Felicity Hardy
| Scarlet Spider | |
|---|---|
|
Cover to Spider-Girl #46 Art by Pat Olliffe. | |
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | Marvel Comics |
| First appearance |
Spider-Girl #45 (As Scarlet Spider): Spider-Girl #46 |
| Created by |
Tom DeFalco Pat Olliffe |
| In-story information | |
| Alter ego | Felicity Hardy |
| Abilities |
Skilled martial artist and gymnast Wields web-shooters that fire smoke bombs and sonic blasts and a high-tech cat o'nine tails whip Great investigative skills |
Felicity Hardy, also known as the third Scarlet Spider, is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character has appeared primarily in the alternate future MC2 series Spider-Girl. She was created by Tom DeFalco and Pat Olliffe, and debuted in Spider-Girl #45 (May 2002).
Fictional character biography
Felicity Hardy is the daughter of Spider-Man's former girlfriend (and crime fighting partner), Felicia Hardy (the Black Cat) and his high school rival and friend, Flash Thompson.
Although the Black Cat had retired from active superheroic adventures, she continued to provide help to those in need as a private detective and continued to train her young daughter in gymnastics and martial arts. When Felicia left Flash for a female co-worker, Felicity took it hard, becoming resentful. Knowing her mother would be furious if Felicity became a costumed hero, Felicity sought out Spider-Girl, hoping that Spider-Girl would take her on as a sidekick. Wearing Spider-Girl's costume, Felicity confronted her hero to prove that she would make a great crimefighter, even revealing that she knew Spider-Girl's secret identity as May Parker. Spider-Girl, however, refused to take a non-powered teenager into battle.[1]
Not dissuaded, Felicity began to look through old news reports involving Spider-Man, and came across an article that showed Spider-Man fighting crime alongside his clone, Scarlet Spider. She quickly created a Scarlet Spider costume and once again tried to be a hero. Spider-Girl tried her best to prevent her, but Felicity repeatedly tried to help her, often putting her own life in danger. Felicia found out what her daughter had done, and confronted her. Felicity asked her mother if she was angry because she became a hero, or because she hadn't patterned herself after the Black Cat. However, after a near death experience fighting Kaine, Felicity finally retired as the Scarlet Spider.[2]
But when Flash Thompson was about to lose his job as the basketball coach of Spider-Girl's high school, Felicity sought out her "mentor's" help once again, asking May to rejoin the basketball team. May refused, saying that using her powers on the basketball court was the same as cheating, so the team lost the game and Flash lost his job. When she learned that the Cult of Scriers was out to kill Spider-Girl, Felicity became Scarlet Spider again to help her, but was almost killed by a Scrier. Felicity swore that she would hang up her mask, but it is likely that when given the opportunity, she will become Scarlet Spider again.
Felicity returned in Amazing Spider-Girl recently, offering to help May through her computer skills.[3]
Powers and abilities
As Scarlet Spider, Felicity supplements her agility and fighting skills with "web-shooters" that can fire smoke bombs and sonic blasts (her "Scarlet Screamer"). Her primary weapon is a high-tech Cat o' nine tails whip (her "Scarlet O'Nine tails") that has extendable tendrils that can entangle her enemies like a web. However, her greatest ability is her investigative skill.