Black Cat recommendations?

[RubberLotus]

Hello, all.

I've recently become fascinated with Felicia Hardy, AKA the Black Cat. Can anyone recommend a couple of her best stories to me? Mostly looking for the best demonstrations of her skills as a fighter/thief.

Any outings in animation, etc. are also welcome.

Please offer a short summary after each recommendation, and why you recommended it. Try to name a "defining scene" or two.

Thank you!

[Spider-Mike]

There was another thread like this not too long ago.

Anyway

Spider-Man/Black Cat: Evil that Men Do
Marvel Knights: Spider-Man

Those are my recommendations. Best art, best character development, best chemistry.

*Ducks from the Kevin Smith/Mark Millar/Terry Dodson critics*

[Kevin Nichols]

I agree with The Evil That Men Do. The last three issues were meh, but I loved the first three. And the Dodsons' art is always breath-taking.

You might want to check out Invasion of the Spider-Slayers. (From ASM 368 to 374ish) It's a fun story where Spidey and Black Cat team up against several classic villains plus a bunch of robots. Good stuff.

Of course there's the Al Milgrom run on SSM. Great reading from when Pete and Felicia were an item.

[Spider-Mike]

Back on topic;

I loved the issue from "Spider-Man/Human Torch: I'm With Stupid" set during Peter and Felicia's courtship. That was fun.

[Chris S.]

There was the run of her in the PPTSM shortly after her inception. Peter is trying to get her amnesty after getting beat to near death by Doc Ock. It was a good story. Starts in issue 75 and runs for a while after.

She was also a decent character in ASM right before the marriage in the late 200s.

[BraveSirRobin]

I second the Marvel Knights Spiderman, I enjoyed the entire run as a matter of fact (which I suspect may put me in a minority) and Felicia gets a good showing and I like Dodson's Black Cat art. If you are a Felicia Hardy fan, by all means check out Evil That Men Do, but I warn you that although she gets focus and development, you may not like where it takes her.

[E. Wilson]

There's a trade paperback called "Spider-Man vs. The Black Cat" that collects her first few appearances. You can get it pretty cheap online. I'm also fond of "Amazing Spider-Man Presents: The Black Cat", a sorta-prelude to the Gauntlet, set up like a heist film. The covers alone are worth the price of admission.

"The Evil That Men Do" is one of the few comics I actively hate, so I'll be the dissenter on that recommendation.

[xonathan77]

Spider-man Vs The Black Cat TPB
PPTSSM Essential Vol 4 TPB with the Black Cats vs Doc Ock saga with one of the best endings in a story
The Invasion Of the Spider Slayers TPB
Spider-Man/Black Cat: Evil that Men Do TPB
Marvel Knights: Spider-Man TPB
Sensational Spider-man Feral TPB
Sensational Spider-man Civil War TPB
Sensational Spider-man Back In Black TPB

I don't bother with any of the Brand New Non-sense crap, but you'd have to ask someone else :)

[Mysterio4521]

My reccomendation? Don't seek out any comic with a female cat character. They distract more and their stories are ridiculous and boring. My opinion.

[Russell]

Marvel Knights as everyone has suggested. I'd also advise the Sensational Spider-Man: Feral, Civil War and Back in Black trades too.

If you can find a 90's mini series called Felicia Hardy: The Black Cat 1-4, that's a good read too. And Claws, too. Claws is worth it for the art alone.

The Evil That Men Do is a good story, but some people don't like it because it employs a cliched, cheap and somewhat insensitive retcon into her history.

If you're a fan of the character I wouldn't bother looking for any post BND stuff as she isn't really the same character anymore (not even a character at all, just a cheap plot device). Only exception is the first Big Time arc, but her role is probably not big enough to warrant a purchase for that alone.