Marvel has announced a new Black Widow series that will begin this April, titled Black Widow: Widow’s Sting. The new title is set in Black Widow’s early days as a SHIELD agent and includes several other recurring characters from other corners of the Marvel Universe, including classic Spider-Man villain Silvermane. Widow’s Sting is one of three titles Marvel has announced for April that feature the catsuited assassin and supporting cast members from her eponymous feature film set to release in May.

Black Widow: Widow’s Sting features writing from Ralph Macchio (Marvel Two-In-One, Thor) and art by Simone Buonfantino (X-Men: Gold, Thor vs. Hulk: Champions of the Universe), along with cover art from Ema Lupacchino (Avengers, Jane Foster: Valkyrie). Details are currently limited, but the announcement describes a spy thriller centered around a villainous plan under investigation by SHIELD. The agency sends Black Widow to investigate after another of the organization’s agents vanishes.

Marvel’s announcement also includes two other series that tie in with the Black Widow movie. The first belongs to the morally ambiguous mercenary Taskmaster, set up by trailers as Natasha’s primary antagonist. The second is Widowmakers: Red Guardian and Yelena Belova, which deals with two supporting characters (played in the film by David Harbour and Florence Pugh, respectively) who have been both friends and rivals of Black Widow over a shared lifetime of defections and betrayals.

The solicit for Widow’s Sting also mentions that Black Widow will descend into the Marvel Universe’s organized crime sector, putting her on a collision course with Silvio Manfredi. Silvermane, as Manfredi is better known, is a leader of Marvel Universe crime family the Maggia. The legendary crime boss has ties to many heroes who have operated in New York, including Spider-Man and Cloak and Dagger. He has made enemies of heroes and villains alike, acting as an employer to criminal lackeys like Hammerhead and Tombstone, a rival to ambitious mob leaders like the Kingpin, and even an ally of HYDRA. The character’s son, Joseph Manfredi, also appeared in Marvel’s Agent Carter played by Ken Marino.

From the information available, it’s unclear whether the inclusion of Silvermane and the Maggia indicates their presence in the upcoming Black Widow movie. While the Maggia could conceivably play a part in a storyline involving shifting loyalties and assassins for hire, it’s just as likely that the villains were chosen to be easily understood as members of a crime syndicate with little context needed. Widow’s Sting offers parallels to the film, as it is set in the title character’s past, but its main purpose seems to be as an accessible platform for moviegoers to get into comic books following the film’s release.

Find the full solicitation for the book below:

  • BLACK WIDOW: WIDOW’S STING #1 WRITER: RALPH MACCHIO ARTIST: SIMONE BUONFANTINO Something’s stirring in the criminal underworld. Maggia boss SILVERMANE is making his move. S.H.I.E.L.D. has sent an agent in to investigate, but they’ve disappeared. It’s time to call in the heavy hitters. It’s time to call in the BLACK WIDOW. And the plan NATASHA ROMANOFF will uncover is far deadlier than any of them realized. Don’t miss this all–new tale from the dangerous, deep–cover days of the Black Widow!

Black Widow: Widow’s Sting #1 will be available from your comics shop in April 2020.

More: Black Widow Finally Gets Her Own IRON MAN Armor

Source: Marvel