In addition to 'Fury's Big Week' comic tie-in series for Joss Whedon's Avengers movie, Marvel.com have revealed yet another series titled MARVEL'S THE AVENGERS: BLACK WIDOW STRIKES, centering on Marvel's cinematic Russian Spy. Said to be a three-issue limited series, check out cover art below, as well details from writer Fred Van Lente, who also dishes on the S.H.I.E.L.D. spy's inclusion in the film, based on Whedon's praised script.
“This story takes place between 'Iron Man 2' and 'Marvel's The Avengers,'" writer Fred Van Lente tells Marvel.com. “Black Widow is running down some loose ends from 'Iron Man 2,' namely some bootleg Stark technology that Justin Hammer made. It’s her and Agent Coulson going into Russia, but you’ll also probably see Nick Fury and the other heroes as necessary.”
“For this series, I’ve given Black Widow a kind of fan/stalker--a freelance espionage operator who has modeled herself on Black Widow,” explains Van Lente. “She’s attempting to usurp the Black Widow title from Natasha, so these two are in competition with one another.”
“I took my inspiration for this series from Joss Whedon’s script for 'Marvel's the Avengers,' which I was lucky enough to read,” reveals Van Lente. "He does a good job making her inclusion on the team perfectly believable.”
“This is on the same scale as the Marvel movies. We’re working closely with Marvel Studios to have it integrate seamlessly with the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Once this is over, they’re welcome to use any of my ideas here for a movie,” Van Lente says with a chuckle. “It was fun to talk to the studio and see what they have in mind for Black Widow, but who knows where she’ll be after 'Marvel's The Avengers'; maybe she doesn’t even make it out at the end?”
Marvel Studios presents in association with Paramount Pictures “Marvel’s The Avengers”--the super hero team up of a lifetime, featuring iconic Marvel super heroes Iron Man, the Incredible Hulk, Thor, Captain America, Hawkeye and Black Widow. When an unexpected enemy emerges that threatens global safety and security, Nick Fury, Director of the international peacekeeping agency known as S.H.I.E.L.D., finds himself in need of a team to pull the world back from the brink of disaster. Spanning the globe, a daring recruitment effort begins.
Starring Robert Downey, Jr., Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner and Samuel L. Jackson, & directed by Joss Whedon from a screenplay by Joss Whedon, “Marvel’s The Avengers” is based on the ever-popular Marvel comic book series “The Avengers,” first published in 1963 and a comics institution ever since. Prepare yourself for an exciting event movie, packed with action and spectacular special effects, when “Marvel’s The Avengers” assemble on May 4, 2012. The film is distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures. In addition to "Marvel's The Avengers," Marvel Studios will release a slate of films based on the Marvel characters including "Iron Man 3" on May 3, 2013!; and “Thor 2” on November 15, 2013.