. Mole Man says it's a bad night on account of it being so bright. Storm darkens the skies and Widow tells her to make it rain. Hands start coming out from the ground.

We now enter the current situation, as the trio is surrounded by the moloids. Widow asks Mole Man if he can control them. He says they are renegades and they won't respect him until he defeats their current leader, Cedrino. Mole Man says if a man isn't given respect, it can be taken. Widow offers to fight the gang, but Storm has this handled as she blows them away with cyclones. The renegade mole men run but this is what Mole Man wants. They have to follow their exact route, but the tunnel route is too small. Storm fires a lightning bolt that makes the tunnel larger.

Black Widow offers to take the leads since she knows Storm doesn't like enclosed areas. Storm asks how she knew and Widow says she read her file. Mole Man says they can't lose them. Widow says she thought he knew the tunnels. Mole Man says tunnels can be changed, and access points can be closed, opened or even moved. He tells them they're lucky they're with him as they could be trapped wandering the tunnels forever.

They soon arrive and Mole Man comes face to face with Cedrino. Mole Man says he is trespassing in his kingdom and Cedrino says the moloids belong to him now. Storm and Widow notice a cell holding senator Onyango and the other missing men. Widow says  she's going to free them, and Storm can hold off the Caps while they make their escape. Storm asks if that's wise, and Widow says they have no choice since Mole Man will lose his temper soon so they might as well take the initiative.

Widow open fires on some of the Caps members with her Widow's Bite, and Storm starts blasting them with lightning.  Cedrino notices and tells his Caps to destroy them. Widow tells Storm to cover her as she goes for the prisoners. Widow opens the cell and tells the senator and the rest to follow her. 

Cedrino tells the Caps to attack Mole Man, but they refuse to. Mole Man says he is not their king because they are his people, the moloids are simply his. He blasts Cedrino with the tip of cane. Cedrino falls over as Mole Man continues to zap him and Widow tells him it's enough. Mole Man says not to worry as there is one last thing to do. He welcomes Cedrino to the family.

Mole Man says just because Cedrino tried to take his moloids doesn't mean he didn't have a good idea. Mole Man will make him his lieutenant.  He says he has conquered the ground and will now reach for the skies. Mole Man says he has used monsters in the past, but Cedrino shows him that he can use smaller attacks until the job is done. Widow tells him not to do this because they will then need to stop him. Mole Man says it is by his benevolence that they will be allowed to leave. He reminds them that without him as their guide, they will be stuck wandering the underground tunnels forever.

Mole Man tells Widow and Storm that Cedric only used few hundred moloids to stagger a crime family in New York, but there are millions of them in his tunnels. He sends one of them to guide the group out of the tunnels. Storm says she can't stay trapped underground. Widow knows and understands. She sees they have to no choice and they will leave for now. Widow delivers a threat to Harvey, and he says Harvey Elder died years ago. He is only the Mole Man now.

My thoughts- 

While the other stories took place at specific moments of Widow's life and career, this one could be placed at any moment that she became a more established and trusted hero. There's no mention of her being an Avenger but since Tony Stark recommended her, we can assume so. 

While Storm was on the cover, it was a surprise to see the Mole Man in this one. I know the Marvel universe is this big soup where everybody eventually meets everybody, but the Mole Man is usually a Fantastic Four villain, so it would have been less of a surprise if Widow was teaming up with Susan Storm instead. I guess we can say Susan was replaced by another Storm. 

Mole Man pretty much stole the show with his mannerisms. It's the whole situation of heroes being forced to work with a villain, with the villain relishing every moment of it, knowing the hero can't hit them because they have bigger fish to fry. Other than him lecturing Storm and constantly acting as if he's royalty, my favorite part is him implying that Widow and Storm started the fight at the Torino home when he was the one that started it. I like the look Widow and Storm gave each other. 

Then Mole Man double-crosses the team and decides to enlist Cedrino instead, promising future attacks, with the heroines being unable to stop him due to Storm's claustrophobia.

As for Black Widow and Storm both are awesome as expected. Widow keeps her dry wit about her, and I loved the part where she kicked the vase into someone's face. Right out of an action movie. Storm was the heavy hitter since she was the sole member with actual theatrical super powers. I know Natasha has some sort of super-serum in her and Mole Man has psychic control of his underground monsters and his electric pimp cane but Storm can summon actual bolts of lightning and cyclones. 

Pretty good story all around. While the heroines technically lost the battle against Mole Man, they did rescue the senator and other missing people, which was the main goal. I miss the days when comics were able to cram in storytelling, exposition, character moments and action scenes all in a one-in-done book.

Sadly this is the last chapter of the Black Widow's anthology series. It's too bad, since these stories were fun and you had the advantage that they could take place during several moments of her life. We still had tons of other Marvel Girls she could have teamed up with such as the previously mentioned Susan Storm, but also Spider-Man, She-Hulk, maybe even Psylocke just to see their dynamics play out. Or maybe a final 'wrap up story' that had Natasha team up with Miss Marvel, the Wasp and Storm to fight Enchantress to bring it all together. 

Overall a fun series, and if you track down all four issues like I did, go for it. Technically I found the first three issues by accident and had to track down the fourth, but who's splitting hairs.