ThreeA’s Black Widow Figure Comes in From the Cold

So far the ThreeA Marvel crossover figures have largely been characters with a bit more of a fantastical bent. We've seen Iron Man, the man who lives inside a suit of armor. We've seen Doctor Doom, a calculating genius... who lives inside a suit of armor. We've seen Ultron, a literal walking suit of armor, and even the company's new Spider-Man figures feature the Peter Parker's alter-ego as a mechanical construct (though a little Peter is also included).

Now the talented team at ThreeA is finally putting its trademark spin on the first true, non-powered, non-armored hero since starting the line. This August, ThreeA will give us Ashley Wood's take on Marvel's senior Soviet spy, the Black Widow.

Don't get me wrong; I love robots and armored characters that look like robots. Each of ThreeA's previous figures has had its own signature style, and they haven't looked as samey as many of the more mass market offerings of these same characters have as of late. Of course, with ThreeA being more of a boutique figure-maker, that makes sense. It's just refreshing to see what the company can do with characters that are a little more "human," particularly if you're familiar with the non-licensed figures ThreeA already makes.

Making female figures is nothing new for ThreeA, and that tradition has led to the Black Widow being transformed into a very stylish interpretation. Wood's aesthetic has almost always featured long-limbed female figures, and it gives them all an incredible silhouette. That's just as true here with the Black Widow, whose long, lean form may not be true to the ballerina body we traditionally think of, but certainly captures an artistic interpretation of one. You believe this Natasha is agile and able to slink her way in and out of shadows with ease just from one glance.

You also believe she can still kick your ass eleven different ways before you've blinked. There appears to be enough articulation in the figure and flexibility in the catsuit to pull off posing in all those different Systema Spetsnaz moves (along with whatever else she's picked up and studied along the way). I could stand to do without the heels, but it's a design choice that's true to ThreeA's style, so within this brand it still makes sense. I love the inclusion of the trenchcoat too, as that's a bit of accessorization we don't typically get with figures these days. It's perfectly in line with the character as well.

While I think the face lacks a certain intensity usually attributed to Black Widow, I love the cleanliness of the sculpt. There are no wasted lines, even with the hair, which I love. I'm not always a fan of sculpted hair, as it often impedes the ability to articulate the head. That looks to be true here, but I do like the sculpted styling. It's windswept, but still maintained perfectly. Nothing is ever out of order when it comes to the Widow. She's too precise. What's more, in this case the sculpted hair adds to the impressive silhouette. This figure will look like Black Widow from any and every angle, no matter how you slice it. That's an impressive feat.

The ThreeA Marvel Black Widow will be available for pre-order for $160 starting on Aug. 31.