‘Marvel’s Spider-Man 2’ Confirms Insomniac’s Gamerverse Version Of Black Cat Is Bisexual
Spencer Baculi
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In further canonizing the recently revived idea of the femme fatale’s status as a member of the LGBT community, Insomniac Games’ Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 has confirmed that, like her comic book counterpart, the developer’s ‘Gamerverse’ incarnation of Black Cat is bisexual.
Black Cat (Eric Lindbeck) pays a visit to the Sanctum Santorum in Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 (2023), Insomniac Games
This aspect of Felicia Hardy’s personal life is explicitly detailed within the newly released game’s tenth story mission, ‘Make Your Own Choices‘.
Therein, after finding his mentor’s ex-girlfriend both being hunted by Kraven the Hunter’s mercenary forces and seemingly planning yet another score, Miles Morales interjects himself into the situation in the hopes of preventing both her death and her crimes.
Following a brief investigation across the New York skyline, Miles catches Felicia red-handed stealing the Wand of Watoomb, a mystical item taken straight from the pages of Marvel’s own lore and capable of opening MCU-esque teleportation portals, from Doctor Strange’s Sanctum Santorum.
Not one to either ask for help or give up on her plans, Felicia responds to Miles’ arrival by attempting to use the Wand’s power to ditch the fledgling superhero in a random location across the world, a plan which ultimately fails thanks to his quick reflexes and web-spinning abiliites.
Eventually catching up to her after being left to fend for himself on one of Kraven’s gunship, Miles wastes no time in questioning Felicia’s motives, his particular point of contention being the fact that she would rather make off with her newly acquired loot than help him and Peter stop the threat the Hunter’s city-wide rampage.
Black Cat (Eric Lindbeck) asks Miles Morales’ (Nadji Jeter) for help in Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 (2023), Insomniac Games
Notably, it is during this argument that Insomniac addresses the topic of Felicia’s sexuality.
Attempting to walk away from the wreckage of the gunship, Felicia dismisses Miles’ concerns, flippantly taunting, “You’re Spider-Man. You’ve saved the city before. You’ll do it again.”
“Spider-Man was right about you,” an understandably frustrated Miles fires back, “You only care about yourself.”
His last criticism managing to break through her stoic facade, Felicia finally explains to Miles, “Look, kid, not that it’s your business. My girlfriend’s in Paris, and I got her into trouble with some bad people.”
“You ever done something for love?” she then asks Miles. “She needs me, NOW. If only I could figure out how to go more than ten feet with this thing…”
Black Cat (Eric Lindbeck) explains her motivations for stealing the Wand of Watoomb to Miles Morales (Nadji Jeter) in Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 (2023), Insomniac Games
But as Miles takes a moment to grapple with this moral dilemma, the two are beset by more of Kraven’s goons and gun-ships, all of which want nothing more than to turn the pair into red paste.
Agreeing to put their differences aside, the two black-clad Spider-allies steel themselves against the Hunters’ forces, resolving to punch and kick their way through his forces until none are left standing.
Black Cat (Eric Lindbeck) and Miles Morales (Nadji Jeter) share thoughts of Paris in Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 (2023), Insomniac Games
Finally finding a moment to breathe after webbing the last goon to the floor, Miles and Felicia close out their time together by combining their energies to activate the Wand of Watoomb and open a portal to Paris.
Her mission successful, Black Cat leaves the artifact with Miles before gracefully leaping her way to the City of Lights.
“Au revoir,” a solemn Miles wishes to Felicia.
The portal starting to fade away, his one-time teammate respond by choking out one final “Thank you”, her eyes welling with tears as she disappears from view.
Black Cat (Eric Lindbeck) says farewell to Miles Morales (Nadji Jeter) in Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 (2023), Insomniac Games
As noted above, Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 is not the first piece of media to depict Felicia as bisexual, instead being but the most recent – and most prominent – story to reinforce this recently-revived retcon.
Rather, Felicia’s romantic interest in women was first hinted at by Masters of the Universe: Revelations showrunner Kevin Smith in the debut issue of his infamous Marvel Comics miniseries, Spider-Man/Blackl Cat: The Evil That Men Do.
Therein, amidst a moment of reflection, Felicia can be read lamenting to herself, “It’s been too long since I’ve had a boyfriend…or a girlfriend, for that matter. Far too long.”
Black Cat takes a breather in Spider-Man/Black Cat: The Evil That Men Do Vol. 1 #1 “What’s New Pussycat?” (2002), Marvel Comics. Words by Kevin Smith, art by Terry Dodson, Rachel Dodson, Richard Starkings, and Comicraft.
However, with both the story being hard to place in the 616’s timeline thanks to Smith’s taking five full years to deliver the complete six-issue story and the reveal never being mentioned again, even within the same series, the exact canonicity of Felicia’s bisexuality would remain a mystery for the next 18-years
That was, until 2020’s Black Cat Vol. 1 #10, wherein writer Jed MacKay finally established the retcon within the current incarnation of the mainstream Marvel canon, revealing in the book’s final page that Felicia and her long-time peer Tamara Blake – another Peter Parker ex-girlfriend who would herself go on to don the armored alias of ‘Iron Cat’ – shared a romantic relationship during their youth.
Black Cat reflects on a romance past in Black Cat Vol. 1 #10 “Sleight of Hand: Part 2” (2020), Marvel Comics. Words by Jed MacKay, art by Kris Anka, Brian Reber, and Ferran Delgado.
Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 is currently available for the PlayStation 5.
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