Jackpot and Black Cat #1 Review: Peter Parker's Exes Paint The Town Red

Mary Jane Watson and Felicia Hardy are arguably the biggest love interests of Marvel Comics' Peter Parker, a.k.a. your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man, this side of Gwen Stacy and the two are now sharing crime-fighting duties. While both Jackpot and Black Cat no longer date Pete, the two have strengthened their own friendship recently. The new miniseries, Jackpot and Black Cat, unites the superheroes once again, showing two sides of these characters who have bolstered the Spider-Man universe across Marvel Comics' long history.

The new mini-series from writer Celeste Bronfman and artist Emilio Laiso sees Mary Jane Watson confidently patrolling the streets of New York City, while Felicia finds herself on the wrong side of the tracks as the Black Cat (again). There is, however, a very good reason as to why Felicia is once again flirting with the dark side, as she is threatened by a mysterious app known as "Obscura." While the Black Cat can handle her own, a new love interest is now in the sights of the shady organization and Mary Jane and Paul find themselves attempting to learn more and right several wrongs in the process. What ensues is something of a "buddy cop comedy" wherein Mary Jane and Felicia attempt to learn more about the blackmailers.

Much like how Black Cat and Jackpot are two sides of the same coin, so too does this series have two parallel strengths and weaknesses in its premiere. Felicia's portrayal is spot-on when it comes to both flirting with her criminal origins and protecting her newfound love interest, Amelia. On the other hand, Mary Jane suffers from being the "straight man" in this dynamic, falling fully into the role of superhero but sometimes losing aspects that made her a fan favorite over the years. Jackpot seems exceedingly confident in her power usage and her role as a hero, which feels like a missed opportunity.

Mary Jane is new to the superhero game, and having her pulling off moves that would make Spider-Man blush can be head-scratching. On top of this, her Jackpot powers grant her a level of fluidity that many heroes don't have, but it feels underutilized here as she mostly finds the perfect power set within one or two attempts. Her powers are akin to that of DC's "Dial H For Hero," which could have presented some fun, and even terrifying, bits as Mary Jane attempted to creatively utilize randomized powers to extract herself from a deadly scenario. 

The idea of "Obscura" is an interesting one, creating a faceless villain able to bend both innocent civilians and superheroes to their whims. Again, this does feel like a missed opportunity as readers aren't able to see much of just how the villainous app is able to make good on its threats. Felicia folding to their demands seems half-baked when she's dealt with various threats to her loved ones before without giving in. This might be rectified in future issues, but for now, it's a nitpick in the first installment.

This isn't to say that the chinks in the armor ultimately dull the overall package here as Jackpot and Black Cat has its fair share of strengths. Mary Jane and Felicia work well with one another, specifically when it comes to their dialogue and quieter moments as they attempt to solve this mystery. While the character of Paul is a controversial one in the "Spider-Verse," he works well here as MJ's "guy in a chair." 

On top of all this, Emilio Laiso's art works well throughout the issue, capturing the energy and style of the two superheroines as they navigate across very different parts of New York City. Felicia making her way through Chance's casino and the ensuing escape is the highlight of Jackpot and Black Cat #1 and Laiso nails the action and character moments therein. 

Jackpot and Black Cat has the bones to be a solid superhero outing, but it needs to lay additional foundation on the structure of this issue to make it a real winner. 

Published by Marvel Comics

On March 27, 2024

Written by Celeste Bronfman

Art by Emilio Laiso

Colors by Brian Reber

Letters by VC's Ariana Maher

Cover by Adam Hughes