Patricia "Patsy" Walker is a

superhero A superhero or superheroine is a stock character that typically possesses ''superpowers'', abilities beyond those of ordinary people, and fits the role of the hero, typically using his or her powers to help the world become a better place, ...

appearing in

American comic book An American comic book is a thin periodical originating in the United States, on average 32 pages, containing comics. While the form originated in 1933, American comic books first gained popularity after the 1938 publication of ''Action Comics'' ...

s published by

Marvel Comics Marvel Comics is an American comic book publisher and the flagship property of Marvel Entertainment, a divsion of The Walt Disney Company since September 1, 2009. Evolving from Timely Comics in 1939, ''Magazine Management/Atlas Comics'' in ...

. Created by Stuart Little and

Ruth Atkinson Ruth Atkinson Ford, née Ruth Atkinson and a.k.a. R. Atkinson (June 2, 1918 – June 1, 1997), Includes obituary for Ruth Atkinson Ford, giving date of death date as June 1, 1997.Date of death given as May 31, 1997 at that the Lambiek Comiclope ...

, Patsy Walker first appeared in ''Miss America Magazine'' #2 (November

1944 Events Below, the events of World War II have the "WWII" prefix. January * January 2 – WWII: ** Free French General Jean de Lattre de Tassigny is appointed to command French Army B, part of the Sixth United States Army Group in ...

), published by Marvel precursor

Timely Comics Timely Comics is the common name for the group of corporations that was the earliest comic book arm of American publisher Martin Goodman, and the entity that would evolve by the 1960s to become Marvel Comics. "Timely Publications became the name ...

, and became Hellcat in '' The Avengers'' #144 (February 1976). She premiered as the star of a teen romantic-

comedy Comedy is a genre of fiction that consists of discourses or works intended to be humorous or amusing by inducing laughter, especially in theatre, film, stand-up comedy, television, radio, books, or any other entertainment medium. The term o ...

series, and was later integrated into Marvel

franchises such as the Avengers and the

Defenders Defender(s) or The Defender(s) may refer to: *Defense (military) *Defense (sports) **Defender (association football) Arts and entertainment Film and television * ''The Defender'' (1989 film), a Canadian documentary * ''The Defender'' (1994 f ...

as Hellcat. Following her reintroduction as Hellcat, the character has been described as one of Marvel's most notable and powerful female heroes.

Rachael Taylor Rachael May Taylor (born 11 July 1984) is an Australian actress and model. Her first lead role was in the Australian series ''headLand'' (2005–2006). She then made the transition to Hollywood, appearing in films including ''Man-Thing'' (2005 ...

portrayed

Trish Walker ''Jessica Jones'' is an American streaming television series created for Netflix by Melissa Rosenberg, based on the Marvel Comics character of the same name. It is set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), sharing continuity with the films of ...

in the

Marvel Cinematic Universe The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) is an American media franchise and shared universe centered on a series of superhero films produced by Marvel Studios. The films are based on characters that appear in American comic books published ...

(MCU) /

Netflix Netflix, Inc. is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service and production company based in Los Gatos, California. Founded in 1997 by Reed Hastings and Marc Randolph in Scotts Valley, California, it offers a ...

series ''

Jessica Jones Jessica Campbell Jones Cage is a superheroine appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was created by writer Brian Michael Bendis and artist Michael Gaydos and first appeared in ''Alias'' #1 (November 2001), a ...

'' (2015–2019), ''

Luke Cage Lucas "Luke" Cage, born Carl Lucas and also known as Power Man, is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. He first appeared in ''Luke Cage, Hero for Hire'' #1 (June 1972) and was created by Archie Go ...

'' (2016–2018), and '' The Defenders'' (2017).

Publication history

Teen-humor heroine

Created by writer Stuart Little and artist

, Patsy Walker first appeared in ''Miss America Magazine'' #2 (

cover-date The cover date of a periodical publication is the date displayed on the cover, which is not necessarily the true date of publication (the on-sale date or release date); later cover dates are common in magazine and comic book publishing. More unu ...

d November 1944), published by Marvel precursor

. Redheaded Patsy Walker, her parents Stanley and

Betty Betty or Bettie is a name, a common diminutive for the names Bethany and Elizabeth. In Latin America, it is also a common diminutive for the given name Beatriz, the Spanish and Portuguese form of the Latin name Beatrix and the English name Beat ...

, her boyfriend Robert "Buzz" Baxter, and her raven-haired friendly rival Hedy Wolfe appeared from the 1940s through 1967 in issues of ''Miss America'', ''Teen Comics'', ''Girls' Life'', and the namesake teen-humor series ''Patsy Walker'', as well as in the spin-offs ''Patsy and Hedy'', ''Patsy and Her Pals'', and the single-issue ''A Date with Patsy''. Attesting to its quiet popularity, ''Patsy Walker'' (along with ''

Millie the Model ''Millie the Model'' was Marvel Comics' longest-running humor title, first published by the company's 1940s predecessor, Timely Comics, and continuing through its 1950s forerunner, Atlas Comics, to 1970s Marvel. The comic book series deals with ...

