Black Cat

Real Name:	Felicia Hardy
Group Affiliation:	None
Current Occupation:	Private Investigator
Former Occupation:	Cat burglar
Place of Birth:	Queens, New York
Height:	5'10"
Weight:	120 lbs
Eye Color:	Green
Hair Color:	Platinum blond
Marital Status:	Single
Known Relatives:	Walter (father, deceased), Lydia (mother)
Known Confidants:	Spider-Man, Mary Jane Parker
Known Allies:	Spider-Man
Major Enemies:	Kingpin
Abilities:	Superb gymnastic and fighting skills
Powers:	Currently none
Equipment:	Ropes and claws (for climbing)
Weapons:	Claws

History: The Black Cat began a career in crime out of respect and adoration for her cat-burgler father but kept it on as a misguided attempt to attract the attentions of Spider-Man. Felicia and Peter have been very close in the past, and she is fully aware of his secret identity.

Initially, Felicia's abilities were 100% natural, with the 'accidents' which seemed to befall those who crossed her path being merely well-planned stunts. After her near-death at the hands of The Owl and Dr Octopus, Felicia feared that her lack of powers made her a vulnerability to Spider-Man and that she would lose him.

While Peter was away in the Secret Wars, Felicia turned to Kingpin and made a pact with him in return for his scientists giving her super-powers. She kept the secret from Peter for quite some time. What she didn't realize was that her newly-gained genuine 'bad luck' power was infectious and that it was permanently jinxing Spider-Man. That of course was the Kingpin's plan all along.

She broke up with Spider-Man, and Dr Strange removed her bad-luck power—changing her other abilities in the process. Since then, she has settled into a life of her own, albeit one that regularly intertwines with Peter's. She recently dated Flash Thompson for a while, primarily to irritate Peter.

Recently, Mary-Jane and Black Cat have become close friends—in spite of their once-intense rivalry over Peter.
Extracted from the Official Handbook to the Marvel Universe.