Written by G. Willow Wilson, with art by Andres Genolet, Black Cat #11 is built around a tragic loss. In this case, the Punisher befriended a hungry stray dog. While not the friendliest of people on a good day, Frank Castle took the pooch in and seemed to be bonding with the stray. Unfortunately, the dog got in the way as Felicia Hardy was making a hurried escape
(Image Source: Marvel Comics / Andres Genolet )
Faster than you can say “John Wick,” Frank is on Felicia’s trail. After barely surviving an ambush and a grenade barrage, Black Cat tries to talk to Punisher and asks why he is after her. However, while honestly upset about hurting the dog, Felicia doubted that Frank would find it in his heart to forgive her, even though the dog was only hospitalized instead of dead. Indeed, he is rather famous for not forgiving people.
When it becomes clear that her natural charm wasn’t enough to win over Frank, Black Cat makes a run for it. She tries using her bad luck powers, hoping to slow him down just long enough to get out of gun rage. Unfortunately, the Punisher is somehow immune to her powers.
Why Black Cat’s luck powers don’t work on Punisher
(Image Source: Marvel Comics / Andres Genolet )
Black Cat #11 ends with Punisher handcuffing Black Cat and taking her alive, despite trying to kill her earlier. This is as big a mystery as Black Cat’s belief that Frank is immune to her powers. Then again, Felicia Hardy’s superpowers are a mystery unto themselves.
Originally, Felicia gained bad luck powers as part of a bargain with the Kingpin. They were later removed by Doctor Strange, despite having been the result of a scientific imbuement. However, Felicia later regained her powers through a quantum probability pulsator that was implanted in her body. This allows her to manipulate probability fields within her field of vision and gives her some defense against magic spells.
(Image Source: Marvel Comics / Andres Genolet )
This may offer a spiritual explanation for why Felicia couldn’t alter Frank Castle’s luck for the worse. Despite being a street-level vigilante, Frank has had encounters with angels and demons before, with one angel trying to recruit him to fight for Heaven. While the canonicity of that particular volume of the Punisher comic is debatable, it’s possible his angelic patron is still watching over him.
Alternatively, it’s possible Frank is naturally immune to having his luck being made worse. The Punisher has already lost everything that matters to him in life and is effectively dead inside already. Given that, there’s nothing Black Cat can do to him to make his luck worse.
Black Cat #11 is now available at comic shops everywhere.