'' and ''

Kid Colt, Outlaw ''Kid Colt, Outlaw'' is a comic book title featuring the character Kid Colt originally published by Atlas Comics beginning in 1948 and later Marvel Comics. Publication history Kid Colt and his horse Steel first appeared in ''Kid Colt'' #1 (Augu ...

'') was among the very few titles published continuously by Marvel from the 1940s Golden Age of Comic Books, through Marvel's 1950s iteration as Atlas Comics, and into the 1960s

Silver Age of Comic Books The Silver Age of Comic Books was a period of artistic advancement and widespread commercial success in mainstream American comic books, predominantly those featuring the superhero archetype. Following the Golden Age of Comic Books and an in ...

. Future '' Mad'' magazine cartoonist and ''Mad'' Fold-in creator

Al Jaffee Allan Jaffee (born Abraham Jaffee; March 13, 1921) is an American cartoonist. He is notable for his work in the satirical magazine '' Mad'', including his trademark feature, the ''Mad'' Fold-in. Jaffee was a regular contributor to the magazine ...

wrote and drew most of the early issues of ''Patsy Walker'', several of which included ''Mad'' founding editor

Harvey Kurtzman Harvey Kurtzman (; October 3, 1924 – February 21, 1993) was an American cartoonist and editor. His best-known work includes writing and editing the parodic comic book '' Mad'' from 1952 until 1956, and writing the ''Little Ann ...

's highly stylized "Hey Look!" one-page humor strips. Jaffee was succeeded by Al Hartley, who went to Archie Comics and produced many Christian comic books starring Archie characters and others. ''Patsy and Her Pals'' was drawn by Morris Weiss. Following Patsy's high-school graduation in issue #116 (Aug. 1964), the title switched from humor to become a young career-gal romantic adventure. ''Patsy Walker'' lasted through issue #124 (Dec. 1965), with ''Patsy and Hedy'' outlasting it to its own #110 (Feb. 1967). Patsy and Hedy made a

cameo appearance A cameo role, also called a cameo appearance and often shortened to just cameo (), is a brief appearance of a well-known person in a work of the performing arts. These roles are generally small, many of them non-speaking ones, and are commonly ei ...

in '' Fantastic Four Annual'' #3 (Oct. 1965), which established them in the Marvel Universe. The superhero-team comic '' The Defenders'' #89 (Nov. 1980) revealed that the earlier stories were fictional works published within the fictional Marvel Universe itself, and written by Patsy's mother Dorothy Walker though based upon Patsy's own life and friends. The Patsy Walker profile in ''Marvel Legacy: The 1960s Handbook'' #1 (Feb. 2006) establishes that Walker indeed experienced many of the events from these stories. ''Patsy Walker'' #95 – together with the

science-fiction Science fiction (sometimes shortened to Sci-Fi or SF) is a genre of speculative fiction which typically deals with imaginative and futuristic concepts such as advanced science and technology, space exploration, time travel, parallel unive ...

anthology ''

Journey into Mystery ''Journey into Mystery'' is an American comic book series initially published by Atlas Comics, then by its successor, Marvel Comics. Initially a horror comics anthology, it changed to giant-monster and science fiction stories in the late 1950s. ...

'' #69 (both June 1961) – are the first modern comic books labeled "Marvel Comics", with each showing an "MC" box on its cover.

Hellcat

The Beast feature in ''

Amazing Adventures ''Amazing Adventures'' is the name of several anthology comic book series, all but one published by Marvel Comics. The earliest Marvel series of that name introduced the company's first superhero of the late-1950s to early-1960s period fans and h ...

'' #13 (July 1972) introduced the concept of Walker as a superhero. Writer

Steve Englehart Steve Englehart (; born April 22, 1947) is an American writer of comic books and novels. He is best known for his work at Marvel Comics and DC Comics in the 1970s and 1980s. His pseudonyms have included John Harkness and Cliff Garnett. Early lif ...

recalled that Walker's cameo in ''Fantastic Four Annual'' #3 had: Because the Beast feature was dropped from ''Amazing Adventures'' just three issues later, the storyline with Patsy Walker was temporarily abandoned. Walker was reintroduced in '' The Avengers'' #141 (November 1975), having resumed her maiden name of Walker, and accompanied the Avengers on a couple of adventures. Shortly thereafter, she adopted the name Hellcat, taking on superheroine Greer Grant Nelson's costume from her discontinued identity as the Cat. The name "Hellcat" itself had originally been proposed for Nelson. The suit's look was later slightly adapted. In 2010, Englehart recalled: Hellcat joined the superhero team the

in issue #44 (Feb. 1977). After several adventures with the group, she met the supernatural adventurer

Daimon Hellstrom Daimon Hellstrom, also known as the Son of Satan and Hellstorm, is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Daimon made his live-action debut in the Hulu television series '' Helstrom'', played by Tom A ...

