Review: Giant Size Black Cat #1

This is it! I have been waiting for this issue for a while now. As a huge fan of Black Cat and Jed MacKay, this book is the conclusion to the last two volumes of the Black Cat series’. But to paraphrase a certain someone, “with a giant size finale, comes giant size expectations.”

Now in possession, or at least in cahoots with their host bodies, three Infinity Stones (Gems), Felicia can now put her big plan into action. Of course along the way she has managed to alienate and annoy a few people, Nick Fury being one of them, and you just know that sooner or later they are all coming to collect their dues. But will Felicia have enough time to complete the job?

If you consider that this book is in part a conclusion to Felicia’s book as well as the conclusion of the Infinite Destinies, then there is a lot going on. This for me is actually a detriment to the book. Whilst the frenemy banter between Star and Felicia is fun, I miss her usual gang of cohorts. The book promises so much in relation to who the villain is and what the whole point of the score is, yet even though you know there is going to be a twist in the tale, I was a little taken back with a general feeling of “is that it?” Maybe Black Cat has ran out of steam or MacKay’s focus lies elsewhere as his star is currently on the rise on a number of projects, not just at Marvel. Whatever the reason, the impact of the story was minimal, lacking the usual fun song and dance routines that had made the Black Cat’s run fun.

C. F. Villa is on hand with art duties. ASs you’d expect by now, the art holds up rather well, especially around the facial elements and some of the poses. Things get a little chaotic, as is their wont, when Star decides that enough is enough; Villa tries an ambitious chase around a hospital that ultimately ends up going nowhere. If you enjoyed Villa’s previous work, then tis book will suit you just fine. Color are provided by Brian Reber, another mainstay on the book who continues with the overall vibe of the book, albeit with darker sheen to proceedings. Is this an hang over form King in Black? I am not sure, but Felicia’s stories are usually light; the color scheme should reflect that. Letter are expertly placed by Ferran Delgado; for an action book there is a surprising amount of verbiage. There are a rash of covers to choose from, buyers choice remains in full force.

Is this a bad book? No it isn’t. Was I expecting more? Yes I was, and therein lies the problem. For the last couple of years I have been saying how Black Cat was one of Marvel’s funniest books. Yet in this finale issue, it seems that the core ingredients have somehow been missed. I guess I am both disappointed that the series is ending and how it is concluded. Oh and by the way, I nailed a huge part of this story way back when I interviewed Jed MacKay on Outside the Panels, which you can find here.

Writing – 3.5 Stars
Art – 3.5 Stars
Colors – 3.5 Stars

Overall – 3.5 Stars

Written by; Jed MacKay
Art by; C. F. VIlla
Colors by; Brian Reber
Letters by; Ferran Delgado
Published by; Marvel Worldwide Inc.

Author Profile

Johnny "The Machine" Hughes

I am a long time comic book fan, being first introduced to Batman in the mid to late 70's. This led to a appreciation of classic artists like Neal Adams and Jim Aparo. Moving through the decades that followed, I have a working knowledge of a huge raft of characters with a fondness for old school characters like JSA and The Shadow

Currently reading a slew of Bat Books, enjoying a mini Marvel revival, and the host of The Definative Crusade and Outside the Panels whilst also appearing on No-Prize Podcast on the Undercover Capes Podcast Network