Review: Patsy Walker - Hellcat

Originally created in the 1940s as a teen humour heroine akin to Betty Cooper or Veronica Lodge, Patsy Walker was reinvented by Marvel Comics in the late-'70s as a superheroine known as Hellcat. Since then, she's been relegated to their D-list despite tenures on teams like the Avengers and the Defenders. Patsy Walker: Hellcat collects a five-part mini-series written following Marvel's Civil War and Hellcat's features from the Marvel Comics Presents series. It is a rare look at an oft-forgotten character that is a fun tongue-in-cheek romp and presents a story that is significantly lighter in tone than the usual death and mayhem Marvel has become known for in recent years.

Patsy Walker: Hellcat begins with a four-part mini-story titled "The Girl Who Could Be You" where the titular heroine faces multiple versions of herself after accidentally releasing them from a magical diary. It is humorous and cute in its narrative particularly due to the brilliant usage of exaggeration in presenting the different versions of Patsy Walker. Stuart Immonen's pencils help to emphasize this and he creates beautifully dynamic panels with plenty of character. While it is obvious that writer Kathryn Immonen knows her Patsy Walker, her references to Patsy's past might be a little confusing to some. Luckily, the bulk of the trade paperback, however, is devoted to the five-part story "Snowball Effect." In it, Patsy is asked by Iron Man to travel to Alaska and this trip eventually segues into an absurdist fantasy à la Alice in Wonderland. Many of the events and characters Patsy encounters are ridiculous but are purposely so. Patsy as a character is brimming with personality and sass. She's a joy to read and makes for an interesting character that many readers will be able to relate to. Despite the absurdist nature of the story, Kathryn Immonen clearly knows what she's doing and crafts a narrative with plenty of moments that are sure to incite chuckles. Her comedic timing is to be applauded. After all, it is the unpredictability of this adventure that is refreshing. David Lafuente's art sets the tone of the story wonderfully as his pencils are at once whimsical and full of personality. There's a slight eastern influence as well. As such, the art stands out for being atypical for what is expected of superhero comics. Each character he draws is so specific and individual, which is something not easily accomplished and Lafuente is to be commended for this.

All in all, Patsy Walker: Hellcat is a fun little read that is light-hearted and will likely endear the character to those who read it. Patsy Walker: Hellcat is a fantastic introduction to the character and serves as an excellent pre-cursor to its unofficial sequel Marvel Divas. It is especially recommended for female readers interested in getting into comics as this is largely free of continuity and requires little knowledge of superheroes in order to enjoy the story.

Grade: B+