Spider-Man Annual #[1985]
In "But the Cat Came Back...", Spider-Man and the Black Cat grapple with the tension between love and loyalty as their relationship tests the boundaries of right and wrong. As Spider-Man urges the Black Cat to abandon her criminal past—going so far as to seek a pardon through Captain Jean DeWolff—she struggles to leave her life of crime behind, even as she dreams of a future stealing together. Roger Stern’s writing, brought to life by John Romita Jr.’s dynamic art and Jim Mooney’s inks, captures the emotional stakes with quiet intensity, while Paul Neary’s cover perfectly encapsulates the moment’s bittersweet weight.
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Both Spider-Man and the Black Cat have conflicting emotions about their new status as lovers. Spider-Man wants the Black Cat to go straight, even going so far as to ask Captain Jean DeWolff to get her a pardon. The Black Cat, on the other hand, has a hard time kicking old habits and wants the two of them to use their abilities to become thieves. Spider-Man tries to immobilize the Black Cat with his web, but rather than ending up in prison, she jumps in the river. Believing her dead, Spider-Man is even more sad to receive the news of a full pardon for the Black Cat.
Plot details indexed by the Grand Comics Database (CC BY-SA).