As a Spider-Man fan, I’ve joked that the real “Parker luck” the web-head has is dating women that are out of his league (or anyone else’s league). Nowhere is that more true than with Felicia Hardy, aka the Black Cat. A gorgeous burglar who wants to hang around a superhero? Highly unlikely, but it worked. Over the years, other creators – most notably Jed McKay – have fleshed out Felicia, and now G. Willow Wilson and Gleb Melnikov step into the spotlight with Black Cat #1.
Like most good stories, Black Cat #1 begins in media res with Felicia at the Night Nurse’s hospital. We then turn back the clock: while conducting one of her robberies, Felicia was actually trying to contact Spider-Man and getting no luck; those who’ve been reading Joe Kelly’s Amazing Spider-Man know that the web-head’s dropped the “Friendly Neighborhood” from his long list of adjectives. A run-in with the Lizard causes Felicia to consider taking up the path of heroism, but any superhero fan can tell you the path of the righteous is a rocky one.
Most of the attention on Black Cat #1 will probably be on the fact that this marks Wilson’s first Marvel work since she concluded her run on Ms. Marvel. I personally think this series serves as a counterpart to her work on Poison Ivy, which took DC’s plant-based baddie and made her a richer character. Wilson is going for the same approach, as Felicia slowly starts revealing the work it takes to be the Black Cat (it’s more than skintight bodysuits and bad luck powers.) Adding a bit of wit to the situation, Wilson has Felicia talking to the audience a la Fleabag, which makes for an immersive read.
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Felicia’s decision to be a hero isn’t an immediate one, but it slowly comes to her after a series of escalating events. Wilson keeps the pace engaging, never moving too fast or two slow, and delivers Felicia’s epiphany like a thunderbolt from the heavens. It’ll be fun to see how future issues show her adapting to heroism, and if the ending is any indication, she’ll have more than a few threats coming her way as well.
Melnikov handles the interiors of Black Cat #1 with all the grace and allure of the titular protagonist. Whether Felicia is running across rooftops or tangling with the Lizard, things are in constant motion. Melnikov also has a fun way of showcasing how Felicia’s bad luck powers work; one panel shows a random event like a sign falling or an antenna bending, then the next panel will show the fallout. He even makes the Lizard look menacing, as the reptilian supervillain is literally three times Felicia’s size.
Brian Reber also deserves plenty of credit for his rich visual hues; a sunset slowly bleeds into the neon-lit alleys of New York, while Night Nurse’s hospital carries a cold, clincal blue filter you’d expect from a hospital. He also works in tandem with Joe Caramagna to translate the Lizard’s growls into actual human speech, which are lit with a green hue that matches his scaly skin. Through it all, Felicia remains a constant due to her signature silver hair and her black catsuit.
Black Cat #1 lays out a path for the felonious feline to become a true hero, delivering plenty of humor and action along the way. Wilson and Melnikov deliver a witty, intriguing look at a fan-favorite character that longtime Spider-fans and newcomers alike will love.
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