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* HeKnowsTooMuch: The Owl has [[BadBoss his own defeated henchmen shot dead]] before they can be arrested, in case they talk to the police.
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''The Cat'' (styled as ''Beware! The Claws of... The Cat'' on covers) is a 1972 comic book series from Creator/MarvelComics. The series is written by Linda Fite (with editor Creator/RoyThomas credited as co-plotter on the first issue's origin story).
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''The Cat'' (styled as ''Beware! The Claws of... The Cat'' on covers) is a 1972 comic book series from Creator/MarvelComics. The series is written by Linda Fite (with editor Creator/RoyThomas credited as co-plotter on the first issue's origin story).
story), with the art team changing for every issue.
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* HypnoTrinket: Donalbain's Will-Nullifier collars allow him to mentally control anyone who wears one. He plans to use them, along with Dr. Tumolo's research, to create an AmazonBrigade of physically enhanced but mind-controlled women in Cat suits. His GiantMook Zabo is controlled in the same way.
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* HypnoTrinket: Donalbain's Will-Nullifier collars allow him to mentally control anyone who wears one. He plans to use them, along with Dr. Tumolo's research, to create an AmazonBrigade of physically enhanced but mind-controlled women in Cat suits. His GiantMook Zabo is seemingly controlled in the same way.
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Greer's adventures continued elsewhere, initially in a ''Giant-Size Creatures'' one-shot comic, a team-up with Characters/WerewolfByNight that saw her abandon the costumed Cat identity and become Tigra, a more literal [[BeastMan cat woman]].
to:
Greer's adventures continued elsewhere, initially in a ''Giant-Size Creatures'' one-shot comic, a team-up with Characters/WerewolfByNight that Characters/WerewolfByNight, which saw her abandon the costumed Cat identity and become Tigra, a more literal [[BeastMan cat woman]].
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[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/7cd181d8_f57d_400e_be29_ff0705df7e8d.jpeg]]
%%[[caption-width-right:350:some caption text]]
''The Cat'' (styled as ''Beware! The Claws of... The Cat'' on covers) is a 1972 comic book series from Creator/MarvelComics. The series is written by Linda Fite (with editor Creator/RoyThomas credited as co-plotter on the first issue's origin story).
Set in the shared Franchise/MarvelUniverse, the series introduces [[Characters/TheAvengers Greer Nelson]], a young widow who becomes the titular superhero The Cat.
After her husband's murder, Greer starts to rediscover her independence and build a new life for herself. Initially taking a lab assistant job with her old teacher Dr. Tumolo, she soon becomes a secret test subject for the doctor's current project, an enhancement process that will allow women to access their full mental and physical potential. Combining her new abilities with the claws and night vision granted by the Cat costume, Greer becomes Chicago's newest superhero.
The series was abruptly cancelled after the fourth issue.
Greer's adventures continued elsewhere, initially in a ''Giant-Size Creatures'' one-shot comic, a team-up with Characters/WerewolfByNight that saw her abandon the costumed Cat identity and become Tigra, a more literal [[BeastMan cat woman]].
The Cat outfit later returned as well, with an issue of ''ComicBook/TheAvengers'' reintroducing long-running romance heroine ComicBook/PatsyWalker as a LegacyCharacter successor to Greer, under the name ComicBook/{{Hellcat}}.
----
!!''The Cat'' contains examples of the following tropes:
* AlmostDeadGuy: After Donalbain's men realise that Dr. Tumolo has [[HeKnowsTooMuch seen too much]], they try to kill her by blowing up her building. Despite an initial shot of a [[DeadHandShot hand poking from the rubble]], she survives just long enough to tell Greer what happened, then dies. [[spoiler:Or so it seems, anyway -- the second issue reveals she's actually survived]].
* AmazonBrigade: Mal Donalbain, the first issue's villain, plans to use the Cat suits, Dr. Tumolo's [[NinetyPercentOfYourBrain enhancement process]] and his own [[HypnoTrinket Will-Nullifier collars]] to create an army of physically powerful, mentally enslaved women. He directly describes them as an "army of amazons".
* AnimalThemedSuperbeing: The Cat's mask has feline eyes and ears, plus a facial pattern reminiscent of whiskers. The outfit also grants night vision and has claws in its gloves and boots. Greer's boosted agility and improved senses fit with the theme. However, the suit's the creation of villain Mal Donalbain and Dr. Tumolo was unaware of the feline theme when enhancing Greer's abilities - her aim was purely to allow women to access their full physical and mental potential.
* BadBoss: Mal Donalbain is pretty unpleasant to his associates. When the Cat throws one of Donalbain's goons into him, Donalbain reminds the man that he hates being touched, then has GiantMook Zabo deliver a punishment beating.
