Marvel Introduces Black Widow 2099

By Kofi Outlaw

Marvel is re-inventing another one of its characters for the far-future era: Black Widow 2099 will make her debut in Marvel Comics, via the current series Spider-Man 2099: Exodus. The series returns fans to the cyberpunk future that Marvel envisioned in the 1990s, and then seeks to expand that universe in a big way. A new Garden of Eden is a power source being fought over in Nueva York, and Spider-Man 2099 has had to encounter the 2099 versions of everyone from Winter Soldier to Loki and Valkyrie, and and entire future set of Avengers and Masters of Evil. Now Black Widow will get a 2099 makeover, as well: 

spider-man-2099-exodus-4-preview-black-widow-2099-costume.jpg
(Photo: Marvel Comics)
sblack-widow-2099-costume.jpg
(Photo: Marvel Comics)

Here's the synopsis for Spider-Man 2099: Exodus #4: 

CAUGHT IN THE BLACK WIDOW 2099'S WEB! Without the BLACK CARDS that make them above the law, the CABAL are mortal. SPIDER-MAN decides to destroy the cards. But he can't do it alone. Only the BLACK WIDOW can find the mutant Spider-Man needs. But that mutant's already been targeted by someone else... It's BLACK WIDOW versus HAWKEYE...ROUND 2099!

Marvel 2099 has always been a precarious branch of the universe. Ever since it started in 1992, the line has been very hit-or-miss with fans. The initial line included Spider-Man, The Punisher, Doom, and a new (but largely forgotten) character, Ravage. After that, the line was expanded to include Fantastic Four, Ghost Rider, Hulk, The X-Men, and younger team of mutants, the X-Nation. 

After the 2099 line began to slump in sales during the late 1990s, Marvel tried several ways to get revitalize it – all of which ultimately failed – resulting in the line ending altogether in 1998. Marvel 2099 has become a cult-favorite part of the brand since ending, with many other Marvel Comics stories of the 2000s and 2010s revisiting that reality and its characters. Spider-Man 2099 has been the most popular, becoming a part of the mainstream Marvel Universe in the 2010s; Spider-Man 2099 (aka Miguel O'Hara) will also be a major character in Sony's upcoming sequel to its Oscar-winning animated film franchise, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse. 

Spider-Man 2099: Exodus is written by Steve Orlando with art by Paul Fry, David Wachter, Marco Castiello, Ze Carlos, Alessandro Miracola, and Kim Jacinto. It is five issues long with an "Alpha" and "Omega" one-shots bookending the series. Black Widow 2099 will be featured in issue #4 on sale July 13th. 

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