, the Son of Satan, in ''The Defenders'' #92 (Feb. 1981). They married in ''The Defenders'' #125 and became husband-and-wife occult investigators, but Hellstrom's demonic nature asserted itself, and Walker was driven first mad and then, in ''Hellstorm: Prince of Lies'' #14 (May 1994), to suicide. Through Hellstrom's manipulation of the superhero Hawkeye, she was resurrected in ''Thunderbolts Annual 2000'', a summer annual of the superhero-team comic '' Thunderbolts'', and returned to Earth with new abilities acquired while in Hell. The story, which began in ''Thunderbolts Annual 2000'', concluded in '' Avengers Annual 2000''. A three-issue ''Hellcat'' miniseries (Sept.–Nov. 2000) took place immediately following the events in ''Thunderbolts Annual 2000'' and ''Avengers Annual 2000''. Briefly adopting a new costume and then returning to her traditional yellow outfit, she rejoined the Defenders in a short-lived revival series, ''The Defenders'' vol. 2 #1–12 (March 2001 – Feb. 2002). After appearing in occasional guest roles, Hellcat had starring roles between 2007 and 2009, thanks to artist Stuart Immonen and his wife

Kathryn Kathryn is a feminine given name and comes from the Greek meaning for 'pure'. It is a variant of Katherine. It may refer to: In television and film: * Kathryn Beaumont (born 1938), English voice actress and school teacher best known for her Disn ...

. With the impending relaunch of '' Marvel Comics Presents'', Stuart was asked by editor Nick Lowe if he wanted to do a Hellcat story, which was spread across the title's first four issues (Sept.–Dec. 2007). Marvel remained open for a Hellcat miniseries, and out of what Kathryn first conceived as a "Hellcat Christmas Special", inspired by endurance car races in

Mongolia Mongolia; Mongolian script: , , ; lit. "Mongol Nation" or "State of Mongolia" () is a landlocked country in East Asia, bordered by Russia to the north and China to the south. It covers an area of , with a population of just 3.3 million, ...

and research on the

Inuit Inuit (; iu, ᐃᓄᐃᑦ 'the people', singular: Inuk, , dual: Inuuk, ) are a group of culturally similar indigenous peoples inhabiting the Arctic and subarctic regions of Greenland, Labrador, Quebec, Nunavut, the Northwest Territories ...

, came the five-issue miniseries ''Patsy Walker: Hellcat'' (Sept. 2008–Feb. 2009), drawn by

David Lafuente David Lafuente is a Spanish-born comic book artist known for his work on books such as '' Ultimate Comics: Spider-Man''. He currently resides in London.Avengers 50-State Initiative, it features Hellcat being assigned to watch over

Alaska Alaska ( ; russian: Аляска, Alyaska; ale, Alax̂sxax̂; ; ems, Alas'kaaq; Yup'ik: ''Alaskaq''; tli, Anáaski) is a state located in the Western United States on the northwest extremity of North America. A semi-exclave of the U.S. ...

. Following this, she was an ensemble star and narrator, alongside the superheroines Firestar, the Black Cat, and

Photon A photon () is an elementary particle that is a quantum of the electromagnetic field, including electromagnetic radiation such as light and radio waves, and the force carrier for the electromagnetic force. Photons are massless, so they a ...

, in the miniseries ''

Marvel Divas ''Marvel Divas'' is a limited series comic book published by Marvel Comics. On April 9, Marvel Editor-in-Chief Joe Quesada revealed in his weekly blog with MySpace Comic Books that the series follows four female heroes, who, up until now, had not ...

'' #1–4 (Sept.-Dec. 2009), which writers

Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa (born 1973) is an American playwright, screenwriter, and comic book writer best known for his work for Marvel Comics and for the television series '' Glee'', '' Big Love'', '' Riverdale'', '' Chilling Adventures of Sabrina' ...

and Tonci Zonjic had pitched it to Marvel editors as "''

Sex and the City ''Sex and the City'' is an American romantic comedy-drama television series created by Darren Star for HBO. An adaptation of Candace Bushnell's newspaper column and 1996 book anthology of the same name, the series premiered in the United Stat ...

'' in the Marvel Universe". Walker became part of the

All-New Marvel NOW! Marvel Now! (stylized as Marvel NOW!) is a comic book branding for the relaunch of several ongoing comic books published by Marvel Comics, that debuted in October 2012 with new #1 issues. The relaunch also included some new titles, including ''Un ...

event in '' She-Hulk'' vol. 3 #2, when Jennifer Walters started her own law firm. Walters hired Patsy as her private investigator, who uses her Hellcat alias on assignments. The

All-New, All-Different Marvel All-New, All-Different Marvel (ANADM) is a 2015–2019 branding for Marvel Comics' entire main line of comics. Taking place after the crossover storyline " Secret Wars", it details the new Marvel Universe, with nearly 60–65 titles relaunched w ...

line in 2015 led to a new ongoing Patsy Walker title, ''Patsy Walker A.K.A. Hellcat!''. Written by

Kate Leth Katrina Jade "Kate" Leth (born 1988) is a Canadian comic book creator, known for works such as '' Patsy Walker, A.K.A. Hellcat!''. Career Leth was born in Ottawa and lives in Halifax, Nova Scotia, and attended NSCAD University, studying photogra ...

and drawn by Brittney Williams, it attempted to combine the romance and superhero comics with a more comedic approach, which Leth compared to a

Saturday-morning cartoon "Saturday-morning cartoon" is a colloquial term for the original animated series programming that was typically scheduled on Saturday and Sunday mornings in the United States on the "Big Three" television networks. The genre's popularity had a br ...

