Review by Ian Keogh

Felicia Hardy, Black Cat, is a thief perhaps more often attracted by the thrills than the prize, and a second generation feline at that. Grand Theft Marvel established there’s an organisation, the Guild by name, powerful enough to claim 10% of all heists, and their current chief is less than pleased to learn Felicia’s mentor the Fox has returned. He’s a legendary thief on the verge of retirement who’s decided the Guild’s vault will be his a final statement job. However, he and Odessa, the Guild’s current leader, have considerable bad blood.

In terms of art, the consistency of Grand Theft Marvel was welcome. Travel Foreman handled the heavy lifting in style, while Michael Dowling drew flashback scenes. Here, the art is all over the place. Dowling opens, Foreman follows, Annie Wu and Dike Ruan then split a story before Kris Anka (sample art) draws the final two chapters. These are all good artists, and the chapters being broken down into different stories helps a little, but why, oh why, oh why is it so difficult for Marvel to arrange that the same artist draws five consecutive chapters?

Jed MacKay expresses Felicia;s personality well, portraying her as someone who can be impulsive, but very capable when thinking on her feet, so when someone unexpected turns up, she can adapt. MacKay’s also enjoying himself in the wider Marvel playground, with every chapter featuring someone else familiar, although not always in the form we know them. Take Batroc, for instance. We’re used to the guy with the ‘tache and writers amusing themselves with his broken English in a French accent, but MacKay doesn’t bother with that, instead stressing the respect he’s due as a mercenary.

Everything’s whizzing along fine here with thoughtful fun all the way, and it continues in All Dressed Up. Alternatively, most of MacKay’s Black Cat material can be found in hardback as Black Cat by Jed MacKay Omnibus.