The Amazing Spider-Man #226
Amazing Spider-Man #226 is the pivotal first chapter of the two-part 'But the Cat Came Back' story by Roger Stern and John Romita Jr. — the arc that transformed the Black Cat from a flirtatious one-note villain into a fully realized character whose romance with Spider-Man would define a significant stretch of the Bronze Age title. Where earlier Marv Wolfman stories left Felicia Hardy's relationship with the wall-crawler underwritten, Stern gave the pairing genuine emotional stakes, making this issue the true foundation of one of Spider-Man's most enduring on-again/off-again romances. The issue also marks the point where Spider-Man and Black Cat share their first proper kiss, sealing a partnership that would carry forward into Spectacular Spider-Man and influence countless subsequent writers. Its narrative setup — a reformed criminal faking insanity to escape institutional custody and reaching out to a hero through a skywriting stunt — remains one of the more inventive meet-cute structures in the Bronze Age.
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Roger Stern had taken over Amazing Spider-Man with issue #224 in January 1982, just two issues before this story, continuing his momentum from a well-regarded Spectacular Spider-Man run. The issue was edited by Tom DeFalco under editor-in-chief Jim Shooter, with art credits split between Romita Jr.'s breakdowns and Jim Mooney's finished linework — a production arrangement common to the title at the time. The story was produced on a March 1982 cover date but went on sale in December 1981, arriving as part of Stern and Romita Jr.'s early collaborative momentum on the flagship title. Stern's editorial context is notable: with Mary Jane Watson largely absent from the book in the early 1980s, Stern consciously channeled Peter Parker's romantic loneliness into the Black Cat dynamic rather than rekindling prior relationships.
Trivia · 8 facts
- Cover-dated March 1982 (on-sale December 1981); part one of the two-part 'But the Cat Came Back' story, concluding in Amazing Spider-Man #227.
- Written by Roger Stern; pencil breakdowns by John Romita Jr.; finished art by Jim Mooney; cover by John Romita Jr. and Al Milgrom; edited by Tom DeFalco; editor-in-chief Jim Shooter.
- Black Cat (Felicia Hardy) escapes Mitchell State Hospital by faking mental illness, confirming she had deceived both Spider-Man and authorities in her previous storyline — a retcon that restored her as a fully capable, calculating character.
- Spider-Man and Black Cat share their first on-panel kiss at the end of the issue after working together to defeat a Maggia enforcer named Phil Bradshaw, officially launching their romantic relationship.
- Greg Salinger (the Foolkiller, second iteration) appears in a hospital cameo as the issue opens — his final Bronze Age appearance, having been institutionalized following his battle with Spider-Man in the preceding issue (#225).
- Captain Jean DeWolff appears as a supporting character, alerting Spider-Man to Black Cat's escape and providing police-procedural texture to the story.
- The issue was later reprinted in the Spanish Marvel Héroes series (Panini España, 2012) in both issue #44 (2013) and the definitive edition issue #69 (2016), and is included in the Spider-Man by Roger Stern Omnibus (collecting Amazing Spider-Man #206, #224–252 and Spectactular Spider-Man #43–61 & #85).
- Exists in both Direct Edition and Newsstand Edition printings, both with identical story content and the same cover by Romita Jr. and Milgrom.
Cast · 6 characters
Full credits
Full plot ⚠ may contain spoilers
▸ Reveal full plot — may contain spoilers
Felicia Hardy, the cat burglar known as the Black Cat, has faked insanity in order to be placed in a mental institution, which proves easier to escape from than prison. On the prowl again, she starts stealing from the mob. When Spider-Man tracks her down, the Black Cat says that she wants to help him fight crime, and after proving this with her actions, the new crime fighting partners unite in a kiss.
Plot details indexed by the Grand Comics Database (CC BY-SA).
