For years we have enjoyed Black Widow (Natasha Romanoff) played by actress Scarlett Johansson. She has weaved her Marvel web as a spy, confidant, assistant, and secret agent. Our entire audience MCU experience has mostly had her riding shotgun. She appeared in Captain America, Iron Man, and Avengers movies. Her tie in which each and every big tent movie has helped with consistency and the creation of Marvel as a billion-dollar franchise.
The psychological component of our guide, Natasha, is as a normal human being leading the audience through the Marvel hallways of power. With her grace, strength, intelligence, and a little bit of fun we have all enjoyed her normal take on fantastical events. Furthermore, her ferocity as Black Widow has dominated every scene she’s ever been in. The writers should be commended for staying away from obvious tropes and instead of treating her as a serious player. Her role is a proud one, much like her comic book history.
If you have seen the last Avengers movie then you know that Natasha Romanov's fate is already written. The upcoming prequel Black Widow movie will introduce a new Black Widow (Yelena Belova). Will this new actress be able to wow us in the theatre, as Natasha has? The scuttlebutt is that Yelena will be the ongoing Black Widow character as of July 2020. Further, the new actress Florence Pugh will use the code name Black Widow. Her first appearance was in the comic book Inhumans #5. Does this comic book have profit potential from a future movie starring Florence Pugh as the new Black Widow? Further, what grades should we be purchasing for this potential replacement character?
Inhumans #5
The replacement to the current Black Widow first appeared in Inhumans #5. That is the first appearance of Yelena Belova the new Black Widow. Inhumans #5 was created by Paul Jenkins with illustrations by Jae Lee in 1999. What does the CGC Census tell us about this book? Also, what grades should you buy? Ultimately, is this comic book a good buy or merely a flash in the pan?
| Title | Grade | Last Sale | CGC Census | Return |
| Inhumans #5 | 9.8 | $400 | 123 | +72% |
| 9.6 | $220 | 77 | +96% | |
| 9.4 | $129 | 26 | +117% | |
| 9.2 | $91 | 10 | +58% |
Conclusion
The original Black Widow will tie loose ends up in the upcoming prequel. Going forward the new Black Widow and her primary key Inhumans #5 will probably weave in and out of the Avenger's storyline. We watched in Endgame as the normal human (Natasha) sacrificed everything to give the superheroes and Earth a win. The regular person protecting the super-powered characters and ultimately defeating Thanos. Such was the storyline of this integral character in Marvel. We can only hope as fans that the new Black Widow will inspire as much devotion and enjoyment as the original.
From an investment standpoint, the returns look positive across the board. The CGC Census is still quite small. This is great news for aspiring collectors who get their hands on this book to grade and slab it. That essentially means that there is room for prices to swing upwards. I believe this is a long-term buy and hold. Yelena will get her shot, probably a solo movie or TV series and then you can think of selling. Pick up a copy while it is only the cost of one car payment. Otherwise, you will feel the pain of remorse at missing this long-term investment; much like the Widow's Bite (30,000 volts) up your speculative spine.
