Black Cat/Felicia Hardy Appreciation 2023

[Huntsman Spider]

We'll see.

It's always damning for me to re-read older comics, but Sensational Spider-Man #34 vol2 is a really good Black Cat issue that shows just how far she's come, and I would have killed for a fraction of that kind of writing on this book today.

Taking Aguirre-Sacasa (and David) off writing Spider-man was one of the worse side-effects of OMD.

Indeed. I loved how she talked down the Rhino from his then-latest rampage by telling him that neither of them had to be what other people expected them to be, that they could do more than just live down to the reputations they'd been saddled with in the past. That was a beautiful summation of her growth in characterization over the years.

[Tuck]

Indeed. I loved how she talked down the Rhino from his then-latest rampage by telling him that neither of them had to be what other people expected them to be, that they could do more than just live down to the reputations they'd been saddled with in the past. That was a beautiful summation of her growth in characterization over the years.

Something else OMD undid.

[Huntsman Spider]

Something else OMD undid.

Never forget.

[Agent Z]

Here's what's odd about the reason for the break up to me.

spoilers:

Felicia crashes the Bachelorette party for Janice, she has a talk with the Beetle and Janice reveals that Randy tries to convince her to change her ways, which shows he really cares about her. Felicia then begins to doubt her own relationship with Peter because he doesn't work towards the goal of redeeming her. Except this parallel doesn't quite work. Beetle is a villain who's fine with hurting people. Felicia regularly performs heroic acts, either by herself or when she's teaming up with another hero, hardly does any stealing and when she does engage in theft, she does her best to avoid people getting hurt. If anything, Peter and Felicia have the kind of relationship Randy and Janice wish they had.

end of spoilers

Still, Felicia was perhaps the least aggravating part of this run.

Oh well. We can only go up from here.

[Majesty]

Here's what's odd about the reason for the break up to me.

spoilers:

Felicia crashes the Bachelorette party for Janice, she has a talk with the Beetle and Janice reveals that Randy tries to convince her to change her ways, which shows he really cares about her. Felicia then begins to doubt her own relationship with Peter because he doesn't work towards the goal of redeeming her. Except this parallel doesn't quite work. Beetle is a villain who's fine with hurting people. Felicia regularly performs heroic acts, either by herself or when she's teaming up with another hero, hardly does any stealing and when she does engage in theft, she does her best to avoid people getting hurt. If anything, Peter and Felicia have the kind of relationship Randy and Janice wish they had.

end of spoilers

Still, Felicia was perhaps the least aggravating part of this run.

Oh well. We can only go up from here.

You're completely right. Which is why the reasoning is probably the most dumb. Essentially they decided to break them up because Peter and Felicia are in a good place with one another and don't have any issues :P

So Felicia's now officially in the "Why did you break them up?" "Because they were too good for each other." pile of Peter love interests :3 An upgrade from before, but not any less dumb

But when you have a writer that thinks couples not yelling at each other or constantly having conflict is a *bad* thing, you'll find they enjoy ending healthy relationships for no reason other than 'well it's healthy'. :3

[Daibhidh]

spoilers:

Felicia crashes the Bachelorette party for Janice, she has a talk with the Beetle and Janice reveals that Randy tries to convince her to change her ways, which shows he really cares about her. Felicia then begins to doubt her own relationship with Peter because he doesn't work towards the goal of redeeming her. Except this parallel doesn't quite work. Beetle is a villain who's fine with hurting people. Felicia regularly performs heroic acts, either by herself or when she's teaming up with another hero, hardly does any stealing and when she does engage in theft, she does her best to avoid people getting hurt. If anything, Peter and Felicia have the kind of relationship Randy and Janice wish they had.

end of spoilers

spoilers:

I query your "hardly does any stealing". Pretty much all the stories in Jed Mackay's run consist of Felicia sets out to steal something. And it's great from a storytelling point of view. But not something Peter could bring himself to approve of. I don't think the Peter / Felicia relationship could work as long as Felicia is a thief. But... in a healthy relationship that's either up to Felicia to decide or else for Peter to make it clear that it's a red line before they start the relationship. It's not healthy for Peter to get into the relationship and then try to change Felicia. (Unless she keeps forgetting to replace the toilet roll.) But since when does Felicia take relationship advice from Janice Lincoln? True, Felicia started out as a naive teenaged girl with a crush - but she has matured since then. Jed Mackay's Felicia is a confident young woman who understands what she's about.

end of spoilers

[juan678]

Lesley Leirix Li The Amazing Spider-Man #34



https://twitter.com/TheComicAwakens/...59318381260800

[Jman27]

The real purpose of having Mj and Felicia in this run is for the variants.

[Kevinroc]

The funniest thing about Felicia's "I want a relationship, not a project" is the reveal that she already has a project. Turning MJ into a superhero.

[rward777]

The funniest thing about Felicia's "I want a relationship, not a project" is the reveal that she already has a project. Turning MJ into a superhero.

Perhaps Felicia will get injured by Kraven and will make Peter and her realize their feelings for each other

[Kevinroc]

Perhaps Felicia will get injured by Kraven and will make Peter and her realize their feelings for each other

That relationship is done, at least as far as this run is concerned. It's gonna be a while before someone tries to pair them up again.

[Garlador]

That relationship is done, at least as far as this run is concerned. It's gonna be a while before someone tries to pair them up again.

I’m still gobsmacked that the second most popular living love interest finally hooks up for a serious relationship with Peter after over 30 years, she’s in basically 4 issues, nothing of interest happens, and they break up because Peter ISN’T trying to change her and she “doesn’t want a project” while totally treating MJ like a project.

If I was a hardcore Felicia/Peter fan, I’d be screaming at the walls.

So we’re betting on her being a guest character in the Jackpot mini, right? Or is another solo in her future, we think?

[Zeitgeist]

This is why I say I spend time enjoying it however long it lasts because they could end it at any moment for whatever reason no matter how dumb. So I'm glad I did that instead of the latter. As someone familiar with the two and how writing can just 'decide' to change things, you get used to expecting that at some point. That's why it's best to enjoy when they're doing something with it because they can switch at any second. As a comic lover for years, it's just a reality to face.

100% this. It's just how comics work. It was an incredibly short pairing and I'd like to have to have seen them really attempt to run with it a little, but I'm happy we got to see a modern take on them in a relationship at all after years of teasing it. Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened, etc etc

I just wish it was better written/handled.

That too though

[scouse mouse]

This felt like a correction by Wells part. Like they realised how unhappy the readers were and how regressive the relationship was and decided to end it. I'm happy they've split, but at the same time, they never felt like a couple. They kissed, she disappeared for months, they have that mini arc at the spa, she disappears again, then they split.

[Zeitgeist]

This felt like a correction by Wells part. Like they realised how unhappy the readers were and how regressive the relationship was and decided to end it. I'm happy they've split, but at the same time, they never felt like a couple. They kissed, she disappeared for months, they have that mini arc at the spa, she disappears again, then they split.

Comic scripts are written and turned in many months in advance, so I doubt this is in reply to any section of readers tbh.