Felicia Hardy is clawing her way back into the spotlight this August and we’re already sold. Marvel just announced the new Black Cat ongoing, and yes, our wallets are already trembling.
Black Cat #1
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Writer: G. Willow Wilson
Artist: Gleb Melnikov
Main Cover: Adam Hughes
Release date: August 20, 2025
We’ve loved Black Cat for years. She’s a bold, stylish, complicated character who can steal a diamond and your heart in the same panel. It’s been way too long since she had a solo run, and the fact that she’s returning in a full ongoing is seriously exciting. With G. Willow Wilson writing her? That’s an instant yes from us.
So, What’s the Story?
The new series spins directly out of Amazing Spider-Man, specifically the upcoming issues #8 and #9, which follow Spider-Man’s fight with a new villain named Hellgate. In the aftermath, Felicia’s world is turned upside down, and she decides to try something totally unexpected: being a superhero. Her first target is the Lizard, and Marvel’s pitch also hints that her new, more heroic image will attract dangerous attention from the city’s underworld.
Of course, it’s Black Cat we’re talking about, so there’s no way this doesn’t come with a twist (or three). Is she doing it for real, or is it all part of a bigger, shinier heist? Either way, we’re in.
Some history helps here. Felicia debuted in The Amazing Spider-Man #194 in July 1979, created by writer Marv Wolfman, and she has spent decades as an enemy, ally, and love interest to Spider-Man. This is her third ongoing series. The last one was Jed MacKay’s, which wrapped in 2021 and was followed by a 2022 miniseries, Iron Cat.
Who’s Making Black Cat?
G. Willow Wilson writes, Gleb Melnikov draws, and Adam Hughes provides the main cover, published by Marvel Comics.
Wilson co-created Kamala Khan and wrote Ms. Marvel from 2014 to 2019, and the first volume won the 2015 Hugo Award for Best Graphic Story. We loved her Ms. Marvel run for its character-driven storytelling. She also wrote A-Force, and she has been writing DC’s Poison Ivy since 2022, along with runs on Wonder Woman and Vixen. She’s also the author of novels like Alif the Unseen, which won the 2013 World Fantasy Award. Black Cat is her first ongoing Marvel series since Ms. Marvel, and she already wrote a short Black Cat story last year in Spider-Man: Black Suit & Blood #4, so she has some history with Felicia.
Melnikov’s credits include BOOM! Studios’ Angel in the Buffyverse, DC’s Superman and Punchline: The Gotham Game, and, at Marvel, recent issues of Amazing Spider-Man, where Marvel calls him a rising star. Hughes, whom Marvel calls a superstar artist, provides the main cover for #1.
Why We’re Watching This One
We can’t wait to see Wilson’s take on Felicia Hardy. A thief trying to be a hero, with everyone wondering whether it’s sincere, is a perfect setup for the character-driven storytelling we loved in Ms. Marvel.
On top of the main cover by Adam Hughes, a few gorgeous variant covers have already been announced, from Jeehyung Lee, Peach Momoko, and Simone Di Meo. Our favorite might be Peach Momoko’s variant (shocked, right?). We also know a J. Scott Campbell variant and a Derrick Chew variant are on the way, though they haven’t been revealed yet, so let’s be real: we’re probably going to end up with more than one copy of Black Cat #1.
Who Should Add This to Their Pull List?
Spider-Man fans following the new Amazing Spider-Man run have an obvious reason to be here, since this picks up directly from it. It’s also a great fit for readers who enjoy a stylish, morally gray lead, and for anyone who loved Wilson’s work on Ms. Marvel.
More Marvel COMICS We’re Excited About
Marvel has so many upcoming books that we’re excited to read. Amongst them, you can find Emma Frost: The White Queen, The Vision & The Scarlet Witch, and the new Spider-Girl ongoing series, three series that we talked about recently on the blog!
Release Details
Black Cat #1 goes on sale August 20, 2025, from Marvel Comics, priced at $4.99 for 32 pages, as the first issue of a new ongoing series. The main cover is by Adam Hughes, with variant covers by Jeehyung Lee, Peach Momoko, and Simone Di Meo, and more to come.
FAQ
When does Black Cat #1 come out? Issue #1 releases August 20, 2025.
Who is writing Black Cat? G. Willow Wilson, known for Ms. Marvel and Poison Ivy.
Who is drawing Black Cat? Gleb Melnikov, with a main cover by Adam Hughes.
What publisher is releasing Black Cat? Marvel Comics.
Is Black Cat a new series, limited series, or one-shot? It’s a new ongoing series, Felicia Hardy’s third.
Does Black Cat connect to Amazing Spider-Man? Yes, it picks up from the events of Amazing Spider-Man #8 and #9.
Who should read Black Cat? Spider-Man readers, fans of Wilson’s Ms. Marvel, and anyone who loves a stylish thief trying her hand at heroism.
