Warning: SPOILERS for Black Cat #9

Black Cat is most famous for her skills as a thief, but it’s her lucky superpower that truly lives up to her name. The gift isn’t the same as Domino’s mastery over luck, enable her to manipulate probability around her so that she always comes out on top. In fact, it’s the opposite. Black Cat has bad luck powers, giving her a leg up against almost any threat by turning probability against them.

It comes in handy in a life of crime, but as a character that rides the line between hero and villain, Black Cat is simply looking for the next big score to increase her wealth and power. But with the ability to cause believable bad luck or misfortune to those around her… why wouldn’t she just make a fortune at gambling against other people? It turns out her powers are a little more complicated than that. More importantly, she has learned her lesson, and steers clear of casinos as a rule. Well, until Wolverine leaves her no choice.

With the hopes of hitting her next big score, Felicia Hardy travels to Madripoor to steal a painting from a man known as ‘Mr. Patch.’ She is sorely disappointed to reach Mr. Patch’s secret room, only to discover someone has beat her to the punch. As Wolverine arrives to reveal himself as Mr. Patch, Felicia informs him that he’s been robbed by Kade Kilgore – the poor little rich kid that used to run the Hellfire Club, now making a move on Madripoor, Wolverine’s turf. Sore about the thievery, Wolverine agrees to give Black Cat the painting she is after in exchange for her help in recovering his missing items getting the rest of his stuff back.

Wolverine can’t simply call the X-Men for help, with everything given everything happening on Krakoa. This is personal business, after all. But when he discovers Kade Kilgore is hiding out in a casino, Felicia has to explain why the most obvious place for her to put her power to use is actually the last one.

Under normal circumstances, Felicia’s powers give her an edge over the opposition. A card up her sleeve, if you will. The probability manipulation is unreliable and uncontrollable, but it is just useful enough to make a difference in her favor. But when she enters a casino… things change. In a casino, everything runs on probability, and a balance of chance and likelihood. Play those odds right and the house makes a killing, since the odds are calculated for profit. Since casinos have luck on a leash, ’the house always wins.’

But, if you can give those odds a nudge, all Hell breaks loose. All those calculations and risk analysis goes out the window. Which means management has to find out what caused the shift. And let’s face it: Felicia Hardy is hard to miss. This time around Ms. Hardy uses that fact to get the attention of security, and demand an audience with Kade Kilgore. Otherwise she will continue to use her power to sow total chaos. Good for as many players as it as bad for others… but a nightmare for a business running on luck. Who knew?

Black Cat #9 is available now at your local comic book store, or direct from Marvel Comics.

  • BLACK CAT #9 Written by: Jed MacKay Art by: Kris Anka Cover Art by: J. Scott Campbell Felicia has gotten into some trouble in New York. Some may call it “inciting a war” but we aren’t here to mince words. What’s a girl to do? GO TO MADRIPOOR! That’s right, the Black Cat and her crew go to Madripoor to steal the next object on their list. No problem, just another artifact that is in the private collection of someone named… where’d I put that note… oh, here. Someone named “Patch.” Uh-oh. Patch is Wolverine. BLACK CAT IS STEALING FROM WOLVERINE?! All this and guest-artist KRIS ANKA (UNCANNY X-MEN, RUNAWAYS) is joining the book for two issues!

Next: Gwen Stacy Is Teaming Up With The Original X-Men