Every installment of this feature is about odd comic book plot points that were rarely (sometimes NEVER!) mentioned again after they were first introduced.

We continue with Black Widow's EXTREMELY short-lived romantic interest in Captain America.

Captain America and Black Widow had worked together for years in the time leading up to 1994's Avengers #382 (by Bob Harras, Mike Deodato and Tom Palmer). In fact, just four years earlier in Uncanny X-Men #268 (by Chris Claremont, Jim Lee and Scott Williams), we learned that Cap and Widow had actually met when Natasha was just a little kid!



Widow and Cap were sort of co-leaders of the Avengers for a time under Harras' pen and after Cap took a break from the team circa Avengers #347, she took over leadership duties for the Avenger (and continued to be the leader even after Cap returned to the Avengers circa #363). But their interactions were pretty much just as friendly colleagues until the aforementioned #382...





Check out the look on her face when Jarvis walked in on her (Cap is tired, by the way, because the Super Soldier Serum in his bloodstream has turned on him and is now actively working against his body - he is slowly dying).

This was pretty clearly going to go somewhere, especially based on some extra little hints in Avengers #387 (by Harras, Deodato and Palmer)...



and the end of #388 (by Harras, Deodato and Palmer)...



and possibly Captain America #441 (by Mark Gruenwald and Dave Hoover), which crossed over with the Avengers (a Cosmic Cube is creating shadows of the Avengers' respective pasts, including the Widow's first husband)...



Cap "died" soon after this, and when Mark Waid took over Captain America's title, he went with a romance with a now-alive Sharon Carter and this was never mentioned again.

Amusingly enough, Black Widow later had a serious relationship with Steve Rogers' temporary replacement as Captain America, Bucky Barnes.

If YOU have a suggestion for If I Pass This Way Again, drop me a line at bcronin@comicbookresources.com