. In it, Walker tries to establish a job agency for superpowered people following her dismissal by the She-Hulk, and also recover the rights to old ''Patsy Walker'' comics which have been republished by Hedy. In February 2017, Leth announced that the series would be ending that April with its 17th issue. She praised Marvel for "giv ngus space to wrap up the story exactly how we wanted in 3 volumes".

Fictional character biography

After growing up in suburban Centerville, graduating high school and marrying high-school sweetheart Robert "Buzz" Baxter, Patsy Walker becomes an assistant to scientist Hank McCoy, the mutant superhero the Beast, who at that time was on hiatus from the

X-Men The X-Men are a superhero team appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, first appearing in ''The X-Men'' #1 by artist/co-plotter Jack Kirby and writer/editor Stan Lee in 1963. Although initially cancelled in 1970 due to lo ...

. Estranged from her husband, now a U.S. Air Force colonel, Walker befriends McCoy, and, desiring to become a superhero, accompanies McCoy on a quest with the Avengers. She adopts a costume that formerly belonged to Greer Grant Nelson, the former masked adventuress the Cat, and takes on the name Hellcat.

Early superhero career, marriage, and suicide

After having used her natural athletic abilities and good instincts to rescue the Avengers, Walker is offered membership in the team. The cosmic adventurer

Moondragon Moondragon (Heather Douglas) is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. A powerful telepath, master martial artist, minor telekinetic and highly skilled geneticist, Moondragon's most notable characterist ...

persuades Hellcat to decline and instead accompany her to Saturn's moon Titan for training in psychic ability and advanced martial arts. Walker's training is soon interrupted when she returns to Earth to assist the supernatural hero Doctor Strange, joining the

in the process. Later, Moondragon revokes her mind powers mentioning Walker's ineffective use of them. She meets her future husband

, the Son of Satan, during the course of a quest with the Defenders. After learning that her mother had promised her soul to Satan, and briefly being lied to by the Devil that he was her father, Walker reunites with her real father and marries Hellstrom. The two then retire from being superheroes. Ultimately, Hellstrom's demonic inheritance took possession of him and drove Walker insane. Institutionalized, she was driven to suicide by the otherworldly being Deathurge.

Resurrection, ''Civil War'', and ''She-Hulk'' vol. 3

Trapped in Hell, Walker's spirit is used in a series of gladiatorial-like combat scenarios. There, she learns to develop and use her psychic powers. Hellstrom tricks the archer superhero Hawkeye into returning her spirit to Earth; Hawkeye believes he is retrieving his presumed-dead wife,

Mockingbird Mockingbirds are a group of New World passerine birds from the family Mimidae. They are best known for the habit of some species mimicking the songs of other birds and the sounds of insects and amphibians, often loudly and in rapid succession. ...

, from the demonic lord

Mephisto Mephisto or Mephistopheles is one of the chief demons of German literary tradition. Mephisto or Mephistopheles may also refer to: Film and television * ''Méphisto'', a 1931 French film * Mephisto (1981 film), ''Mephisto'' (1981 film), a German- ...

's realm. Resurrected and back on Earth, Walker retains the powers she developed in Hell, and she is also able to manifest a costume at will. Once again a member of the Defenders, Hellcat focuses on combating occult evils, notably Nicholas Scratch, who had based himself in her hometown of Centerville, and the otherdimensional ruler

Dormammu Dormammu () is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in ''Strange Tales'' #126 (Nov. 1964), and was created by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko. Debuting in the Silver Age of Comi ...

. During the ''

Civil War A civil war or intrastate war is a war between organized groups within the same state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies ...

'' storyline, Hellcat registers. She serves as one of the young superheroes' instructors at Camp Hammond. She was then assigned as the Avengers 50 State Initiative official superhero for

, but eventually returned to

New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the most densely populated major city in the Un ...

. Hellcat develops and maintains a deep friendship with the superheroes Firestar, Black Cat, and

Monica Rambeau Monica Rambeau is a fictional superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Roger Stern and artist John Romita Jr., the character debuted in ''The Amazing Spider-Man Annual'' #16 (October 1982). Monica ...

, partly stemming from their support to Firestar, who develops and then survives breast disease. Hellcat is later seen with She-Hulk and facing personal problems. After a night of heavy drinking and partying, Hellcat and She-Hulk invade a warehouse that A.I.M. was using as a hideout and defeat two agents wearing high tech suits. She-Hulk then hires Hellcat as her private investigator to help with her economic situation. She then helps She-Hulk in protecting

Kristoff Vernard Kristoff Vernard (formerly known as Kristoff von Doom and Dr. Doom) is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The adoptive son of Victor von Doom and biological son of Nathaniel Richards (and half-brot ...

