Black Widow (Claire Voyant)

Claire Voyant, also known as the Black Widow, is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics' predecessor, Timely Comics. Created by writer George Kapitan and artist Harry Sahle, she first appeared in Mystic Comics #4 (August 1940).

Voyant is a supernatural antiheroine who works as a medium and uses her psychic abilities to track down and punish evildoers, delivering their souls to Satan. She is often considered the first costumed female superhero created by Marvel (though technically a Timely Comics character at the time), preceding the more widely known Miss America.

Claire Voyant is not directly related to the more famous Soviet spy character Natasha Romanoff, also known as Black Widow, who debuted in Marvel Comics decades later. Despite sharing a codename, their origins, powers, and motivations are entirely different.

Voyant possesses a variety of supernatural abilities, including telepathy, clairvoyance, astral projection, and the power to kill with a single touch. She is often depicted as a shadowy figure with long, flowing dark hair and a distinctive costume.

Due to the age and obscurity of her original appearances, the Claire Voyant version of the Black Widow is not as well-known as her namesake. However, she remains a significant character in the history of Marvel Comics, representing an early example of a female superheroine with dark and complex motivations. Her adventures predate the Silver Age and offer a glimpse into the themes and styles of comic book storytelling during the Golden Age. She has reappeared sporadically in modern Marvel comics, typically in stories that explore the history of the Marvel Universe or delve into its more supernatural elements.