Writer: Jed MacKay
Artist: Kris Anka
Color Artist: Brian Reber
Letterer: Ferran Delgado
Covers: J. Scott Campbell & Sabine Rich; Adi Granov
Release Date: March 4th, 2020
Price: $3.99
The Black Cat/Wolverine team-up is in full swing as the pair plot to steal back Logan’s valuables from Kade Kilgore. Let’s see if they’re up to the task in Jed MacKay’s BLACK CAT #10!
Issue #10 kicks off with a pissed-off Kade Kilgore staring out of the window Logan and Felicia just escaped from as movers are packing Wolverine’s valuables that Kade had stolen. Hey, wait a minute… These movers look kinda familiar. More on that later. One of Kilgore’s henchmen is also on the phone staring at a wall of monitors with various hero/villain/merc-types on the screen. Again, that will come into play later in the book. This is page one folks, and the BLACK CAT team has already expertly laid the foundations of what’s to come. It’s these little attention to detail bits that help make the book something special.
Next we’re treated to a fun splash of Felicia and “Patch” swinging through the skies of Madripoor, still mid-escape. As stated in the previous review, Kris Anka’s art can stray into too cartoony, and indeed does so at points in this book as well, but this spread is a joy. Jed MacKay is up to the task of maintaining the lively nature of the book as well through the banter between Felicia and Logan, even as they’re falling after an equipment malfunction.
Throughout the book Felicia narrates how magic is all about showing the audience one thing, while you’re doing something else without their knowledge, even if it’s right in front of their eyes. It’s a lesson she learned from the Black Fox, which we see in a flashback, along with another interesting development that won’t be spoiled here. The rest of the issue involves Felicia utilizing this “sleight of hand” (as the arc is named) technique by brashly battling every wacky mercenary Kilgore throws at her and Logan. The duo fight Frankensteins in “The Bloodsport Arena” (where THEY are next), the Brothers Grimm in the air, and Deadpool on a boat, all with varying degrees of success and hilarity.
Black Cat and Wolverine escape Kilgore and his goon squad utilizing the very thing he was after, and meet up with Dr. Korpse and Bruno, who were the movers waaay back on page 1. MacKay gives us a touching moment from Logan as he discusses just what is valuable to him, while Felicia pish-poshes the sentimentality, but does get the painting she was after. Black Cat’s ending battle cry of “It’s all crime, all the time, baby!” was a bit much, but certainly not enough to taint another great issue.
FINAL THOUGHTS
BLACK CAT #10 is another stellar issue to a downright fun series. Wolverine and Black Cat’s banter throughout is delightful, and there’s plenty of action and violence to boot. Jed MacKay even managed to throw in an interesting tidbit in a flashback without it feeling forced. If you enjoy comics, and why would you be reading this if you didn’t, you need to give BLACK CAT a look.
Weird Science Marvel Comics 