, the son of Doctor Doom, who was trying to defect to the US. She is later seen talking with

Tigra Tigra (Greer Grant Nelson) is a fictional superheroine appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Introduced as the superpowered and gadget-wielding crime fighter the Cat in ''The Claws of the Cat'' #1 (November 1972). The ...

about a case involving a lawsuit but ends up fighting her when she mentions the plaintiff's name, George Saywitz. After recovering in a hospital, she helps She-Hulk and

Hank Pym Dr. Henry Jonathan "Hank" Pym () is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by penciller Jack Kirby, editor-plotter Stan Lee and writer Larry Lieber, the character first appeared in '' Tales ...

in a recovery mission to save Reza, the partner of inventor Rufus Randall, to settle an argument between them over a device known as the Shrinko, which they were planning to sell to Pym. They later wind up helping Steve Rogers, the original Captain America, with a lawsuit involving a murder that happened in 1940.

''Patsy Walker, A.K.A. Hellcat!'' and ''Civil War II''

As part of the "

" line, She-Hulk eventually gets unable to afford Hellcat as an investigator and fires her friend, which also forces Walker to move out of Walters' office building (the same place where

Howard the Duck Howard the Duck is a fictional Character (arts), character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was created by writer Steve Gerber and artist Val Mayerik. Howard the Duck first appeared in ''Adventure into F ...

works). Walker moves to the Brooklyn apartment of Ian, an

Inhuman Inhuman may refer to: Comics *Inhumans, a fictional race in Marvel Comics ** ''Inhuman'' (comics), a comic book series focusing on Inhumans ** ''Inhumans'' (TV series), a television series set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe *Kristoff Vernard, ...

who she met when he used his powers to steal from an armored truck. Ian gets a job with Walker's old friend Tom Hale (known as "Tubs" in the romance comics) and inspires her to open a work agency for other superpowered people. To her chagrin, Walker also learns that her old rival Hedy Wolfe has obtained the rights from Walker's late mother Dorothy to republish the ''Patsy Walker'' comics. With the help of She-Hulk and Jessica Jones, Walker gets the rights back by proving that Dorothy was sedated and thus not in full mental capacities when she signed the comics off to Hedy, making it a

void contract A contract is an agreement enforceable by law. A void agreement is one which cannot be enforced by law . Sometimes an agreement which is enforceable by law, i.e., a contract, can become void. Void agreements are different from voidable contracts ...

. During the "

Civil War II "Civil War II" is a 2016 comic book crossover storyline published by Marvel Comics. Debuting in June of that year, it is the sequel to 2006's "Civil War" and consists of a nine-issue eponymous core limited series, by writer Brian Michael Bendis ...

" storyline, Patsy Walker learns that She-Hulk is in a coma at the

Triskelion A triskelion or triskeles is an ancient motif consisting of a triple spiral exhibiting rotational symmetry. The spiral design can be based on interlocking Archimedean spirals, or represent three bent human legs. It is found in artefacts o ...

. America Chavez allows Patsy to visit her. After the visit, Patsy tells Howard the Duck and the other tenants about She-Hulk's current condition, and moves her offices to where Jennifer operated as a lawyer. Afterwards, Hedy dupes Patsy's ex-husbands Mad-Dog and Daimon Hellstrom into fighting her. Daimon sends Patsy to a dimension ruled by the demon

Belial Belial ( he, , ''Bəlīyyaʿal'') is a term occurring in the Hebrew Bible/ Old Testament which later became personified as the devilSee the reference to "Beliar" in ''The Ascension of Isaiah'', at EarlyChristianWritings.com', specifically at ...

, who tries to bring Hellcat to his side. Patsy then confronts her former friend Black Cat, now leading a gang of criminals. Patsy suddenly catches a cold that causes her to alter reality when she sneezes. After several disasters, Patsy accidentally makes a building disappear. Hedy then calls Patsy and reveals that she is dating the demon Belial, who helps Patsy overcome her grief over She-Hulk and cures her of the cold. Patsy then receives a check for a big amount of money from She-Hulk and takes Ian, Tom, and

Jubilee A jubilee is a particular anniversary of an event, usually denoting the 25th, 40th, 50th, 60th, and the 70th anniversary. The term is often now used to denote the celebrations associated with the reign of a monarch after a milestone number of y ...

to the mall. While shopping, they encounter two teenage girls pretending to be supervillains, who are revealed to be Patsy's biggest fans. Ian then figures out that the girls like each other and resolves their dispute. After that, Patsy expresses joy of how her life has changed.

Powers and abilities

Hellcat possesses a superhuman level of physical abilities. She has different psionic powers due to Moondragon's Titania technology, including telekinesis, sensing psychic phenomena, and the ability to cast mental illusions. Hellcat can grow her nails into sharp claws. She is able to summon a magic cloak with enchanted properties at will that she uses to sense mystical phenomena or deflect mystical attacks. She uses retractable claws and grappling hooks on her wrists. Hellcat is a well-trained martial artist and gymnast.

Reception

Critical reception

Peter Eckhardt of ''

CBR.com ''Comic Book Resources'', also known by the initialism CBR, is a website dedicated to the coverage of comic book–related news and discussion. History Comic Book Resources was founded by Jonah Weiland in 1995 as a development of the Kingdom Co ...

