Black Widow: The Name of the Rose

In this 2011 one-shot from Marvel, writer Kelly Sue DeConnick and artist Jamie McKelvie deliver a taut, self-contained spy thriller that digs into Natasha Romanoff’s past. The story explores the lingering consequences of a mission she undertook in her early days as the Black Widow, forcing her to confront a ghost from her Cold War-era training. A lean, character-driven tale, it showcases DeConnick’s deft handling of Natasha’s voice and McKelvie’s sleek, modern visuals, marking an early high point in the character’s solo adventures.