Writer Jed MacKay has been taking Felicia Hardy on a delightful trip through strange corners of the Marvel Universe in the service of a story that reaches its climax in the seventh issue of Black Cat. Artist Travel Foreman brings the initial story arc to its conclusion in a thoroughly satisfying delivery on the meaning behind Black Cat’s recent adventures. The confrontation between arch-villain and Black Cat’s former mentor pulls the narrative away from Felicia for a bit longer than the series has managed before in the past. Though he’s an interesting character, the departure from a narrow focus on Felicia compromises the charm of the series as it begins to roll into the second half of its first year.

Black Cat has taken some time away from her recent adventures. She’s stolen from Doctor Strange, the Fantastic Four, and the Frick Collection. Returning from a strange date with Batroc the Leaper, she discovers that her former mentor Black Fox has been captured by the head of the New York Thieve’s Guild--a stylishly sly woman named Odessa Drake. Black Cat has to tangle with the head of a powerful guild of thieves, to save her employer. First, though, there is one hell of a lot of back-story and a few guards to take care of. 

MacKay cleverly bisects the issue. Black Fox and Drake talk back story while Black Cat silently slices through guards inching herself ever closer to saving her former mentor. Black Fox is interesting enough, but drawing the story into a triangular momentum between Black Fox, Black Cat, Odessa Drake, and supernatural forces? That’s a bit of a stretch that pulls the series away from the titular character. MacKay may be biting off a bit more than the series has been working on recent issues. The departure from a very narrow focus on Felicia and her accomplices feels more than a little disappointing. Still, MacKay has built-up more than enough momentum to get through a weird transitional issue like this one. 

Travel Foreman pulls the issue through a rather uncomfortable series of pages in which Black Fox is tied to a chair in an interrogation position at the hands of Odessa Drake. The background on Black Cat’s adventures is fed slickly through the narrative in a very briskly-paced sense of action. The background on the thieves guild and the magical entity that has been building up throughout the issue is handled as well as could be expected. Even if the overall rhythm of the story feels a bit weak as a result of drawing-in elements that haven’t had a whole lot of lead-in. Above all, Black Cat seems slickly formidable. Foreman uses an impressively reserved kinetic action to render Black Cat’s battle prowess. 

MacKay and Foreman launch themselves into the second half of Black Cat’s first year with the new series. It’s been an enjoyable journey, but this transitional issue feels like it’s interrupting the energy that the creative team has been building up to this point. It’s been interesting so far. MacKay and Foreman are going to be opening Felicia into a different world within the coming issues. This is rather a strange entry into it.

Grade: B