'' called Hellcat one of the "best cat-themed superheroes in comics," writing, "Patsy Walker wasn't made to be a superhero. Created in 1944, Walker starred in humorous teenage girl-oriented comics like ''Miss America'' and ''Girls' Life''. Her eponymous title was published continuously from the '40s until the '60s and Walker's trajectory turned towards superherodom. As the Hellcat, Walker became a more feminist hero. She divorced her abusive husband, took (temporary) control of the stories that had been published using her name, and joined a superhero non-team, the Defenders, to battle unnatural evils. A humorous character with a compelling story, Hellcat remains one of Marvel's most fun felines."

Accolades

* In 2015, ''

Entertainment Weekly ''Entertainment Weekly'' (sometimes abbreviated as ''EW'') is an American digital-only entertainment magazine based in New York City, published by Dotdash Meredith, that covers film, television, music, Broadway theatre, books, and popular cu ...

'' ranked Hellcat 74th in their "Let's rank every Avenger ever" list. * In 2017, '' Gizmodo'' ranked Hellcat 13th in their "Marvel Superheroes Who Basically Only Protect New York City" list. * In 2018, ''

'' ranked Hellcat 17th in their "Marvel's 20 Most Seasoned Street-Level Heroes" list. * In 2020, ''Sideshow'' ranked Hellcat 7th in their "Top-Ten Cat-Themed Comic Book Characters" list. * In 2020, ''

'' ranked Hellcat 1st in their "Marvel: 10 Best Golden Age Heroines" list. * In 2021, '' Screen Rant'' ranked Hellcat 9th in their "10 Best Versions Of Hawkeye From Marvel Comics" list. * In 2021, ''

'' ranked Hellcat 4th in their "10 Best Members Of The Defenders" list. * In 2022, '' Gizmodo'' ranked Hellcat 5th in their "12 Marvel Villains Who Should Have Been in ''Thunderbolts''" list. * In 2022, '' Screen Rant'' included Hellcat in their "10 Most Powerful Members Of The Lady Liberators" list, in their "10 Iconic New York City-Based Marvel Superheroes We Haven't Seen In The MCU" list, and in their "She-Hulk: 10 Comics Characters Who Should Appear In The Series" list. * In 2022, ''

'' ranked Hellcat 4th in their "10 Most Powerful Members Of The Lady Liberators" list and 5th in their "10 Best Cat-Themed Superheroes In Comics" list.

Literary reception

Volumes

''Patsy Walker: Hellcat'' (2008)

According to Diamond Comic Distributors, ''Patsy Walker: Hellcat'' #1 was the 118th best selling comic book in July 2008. ''Patsy Walker: Hellcat'' #2 was the 151st best selling comic book in August 2008. James Hunt of ''

'' called ''Patsy Walker: Hellcat'' #1 "enormously fun to read, soaked with character and humor," stating, "It really has been a while since Marvel released such a charming comic, especially one so clearly aimed at a different audience than most of their superhero fare. While it's early days for the miniseries, the strength of the first issue is practically enough to keep it running on goodwill for the remaining 4 issues. Not everyone is going to appreciate or understand the tone of "Hellcat," so the important thing now is to make sure it finds its way into the hands of those that will as soon as possible, because there's almost nothing else like it, and originality like this needs all the support it can get." Jesse Schedeen of ''

IGN ''IGN'' (formerly ''Imagine Games Network'') is an American video game and entertainment media website operated by IGN Entertainment Inc., a subsidiary of Ziff Davis, Inc. The company's headquarters is located in San Francisco's SoMa distri ...

'' gave ''Patsy Walker: Hellcat'' #1 a grade of 8.8 out of 10, asserting, "Immonen has a delightfully bombastic writing style that carries you from page to page. There's nothing terribly realistic about Patsy's portrayal or the events in her life. The book almost reminds me of ''Nextwave'', except the subversive humor is more subtle. Don't come into ''Patsy Walker: Hellcat'' expecting deep, nuanced characterization. Just expect to have plenty of fun, more than many series can offer in an entire arc. I was disappointed, though certainly not surprised, to learn that Stuart Immonen would not be returning to illustrate his wife's work. Luckily, David la Fuente is a more than capable replacement. His style perfectly captures the wonky tone and expressive, vibrant feel of the original story. As a fashion model, half of drawing Patsy Walker is capturing her many colorful outfits. Far too many artists have problems with rendering clothing not made of spandex. La Fuente is not one of them. It's a slow week, with only one ''Secret Invasion'' tie-in to be found. Take advantage of that and give ''Patsy Walker: Hellcat'' a shot."

''Patsy Walker, a.K.a. Hellcat!'' (2015)

According to Diamond Comic Distributors, ''Patsy Walker A.K.A. Hellcat'' #1 was the 49th best selling comic book in December 2015. ''Patsy Walker A.K.A. Hellcat'' #1 was the 431st best selling comic book in 2015. Chase Magnett of ''

ComicBook.com The following is a list of major assets that are owned by Paramount Global. Paramount Pictures Corporation (Film) * Paramount Pictures ** Paramount Home Entertainment ** Paramount Television Studios ** Paramount Pictures International ** Para ...

