Comic book reviews for Amazing Spider-Man Presents: Black Cat #1, Amazing Spider-Man Presents: Black Cat #2, Amazing Spider-Man Presents: Black Cat #3, and Amazing Spider-Man Presents: Black Cat #4 by Jen Van Meter
Amazing Spider-Man Presents: Black Cat #1 by Jen Van Meter
I love that this is a comic book about a woman’s job. Sure Felicia has friends and some co-workers, but this is all about her. I treasure that in a comic book about a female character.
The thief tone of this book felt perfect. Pulido did a wonderful job with the art and making it a great read. It adds to the fun. I do think fun best describes the comics I’ve read by Van Meter. They’re delightful and fun, and I’m so glad she’s getting writing gigs with one of the big two. She’s definitely very talented.
I love that Felicia the thief goes after what she wants no matter what. That she’s worried more about her reputation than her safety. That she could dress up in her Black Cat costume and steal the faberge egg, but instead, she steals it in daylight. Steals it while in her civis and talking on her cell phone.
I’m really looking forward to reading more of this comic.
Amazing Spider-Man Presents: Black Cat #2 by Jen Van Meter
I’m continuing to love Black Cat as a thief story. Van Meter is a very talented writer who indeed makes her complex story look breathless. Which is really a sign of great talent. Her Felicia is fun, yet a serious business woman.
I love Felicia trying to explain to Spider-Man why he’s just in the way. Yes, boys, not everything is about you. I do like Peter as the clingy, what are we? kind of guy, which I’m not sure if other writers have really picked up on. I’m also enjoying how both of them don’t quite trust each other.
Felicia may be going after the tiara, but she does care a lot about her team. I love how they come first in that she moves them all to a safe-house and puts their skills to use to find out who’s blackmailing her into stealing for them. Not to mention, the villain has already offed one of her teammates.
Felicia’s mother is another brilliant character. I greatly enjoy the lack of trust between them and the rocky-relationship with good reason. Van Meter makes it pretty clear that Lydia cares about her daughter, but she cares in a way of protecting herself against Felicia hurting her in the way Walter did: with the thievery being more important than family. I felt that Lydia double-crossing her daughter at the end was brilliant.
Can Van Meter continue to write this kind of book about Felicia forever?
Amazing Spider-Man Presents: Black Cat #3 by Jen Van Meter
Someone’s been loving watching Leverage? That’s not to say that this tale isn’t fun or well-written, but clearly, credit where credit is due.
I loved the switcheroo, and how Felicia hid inside of a casket to gain entrance into the museum. And also the switch she played with Kyoko. And I appreciated the better view of her team — Kyoko, Tami, and Poet — than we saw in the last issues. I feel like I know them more.
I’m not sure how I feel about the whole Black Cat and Spider-Man romance. It’s a little too much good guy goes after bad girl for me.
On the other hand, I do like Vasili’s obsession with Ana Kraven and her family. And how despite his best efforts, Felicia and her team figures out that the Kravens are the ones behind the heists and framing of the Black Cat. Plus, finding out about the Kravens makes it incredibly easy to figure out just where Vasili’s home-base and the rest of the artifacts are.
Amazing Spider-Man Presents: Black Cat #4 by Jen Van Meter
I’m so glad that Pulido is the solo artist on this last issue, because it was awesome and I love, love his art for Felicia and her team. Plus, it helps set the whole heist tone of this book perfectly.
Van Meter does a great job of the somewhat reveal of just how Felicia and her team pulled this one off. And how the villains are still confused about what happened. Of course, Kraven would blame the whole thing on Spider-Man.
I’m really glad that Van Meter cooled off the Spider-Man and Black Cat romance. Mostly because I feel that Felicia is way too much of an adult to put up with Spider-Man’s antics. Especially as a sophisticated thief.
The fight between Felicia and Sasha was perfect. Especially as Felicia slips the ring off Sasha’s finger and Sasha doesn’t realize it until she’s out the door.
My one beef with the art is why Sasha’s outfit is so similar in style to the Black Cat’s costume. I’m not sure if it’s saying that they’re tied together or that they’re both against Vasili. However, the internet seems to show that Sasha often wears black jackets with white fur collars.
Van Meter does a good job at making some peace between Felicia and her mother. Things aren’t perfect. But you can tell that her mother has made amends with some of her negative feelings toward Felicia following her father’s thieving footsteps.
Kravan teaching Ana to hunt was just brilliant. I can really see Van Meter’s flexibility here as a writer and how she could write a much darker book.
The ending with Felicia going after the old Captain America shield was too perfect. Yes, you can’t stop the thief.
I really do need to read more comics. This series sounds fantastic. And Parker from Leverage is awesome.
This miniseries is really awesome. I highly recommend it, especially since you’re a Leverage fan. Black Cat isn’t crazy like Parker, but she is one damn good thief.