The world may feel like it’s getting darker every day (and I’m not talking about Daylight Saving Time here), but Patsy Walker, A.K.A. Hellcat! can be counted on as a source of brightness and warmth each month. Just take a look at the cover of next week’s issue showing Hellcat and Black Cat fighting on a cat tree, surrounded by kittens staring intently at the duel. Doesn’t that already make you feel a little better about a frightening, uncertain future? This series is driven by a strong sense of humor in both Kate Leth’s writing and Brittney L. Williams’ art, and this creative team understands that a story about a crimefighter dressed like a cat shouldn’t be taken too seriously. And when you’ve got a hero and a villain dressed as cats, there’s even more reason to get playful and silly.
That’s not to say there’s no drama in this series, but that drama is far more grounded than the usual superhero fare. This preview of next week’s Patsy Walker, A.K.A. Hellcat! #12 puts the spotlight on Patsy’s current roommate Ian Soo, who used to live with one of the members of the Black Cats gang. The drama in these pages revolves around a messy former roommate that took advantage of Ian’s shyness, and that very relatable problem is given a superhero makeover when Ian and Zoe face off a year and half later as members of two rival groups. Williams’ cartoony artwork exaggerates the emotions in Leth’s script to heighten the conflict, and Rachelle Rosenberg’s creamy color palette maintains a sense of lightness even when the tension increases. The past year of Patsy Walker, A.K.A. Hellcat! has been a delight, and readers looking for pleasant, heartfelt superhero escapism should pounce on this title so Marvel keeps it around.