Review: Black Cat #1
From the pages of Amazing Spider-Man, spins a new comic…… that isn’t actually a Spider-Man book! Black Cat #1 sees Marvel’s first feline in her own series.
Felicia Hardy is back doing what she likes doing. Stealing stuff. In order to do that, she needs a high profile mark to distract the rent-a-cops. Who better to fit that role, than the drop dead gorgeous Ms Hardy herself. Instantly recognised by both said cops and her soon to be serious nemesis, the Thieves Guild Mistress, Odessa Drake, the latter following Felicia’s involvement in the superhero heist seen in Amazing Spider-Man, allows a Thomas Crown type of affair. From there they all play a game of “catch-the-cat” before the main issue rounds out with a bit of a surprise.
Jed MacKay, who recently caused a bit of a storm with his Death of Daredevil story-line, takes the helm for a book, that is a lot more fun than I expected. Here, the angst of failed choices, recedes as we get Felicia as her charming, flirty self as she canoodles and cajoles those around her to get what she wants. In some ways, it is great to see Felicia back being a thief, rather than being an almost part of Peter Parker’s life. Sure there was the whole crime lord thing in the Silk book, but this felt more like a “copycat” theme taken from DC’s Catwoman. MacKay keeps things light with fun banter, that belies some of the danger she and her compatriots are in.  With a trio cast coupled with an almost heroine with bad luck powers, the book does run the risk of reading like Gail Simone’s Domino. MacKay deftly handles the comparison in a way that plays down the similarities.
Travel Foreman has an unenviable task, truth be told. His interior art has to maintain the impetus of not just one fantastic cover, by J.Scott Campbell, but has to deal with a second fantastic cover by Stanley Artgerm Lau. Throw in the fact that the market can be seen as moving away from cheesecake for a more androgynous look, with the latter certainly not being the way to describe Foreman’s clean lines. Foreman has gone for a slinky look for Felicia, keeping her fan pleasing white eyebrows as well as giving her a dynamic gracefulness to her whole image, whether that be sauntering through a museum or diving off a car. The panel structure is easy to follow which is a great way to start the first issue. Colors are supplied be Brian Reber who does a fantastic job with the various environments, adding textures and layers to build on the dark night, illuminated by the city’s brash and often artificial bright lights. In many ways, the colors are as much Felicia focused as the pencil lines. Finally, letterer Ferran Delgado makes the dialogue easy to read.
The book also features a couple of back up stories; the first is written and drawn by Nao Fuji, who delivers a fun little, almost manga style story. Ironically, for an overall look that seems more suited to a younger audience, Fuji’s Black Cat is even more cheesecake than Foreman’s with emphasis on curves and low zippers. The final story, written by Jed MacKay, with art by Mike Dowling, colors by Brian Reber and letters by Ferran Delgado is more of an off beat history type story that, at the moment at least, feels like a bit of a throwaway story.
In a lot ways, this is the book that I feel DC wishes their Catwoman book was; a character based on the thrill of the chase, out for fun instead of a character mourning the loss of a fiance that she herself left. Reading this book, I am reminded how well Marvel can create strong female led books, when they put their minds to it.
Writing – 5 Stars
Art – 5 Stars
Colors – 5 Stars
[yasr_overall_rating size=”large”]
Written by; Jed MacKay & Nao Fuji
Art by; Travel Foreman, Nau Fuji and Mike Dowling
Colors by; Brian Reber
Letters by; Ferran Delgado
Covers by; (A) J. Scott Campbell (Var) Stanley Artgerm Lau
Published by; Marvel Entertainment
Author Profile
- 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
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