Jackpot & Black Cat #3 Review

 

Writer: Celeste Bronfman

Artists: Emilio Laiso & Giada Belviso

Colorist: Brian Reber

Letterer: Ariana Maher

Cover Artists: Pablo Villalobos; Javier Garrón & Jesus Aburtov; Elizabeth Torque & Tríona Ferrell

Publisher: Marvel

Price: $3.99

Release Date: May 29, 2024

 

Mary Jane Watson disapproves of Felicia Hardy's criminal endeavors as Black Cat. Still, Mary Jane values her friendship with Felicia. Felicia has supported MJ’s burgeoning career as the superhero Jackpot. But Felicia’s new friend, Amelia Morrow, encourages Black Cat’s criminal activities. Will Amelia Morrow tear Mary Jane and Felicia Hardy apart? Let’s spin our fruit machine reels, extend our claws, leap into Jackpot & Black Cat #3, and find out!

 

Story

Last year, Amelia Morrow developed a popular phone app. When her employer refused her the credit and compensation she wanted, Amelia stole the source code and developed Obscura. Amelia adopted the supervillain name Bandwidth and used her new app to blackmail users into doing her bidding.

 

Amelia has little in common with Mary Jane or Peter Parker. Yet Amelia has spun Felicia into her web of criminal intrigue. Mary Jane wants Felicia to accept the truth. But Felicia adores Amelia and clings to the fading hope that Amelia cares for her. In Jackpot & Black Cat #3, Felicia excuses Amelia's behavior and insists she wouldn’t scare citizens into employing deadly force. Even as Felicia asserts that Mary Jane is wrong about Amelia, Felicia knows her friend is right. So why is Felicia denying the facts and the instincts that have allowed her to pursue her career without ending up in prison?

 

So far, Amelia has conned Felicia into fleecing Chance’s Flying Casino. She ordered app users to kill Mary Jane. Amelia threatened to harm Paul unless Mary Jane robbed White Rabbit’s money laundering operation. Mary Jane and Paul force Felicia and Amelia into an impromptu breakfast double date in Celeste Bronfman's story. Mary Jane wants to take down Amelia while protecting Felicia. But despite Felicia’s pleas, Amelia has no intention of playing nicely.

 

Felicia Hardy has made some strange friendships with Peter Parker and Mary Jane. While Peter cooled on Felicia, Mary Jane strives to reform her. Amelia accepts Felicia for who she is, and Black Cat enjoys playing Bandwidth’s games. But in Jackpot & Black Cat #3, the stakes get higher. People could die amid Bandwidth’s fun. Even if Mary Jane and Felicia survive, the consequences of Amelia’s actions could leave their lives in ruins.

 

 

Art

Felicia and Amelia look relaxed together in their apartment. But tensions rise as Mary Jane saunters in. Mary Jane sits across from Amelia while Paul faces Felicia. If looks could kill, they'd be lying on the floor. Felicia's hostility vanishes in the bathroom as MJ slips into teacher mode. Felicia sits on the bathtub and stares down at her knees before regarding MJ while supporting her head with her hand. But MJ doesn't soften before Felicia's Baby Don’t Hurt Me No More look. Instead, Mary Jane adopts a fighting stance and gestures while she argues her case.

 

Emilio Laiso and Giada Belviso turn on the heat when Paul and MJ leave the apartment. Paul hunches as he follows his lady love. But Paul stands beside MJ when enemies surround them in Jackpot & Black Cat #3. And Paul charges into danger at Mary Jane's side when supervillains appear.

 

Brian Reber paints Black Cat's apartment in gray, tan, pink, and purple. Mary Jane's purple top blends with Felicia's interior better than Amelia’s bright blue pajamas. Amid all the colorful passengers, Reber paints the subway train interior in gray and orange, flattens foregrounds, and adds a haze to lighten backgrounds. Little outshines Jackpot's red, gold, pink, and white suit, but a green-and-yellow multilimbed villain tries.

 

Ariana Maher spins black uppercase dialogue into white balloons and orange narrative boxes in Jackpot & Black Cat #3. Sound effects enliven the subway scenes as Jackpot's reels spin, MJ's powers manifest, and bodies slam into walls. Thanks to Marvel for providing a copy for review.

 

 

Final Thoughts

Amelia and Black Cat’s antics ruffle the Owl’s feathers and could incite another gang war. Events also force Felicia to confront her fears and doubts about Amelia. She's straddled the fence for too long. In Jackpot & Black Cat #3, Felicia Hardy must choose between friendship and love.

 

Rating 8/10

 

To preview interior art see my review at Comic Book Dispatch.