Throughout Marvel's history, a number of women have taken on the Black Widow mantle, most notably the Avenger Natasha Romanoff and the morally dubious Yelena Belova. Now, as revealed over at The Mary Sue, Marvel's set to add a totally new character to the Black Widow family -- the first ever Red Widow.

The new character, described by writer Margaret Stohl as "the opposite of the Black Widow," will first appear in a back-up story in "Mockingbird: S.H.I.E.L.D. 50th Anniversary" #1. The adventure comes from Stohl, a novelist who is also the writer behind the upcoming novel "Black Widow: Forever Red," and artist Nico Leon. Stohl and Leon's Red Widow back-up will be paired with a feature story starring Mockingbird by writer Chelsea Cain with art from Joelle Jones.

"The Red Widow is a powerful new female superhero for the Marvel universe. In many ways, she's the opposite of the Black Widow -- she actually chooses to become the Red Widow -- but both Widows share a mysterious bond and a history, and will change the course of each other's lives, moving forward," said Stohl in The Mary Sue's announcement. "And of course, this is just the beginning for this enigmatic and deadly new character. Red Widow's story first emerges within the pages of 'Mockingbird: S.H.I.E.L.D. 50th Anniversary' #1, and will then be featured in my upcoming (prose) novel, 'Black Widow: Forever Red.' I couldn't be prouder of both Widows -- and of Marvel Comics, for being so supportive of the two of them."

"Mockingbird: S.H.I.E.L.D. 50th Anniversary" #1 hits stores on September 2. Red Widow's prose debut will arrive in "Black Widow: Forever Red" on October 13.