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GrouchoM — There's Only One Black Cat
Published: 2009-07-01 12:27:03 +0000 UTC; Views: 37706; Favourites: 452; Downloads: 1581
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Description
I've always had issues with Felicia Hardy.I understand why she was created. She was designed to give Spider-Man a forbidden attraction. Felicia Hardy was the personification of "the lure of the dark side", so to speak. She was the seductive side of greed, self-interest and lack of compassion. Much like Catwoman's original appeal against Batman, Felicia Hardy was the villain who wasn't a bad person, but who did bad things. She was someone the hero wanted, but wasn't allowed to want and still be a hero. It wasn't a new concept, but it was well executed by whoever created her (I can't recall if it was Len Wein or Marv Wolfman who was writing Spidey at the time). She was perfect . . .
. . . except for the name. Because I have an undying fondness for the FIRST Black Cat, that being Harvey Comics' Linda Turner. She would take on criminals, gangsters and Nazis in the '40s with nothing more than some roping skills, a little judo, a bad-ass bike and utter confidence in her abilities. She did it because it was right, because it was necessary, and because it was DAMN FUN! And she could show up for an 8 am shooting time, being a Hollywood Starlet, with nary a bruise on her bankable face.
Black Cat (Harvey) is lost to history, despite attempts to revive her every decade or so. And now even her identity is lost, because if you say "Black Cat" to an entire generation of people, they think of Felicia Hardy. And it's not fair. Linda Turner was too good to be lost to antiquity.
And Felicia Hardy should have picked another name.
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Comments: 34
I agree with you in what you say about Felicia. She's one of the fewest examples of a very well done rip off from another character, in this case DC's Selina Kyle. Black Cat is not based upon Catwoman, she is the Catwoman of Marvel, with the same traits and features.
But it doesn't matter, because the result was amazing. Your rendition is just awesome. I would like to see more of these two lovely ladies, in many other bondage and DiD adventures.
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Thank you. I do like the Felicia Hardy character. Just wish they'd given her a different name.
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Yes, I know what you mean, Groucho.
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I think the original Black Cat was the better character. Marvel should have come up with their own name. They did almost the same thing with Sheena, they renamed her Shanna a clear rip off. They have no respect for comics history.
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Wasn't Felicia originally supposed to be called 'Night Cat' in Marvel at one time?
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I can't see the comparison. Perhaps to Catwoman before she took on Black Cat's leather, but not to Marvel's Black Cat.
Bondage heroines seems to be DC's thing. Seriously, bondage is a big thing with them, as if it's heroic.
Btw her costume sucks, glad she's dead. Bad enough you got Wonder Woman in pokadot granny panties.
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That's Marvel for you, always stealing other peoples ideas and names.
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I know what you mean. I've seen some of the Harvey's Black Cat reprints. She seemed to be well developed character and concept. Pity she was never real got a chance to become popular.
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well I am at a lost for the outher girl in the pic but for black cat she cool imho... go to show you I sill dont know alot about comics oh well...and yes Captain Marvelness = stuped ness had to look him up on wikapeda to know whom he was... it was stuped of marvel to do it....
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It's easy when you have good material to work with.
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Sexy, funny , and tells a story. Great to see the real Black Cat again ,putting the upstart in her place
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How about posting more pics of the REAL Black Cat.
She still seems to have a lot of fans around based on all these postings.
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Both Cats look really well done, and yes, I do remember Black Cat on the right
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Very nice....kudos on honoring the past.
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Pretty darn awesome if you ask me. Hope she removed the claw tips.
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great one Bill! Too bad we can't see Linda in the same sitch! XD
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Both Black Cats are okay in my book, though the newer one loses points for being a shameless ripoff of Catwoman and the older one gets points for fighting nazis and stuff, and I don't think she ever ran into Casper or Richie Rich (though there might've been a romantic entanglement with Archie)
Sidenote, I am the 666th viewer and demand a no-prize.
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In the immortal words of Stan Lee: "Consider yourself no-prized, Oh Faithful One. Face Front!"
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Thanks for this nice pic, and thanks for bringing back
memories of a very exciting superheroine of my boyhood
days, the REAL Black Cat. Someone referred to that cute, skimpy costume. Good description.
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She's not forgotten to me...Where do you think I got this costume design? Love the old reprints and even older originals I can find from time to time. Thanks for the art...this is terrific
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I admit I don't know too much about the characters involved, but your lineart (especially in regards to expressions) seems to be getting better lately. Good stuff!
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Now a'days Linda Turner might go by the name Sweet Kitten or Kitty Steel just to add insult to injury to the criminals she defeats. She just doesn't have the dark veneer of a Black Cat in that cute skimpy costume.
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I like the original Black Cat stories, but I like Felicia Hardy as well... depending on the story line and writer. And I'm not entirely sure if a common phrase like Black Cat should be able to be copyrighted.
Oh, and I really like the pic. Very nice. I'm sure Felicia will get her revenge in our next episode, "The Huntress or the Hunted..."
Oh crap I just trampled on another superheroine name! What a minefield! If we can't use any names that have been used before it's like we're relegated to using names like Absence of Color Feline or something. Oh yeah, that has quite the ring to it.
The young will always forget the history you want to keep.
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I know! Early on in the Comic Book age, one could come up with a character and easily come up with a unique superhero name. But in this day and age, it is increasingly difficult to come up with a good name for your character. All the really good names have already been taken!
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Yeppers. I prefer to play original characters when I roleplay on irc, but it never ceases to amaze me how often I come up with a name and character only to find in a Google search that the name has already been taken. Most recently I discovered this with a USAngel character I had created. I've pretty much decided to quit worrying about it. It's probably worse when I rip off an old existing character like the Domino Lady of the pulp age and a brief Wilbur series for Eros in the 90s to create my own Domino Doll.
*giggles*
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Hey, great pic! Excellent info about the Golden Age heroine, as well -- I have always enjoyed the "Linda Turner/Black Cat" stories. I don't mind the Felicia Hardy character, but you are correct; Marvel should have come up with a different name for their character.
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Now tell them about the whole, "Captain Marvel" mess.
Srs, excellent pic and a good bit of history.
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Same story, different character. Marvel built a new character around a golden age name from another company. See also Daredevil.
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It's sad when comic heroes die, often these days they never actually get a chance to begin with (unless it includes a recognizable character).
But Marvel and DCs cannibalistic treatment of other Comics (even each others) is well known to all but the most fervent fanboys.
In this case Marvel wanted a forbidden foil for Spider-man, but instead they decided if it worked for Batman, it'll work for him. In the process they generate a half-assed character, who isn't as recognisable as her source inspiration, and another hero gets forgotten.
Shame
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