'' gave ''Patsy Walker A.K.A. Hellcat'' #1 a grade of "B," saying, "The jokes and quick set up of a very large cast and lots of potential plotlines all work as well as they do largely because of Williams and Wilson's presentation. They make the crayon-colored business presentation pop and the humorously foreboding callbacks to Walker's teenage friends seem actually mysterious. Their delivery of each line and concept is so engaging that it's easy to re-read ''Patsy Walker A.K.A. Hellcat'' #1, and wait for #2 to bring the same style and laughter, and the follow through on the premises established here." Jesse Schedeen of ''

'' gave ''Patsy Walker, a.K.a. Hellcat!'' #1 a grade of 6.7 out of 10, writing, "''Patsy Walker A.K.A. Hellcat!'' is a decent option for any reader who craves more of the lighthearted silliness of Marvel books like Howard the Duck or The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl. But despite the solid supporting cast and characterization, this book doesn't really do anything those other titles don't do better. This first issue moves slowly and has its clunky moments, but hopefully a clearer and more engaging conflict will emerge over time." Charles Pulliam-Moore of '' Gizmodo'' stated, "Oftentimes, when comics set out to tell stories that humanize superheroes who are off saving the universe, they get mired in drama that somehow manages to be both weirdly familiar but utterly unrelatable. When every story tries to be an epic tale about how a hero’s greatest struggle, it becomes easy to lose sight of how a world as sprawling as Marvel’s logically fits together. On some level, Marvel understands the intrinsic appeal of these kinds of focused stories that are a touch off the traditional “mainstream” comics path. But like ''Mockingbird'', ''Vision'', and Nighthawk, before it, ''Patsy Walker''’s coming to a premature end, seemingly because Marvel’s less interested in putting out thoughtful indies in an industry addicted to formulaic blockbusters. ''Patsy Walker'' isn’t a small story, or a simple one, but rather one with a solid focus on a couple of months in one woman’s during which some really important things happen around her. This is the storytelling that makes for characters that feel like real people and those are the kinds of characters that comics need more of."

''Iron Man/Hellcat Annual'' (2022)

Jenna Anderson of ''

'' gave ''Iron Man/Hellcat'' ''Annual'' #1 a grade of 4.5 out of 5, asserting, "After Tony Stark's marriage proposal in ''Iron Man'' #20, the larger narrative to his and Patsy Walker's stories could have gone into a wide swath of directions – which makes this week's excellent ''Iron Man/Hellcat'' ''Annual'' an excellent, but unsurprising, triumph. The vast majority of the story puts the spotlight on Patsy, throwing her into a literally hellish confrontation with her past. It's always a joy to read Christopher Cantwell's essentially-solo stories for Patsy, and having her world be explored throughout this issue is an entertaining joy, especially when coupled with Ruairi Coleman's excellent art. This issue is definitely a turning point for both Tony and Patsy – and a great one at that."

Other versions

Ultimate Marvel

Patsy Walker has appeared in Marvel Comics' Multiverse

Ultimate Marvel Ultimate Marvel, later known as Ultimate Comics, was an imprint of comic books published by Marvel Comics, featuring re-imagined and modernized versions of the company's superhero characters from the Ultimate Marvel Universe. Those characters ...

imprint. In ''

Ultimate Spider-Man ''Ultimate Spider-Man'' is a superhero comic book series that was published by Marvel Comics from 2000 to 2011. The series is a modernized re-imagining of Marvel's long-running Spider-Man comic book franchise as part of the company's Ultimate ...

'', she first appears as a spokeswoman for a security firm, then as a swimsuit model for ''

Maxim Maxim or Maksim may refer to: Entertainment * ''Maxim'' (magazine), an international men's magazine ** ''Maxim'' (Australia), the Australian edition ** ''Maxim'' (India), the Indian edition *Maxim Radio, ''Maxim'' magazine's radio channel on Sir ...

'' magazine, a talk show hostess, presenting a biography on Doctor Strange, and finally interviewing

Norman Osborn Norman Osborn is a fictional character, fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character, created by writer Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko, first appeared in ''The Amazing Spider-Man'' #14 (July ...

. In addition, she appeared in ''Ultimate Marvel Team-Up'', hosting an instructional video for the Baxter Building. Patsy assumes her Hellcat identity in

Ultimates The Ultimates is a superhero comic book series published by Marvel Comics and created by writer Mark Millar and artist Bryan Hitch, which first started publication from ''The Ultimates'' #1 (March 2002), as part of the company's Ultimate Marvel ...

and was a founding member of the ill-fated

. Walker later shows up with the Defenders in '' Ultimate Comics: New Ultimates'', powered up by Loki where she sports a leopard-like appearance.

Heroes Reborn (1996)

In the Heroes Reborn universe, Hellcat appears as a member of the Avengers. This version of the character sports a more bestial "

werecat A werecat (also written in a hyphenated form as were-cat) is an analog to "werewolf" for a feline therianthropic creature. Etymology Ailuranthropy comes from the Greek root words ''ailouros'' meaning "cat",< and ''anthropos'', meaning "human" ...

