Donato Francisco Rico II was an American paperback novelist, screenwriter, wood engraver and comic book writer-artist, who co-created the Marvel Comics characters the Black Widow with plotter Stan Lee and artist Don Heck; Jann of the Jungle with artist Arthur Peddy; Leopard Girl with artist Al Hartley; and Lorna the Jungle Girl with an artist generally considered to be Werner Roth. His pen names include Dan Rico, Donella St. Michaels, Donna Richards, Joseph Milton, and N. Korok.
Leopard Girl, created by Rico and artist Al Hartley, for Atlas Comics, the 1950s forerunner of Marvel Comics. Cover detail, Jungle Action #2 (Dec. 1954), art by Joe Maneely.
Splash page, Tales of Suspense #53 (Jan. 1964), scripted by Rico as "N. Korok"
Black Widow (Natasha Romanova)
Black Widow is a character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by editor and plotter Stan Lee, scripter Don Rico, and artist Don Heck, the character debuted in Tales of Suspense #52. The character was introduced as a Russian spy, an antagonist of the superhero Iron Man. She later defected to the United States, becoming an agent of the fictional spy agency S.H.I.E.L.D. and a member of the superhero team the Avengers.
Tales of Suspense #52 (April 1964), the debut of Black Widow. Cover art by Jack Kirby and Paul Reinman.
First costume (and bouffant hairdo). From The Avengers #36 (Jan. 1967), art by Don Heck.