Why does “That’s My Girl” by Fifth Harmony play in my head when I saw this image?
The lovely ladies of Peter Parker take the spotlight in a Beyond One Shot. We know that Jed MacKay & C.F. Villa can write and draw a really good Black Cat comic! So how does this team up factor in with Mary Jane? Felicia and MJ…are they friends, enemies, frenemies? It’s the same question that plagues our Crawlspacers every time Dark Mark and I are brought into a conversation. These two ladies make it look good GOOD though, so let’s see what is being “revealed” in this issue, right here on the Spider-Man Crawlspace!
(Beyond Trust) Patrick Gleason, Zeb Wells, Saladin Ahmed, Cody Ziglar, & Kelly Thompson
(Writer) Jed MacKay
(Artist) C.F. Villa
(Colorist) Erick Arciniega
(Letterer) VC’s Travis Lanham
(Editor) Nick Lowe
(EIC) C.B. Cebulski
Date Released 1/26/2022
Issue Number #1 LGY #1
Price Tag: $3.99
For a different perspective:
Alford’s Notes and Read’s Reads
Story: Felica Hardy strolls into the hospital and when she enters Peter’s room she see’s that Parker Robbins (aka: The Hood) is holding Mary Jane and the sleeping Peter at gunpoint. Robbins wants Felica to find his hood by sunup or Peter and Mary Jane get a bullet in their brains. Felica agrees, but insists that Mary Jane accompany her on the job. After some girl time banter between the two, they head off to get info from Count Luchino Nefaria. Mary Jane smooths talks the info out of him as they share their love of the Sonny Diperna movies. Next the ladies hit the underworld to find out the exact location of where the hood is being kept, Tombstone’s building. The slide of hand card is played and while Mary Jane distracts Tombstone dressed like Black Cat, Felicia (as Black Cat) steals the demonic bag that holds Robbins hood. The ladies make it back to the hospital and give Robbins his hood back, but it’s a double cross. The demonic bag sucks him up like a lamp does to a genie. The day is won and Peter wakes seeing Felica and MJ in Black Cat suits, thinking he’s in a kinky dream. The ladies share a cup of coffee on the roof and have a bonding moment wondering how a nerd like Peter got two babes like them in his life.
The Breakdown:
- MJ and Felicia
- The Mission
- Nitpicks
- Grade
MJ and Felicia: Jed MacKay starts the issue off with Felicia and honestly why shouldn’t he? He’s been doing a great job writing her and is in total control when it comes to her characterization. C.F. Villa chimes in, by illustrating Felicia as strong, sexy and ten steps ahead of her enemy. MacKay and Villa are like a Black Cat’s PBJ sandwich, they just work well together. They give Felica the respect that she rightfully deserves. MacKay and Villa don’t leave Mary Jane in the dust, they actually give her more attention than Felicia. Although it is perceived to the general audience that MJ is the usual *D.I.D, she is far from it. McKay shows that MJ is smart, beautiful and can handle her own, not to mention will go to **great lengths to rescue Peter. Both the writer and the artist UNDERSTAND these characters It’s rewarding to see and read.
Felicia and Mary Jane do have a history, this issue honors it and perhaps, in a way, repairs it. They come to a mutual understanding and respect for another by the end. It’s quite satisfying for any Spidey fan to witness after watching these two evolve over the years. Mary Jane explains to Felica the hurdles she has had to jump over to when competing with other girls who wanted to, or have had, an inmate relationship with Peter. Felicia finds out that her and Mary Jane have more in common that she previously thought. Another thing to point out is that both Felicia and Mary Jane know how incredibly attractive each other are and what they both mean to Peter. They respect that and while they are both sexy, ***but never overuse that sexuality. A lot of the credit goes to the illustrations and writing.
You can tell that MJ is a little out of her comfort zone while entering Felica’s world. Even when Felicia came walking into Peter’s room and saw the situation. Before The Hood could speak, the confidence in Felicia spoke first “Yeah, this isn’t going to go down the way you think it is.” Likewise, Felicia is starting to see just how tough, smart and determined Mary Jane can be when up to the task. As well as taking in each other perspectives, it doesn’t stop these two ladies from poking fun at each other. From MJ’s smirking comment “You are the best thief in town right?” to Felicia’s comment “your dump truck ass” fitting into one of her suits.
