One of Marvel's latest breakout stars, the Black Cat, is stealing the Infinity Gauntlet this summer (at least on the newly released cover of Black Cat #8 by Pepe Larraz) - and she's also stealing the show on a previously announced Marvel event which has now been rescheduled.
"The truth about the Infinity Stones will come to light this summer in Infinite Destinies! Shown last week at the ComicsPro retailer event, Pepe Larraz's cover for Black Cat #8 reveals that someone new is trying to get their hands on the most important artifacts in the Marvel Universe," reads Marvel's announcement of Infinite Destinies and its new tie-in with Black Cat.
"Felicia Hardy's next heist will be for none other than the Infinity Stones, and she won't be the only character seeking to wield their power," it continues.
Now, Black Cat will tie-in directly with the previously announced Marvel event 'Infinite Destinies.'
"The Infinite Destinies event will run through a series of eight Annuals this June but the titanic clash for the stones is heating up now in the pages of Jed MacKay's hit run on Black Cat. And the aftermath will have major repercussions on the series moving forward!"
'Infinite Destinies' was previously announced in March 2020, however, it was removed from Marvel Comics' schedule when the advent of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic caused disruptions in the comic book industry.
While Marvel hasn't confirmed that the planned stories remain the same for the updated 'Infinite Destinies' event, the original list of eight annuals and the new character included in each is as follows:
- Iron Man Annual #1 guest starring Quantum
- Captain America annual #1 guest starring Overdrive
- Thor Annual #1 guest starring Spirit of Corruption
- Black Cat Annual #2 guest starring White Fox
- Avengers Annual #1 guest starring [classified]
- Miles Morales: Spider-Man Annual #1 guest starring Amulet
- Guardians of the Galaxy Annual #1 guest starring Prince of Power
- Amazing Spider-Man Annual #2 guest starring Star
"In the first year of Black Cat, Cat stole things from the most powerful heroes on Earth," says Editor Nick Lowe. "This summer, she steals the most powerful things in the Universe!”
This is the first news of Black Cat stealing the Stones, though, as she was originally part of the list of characters with an annual tying into 'Infinite Destinies' it's not the first time she's been tied to the objects or the event.
What's more, Black Cat #8 may include elements that tie all the way back to the original announcement of 'Infinite Destinies.'
"Felicia Hardy - the Black Cat - gets tangled up with the Infinity Stones, some of the most dangerous prizes in the universe," states Black Cat series writer Jed MacKay in the new announcement. "Felicia may be the most accomplished jewel thief on the planet, but when those jewels hold the power of the cosmos, it's a whole new ball game."
"Felicia is in a race against the others who would seek to control the stones for their own ends - like Nick Fury (and a secret someone you won't see coming!)," MacKay continues. "Who can cross the world's most dangerous men, wrangle a pack of villains hopped up on fragments of infinite power, (hopefully) get the job done and look great all the while? The Black Cat, that's who!"
Interestingly, Marvel's previous announcement of 'Infinite Destinies' may have spoiled the character (or characters) who McKay states are a secret.
At the time, each annual in 'Infinite Destinies' was billed as including a chapter of a story titled 'Super-Spy Vs. Super-Spy,' described in Marvel's original announcement as "a story following Nick Fury as the Agent of Nothing and Phil Coulson as the Agent of Mephisto — two brothers-in-arms who will face off and reunite for the first time since Coulson's death."
That could have some big implications, as Coulson's Mephisto-created Squadron Supreme of America is at the center of Marvel's upcoming Heroes Reborn event which kicks off in May and continues through June – and which features a remade reality in which the Avengers never formed.
Mephisto also just popped up in Amazing Spider-Man #60, with some big implications for Peter Parker's life.
It's unclear if the previous back-up story has been adapted into MacKay's ongoing Black Cat title, or if it's something different entirely, which evolved from the delayed original plans for 'Infinite Destinies.'
Black Cat #8 has not been solicited. The latest solicited issue, Black Cat #6, is scheduled for May 12 release, meaning #8 will likely arrive in July, the month after the planned 'Infinite Destinies' annuals.
The Infinity Gauntlet isn't the only reason Thanos ranks as one of Marvel's greatest villains of all time. How high does he rank?
Pretty high.
