BLACK WIDOW

Natasha Romanova's first mission, in Tales of Suspense Vol. 1 #52 (April 1964), had no superhero wardrobe budget whatsoever: she arrived as a Soviet femme fatale in an evening gown and a veil, partnered with Boris Turgenov, and tasked with eliminating Tony Stark, Professor Anton Vanko and Iron Man. Tony, of course, tried to flirt with the beautiful stranger first — the introductions were cut short by the Crimson Dynamo's rampage, not by any costume reveal.

She stayed un-costumed for her first several appearances. The Widow of 1964 worked ballrooms and laboratories in cocktail dresses and fur, recruiting the besotted archer Hawkeye to her cause five issues into her run — the treasonous romance that eventually pulled her toward defection. Moscow only issued her an actual Black Widow costume, a blue fishnet bodysuit with cape and mask, in Tales of Suspense #64 (1965), and the famous black catsuit look did not arrive until Amazing Spider-Man #86 in 1970.

So the most recognisable silhouette in espionage comics began as the one operative with no silhouette at all. Before the bracelets, the belt and the red hair dye jobs of later eras, the Black Widow's entire disguise was being the best-dressed person in the room — and her deadliest weapon was that nobody at the party thought to search a lady in a veil.