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Black Cat always tops Spider-Man‘s romance list, usually contending with Mary Jane Watson. And while Mary Jane Watson is ultimately Peter Parker’s greatest love in the comics, having gotten married and experienced so much together, there was an era in Marvel comics where Black Cat was just as strong of a partner, if not stronger, for Spider-Man.
Black Cat was never just a romantic partner to Spider-Man, but a partner in all respects. Black Cat could be out there, fighting crime alongside Spider-Man. Marvel has a deep library of books for those who miss Spider-Man and Black Cat’s relationship as romantic partners and heroic allies, from their early adventures in Spectacular Spider-Man to modern story arcs like “Beyond.”
Spider-Man’s Black Cat Is An Underappreciated Queer Icon
The Black Cat should be one of Marvel’s greatest queer icons but her relationship with Spider-Man has overshadowed her LGBTQ+ status for decades.
10 The Ramifications Of The Superior Spider-Man
The Amazing Spider-Man (Vol. 3) by Dan Slott, Humberto Ramos, Victor Olazaba & Edgar Delgado
Spider-Man and Felicia Hardy always had a tenuous relationship in Marvel comics. Like Batman and Catwoman before them, Spider-Man and Black Cat were usually on opposite sides of the law. Spider-Man used his powers responsibly, while Black Cat usually stole.
In Superior Spider-Man, Doctor Octopus soured their relationship. When Peter Parker regained control of his body, he met a Black Cat who had fully returned to crime, posing as a full-on villain and crime boss in New York City. In some ways, it was nice to see Black Cat revert to her villainous origins.
9 Spider-Man & Black Cat’s Earliest Years
Peter Parker, The Spectacular Spider-Man by Al Milgrom, Jim Mooney & more
Those who miss Spider-Man and Black Cat’s relationship should turn to where it all began, soon after the Wall-Crawler met Felicia Hardy. While Spider-Man’s strongest love interest was Mary Jane in the Amazing Spider-Man title, Peter Parker usually teamed up with Black Cat in the Peter Parker, the Spectacular Spider-Man B-title.
15 Most Controversial Spider-Man Storylines
With over sixty years of history in Marvel Comics, Spider-Man has had plenty of controversial storylines, from One More Day to The Final Chapter.
In this series, Spider-Man helps Black Cat reform from her villainous ways. Spider-Man and Black Cat were true heroic partners in Spectacular Spider-Man, and Felicia was, in many ways, a stronger partner than Mary Jane, at least to Spider-Man. She could take or leave Peter Parker most of the time, which caused friction in their relationship.
8 Black Cat Stars In Her Own Marvel Comic
Felicia Hardy: The Black Cat by Terry Kavanagh, Joey Cavalieri, Andrew Wildman, Stephen Baskerville & Bob Sharen
In 1994, Marvel finally gave Black Cat her own comic book series. Granted, the series only ran for four issues, but it was nice to see Felicia Hardy as the star and Spider-Man as the supporting character. The Felicia Hardy: Black Cat miniseries is not as great as the modern Black Cat solo comics, but it gets bonus points for featuring Spider-Man and Mary Jane.
At this point in the comics, Black Cat was a strong ally for Spider-Man. Having broken up with Flash Thompson, Black Cat turns to Mary Jane and Spider-Man for help and advice. This miniseries showed real development of Black Cat and Spidey’s friendship.
7 “What If Spider-Man Married Black Cat?”
What If…? #21 by Danny Fingeroth, Jim Valentino, Chris Ivy & Tom Vincent
This is the “What if?” that Black Cat/Spider-Man fans had been waiting for. In an alternate universe, Peter Parker left Mary Jane at the altar. After working with Silver Sable, Spider-Man ultimately reconnected with Felicia Hardy, and the two married each other instead.
10 Best Spider-Man Creative Teams And How They Influenced the Marvel Hero
Across his 60+ years of publication history, many writers and artists have helped shape Spider-Man into Marvel Comics’ most relatable hero.
Unfortunately, this story only takes place in an alternate universe and is incredibly short-lived, taking place within a tight two-issue arc. However, What If…? #21 gave Black Cat and Spider-Man fans a glimpse of what could have been had Marvel editorial deemed them a better match.
6 Black Cat Returns To Help Spider-Man
Amazing Spider-Man “Beyond” by Zeb Wells, Patrick Gleason, Kelly Thompson, Sara Pichelli, Cody Ziglar, Michael Dowling, Ivan Fiorelli, Saladin Ahmed, Carlos Gómez, Jed MacKay & Jorge Fornes
Fans had mixed reactions to the “Beyond” event in Amazing Spider-Man Volume Five. On one hand, fans were displeased with how Marvel Comics handled the return of Ben Reilly. The ex-Scarlet Spider had already returned as a villain in Clone Conspiracy. Now, he became a villain again when he was transformed into Chasm.
