Review by Ian Keogh
Combining what were previously seven paperbacks, albeit some of them extremely slim, this Omnibus provides good value in presenting a run that starts extremely well. The initial concern is how to differentiate Black Cat from Catwoman, but Jed MacKay neatly draws attention to the differences, not least via two engaging henchmen with specialist talents, and the guiding presence of Felicia Hardy’s mentor, ageing criminal the Fox.
There are extended interruptions and it finishes before the collection ends, but MacKay’s at his best when dealing with a continuing plot introduced in the early stages. There’s an organisation known as the Guild with enough power to enforce all thieves turning over 10% of their take, with the result that they’re assumed to have a legendary vault. The Fox plans to retire, but wants to cap his career by robbing the vault, and so has the Black Cat acquire the necessary equipment, which involves stealing from familiar faces.
MacKay is notably good at pacing plots alternating action with scenes from the recent past giving the background to events, and works out captivating capers with wrenches well thrown in. His definition of Felicia’s personality is excellent throughout, moving her away from the vamp plaguing Spider-Man to someone aware different aims require different approaches. Her role, particularly association with the Fox, grounds her natural abilities, meaning MacKay only infrequently has to resort to her talent for causing bad luck for others. The personalities of her henchmen are raised to viable supporting characters, while their skills enable more ambitious thefts.
Artists are many and variable. The sample art is from C.F. Villa, who contributes more pages than any other artist, but without any great distinction. The action is there and the story told, but never in a way that you’ll stop to admire a page. Travel Foreman and Michael Dowling are both extremely talented, with Foreman better at delivering personality, but the star artistic turn is Pere Pérez on the final story. This is virtuoso superhero art, telling the story, delivering the personalities and the action, supplying detail and all within memorable pages. To their credit, no artist here resorts to the old exploitative methods of drawing Black Cat herself, but MacKay having her kissing girls is his one poor personality choice, transmitting as titillation for teenagers rather than a credible character facet.
When the plot moves away from ongoing events, MacKay is strangely lacklustre. He’s good enough that there are moments worth reading in both the three chapters connecting with King in Black (in paperback as Queen in Black), and what was Infinity Score in paperback, but they don’t captivate in the way the other material does. However, proving MacKay’s mojo remains, the closing Iron Cat arc ranks among the best, delving into the past, making good use of Tony Stark, and constantly wrong-footing readers.
In paperback this material is available in a connecting series beginning with Grand Theft Matvel and ending with Iron Cat. This isn’t quite MacKay’s full work on Black Cat, though, as you’ll have to buy Mary Jane & Black Cat separately.
