Marvel Comics has just confirmed that there is one characterIron Manbelieves is more than a match forBlack Widow,as Tony Stark is forced to enlist the help of MCU character Melinda May to protect him, after Widow sets her sights on Tony, setting up a confrontation that will prove who truly is the better fighterof the two.
Iron Man#7, written by Spencer Ackerman, with art by Julius Ohta, finds Stark calling uponMelinda May, who initially debuted on theAgents of S.H.I.E.L.D.TV seriesbefore being integrated into the Marvel Comics Universe, in a moment of desperation.
When she asks why he didn’t enlist Black Widow, Iron Man admits that his longtime Avengers teammate was his first call, but it turns out she may actually be the one he needs protection from in the immediate future.
Marvel Confirms Iron Man Believes Melinda May Could Beat Black Widow In A Fight
Iron Man#7, Written By Spencer Ackerman; Art By Julius Ohta; Color By Alex Sinclair; Lettering By Joe Caramagna
Melinda May, also known as “the Cavalry,” debuted in the 2013Agents of S.H.I.E.L.Dpilot episode, and was a major character throughout the show’s tenure on television. May made her first Marvel Comics appearance in 2015, and while she has popped up sporadically since, she hasn’t made a name for herself on the page the same way she did on the screen. Perhaps the one lasting impact of the currentIron Manarc will be thatshe can finally solidify her reputation, even if it means beating up Black Widow.
InIron Man#7, Tony Stark recruits May, ahead of aconfrontation with Black Widow, which readers already know is coming in the next issue. The dynamic at play here is complicated, however, by the fact that this storyline is taking place under the auspices of the largerOne World Under Doomarc; Stark is going to extreme lengths to try to take down Doom, the current Emperor of the world andSorcerer Supreme of the Marvel Universe, with the synopsis forIron Man#8 suggesting Widow’s aim is “to save her friend from himself!”
The Looming Iron Man/Black Widow Confrontation Is A Proving Ground For Melinda May
Iron Man#8; Written By Spencer Ackerman; Art By Michael Dowling And Julius Ohta; Cover By Yasmine Putri; Available July 19, 2025 From Marvel Comics
The cover forIron Man#8 ominously features Black Widow choking out Iron Man, against a backdrop of spider-webbing, indicating that she will not hold back in her attempts to take him down, even if it is ostensibly for his own good, and presumably, what she perceives to be the greater good. Now, however, Tony Stark has a heavy-hitter of his own by his side, one that he has just affirmed can defeat Black Widow, in what amounts to a major elevation of Melinda May’s character.
Iron Man#8 has set up an unexpectedly exciting match-up, which could turn out to be a pivotal point for MCU-original Melinda May, and a breaking point for Iron Man and Black Widow’s friendship.
That is, of course, if she can live up to Stark’s expectations.It is possible thanIron Man#8 will not be a glorious ascension to a higher level of Marvel prominence for May, but rather a burial; perhaps not literally, but figuratively, if she finds herself on the losing end ofa 1-v-1 fight with Black Widowafter all. In this way,Iron Man#8 has set up an unexpectedly exciting match-up, which could turn out to be a pivotal point for MCU-original Melinda May, and a breaking point forIron ManandBlack Widow’sfriendship.
