Spider-Man’s Black Cat Joins the Avengers in New Marvel Comic (Exclusive Preview)

Marvel Comics’ Avengers are famous for having a constantly rotating lineup. Now the team has some Perennial Figureheads: Captain America, Iron Man, and Thor are the team’s key trinity in both the comics and the Marvel Cinematic Universe. But since 1964’s “The Avengers” #16 (when all of the team’s founding members quit, leaving Captain America in charge of Hawkeye, Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch), “Earth’s Mightiest Heroes” hasn’t been such a club. exclusive as its name indicates. . The Avengers are absent, meanwhile new ones join, etc. The MCU is currently discovering that movie audiences may not be as receptive to this revolving door as comic book readers; There’s a reason Chris Evans returns in “Avengers: Doomsday.”

The current “Avengers” comic book series, written by Jed MacKay, began with a very classic team lineup: Captain Marvel, Iron Man, Captain America (Sam Wilson), Thor, Black Panther, Scarlet Witch and Vision. In “Avengers” #18, MacKay (who is also writing “X-Men” at the moment) added Storm to replace the outgoing Thor. In “Avengers” #22, the team will receive another unexpected new member: Black Cat.

Also known as Felicia Hardy, she is Spider-Man’s own Catwoman, sometimes a master thief, sometimes an anti-heroine in love with the superhero she also fights. Aside from his acrobatic abilities, he can unconsciously induce bad luck in others. (“Spider-Man: The Animated Series”, Black Cat’s powers came from the same Super Soldier serum that empowered Captain America.)

MacKay previously wrote a “Black Cat” solo seriesso it’s no surprise that he brings her to the Avengers for the first time. The problem synopsis says:

THE BLACK CAT JOINS THE AVENGERS?! For a cosmic mischief! The Avengers attend an intergalactic auction in an attempt to get ahead of some of these Tribulation Events… but are shocked when Black Cat shows up on SOMEONE’S arm! 2025 is the most impactful date, and the year has barely begun.

The issue’s cover, drawn by Valerio Schiti, shows Black Cat throwing several cards with the Avengers’ faces painted on them.

Marvel Comics

The inside opening page of the issue is a summary going back to the first arc. Back then, Kang The Conqueror warned the Avengers about the upcoming “Tribulation Events” (terrifying threats that not even Earth’s mightiest heroes can handle). The first arc of the series was about the first event, where the Avengers faced off against alien warriors called the Ashen Harvester. The next Tribulation has not yet come, but willpower be coming

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The following pages establish what is at stake. Scarlet Witch has discovered that a data file, once owned by Kang, is up for auction at a casino owned by the Grandmaster. If the Avengers can get it, they can prepare for the upcoming Tribulation Events. But since they can’t gain At the auction, which requires “wealth on a planetary scale” (too much even for billionaire Tony Stark), it will simply be stolen. As Storm enthusiastically declares, the Avengers are about to go on a caper.

Marvel Comics

Marvel Comics

Wanda and Vision arrive at the Casino, and Wanda uses her infamy throughout the multiverse to gain an official invitation. While they buy time at the casino, Wanda observes that the environment is ripe for her probability-altering powers. Vision agrees that “a woman who alters luck is someone to keep an eye on in a casino,” which seems like the cue for Black Cat to come in, especially since the preview page ends with Wanda bumping into someone invisible. .

Marvel Comics

Marvel Comics

This “Avengers” arc, tellingly called “The Casino Job,” will consist of three parts based on requests from “Avengers” #23 and #24. Black Cat is the focus of the covers for all three issues, so it begs the question: is she being set up as a new main character? Or maybe she’s just a guest star, and the Avengers will say “goodbye Felicia” after “The Casino Job” concludes.

“Avengers” #22 will be available in print and digital on Wednesday, January 1, 2025.