TITLE: The Cat Issue #2
YEAR: January 1973
COMPANY: Marvel Comics
WRITER: Linda Fite
Artist: Marie Severin & Jim Mooney
Letterer: Charlotte Jetter
Colorist: Marie Severin
Editor: Roy Thomas
Before I review this issue, I have to explain that this version of “The Cat” is not Patsy Walker, who would find the costume and become “Hellcat”, but this is Greer Grant, who would later become the tiger woman known as Tigra.
The Cat made her first appearance in the comic “Beware! The Claws of The Cat” back in November 1972. Unfortunately, the first issue is one that alludes me to this day (as prices are sky high).
But the good news, I think the creators of the comic expected one to probably miss out on the first issue and create a backstory that sets things up of how Greer Grant became the Cat in issue #2 (I’m guessing this, having not read the first issue yet).
But the first issue features Daredevil’s foe, The Owl as he is after Dr. Tumolo, the scientist known for experimenting on Greer Grant (with her permission) and giving her superhuman abilities.
In this issue, you’ll see how far The Owl would go to get what he wants, including killing his own henchman.
Unfortunately, the financial backer Mal Donalbain wanted to experiment on Shirlee Bryant, despite Dr. Tumolo’s date showing Greer Grant would be a much better selection. But Donalbain chooses Shirlee, who also has superhuman abilities (and was given a yellow and blue cat costume) but listened to Donalbain’s orders and fell after climbing many feet high and was killed.
Having see what Donalbain had done, Dr. Tumolo flees and accidentally drops her notebook and Donalbain knowing she was a witness to the crime.
Dr. Tumolo ends up taking one of the cat outfits and giving it to Greer and Greer learns that the outfit has special features such as claws that extend when she flexes certain arm muscles and she also learns other techniques. But unfortunately, Donalbain’s henchman blows up Dr. Tumolo’s home with her in it, but it didn’t kill her. She survived but she is no longer the same person and hasn’t really spoken.
But Dr. Owl wants her and The Cat will do anything to prevent the Doctor from being taken from anyone.
Overall, it’s a very good issue and with so much backstory explored, it made me wonder if this is the origin issue or was there anything else featured in issue #1? I’ll need to get my hands on that first issue… Someday!