If you haven’t guest by now – I really like the cat themed heroes. Felicia Hardy, the Black Cat, is one of my favorites. I like the idea of her powers effecting the probability of those around her in a negative way. Powers effecting probability has always interested me. To be able to easily change outcomes would be fun to a certain extent. Most probability changing characters are villains or like the Black Cat an Anti-hero. However, when she is on the villainous side of that thin line between good and evil she is on the side of what is right.

This Cat’s Motto

“Nothing to Chance is this cat’s motto” - The Black Cat*

What happens when you cross a black cat? Bad Luck. When everything goes wrong, everyone looks for the feline femme fatale in the skintight black leather suit with long platinum blonde hair, the Black Cat. Felicia Hardy has not had the best of luck. Felicia is the daughter of wealthy socialites Walter and Lydia Hardy. It turns out her father is a notorious cat-burglar. Felicia seeks to release him. To get money to help release her father Felicia dons a costume and begins taking up her father’s business as a jewel thief. While she amasses a fortune, her father dies in prison. The crime boss, the Kingpin, looking for a way to destroy Spiderman, tricks Felicia in to gaining powers that will cause “bad luck” to her enemies. Thus, anyone in her presence receives bad luck and accidents happen. Spiderman and Dr Strange, the Sorcerer Supreme, help Felicia gain control of her powers.

Leaving “nothing to chance” is a difficult way to live. There is a belief called Murphy’s Law, "Anything that can go wrong, will go wrong." How can anyone prepare for that? Not to worry, think in terms of Chance as a cycle. Everything is part of the flow or tide of life. Life follows the cycles. There is no reason to be worried or frightened because the life we know ebbs and flows. Take the weather for example. The world may be beautifully sunny in the morning but by noon – cold, rainy and dark. There are those of us that keep an umbrella at work or in the car. Many of us dress in layers to prepare for weather changes. When the unexpected happens just remember it will not storm forever the sun will return.

The Black Cat (Felicia Hardy)
First Appearance: The Amazing Spider-Man, #194 (July 1979), Marvel Comics

Creators: Marv Wolfman (writer) Keith Pollard (art), Dave Cockrum

* “Sharp Turns”, The Black Cat, #1, July 1994, Marvel Comics