Felicia Hardy, known as Black Cat, first appeared in The Amazing Spider-Man #194 (July 1979), created by Marv Wolfman and Dave Cockrum (with Keith Pollard). Introduced as a skilled cat burglar inspired by her father Walter Hardy, a renowned thief, Felicia adopted the Black Cat persona to free him from prison during his final days, clashing with Spider-Man in the process. Initially a non-powered adversary, she quickly developed a romantic obsession with Spider-Man's masked identity, leading to an alliance and partnership. To match his abilities, she secretly acquired probability-manipulating "bad luck" powers from the Kingpin, which caused misfortune to enemies; these powers have been gained, lost, and modified over time.
Black Cat's on-again, off-again romance with Spider-Man (Peter Parker) became central to her character, complicated by her preference for his superhero persona over his civilian life, resulting in multiple breakups and reconciliations. She transitioned from thief to anti-heroine, occasionally joining teams like Heroes for Hire and forming close alliances, including a significant friendship and romantic relationship with Harley Quinn in some continuities. Major arcs include periods of outright villainy, such as becoming a crime boss after betrayals, and explorations of her independence in solo series, notably Jed MacKay's 2019–2021 run that established her as a master thief operating outside Spider-Man's shadow.
As of late 2025, Black Cat stars in a new ongoing series launched in August 2025, written by G. Willow Wilson and illustrated by Gleb Melnikov, where Felicia attempts to become a full-fledged superhero following events in Amazing Spider-Man, while continuing high-stakes capers and facing supervillains. Remaining a complex figure of moral ambiguity, thrill-seeking independence, and seductive charm, Black Cat endures as one of Marvel's premier anti-heroines and Spider-Man's most enduring love interest.