The Recurring Avenger

 

Fairly early in their career (around the late 1960s), the Avengers had certain misgivings about offering membership to Natalia Alianovna "Natasha" Romanova, better known in espionage circles as the Black Widow, in part because of her various activities in her femme fatale days that saw her joining forces with the Swordsman and Power Man but also those instances where she followed directives to commit acts of sabotage and theft against Tony Stark's munitions plant. But even after coming to terms with her past and defecting from the Soviet Union, her covert missions on behalf of S.H.I.E.L.D. tended to raise suspicion that she was once again acting in accordance with directives from her former government--a likelihood that even the man she was seeing romantically (Hawkeye, himself an Avenger) couldn't disprove as he was also kept in the dark about her missions.

For a time, then, the Avengers' loss was Nick Fury's gain, as SHIELD continued to benefit from her skill set as a spy. Eventually, however, Natasha changed course, gave herself a new look and lapsed into the life of an international jet-setter before deciding to pursue individual adventures as the Black Widow, and, later, a partnership (and romantic involvement) with Daredevil. And when the time came when the Avengers were seeking assistance in battling the threat of Magneto, the two agreed to help out in the pinch--after which, membership was offered to both, but only Natasha accepted, if only briefly.

For after the team met and defeated an attack from the Lion God, their newest member had second thoughts about remaining.

Such admissions (much like those of Spider-Man in his early days of pursuing Avengers membership) seemed to close the door on Natasha ever choosing to rejoin the Avengers in an active capacity; nevertheless, for a time, several writers of the book continued to flirt with the notion in one way or another, particularly after her relationship with Daredevil had run its course.

Which is our cue to flirt with another

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Marvel Trivia Question

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When did the Black Widow finally rejoin the Avengers lineup?

From the late '70s to the early '90s, the Black Widow's appearances in The Avengers were sparse, relegated to that of a rarely-tapped reserve member. Part of that time was accounted for in Los Angeles, having accepted the leadership position in the ill-fated Champions team--but even while committed to this new group, Natasha and Hercules (himself a former Avenger) answered a call for a guest spot assistance when a hidden threat began causing Avengers to disappear into thin air.

Following that crisis, the Avengers' membership was pared down to seven members by the government--but when the time came for another lineup change, and Captain America invoked his right to reduce that number to six (a meeting which was usurped by Moondragon, who felt she was best suited to select additional members), Natasha departs afterward, not wishing to derail her return to SHIELD which was just getting off the ground.

Yet the Wasp, who later is voted into the position of Chairwoman, has kept the Black Widow in mind when two slots become open for membership. But though Natasha attends the luncheon that hosts a shortlist of Jan's distaff choices, she nevertheless declines the offer once their party crasher is dealt with.

The next time we see Natasha, she's changed her look once more--though this time, it's her status as a former Avenger that leads to her reunion with members of the team who gather for a television appearance as a favor to Wonder Man. Though frankly I'm surprised that a SHIELD agent involved in espionage missions would consent to a nationally televised publicity appearance; then again, with the exposure she's received from both the Avengers and the Champions (as well as the newspapers), that ship has long since sailed.

But Natasha would have the opportunity to assist her former team in the field when she and others arrive to help the Avengers deal with an all-out attack launched by those involved in the so-called Acts of Vengeance cabal. (I don't recall Hellcat ever being formally inducted as an Avenger, but that's a trivia question for another time.)

Finally, the Black Widow would formally rejoin the Avengers' active ranks when the team votes to replace their government oversight with a charter from the United Nations, acting as a special unit of its peace-keeping force. And "ranks" is certainly the appropriate description, since not only are "reserve substitutes" also set up in the event any member of the primary team is unable to respond (i.e., a way to regularly shuffle in other Avengers without waiting for new lineup issues), but any Avengers remaining will serving as inactive reservists. At the conclusion of that meeting, we see that among the seven members who make the main cut is the Black Widow. (Who also appears to have a side gig as the news correspondent making the announcement! Just kidding.)

Not long after an Avengers contingent executes the Kree Supreme Intelligence, Natasha moves up to a leadership position, where she'll remain to the end of the book's Vol. 1 run. Yet with the launch of Vol. 2, we see that the character has become despondent in that regard--helping to defeat the threat of Morgana Le Fey, but choosing to exit before the new Avengers lineup is settled on, having apparently considered her previous time with the Avengers to have been undistinguished.

Wow--the Black Widow vs. the Midgard Serpent? She is good.

NEXT: Exit, the Black Widow--and the end of the Avengers!