Black Cat #10: Even though the pain and heartache seems to follow me

It’s the penultimate chapter of the Infinity Heist for Felicia Hardy, aka the Black Cat, aka Marvel’s greatest cat burglar, and the last issue of this volume of Black Cat. I’m going to be honest. This sucks. I’m so upset that this book is getting cancelled, because it’s so good. MacKay and his artist companions have made this book so much fun over the past two years. Felicia and the gang are fun to read about, the relationship between Cat and the Black Fox was so touching. I’ve always loved the Black Fox, but I’m shocked at how much MacKay has made me love him more thanks to him. 

Anyway, back to this issue. MacKay and Villa pulled out all of the stops. There’s tons of energy, and a sense of whimsy, something that’s been present since the very first issue, and this team is putting Cat through the wringer, trying to get all of the stones, and the hosts that they’re currently bonded to, in place for Cat’s biggest adventure yet. Unfortunately there’s some hiccups that happen along the way. Like Nighthawk, fresh off of the recently concluded Heroes Reborn event, where he was one of the world’s greatest heroes ever, and clearly wants to go back to that. We also have Fury and Star to deal with. So listen, I love Star. I’ve loved Star from her debut in Kelly Thompson’s Captain Marvel, and I reaaaaalllly like the way MacKay and Villa have her here. She’s a villain who just wanted power, and when given the chance, took it. We haven’t had a new character like that in a really long time, so I’m here for it. I hope to see MacKay use her in wherever he ends up after this series concludes. 

Now let’s talk about C.F. Villa. Wow. His work on Cat and her world just keeps getting better and better. Cat is cunning, sexy, and mischievous, and that’s exactly how Villa portrays her here. The boys (her faithful henchmen that debuted wayyyyyyyy back in Amazing Spider-Man #194) are as fun as ever, Star looks how Star should look. A cocky, duplicitous b-word, and he draws the best Odessa since her debut. This is an artist that should be on everyone’s radar.