I said (over and over, honestly) how much I didn't like the Black Cat/crime boss storyline, but looking back I don't think that did her as dirty as the last season of Jessica Jones did Patsy Walker. So let's check out a more cheerful one: from 2016, Patsy Walker, a.k.a. Hellcat #11, written by Kate Leth, art by Brittney L. Williams.
This title was much, much lighter than most Hellcat received in the past or on Jessica Jones, as Patsy was currently starting a temp agency for super-powered types who didn't want to be heroes, or their powers didn't lend themselves to it. Unrelatedly, the Black Cat here also recruits her own squad, a band of vigilante-thief girls, after they trash a musician's apartment for writing an unflattering song about one of them. Black Cat seemed to want Patsy out of the picture, either as Patsy or Hellcat; but didn't think she could "disappear someone that notable," so she opts to steal her rolodex of contacts.
Back at Patsy's apartment, Zoe, one of Black Cat's new gang, spills a lot of beans, furious that Patsy was living in her old apartment, with her ex-boyfriend, who now had super-powers. Lot to sort through there. Back at Patsy's office, Black Cat meets assistant Bailey, who seemed to have what would be a Bag of Holding in D&D, which the Cat then shoves her into!
Checking the ComicChron numbers, this issue sold 11,902; a little less than some other titles that had been already cancelled like Venom: Space Knight or Mockingbird. I think Patsy Walker's numbers might have been shored up by variant covers up to this issue, though. The scans today are mostly Black Cat since she's doing all the instigating, but I'm glad Marvel went with this version of Hellcat instead of a Netflix-like one: I swear that series decided in the last season, Patsy was never going to make a right decision ever again.
I think my girlfriend's got an issue or two from this series. I like the art, and the less serious, more upbeat tone. Definitely a welcome change for Patsy given her past history.
ReplyDeleteAnd this goes to the a main point that despite the need for diversity in comics, like this title for example, and the call for it, there's never the amount of financial support to keep books like this running for very long. If people actually put their money where there mouth is, the market, especially Marvel's, would look a lot different.
I hear you, man: everybody says (or, 'everybody' allegedly says) they want lighter, more fun books and less grimdark crossover nightmares. But what sells? Massive crossovers and pissing off Alan Moore.
ReplyDeleteThere were a couple of these post-Kamala Khan books that did pretty well- Unbeatable Squirrel Girl and Moon Girl I believe both hit 50 or close to it. I liked Patsy and Gwenpool but I guess they spread the readership a little too thin to keep them going for long.
ReplyDeleteWell, Gwenpool made it to 25 issues, which isn't too shabby these days. It's further than any Black Widow series has ever gotten, I think.
ReplyDeleteThis was my least favorite story arc on this book, mostly because I just disliked Black Cat as a mob boss so much as a concept. And seeing it branch out and take hold in other books beyond the Spider-titles made me think it was going to turn into a permanent thing. Fortunately it didn't, and I love the Black Cat ongoing we've got right now.
But yeah, the people on the Internet (like us!) who say we want fun comics and hate the big, crappy crossover events are the distinct minority