“Being the Bad Girl” in Peter’s life has always frustrated Felicia which is on par to Mary Jane’s “living up to a corpse” when it comes to Gwen Stacy, Peter’s “first love”. I like the way they both compliment each other and help each other through their frustrations. They are a good team. I have said it before, but I’ll say it again. Peter Parker is VERY LUCKY to have these two ladies in his life and even Mary Jane acknowledges that Felica will never be a footnote in her life, giving Felicia a sense of belonging. Which in turns makes Felicia acknowledge that Mary Jane is “Perfect”.
The Mission: It’s Felicia tactic planning and Mary Jane’s acting that shines through. The humor of Count Nefaria being star struck when meeting Mary Jane to Felicia’s dismay had me laughing out loud. Felicia explaining The Shocker exists only to be beaten up to the hilarious dialogue of the frustrated Tombstone. Parker Robbins probably never saw it coming, but honestly he should have. Then again, this is Parker Robbins we are talking about. Now, I don’t read anything outside ASM (this issue ties in, so don’t start) but I give a lot of credit towards Jed MacKay and Nick Lowe for providing the backstory on what’s been going on with The Hood and if interested, provides the storylines to follow.
Nitpicks:
- Parker Robbins couldn’t piece together that Peter Parker is Spider-Man. You know what, Clark Kent fooled everyone with glasses, so it is a nitpick, but I’ll let it pass.
- This too is considered a nitpick, but it passes because IT CAN. Felicia and Mary Jane walk into a hospital dressed in Black Cat outfits, someone has GOT TO NOTICE that and they probably do, but pawn it off as cosplayers coming to cheer a patient up. I’ve done it plenty of times as Spider-Man.
Grade: This is a for sure, no doubt about it, A++++! This issue understands these characters! It’s really shooting for the stars to ask for an ongoing series, but I want more!!!
* (D.I.D.) Damsel In Distress (Watch Disney’s Hercules)
** She’s teaming up with her boyfriend’s EX to make sure her boyfriend stays safe. If that’s isn’t going to great lengths, what is??
*** I am referring to the illustrations in the comic, NOT the plethora of variant covers this one comic is producing.
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@Geiseric: The Solic for ASM #2 does make us Spider-Fans nervous, however the did say that this issue (back when it was Solic’ed) Black Cat was kidnapped and MJ had to save her, that turned out to be be false. None of that happened, so it could be a red hearing, but you never know with Marvel.
@Mark: Thanks man!! Yes, Jed does a great job on the Black Cat issues. I read a few before this one and completely loved them. I figure I would have to clarify for you. It’s something I learned in this time we are living in, you need to be specific in everything, even explaining a joke because people tend to take it a wrong way. No worries, the nightmares I have scheming for you are no THAT drastic.
I loved this issue! A+ for me! There were a few things that missed the mark, but only by a little and they were completely overshadowed by the things that worked. Like Aqu@, I felt that MJ running down the side of the building was quite a bit of a stretch, but I was enjoying the story so much that I was able to not let me be side tracked too much. The grammar correction at the end was a nice touch.
This guy writes a good Black Cat series. If you liked this issue, you’ll like the series. Go back and read it if you haven’t. I’ve been following it on Marvel Unlimited and I am about two months behind on MU, so I was sad to see this issue say that series is over.
Chi-Town, thank you for clarifying: “I’ve done it plenty of times as Spider-Man. ” For a quick moment before I finished the sentence, I thought you were saying you dressed up as Black Cat to go cheer people up. The image that produced in my brain will likely give me nightmares.
I really liked this issue. The plot didn’t really matter so no reason to really care about it. It’s just fun interactions and further giving Mary Jane more focus outside the main title.
That being said it’s weird that this felt like a sort of settling issues with black Cats place in Peters life. Which is something I think should happen but considering what’s solicited seems weird to cement Peter and MJ even more
@Aqu: I felt her fight with the Savage Six in AMJ #6 was more realistic with than this one, I grant you. I’m willing to look past it because she is an actress that does her own stunts and being around the superhero community, she probably picked up a few escape maneuvers.
Tombstone wanted to “skin a cat”. Ego taking control there and I’m sure Black Cat’s suit would have some kind of protection for Mary Jane during her escape.
I feel it gets a bit unrealistic in the end. Posing as Felicia in a confrontation with Tombstone seems irresponsibly dangerous: what if he had a gun, instead of a blade? MJ also shows quite the athletic fitness entering and escaping the building like that.
In addition, is she ok with the idea of letting a man being devoured by a demon sack?
But more seriously, I still get futanari vibes from that cover.