Plot-wise, Patsy Walker AKA Hellcat #13 is a middle of the road issue in the series as Patsy, Jubilee, and Ian are trapped in their friend, Bailey’s magical bag while Black Cat and her girl gang try to get a list from Hellcat’s temp agency so they can be muscle for her. Most of the issue happens in the bag, and this lets Brittney Williams and Rachelle Rosenberg play with panel layouts and color schemes. The lack of blood in the bag also gives Kate Leth a chance to show Jubilee actually struggle with her vampirism. It’s mostly played for laughs, like a hilarious panel of Ian comparing chibi-Hellcat and Jubilee to Louis and Lestat after Jubilee tries to feed on Patsy’s cut.

Mind control is an overused trope in superhero comics, and the entire premise of Hellcat #13 rests upon it as Bailey and even the lovely Tom Hale join Black Cat’s team in the issue. The arc really could have ended this issue with a battle between Team Hellcat and the Black Cats, but instead Leth has the good guys take some lumps, including completely getting their asses kicked in the first couple ages. Williams’ fierceness serves this fight well as Ian’s ex Zoe goes from being a general annoyance to throwing knives at people. Rosenberg uses plenty of reds and black when things take a turn for a violent like when Black Cat slashes the backs of some of her new henchfolks. There is definitely something a little off about Felicia, and Hellcat mentions this in dialogue as she’s gone from a sympathetic, flirtatious cat burglar and anti-hero to a stone cold villain.

Leth, Williams, and Rosenberg don’t go the reality bending route with Bailey’s special bag in Hellcat #13 like they did with Hell in the last arc, but instead just make it a huge purse full of random junk with a constantly changing color scheme. The enclosed space makes Team Hellcat feel powerless and not like themselves, especially when Jubilee starts vamping out. It’s a piece of plot negative space as Black Cat is free to wreak havoc on everything that Patsy has built in the real world, and poor Tom Hale gets caught in the crossfire. For the most part, the scenes in the bag feel like a waiting room for the next showdown between Hellcat and Black Cat, but the humor from Leth and Williams keeps it from getting too boring, like the various shapes Jubilee shifts to in her cloud form.

Hellcat #13 is a passable issue in a fantastic series as Kate Leth, Brittney Williams, and Rachelle Rosenberg increase Black Cat’s nefariousness levels by having either completely wipe the floor with Hellcat as well as use violence and mind control to get her way. Williams continues to show off her art chops, which runs the gamut from fierce to silly in this comic. Plus the Black Cats continue to have the most fashionable attire despite being evil.

Story: Kate Leth Art: Brittney Williams Colors: Rachelle Rosenberg
Story: 7.0 Art: 8.0 Overall: 7.0 Recommendation: Read

Marvel Comics provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review