There’s a lot to love about the new Black Cat series, from the way it brings a new dimension to Felicia Hardy (read: “she tries to be a superhero, it goes off the rails spectacularly“) to the witty, fourth-wall breaking approach G. Willow Wilson takes to the dialogue. Black Cat #6 only adds to the list, as it manages to be a standalone story that touches upon a plot point from the first story arc.
A brief recap: In her quest to be a hero, Felicia ran afoul of Baron Alexander Razumovsky, a vampire who was engaged in business with the mob. Razumovsky ended up serving Felicia a lawsuit, and she got him to break her out of Tombstone’s grasp in exchange if she promised to show up in court. Her day has come, as the vampire court intends to make her reimburse Razumovsky by any means necessary.
However, Felicia has an ace up her sleeve, as her first encounter with Razumovsky also brought her into contact with Daredevil. Since she’s going to court, she tracks down the Man without Fear and asks if he can track down Matt Murdock for her so that he can plead her case. Reading through Felicia and Murdock’s interactions in Black Cat #6, it’s pretty clear that Wilson enjoys scripting the dynamic between these two – in one of the best moments, Matt asks Felicia who’s she’s talking to when she does one of her signature asides. It’s also fun to witness Matt’s utter exasperation as he tries to use his knowledge of the law, only for Felicia to make things worse; in her defense, it turns out vampires have a far different take on the law than humans do.
Marvel
Black Cat #6 also sees a shift in artists, as Andres Genolet steps in for Gleb Melnikov. Genolet is no stranger to drawing characters from the Spider-Man mythos or superpowered bombshells, thanks to his work on The Spectacular Spider-Men and The Sensational She-Hulk. His style is the perfect fit for Black Cat; Felicia still looks as stunning as ever, while Murdock sports a new look featuring longer hair and stubble. In sharp contrast, the vampires under Genolet’s pencils look every inch the bloodthirsty predators you’d expect them to be, with pointy ears, visible fangs, and demonic visages. Every scene they’re in is a reminder that these are deadly creatures who can hold a very, very, very long grudge.
The scenes in Black Cat #6 wouldn’t stand out as much as they do without Brian Reber’s colors. Dark blues and grays dominate the opening pages, creating the feeling of night and making the vampires feel that much more menacing when they appear in Felicia’s bedroom. Even when they’re under light, the vamps feel unsettling thanks to their pale skin and blood red eyes. Daredevil, on the other hand, draws the eye thanks to his signature red suit – which also matches the shade of Matt Murdock’s glasses in a nice visual touch.
Black Cat #6 offers a standalone story that’s full of the series’ signature wit and inventive storytelling, thanks to Daredevil and a courtroom full of vampires. With the next issue bringing in Mary Jane Watson and Venom, fans are sure to find even more reasons to pick this comic up.
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