Review of Black Cat: I’ll Take Manhattan

Black Cat, Vol. 5: I’ll Take Manhattan by Jed Mackay

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I suppose it only took five volumes to unravel everything – not unreasonable for a comic series. I’m even willing to applaud Mr. MacKay’s faithfulness to the thief’s character. It’s a level of authenticity I didn’t expect, given the weaving of familial bonds he laid down in the previous volumes. That’s the level of dedication you want from a writer.

The plot would have remained stronger if he’d just avoided the temptation to throw in weird magic. (What is it with some of these comic writers and their reliance on deus ex machina-type plot devices?) I admit I haven’t read a ton in the Marvel universe, but deals with gods that grant immortality? Is that a common thread? It felt out of place in a world populated with metahumans (or is that mutants?). I mean, it WORKED, but it felt trite.

I had to forgive it, though, because the romp through South Korea was too much fun. It was ridiculous, of course, but such a nod to manga (and maybe Suicide Squad?) that it was impossible to hate. I don’t know where the Infinity Stone was supposed to come into play (never put something in your introduction that you don’t intend to provide), but a good story is always worth reading.

As I said from the beginning, Black Cat isn’t the best comic series I’ve encountered. But it also isn’t the worst. At the very least, it’s humorous and distracting. And sometimes, that’s all a person needs.

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