Felicia Displays the Strength of a Woman
I love how Jed Mackay puts the strength of Black Cat on full display in this issue. Felicia Hardy a.k.a. Black Cat is arguably one of Marvel’s strongest female characters. Not just for what she has endured but how she has responded to it. If you’ve never read a comic with Black Cat in it this is the perfect one to read. Mackay wraps a clear and concise rundown of her past in an easy to consume monologue by the Fox impersonator. Yet, Mackay doesn’t trot out her painful past gratuitously. Who Felicia has become and how she’s grown through the trauma and abandonment that has dogged her life is core to a critical decision she makes in Black Cat #3: Queen in Black part three. Watch closely because, inQueen in Black, the lady thief demonstrates very human emotions without once being a damsel in distress. While she is definitely the survivor, Cap pegged her as—she’s also kept her soul intact. Keep up the good work, Jed!
If you haven’t picked upBlack Cat issues #1–#3 yet, you should. Don’t wait for the trade. This tale is too good to miss. Marvel’s proving yet again why these cross-over events score big. Now, if we can just convince them to do aBlack Catmovie.
Spoiler Warning:
For Black Cat #2 or Black Cat #3, or King In Black #3,
There May Be Spoilers Below
The Temptation of Black Cat
Black Cat vs. Wild Magic
In Black Cat: Queen In Black part three,Felicia struggles to understand her new powers and what’s happening. Awaking on a separate plane and facing an unknown entity parading around in the face of her beloved mentor, one of her first concerns is for her crew. It speaks volumes.
The Black Fox imposter describes itself as an ancient entity, a kind of “wild magic” that was housed in the fragment of Yggdrasil, which she unwrapped. Our glamorous lady thief knows nothing is free. Not one to dance around the issue. She wants to know what this magic wants from her. He explains he needs her as a “conduit” to carve his “mark across creation,” but this requires her consent.
Show Me the Money
Without answering, Black Cat wants to know what’s in it for her, but before she even hears him out, she pushes him to ensure the safety of her crew. In doing so, she gets a taste of the power she could be wielding.
Leveraging her enjoyment, The Fox imposter reminds her of what it’s like to feel powerless and begins wearing her down by parading her through every trauma and heartbreak of her life. Fights with various villains, her father’s arrest, her mother’s lie, and every rejection loom large in excruciating color.
Felicia Hardy is nobody’s fool. Catching on to his game, she spells it out for him. There’s no wearing her down with a past that she’s already survived. Reminding her of her abuse doesn’t weaken her. In fact, you can see the steel in her eyes. She counters his maneuver by making it clear it is she who is negotiating from a place of strength. Our ever enterprising lady thief comes just shy of saying, “show me the money.” He does exactly that. Escorting her through images of all she could have. Wealth, power, respect… it’s all there. The world at her feet and she’d certainly intrigued.
Until he crosses a line that he had no idea existed. The overzealous entity in a desperate bid for her to consent to be his conduit offers her the love she’s lost and, in doing so, evokes his own doom.
What Doesn’t Kill You…
Returning to her crew and a revived, thoughtful-looking Dr. Strange. She learns she’s just survived going head to head with one of the most potent magics in the universe and was able to break free. Dr. Strange tells her he’s impressed. We learn it would have been a struggle for even a skilled magic user to ward off such temptations.
The entity seriously miscalculated. Black Cat is who she is, precisely because of everything she has gone through. As she pieced herself back together after each trauma, she healed. In healing, she built a tremendous inner strength which she channeled to tame the magic. Now we have to hope her strength combined with the Sorcerer Supreme’s power can face down the forces of Knull closing in on them. Just in case, though, she has Strange use his magic to send her crew out of danger. Because that’s the kind of woman that she is.
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FAQs
Black Cats Are Savvy. Lastly, they are known for being savvy. They are vigilant and intelligent. They are very observant as well as being very faithful. If they find a home that treats them well, they will stay and be incredibly loving and loyal pets.
What does a Black Cat symbolize? ›
Black cats are often a symbol of Halloween or witchcraft. In most Western cultures, black cats have typically been looked upon as a symbol of evil omens, specifically being suspected of being the familiars of witches, or actually shape-shifting witches themselves.