" appearance similar to Tigra. Envious of

Scarlet Witch Scarlet Witch (Wanda Maximoff) is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was created by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby. Her first appearance was in ''The X-Men'' #4 (March 1964 ...

's beauty, she is manipulated by Loki into siding with Hawkeye against the rest of the team. Patsy takes possession of Scarlet Witch's body, but is killed after

Agatha Harkness Agatha Harkness is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. She is a powerful witch, typically portrayed as a friend and teacher of Scarlet Witch, Wanda Maximoff, as well as the mother of Nicholas Scratc ...

forcibly expels her essence.

In other media

Television

Patricia "Trish" Walker appears in

series set in the

, portrayed by

as an adult and by Catherine Blades as a teenager. This version is a former child star of the in-universe television series ''It's Patsy'', the best friend of Jessica Jones, the host of the radio show ''Trish Talk'', and the daughter of Dorothy Walker. * First appearing in ''

'', she aids the

titular character The title character in a narrative work is one who is named or referred to in the title of the work. In a performed work such as a play or film, the performer who plays the title character is said to have the title role of the piece. The title of ...

in combating Kilgrave, but becomes jealous of Jones' powers during the first season. By the end of the second season, Walker volunteers to undergo experimentation carried out by Dr.

Karl Malus Dr. Karl Malus () is a fictional mad scientist and criminal appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. He played a part in the origins of Armadillo, Hornet, Falcon II, and many other characters. Dr. Karl Malus appeared in t ...

. Despite nearly dying in the process, she acquires enhanced strength, endurance, agility, balance, vision, and reflexes as well as razor-sharp nails. In between the second and third seasons, she began training excessively and used her newly acquired powers to become proficient in acrobatics and gymnastics while also seeking to develop her investigative skills like Jones. Throughout the aforementioned third season, Walker goes from being a vigilante to a self-described "supervillain". Consumed by the loss of her mother at the hands of serial killer Gregory Sallinger, she gives in to her rage and begins brutally attacking, later murdering, individuals she deems as evil regardless of their actions or motivations under the belief that it is to make the world a better place. This leads to a confrontation between her and Jones, who is forced to apprehend Walker and turn her over to the authorities. Understanding what it means to be the "bad guy", Walker is sent by helicopter to the

Raft A raft is any flat structure for support or transportation over water. It is usually of basic design, characterized by the absence of a hull. Rafts are usually kept afloat by using any combination of buoyant materials such as wood, sealed barrels ...

. * Walker makes a voiceover cameo in the ''

'' episode "Suckas Need Bodyguards", fielding calls from listeners on ''Trish Talk''. * Walker appears in '' The Defenders''.

Video games

* Hellcat appears as an unlockable playable character in ''

Lego Marvel's Avengers ''Lego Marvel's Avengers'' is a Lego-themed action-adventure video game developed by Traveller's Tales and published by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment, for the Nintendo 3DS, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, PlayStation Vita, Wii U, Wind ...

''. * Hellcat appears in '' Marvel Avengers Alliance''. * Hellcat appeared as an unlockable playable character in ''

Marvel Avengers Academy ''Marvel Avengers Academy'' was a freemium mobile game for iOS and Android, based on the characters featured in Marvel Comics. It was released on February 4, 2016. The game was shut down three years later. Despite the name, the game was not rel ...

'', voiced by Charlotte Ann. This version is a member of the

. * Hellcat appears as an unlockable playable character in ''

Marvel Future Fight ''Marvel: Future Fight'' is a 2015 superhero-themed mobile video game developed by Netmarble Games. Gameplay Plot The collapse of several dimensions prompts investigations from Thor, Black Bolt, and Black Panther. After battling alternat ...

''. * Hellcat appears as an unlockable playable character in ''

Marvel Puzzle Quest ''Marvel Puzzle Quest'' is a video game released by D3 Publisher and Marvel Entertainment on October 3, 2013, and developed by Demiurge Studios. The fourth installment in the ''Puzzle Quest'' series, it is a free-to-play, match-three ''Bejeweled ...

''.

Collected editions

References

Grand Comics Database The Grand Comics Database (GCD) is an Internet-based project to build a database of comic book information through user contributions. The GCD project catalogues information on creator credits, story details, reprints, and other information useful ...

Patsy Walker
at Marvel Directory * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Walker, Patsy 1945 comics debuts 1952 comics debuts Characters created by Ruth Atkinson Comics about women Comics characters introduced in 1944 Comics characters introduced in 1976 Fictional actors Fictional characters from California Fictional female businesspeople Fictional models Fictional women soldiers and warriors Marvel Comics female superheroes Marvel Comics martial artists Marvel Comics mutates Marvel Comics superheroes Marvel Comics telepaths

Patsy Walker Patricia "Patsy" Walker is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by Stuart Little and Ruth Atkinson, Patsy Walker first appeared in ''Miss America Magazine'' #2 (November 1944), published by Marvel precu ...

Timely Comics characters Vigilante characters in comics