Marvel’s First Black Widow Was Created Before Wonder Woman

Marvel’s Black Widow and DC’s Wonder Woman are both iconic superheroines in a genre headlined by male heroes, but many comic fans automatically honor the latter as ‘the first female superhero’ as a given. But believe it or not, Black Widow appeared in comics for the first time slightly before Wonder Woman. The only catch is that the first woman to be known as “Black Widow” was a very different kind of assassin… serving a far more evil master than Natasha Romanoff ever has.

With Marvel finally starting the female superhero movie train with Captain Marvel and Black Widow, it’s nice to see Marvel’s female Avengers geting solo movies and the spotlight that brings. Granted, Scarlett Johansson’s spy had quite a bit of screen time, and even died before fans finally got to see her get the standalone movie she deserved. And while Black Widow’s box office numbers or powers may not match that of Wonder Woman, when it comes to who has the longer history, it may surprise comics fans to know that, despite her supporting role in the MCU, the deadly ‘Black Widow’ was stalking Marvel Comics a year before the world ever met Diana, Princess of the Amazons.

In 1940, Marvel (then known as Timely Comics) was publishing books that saw everyday people and heroes drafted to fight against the backdrop of World War II, in order to drum up public support. Among the heroes drafted for WWII within comics was ‘Claire Voyant,’ a small-time medium who was contacted by a demon calling himself “Satan.” Satan convinced Claire to kill her current clients, and to continue with murders-for-hire here and there (including killing ‘Karl Koodamore,’ the boss of ‘Murder Unlimited’). From 1942 to 1945, the self-titled and terrible Black Widow was among all manner of costumed heroes, fighting Nazis, and assisting the Allies wherever possible. And for those curious to know, this Black Widow made her first appearance in Timely’s Mystic Comics #4, published in August of 1940–long before Wonder Woman made her first appearance in December of 1941, in a backup story in All-Star Comics #8.

This original incarnation of Black Widow created by George Kapitan and Harry Sahle went through yet another story change post-World War II. Instead of Satan triggering her mission, Claire’s sister Debbie was murdered by her boyfriend, a connected man. Standing over her sister’s grave, Claire swears she will get revenge on Maddox. Her plan is overheard by a demonic entity, who offers to help her get revenge on the man… as long as she also goes after those who have reneged on their deals with this particular devil. This Batman/Ghost Rider-esque storyline was introduced by J. Michael Straczynski in The Twelve (2012), and is her current background in the Marvel universe.

While this Black Widow would eventually be replaced with a more modern incarnation–a Soviet super-spy killing targets for a secretive (but no less malevolent) operation–she still serves as an important part of comic book history, not only appearing before Wonder Woman, but also as one of, if not the first costumed super-powered heroine in comics. Technically there had been costumed women without powers, or women with powers, but without costumes (like Diana’s Amazonian sisters). But the honor first came to Black Widow, and not Wonder Woman, to bear the record of the first costumed comic book superheroine.

About The Author

Lauren Hitzhusen
(54 Articles Published)

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Screen Rant comics editor Lauren Hitzhusen read her first comic at age 16 and took her high school senior photos in the graphics novel section of Borders (yes, seriously). It was truly love at first panel. A graduate of NYU’s Masters of Publishing Science program, she knew comics was the industry for her. She is a former assistant comics editor and has worked a variety of publishers in a freelance capacity. She has a passion for all-ages comics, and frequents conventions in search of the next good story (and old issues of Superman’s Pal Jimmy Olsen).

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