Creator Credits for Black Widow (2021)

Not to get too deeply into a review, but this was better than I thought it would be; very little of the characters' personalities from the comics made it into the film (Yelena and Melina are two characters who despise Natasha in the comics, for starters). A bigger problem is that the Black Widow is the least interesting character in the movie - Natasha is simply overshadowed by the big, dynamic characterizations afforded to Yelena and Alexei; which is fine for those characters, since they'll be appearing in movies further on. But as a farewell to Natasha she feels strangely out-of-focus for part of her own movie.

You can see my master list of Marvel Cinematic Universe creator credits here!

Stan Lee: co-creator of the Black Widow's red hair, black bodysuit, Widow's Bite wrist weapon and carrying explosives (Amazing Spider-Man #86, 1970); of the Avengers, team of heroes whose ranks include Ant-Man, Thor and Iron Man (Avengers #1, 1963); of Captain America frozen in ice for decades; of Captain America as an Avenger (Avengers #4, 1964); of the Falcon, Sam Wilson, a costumed hero (Captain America #117, 1969); of Wakanda, an African nation (Fantastic Four #52, 1966); of Thaddeus Ross, a military official (Incredible Hulk #1, 1962); of Thor, an Asgardian god and costumed hero (Journey into Mystery #83, 1962); of Hydra, a terrorist organization and enemies of S.H.I.E.L.D.; of S.H.I.E.L.D., an international espionage agency (Strange Tales #135, 1965); of Iron Man, Tony Stark, a wealthy genius inventor and hero (Tales of Suspense #39, 1963); of the Crimson Dynamo, a Soviet Cold War agent (Tales of Suspense #46, 1963); of the Black Widow, Natasha Romanoff, a Russian spy (Tales of Suspense #52, 1964); of Hawkeye, an expert marksman and ally of the Black Widow (Tales of Suspense #57, 1964); of the Black Widow's Widow's Line device (Tales of Suspense #64, 1965); of Ant-Man, a size-changing super-hero (Tales to Astonish #35, 1962)

Jack Kirby: co-creator of the Avengers, team of heroes whose ranks include Ant-Man, Thor and Iron Man (Avengers #1, 1963); of Captain America frozen in ice for decades; of Captain America as an Avenger (Avengers #4, 1964); of Captain America, Steve Rogers, a super-soldier; of James Buchanan "Bucky" Barnes, Steve's best friend (Captain America Comics #1, 1941); of Captain America's round shield with star in its center (Captain America Comics #2, 1941); of Wakanda, an African nation (Fantastic Four #52, 1966); of Thaddeus Ross, a military official (Incredible Hulk #1, 1962); of Thor, an Asgardian god and costumed hero (Journey into Mystery #83, 1962); of Hydra, a terrorist organization and enemies of S.H.I.E.L.D.; of S.H.I.E.L.D., an international espionage agency (Strange Tales #135, 1965); of Iron Man, Tony Stark, a wealthy genius inventor and hero (Tales of Suspense #39, 1963); of the Crimson Dynamo, a Soviet Cold War agent (Tales of Suspense #46, 1963); of the Black Widow, Natasha Romanoff, a Russian spy (Tales of Suspense #52, 1964); of Ant-Man, a size-changing super-hero (Tales to Astonish #35, 1962)

Don Heck: co-creator of the Black Widow as an Avenger (Avengers #111, 1973); of Iron Man, Tony Stark, a wealthy genius inventor and hero (Tales of Suspense #39, 1963); of the Crimson Dynamo, a Soviet Cold War agent (Tales of Suspense #46, 1963); of the Black Widow, Natasha Romanoff, a Russian spy (Tales of Suspense #52, 1964); of Hawkeye, an expert marksman and ally of the Black Widow (Tales of Suspense #57, 1964); of the Black Widow's Widow's Line device (Tales of Suspense #64, 1965)

Roy Thomas: co-creator of the Red Guardian, Alexei Shostakov, a Russian Cold War operative from the Black Widow's family, wears a red costume with a star in imitation of Captain America's costume (Avengers #43, 1967); of Quinjets, the personal aircraft of the Avengers (Avengers #61, 1969); of Hawkeye's real name, Clint Barton (Avengers #64, 1969); of the S.H.I.E.L.D. logo, an eagle within a circle (Strange Tales #154, 1967)

George Perez: co-creator of Taskmaster, a villain who wields a variety of weapons including a shield, bow and sword, wears a skull mask (Avengers #195, 1980); of Taskmaster copying the fighting styles of various heroes, allowing him to match his opponents in battle (Avengers #196, 1980); of Melina Vostakovna, a Russian agent who fought the Black Widow (Marvel Fanfare #11, 1983)