On the other hand, supporting characters played a major role in “Beyond,” and Black Cat was crucial in helping Peter Parker find his footing again as the Amazing Spider-Man. No romance was needed; Black Cat proved she was one of Peter’s strongest allies, working with Captain America and Mary Jane to help take down the Beyond Corporation while Peter was recovering from extreme radiation poisoning.
5 The Black Cat Of The Insomniac Spider-Man Universe
Marvel’s Spider-Man: The Black Cat Strikes by Dennis Hallum, Luca Maresca & Rachelle Rosenberg
Black Cat was the biggest highlight of Marvel’s Spider-Man DLC on the PS4. As players navigated this new Spider-Man world, Black Cat brought a lot of unfamiliar lore, stating that she and Peter had already dated in the past. Gamers wanted to know more about Spider-Man and Black Cat’s history in the Insomniac universe, and The Black Cat Strikes tie-in comic delivered.
10 Great But Forgotten Spider-Man Comic Arcs
From Spider-Man Vs. Wolverine to “Identity Crisis,” several of Spider-Man’s greatest comic arcs frequently fly under the radar.
Partially set during the events of the DLC, The Black Cat Strikes also showed flashbacks to when Spider-Man first teamed up with Black Cat. Even though it’s outside the 616 canon, this tie-in to Marvel’s Spider-Man was a tremendous team-up book for Spider-Man and Black Cat.
4 Marvel Takes Readers Back To Spider-Man’s Alien Costume Saga
Symbiote Spider-Man by Peter David, Greg Land, Iban Coello, Jay Leisten & Frank D’Armata
Peter David and Greg Land took readers back to the era when Spider-Man first wore the symbiote. At the time, Peter Parker was unaware that the costume he retrieved during Secret Wars would ultimately cause him and Mary Jane a lot of headaches.
More importantly, Spider-Man and Black Cat were dating during this era. Symbiote Spider-Man was a great miniseries for those who wanted more of Spider-Man in the black suit, but it also appealed to Spider-Man/Black Cat fans who’ve wanted to read more stories starring the couple in this era.
3 Never-Before-Seen Adventures Of Black Cat & Symbiote Spider-Man
Symbiote Spider-Man: Crossroads by Peter David, Greg Land, Jay Leisten & Frank D’Armata
In one of the many sequels to the original Symbiote Spider-Man miniseries, Spider-Man finds himself in the Crossroads dimension, teaming up with the Incredible Hulk. In the real world, Black Cat turns to Doctor Strange for appropriate magical assistance in retrieving Spider-Man from another dimension.
While Black Cat and Spider-Man are separated for most of the miniseries, Symbiote Spider-Man: Crossroads displays Black Cat’s love and devotion for Spider-Man. More than romance, Black Cat genuinely cares for Peter’s safety and will fight evil sorceresses to save him.
2 Spider-Man’s Past Romantic Partners Team Up
Mary Jane & Black Cat by Jed MacKay, Vicenzo Carratù & Brian Reber
When Peter Parker and Mary Jane were married, Black Cat was a great Spider-Man ally. In modern comics, Black Cat continually proved her loyalty to Spider-man when she helped him during the “Beyond” arc. In the five-issue Mary Jane & Black Cat miniseries, Marvel focused on the friendship between MJ and Felicia Hardy rather than Peter’s romantic relationship with either of them.
10 Spider-Verse Heroes Who Deserve Their Own Ongoing Comics
Forgotten heroes like Ben Reilly and Kaine Parker and popular Spider-Verse characters like Silk and Spider-Girl are all deserving of new comic series.
It turns out that even in Spider-Man’s absence, Mary Jane and Black Cat make a pretty great team. Marvel’s editorial seems to think so too, as the Mary Jane & Black Cat series has led to a sequel series titled Jackpot and Black Cat.
1 Spider-Man Reveals His Identity To Black Cat… Again
Amazing Spider-Man (Vol. 5) “Heist” by Nick Spencer, Humberto Ramos, Victor Olazaba, Michele Bandini, Edgar Delgado & Erick Arciniega
When Spider-Man erased everyone’s memories that he and Peter Parker were the same person, he didn’t realize the distress that’d cause people like Felicia Hardy, who now had gaps in her memories. In a touching moment, Spider-Man reveals his identity as Peter Parker, connecting them again.
Nick Spencer delivered one of the most heartbreaking––and heartwarming––scenes in modern Spider-Man comics. Spider-Man’s battle with Kindred over 70 issues was often messy, but this interaction with Black Cat was a highlight of the fifth volume of Amazing Spider-Man.
The Amazing Spider-Man
Spinning out of Amazing Fantasy #15, Marvel’s Spider-Man gained his own series with 1963’s The Amazing Spider-Man! For decades, fans have anxiously awaited for the next issue of the Web-Slinger premier series to read up on the latest adventures of their favorite superhero!
“}]] Spider-Man and Black Cat’s on-again, off-again relationship has often teased fans, and these comics showcase why the beloved couple keeps returning. Read More