Any thief could steal extremely advanced tech if she had the right time, planning, and equipment. To design it, fabricate it, and then steal it? That takes a special kind of thief. The tech in question comes back to haunt Felicia Hardy in Iron Cat #1. Writer Jed MacKay returns to the Black Cat for another series. This time around, Felicia has stolen a couple of artists from Spider-Woman as the first issue of the new series is drawn by Pere Pérez with color work by Frank D’Armata. MacKay and company are working on something special. A series that allies Black Cat with Tony Stark is going to be a lot of fun. 

Felicia is sneaking into a highly secure facility to steal a diamond when she gets a call. It’s not exactly what she would have expected. She’s on a job that requires a great deal of focus. The gentleman in question not only hacked into her number, but he also turned her ringer on. The gentleman in question is Tony Stark. He’s a bit upset that she stole a suit of armor from him. She’s a bit upset that she didn’t. It turns out someone from her past has stolen the Iron Cat armor that she stole from him. Now she needs to team up with him to get it back.

MacKay dives right into the life of Felicia once more with grace, poise, and style. The contrast of a story of Felicia’s past pairs well against very real danger in her current life. The pulse and pacing of past and present feel more or less perfect in a very entertaining establishing issue. MacKay’s trademark sense of humor fits Tony with a style and flair that matches his wit with Felicia. Black Cat has been through a hell of a lot as of the end of her last series. MacKay has found a clever follow-up to that series in Iron Cat. 

Pérez’s neat, detailed style fits Felicia like a glove. The highly technical end of the line work suits Iron Man as well. It’s a nearly perfect pairing that also finds a perfect perch between physical action and interpersonal drama. D’Armata contrasts the brightness of Felicia’s past with an evening scene in the present that feels impressively atmospheric. It’s nice to see Felicia return with MacKay, but she wouldn’t be the same with any other artist. Her poise and posture in combat are crisp, and her emotions are sharp and subtle. Black Cat and Tony Stark are off and running with style as everything hits the page more or less perfectly. 

Thief and billionaire. Hero and anti-hero. MacKay’s mastery of the Marvel Universe is sharp enough that Black Cat could easily team up with a different hero for a different team-up series every year. The distinct match between Felicia and Tony is remarkably appealing. It will be interesting to see where he manages to take it in the months to come.

Grade: A