David Michelinie: co-creator of the Falcon as an Avenger (Avengers #183, 1979); of Taskmaster, a villain who wields a variety of weapons including a shield and sword, wears a skull mask (Avengers #195, 1980); of Taskmaster copying the fighting styles of various heroes, allowing him to match his opponents in battle (Avengers #196, 1980)

John Buscema: co-creator of the Red Guardian, Alexei Shostakov, a Russian Cold War operative from the Black Widow's family, wears a red costume with a star in imitation of Captain America's costume (Avengers #43, 1967); of Quinjets, the personal aircraft of the Avengers (Avengers #61, 1969)

Larry Lieber: co-creator of Thor, an Asgardian god and costumed hero (Journey into Mystery #83, 1962); of Iron Man, Tony Stark, a wealthy genius inventor and hero (Tales of Suspense #39, 1963); of Ant-Man, a size-changing super-hero (Tales to Astonish #35, 1962)

Joe Simon: co-creator of Captain America, Steve Rogers, a super-soldier; of James Buchanan "Bucky" Barnes, Steve's best friend (Captain America Comics #1, 1941); of Captain America's round shield with star in its center (Captain America Comics #2, 1941)

J. G. Jones: co-creator of Yelena Belova, a blonde-haired Russian graduate of the same program as Natasha Romanoff who also serves as the Black Widow (Black Widow #1, 1999); of the Red Room, the spy program which created the Black Widow (Black Widow #2, 1999)

Devin Grayson: co-creator of Yelena Belova, a blonde-haired Russian graduate of the same program as Natasha Romanoff who also serves as the Black Widow (Black Widow #1, 1999); of the Red Room, the spy program which created the Black Widow (Black Widow #2, 1999)

Gene Colan: co-creator of Hawkeye's real name, Clint Barton (Avengers #64, 1969); of the Falcon, Sam Wilson, a costumed hero (Captain America #117, 1969); of the Black Widow being orphaned at a young age (Daredevil #88, 1972)

Jim Steranko: creator of Contessa Valentina Allegro de la Fontaine, a government agent (Strange Tales #159, 1967); co-creator of the S.H.I.E.L.D. logo, an eagle within a circle (Strange Tales #154, 1967)

Ralph Macchio: co-creator of the Black Widow wielding handguns (Bizarre Adventures #25, 1981); of Melina Vostakovna, a Russian agent who fought the Black Widow (Marvel Fanfare #11, 1983)

John Romita: co-creator of the Black Widow's red hair, black bodysuit, Widow's Bite wrist weapon and carrying explosives (Amazing Spider-Man #86, 1970)

Don Rico: co-creator of the Black Widow, Natasha Romanoff, a Russian spy (Tales of Suspense #52, 1964)

Nathan Edmonson: co-creator of the Black Widow wearing a white variant of her costume (Black Widow #17, 2015)

Phil Noto: co-creator of the Black Widow wearing a white variant of her costume (Black Widow #17, 2015)

Scott Lobdell: co-creator of the red widow icon on Black Widow's belt (Journey into Mystery #517, 1998)

Randall Green: co-creator of the red widow icon on Black Widow's belt (Journey into Mystery #517, 1998)

Paul Gulacy: co-creator of the Black Widow wielding handguns (Bizarre Adventures #25, 1981)

Ed Brubaker: co-creator of the Winter Soldier, a legendary assassin (Captain America #1, 2005)

Steve Epting: co-creator of the Winter Soldier, a legendary assassin (Captain America #1, 2005)

Steve Englehart: co-creator of the Black Widow as an Avenger (Avengers #111, 1973)

Fred Van Lente: co-creator of Taskmaster's name Tony (Taskmaster #3, 2011)

Jefte Palo: co-creator of Taskmaster's name Tony (Taskmaster #3, 2011)

Mark Gruenwald: co-creator of the Red Guardian wielding a shield in imitation of Captain America (Captain America #352, 1989)

Kieron Dwyer: co-creator of the Red Guardian wielding a shield in imitation of Captain America (Captain America #352, 1989)

Robert Bernstein: co-creator of the Crimson Dynamo, a Soviet Cold War agent (Tales of Suspense #46, 1963)

John Byrne: co-creator of the Falcon as an Avenger (Avengers #183, 1979)

James Hudnall: co-creator of the Agent, Rick Mason, an intelligence operative (Marvel Graphic Novel: Rick Mason, the Agent, 1989)

John Ridgeway: co-creator of the Agent, Rick Mason, an intelligence operative (Marvel Graphic Novel: Rick Mason, the Agent, 1989)

Bill Mantlo: co-creator of Ursa, a strong Russian man (Incredible Hulk #258, 1981)

Steven Grant: co-creator of Ursa, a strong Russian man (Incredible Hulk #258, 1981)

Sal Buscema: co-creator of Ursa, a strong Russian man (Incredible Hulk #258, 1981)

Gerry Conway: co-creator of the Black Widow being orphaned at a young age (Daredevil #88, 1972)