Throughout G. Willow Wilson’s run on Black Cat, Felicia Hardy has dealt with a brief turn to superheroics, a law-and-order stance in the world of vampires, and a brief journey to the Negative Zone. Surely, she’s earned the right to take it easy for a bit, right? Not exactly, as her latest heist has put her in the crosshairs of the Punisher. But what has Felicia done to earn the wrath of Frank Castle? The answer may surprise some people, though whether that surprise is genuine or disappointing depends on the reader’s perception.
What is prominent in Black Cat #11 is the idea of luck – specifically, how good and bad luck play out in the universe. This was bound to come up for two reasons: Felicia has the ability to manipulate luck to her own ends, and yet throughout the entirety of Wilson’s run, luck hasn’t been in her favor. This gets ratcheted up a notch when she encounters the Punisher. Though Felicia is able to stay one step ahead of Frank’s seemingly endless arsenal, she can’t escape him forever, and as I previously mentioned, she unwittingly brought it upon herself. To Wilson’s credit, this does lead to some more witty banter, including the Punisher being labeled as an “ammosexual” and Felicia not believing that being a platinum blonde in a catsuit isn’t enough to deter him from his target.
I also love that Black Cat #11 digs into the Punisher’s humanity in a surprising way. Too many writers tend to write the Punisher as an unfeeling machine, but this is a man who does what he does because he lost the people he loves most in the world. Jason Aaron correctly described the Punisher’s story as a tragedy, and in her own way, Wilson adds to that tragedy. Again, mileage may vary based on the big reveal, but it shows that there’s more to the Punisher than skull-shaped body armor and bloody vengeance upon the guilty.
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Black Cat #11 also marks the return of Andres Genolet to interiors. While Gleb Melnikov’s artwork goes over the top, there’s a sleekness and sheen to Genolet’s work that is fitting for this story arc. Under his pencils, Felicia moves with incredible grace and speed — which is helpful, given that she’s trying to stay one step ahead of the Punisher’s arsenal. The Punisher himself is depicted as a lean, mean fighting machine, with a hunter’s glint in his eye and the haggard appearance of a man who stays up far later than he should. Brian Reber’s color art also highlights the similarities and the differences between Black Cat’s and Punisher’s gear. Both are wearing shades of black and white, but hers is meant for stealth while his is built for war.
The final pages once again touch upon the aspect of luck, and how it’s more or less run out in Felicia’s case. Surprisingly, this is a development I’m OK with. When you have a character who can influence probability, more often than not, the odds tend to be stacked exclusively in their favor. Black Cat #11 asks, “What if that wasn’t the case?” It’s the start of an intriguing story, and I hope future issues continue to explore it.
Black Cat #11 launches a new story arc that both touches on the nature of luck and sets the Punisher on Felicia Hardy’s trail. Can Felicia fight or flirt her way out of a confrontation with the Marvel Universe’s deadliest antihero? Time will tell.
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