50 Greatest Super Heroes In Comic Book History

24. Black Widow

(Write-up by Nick Tylwalk, Bam Smack Pow Editor)

Hey, it’s an Avenger with her own theme music! In reality, we’re pretty sure Iggy Azalea didn’t write that song about Natasha Romanoff (or Natalia Romanova, if you want to get technical), but if there’s a Marvel heroine currently deserving of one, it’s probably her.

Beautiful and deadly is always an entertaining combination, and it’s one that helps give Black Widow her unique niche in the Marvel Universe. It’s probably fitting that she landed on this list adjacent to Hawkeye, as his origin is intertwined with hers, and both were initially on the wrong side of the law before finding their true calling as Avengers.

And while you might not think that someone trained as a Russian spy and assassin would make a great leader for a team of super heroes, Natasha has tons of experience heading up the Avengers that says otherwise. As a battlefield tactician, she’s second only to Captain America, and coming in behind Steve Rogers in anything is no cause for shame. Though her background has caused her to be no stranger to shifting loyalties, Black Widow has earned the trust of her fellow heroes, putting her life on the line time and again without nearly as many superhuman gifts as so many others.

She’s really the closest thing there is to a female James Bond, even if her missions tend to be a little more fantastic than those carried out by 007. There’s a definite place among super heroes for a super spy, and Black Widow is the best one out there.

Next: No. 23: Goddess, mutant and leader, all in one