Is Black Cat a copy of Catwoman? ›
Black Cat is similar to Catwoman, both in the sense that she's a skilled thief who dresses with a cat motif and because she has a complicated and sometimes romantic relationship with Spidey. That's not to say Felicia Hardy is a carbon copy of Selina Kyle.
Is Felicia Hardy a villain? ›
Felicia Hardy is one of the greatest thieves in the Marvel Universe, a talent that she inherited from her infamous father. In her costumed career, she's been both hero and villain, but no matter what part she plays, valuables are sure to go missing.
What is a witch's black cat called? ›
During the early modern period, the name grimalkin – and cats in general – became associated with the devil and witchcraft. Women tried as witches in the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries were often accused of having a familiar, frequently a grimalkin.
How rare are female black cats? ›
Most black cats are male.
If you see a black cat, there's a 75% chance that it is a male.
What do black cats do spiritually? ›
A black cat spirit animal symbolism
They represent independence, mystery, intuition, resilience, and transformation. They symbolise protection, often protecting the home and family. Black cats are a sign of good luck and prosperity.
Are black cats a good omen? ›
In fact, some cultures believe that black cats bring good luck. “Their resemblance to the cat-goddess Bastet led them to be honored in ancient Egypt,” he explains. “In other countries, such as Scotland and Japan, they have been known to represent prosperity.
What is the superstition about black cats? ›
In some European folklore, black cats are considered common companions of witches and bringers of misfortune if they happened to cross your path. In contrast, Welsh folklore depicts black cats would bring luck to a home and could even be a reliable weather predictor (3).
Is Black Cat a witch? ›
Early links between black cats to magic and witchcraft go as far back as the Greeks who linked them to Hecate. As the goddess of magic, sorcery, the moon and witchcraft, it was early fodder to what would fester into a deadly association.
It's a very close call, but Black Cat's powers and enhanced costume gives her the edge, narrowly making her our top cat. That being said, we'd gladly adventure or plunder alongside either of these incredible cat burglars as heroes or thieves.
Is Black Cat a villain? ›
Despite her being an anti-hero though, Felicia Hardy is also a criminal, and tends to not let Spider-Man's morals get in the way of what she wants, particularly post-One More Day where she has resumed her thieving ways. Nevertheless, Black Cat eventually became more consistently heroic than villainous.
Is Black Cat still alive? ›
After faking her death in a fiery explosion, Black Cat returned in the nick of time to help Spider-Man and Silver Sable defeat a cybernetically upgraded Hammerhead.
Does Black Cat hate Peter? ›
Their breakup highlighted the dichotomy between Felicia's attraction to Spider-Man's heroic persona and her disinterest in Peter's civilian life. Despite the romantic turmoil, Black Cat remained one of Spider-Man's most trusted allies, showcasing her loyalty and unwavering dedication to their partnership.
Why did Black Cat become Black Cat? ›
Unable to exact revenge against the man who ruined her life, Felicia becomes a cat burglar like her father, determined to be even better than he was. Donning a black costume and mask, she becomes the Black Cat and seeks to steal from the world to replace what was taken from her.
What is black cat's personality in Marvel? ›
Personality. Felicia Hardy is perhaps what everyone expects from a woman that has defined herself as a socialite after leaving university. At least, a socialite that proves she's not lacking in the intelligence department. She's smart, has a good sense of humour, and a perpetual flirt, despite always seemingly single.
What is a black cat in relationship? ›
If you haven't heard of the Golden Retriever / Black Cat phenomenon, the term describes a relationship between a friendly, extraverted, energetic golden retriever person and their more reserved, introverted, quiet black cat counterpart.
What does "black cat" mean in a relationship? ›
The 'black cat' of your duo is introverted, relaxed and reserved. They are said to be fiercely independent and are not the ones to do the chasing as they keep themselves to themselves. The 'golden retriever' of this dynamic is far more extroverted – highly social, sensitive and energetic.
What is the personality of a white cat vs black cat? ›
White cats were considered to be more shy, lazy and calm, while tortoiseshell cats were more likely to be depicted as both more intolerant and more trainable. Black cats were typified as having less extreme character traits, which might contribute to their mysterious reputation.
