A few years ago Lily Hollister, Harry Osborn’s ex and formerly the villain Menace became the Queen Cat thanks to the Hobgoblin way back in Axis. Now she is trying to be a hero, and ready to take on Felicia. Can there be two Cat themed women in the Marvel Universe? Well let’s find out.
Black Cat #4
Writer: Jed MacKay
Artist: Nina Vakueva
Colorist: Brain Reber
Letterer: Ferren Delgado
Cover: Pepe Larraz and Marte Garcia
Story: In her apartment Lily Hollister, “The Queen Cat” is studying her thumbtack and string wall. We follow the notes of Lily’s journal. As she recounts how she has little memories of her time as Menace, That she now wants to be a hero, and her first target to bring to justice is our girl Felicia. Lily does doubt herself thou because if Felicia is the original Cat then what does that make her? We see that Lily has been taking temp jobs using fake names, and stalking Black Cat for a while now. Lily always seems to be one step behind Hardy thou.
When meeting up with another former Hob-Hero. Lily reveals she doesn’t go back to living as a heiress because 1.) She does think her family has any money left and 2.) she doesn’t see her old self as the same person she is today. Following breadcrumbs after an event with Black Cat and Johnny Storm. She meets up with Sonny Ocampo using the fake alias of a cop named “Sofia Del Giacco” she tries to ask Sonny about Felicia. But her plan back fires as Sonny right away knows she isn’t a cop and probably an Ex-Con out to get Black Cat for some reason. Lily at first think he’s is getting ready to commit a job for Felicia. But turns out it for a legit business he co-owns with a cousin, and that the money Cat gave him was for a him helping her out during an alien invasion. He tries to get her drop her chase of Black Cat. But Lily refuses, and leaves believing she is the hero.
She continues stalking known allies of Felicia until she finds an older member of the crew. Thinking he will be an easy target as he’s old. Turns out he can put up a good fight. But Lily still wins, and steals from Cat. Lily thinking she won this round is at her home and writing in her notebook. Only for surprise Black Cat had a tracer in the bag and followed her right to her home. Felicia’s men start to open fire at Lily who escapes into the rooftop. Only for Black Cat to be waiting for her. The two women start fighting, and Felicia pokes the bear by calling her Lily Hollister. Queen freaks out because to her “Lily is a cancerous poison.” When Felicia gets the upper hand she starts talking Lily. About how she loves the whole “villain turns good” angle, as she can relate to it due to her ugh… Queen-Pin days. She tells Lily that she will let her go, and play hero. But not before knocking her out. When Lily wakes up her string wall is torn down and Felicia wrote in her journal. She wrote that if Lily wants to play hero, then Black Cat will be her super villain, and the “Cat and Cat” game has started.
GRADE: B
That was a really good issue. I love that it was all in Lily’s point of view. I never cared about Lily back in Brand New Day. If I’m being honest I even forgot she was Queen Cat now until this issue. But this issue has got me really interested in her role in this book going forward. Will be redeemed or will she become Black Cat’s Green Goblin? I also feel so sad for baby Stanley. His Mom doesn’t even want to remember him, his dad is Kindred, and Nick Spencer forgot he’s a thing. Poor little guy. I love that you get the feeling that Felicia feels bad for Lily. So she is going humor her with this chase. Because it so obvious Lily is in way over her head. I love that part of Lily’s motivation is that she doesn’t know her role because Black Cat is the original. It fits this chick so much as before this she was what, the 15th different Goblin? She has never been her own thing, and always a copy cat. So yeah I’m digging the start of this tale, and hope this storyline can redeem someone who before this I never cared about.
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