Comic Book Review - Iron Cat #1

Rob reviews Iron Cat #1...

The Iron Cat armour returns in this new 5-part mini-series which sees a team-up for Black Cat and Iron-Man, however, who's piloting the armour? And what does it have to do with Felicia Hardy's past?

Iron Cat #1 sets itself off to a great start. Part heist, a part trip down memory lane, we follow Black Cat as she attempts to nab herself the score that got away. Trouble is when you are a master thief - the past has a way of coming back to haunt you. Felicia Hardy is about to experience this first hand as someone from her past has gotten hold of the Iron Cat armour. What then follows is a high-speed game of cat vs cat across New York as Black Cat attempts to find out who her high-tech adversary is.

Jed MacKay, Pere Pérez, and Frank D’Armata perfectly work in tandem to bring this heist thriller to life. Not only do we get to see events within the present day, but MacKay also takes us 12 years into the character's past as we learn about Black Cat's fascination with this diamond. The transitions work wonderfully as they not only tie into what's going on in the present day but also show just how much Felicia has grown as a thief through the years. Despite being a trip into the character's past, it's not laden with the need to have read any of the previous stories to enjoy. MacKay uses some clever narration to deliver past exposition, as well as add emotional weight to the here and now.

Those who've read Jed MacKay's Black Cat solo-run will already know that the writer moved heaven and Earth to flesh out Black Cat as an individual character. Thankfully this depth of characterisation is also present within Iron Cat. There's a lot of difference between the young and nieve Black Cat and her older self. Meanwhile, present-day Black Cat may be a lot wiser, but she's colder and calculated as a result.

While the bulk of the narrative plays out as a two-part heist, that's not to say that there isn't any action. Pérez and D'Amarta work well to not only differentiate between the two time periods but also keep the intensity and thrill of the chase flowing between the two. Where past events have the young Black Cat weaving through traffic within a classic police chase, the future sees this shift into repulsor blasts, missiles and general carnage. It's a perfect blend of superhero smackdown and an international spy thriller.

While Black Cat doesn't usually make her way into my reading (or review) pile, I am glad that I gave Iron Cat a go. This opening issue gives us the beginnings of quite an interesting tale that's certainly going to take Black Cat to some dark places. With a team-up with Iron Man now fully on the cards, this mini-series has blockbuster action stamped all over it.

Rating: 8/10

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