* BrainUploading: In issue #2, the Owl and his ally Broussard are uploading the minds of their victims to computer tapes, so that their skills and knowledge can be exploited later. The process seems to irreparably damage the victim's brain.
* CreateYourOwnHero: Mal Donalbain creates Cat outfits for his brainwashed AmazonBrigade and funds Dr. Tumolo's research into [[NinetyPercentOfYourBrain unlocking women's full physical and mental potential]] as part of the same plan. When he [[MovingTheGoalposts alters the deal]] and insists that Shirlee must be Tumolo's test subject, the doctor decides to secretly put Greer through the same enhancement process as well. Later, after witnessing Shirlee's death, Tumolo steals a Cat outfit from Donalbain - who then tries to kill her. When Greer faces Donalbain at the end of the first issue, her costume, her intrinsic powers, and her quest for vengeance are all due to the villain's own actions.
* CutShort: The series was abruptly cancelled after issue #4, despite a 'next issue' teaser. This also meant that [[spoiler:Dr. Tumolo's fate was left unclear, as she was last seen comatose after the Owl tried to upload her brain, in #2]].
* DeadHandShot:
** When Shirlee [[DisneyVillainDeath falls to her death]] in the first issue, only her gloved hand is shown. The wires from her Cat suit's claw-hook, which failed to stop her fall, are still connected to the glove's fingertips.
** Subverted with Dr. Tumolo, as a hand is seen poking from the rubble after Donalbain's men blow up the building to kill her, but she's [[AlmostDeadGuy barely alive]] and lives just long enough to tell Greer what happened. [[spoiler:And then the following issue reveals that she actually survived, although she's still unconscious and very badly injured]].
** At the end of the first issue, [[spoiler:Mal Donalbain [[DrivenToSuicide chooses to shoot himself]] rather than let the Cat claw him. Only a dead hand, holding a smoking gun, is shown]].
* DisneyVillainDeath: Shirlee Bryant, Mal Donalbain's chosen test subject for Dr. Tumolo's treatment, is a FlawedPrototype who wasn't properly screened for the process, isn't focused on the training regime, and is stated to be far less capable than Greer. After her skills are further reduced by Donalbain's [[HypnoTrinket Will-Nullifier]] collar, Shirlee tries to swing between two high platforms while Donalbain's testing her abilities, misses a throw with her claw-hook and then falls to her death.
* DrivenToSuicide: [[spoiler:Mal Donalbain has a terror of being touched. When facing the Cat in a darkened room, with just one bullet left in his gun, he opts to shoot himself rather than let her reach him]].
* FallingInLoveMontage: Greer's husband Will is a PosthumousCharacter, a police officer shot in a robbery before the series starts. Their romance and marriage is shown in a short montage in the first issue - which also highlights his view that Greer should quit college, [[StayInTheKitchen be a housewife]], and leave the work, driving and DIY to her husband.
* FlawedPrototype: Shirlee Bryant is Mal Donalbain's chosen candidate for Dr. Tumolo's enhancement process and the Cat costume. Shirlee hasn't been through the doctor's testing process and has a very different attitude to Greer, though. Tumolo comments that Greer's progress significantly exceeds Shirlee's - and Shirlee later falls to her death during testing, after Donalbain's [[HypnoTrinket Will-Nullifier]] further reduces her abilities.
* GenderRestrictedAbility: Dr. Tumolo's enhancement process is specifically intended to let women "totally fulfill" their physical and mental potential. There is no direct statement that it wouldn't work on a man, but every conversation about it implies that it's only for women. Dr. Tumolo even comments on the irony of a man funding the research.
* GiantMook: Zabo is Mal Donalbain's muscle, a huge strongman who never speaks. It's never directly stated, but he seems to be wearing one of his master's [[HypnoTrinket Will-Nullifier]] collars, so may be forced to obey Donalbain.
* HoistByHisOwnPetard: The Man-Bull starts a stampede during his battle with the Cat, mentally communicating with the cattle penned nearby. When the Cat hits him over the head with an improvised club, he starts to lose consciousness, reverts to his human form, and is promptly trampled by the cattle which he can no longer command.
* HowWeGotHere: The first issue starts with Greer at night in Chicago, wearing the Cat costume and climbing a tall building in a thunderstorm. Most of the issue is an origin story {{flashback}}, showing exactly how she got there.
* HypnoTrinket: Donalbain's Will-Nullifier collars allow him to mentally control anyone who wears one. He plans to use them, along with Dr. Tumolo's research, to create an AmazonBrigade of physically enhanced but mind-controlled women in Cat suits. His GiantMook Zabo is controlled in the same way.
* KillTheLights: The Cat outfit allows Greer to see in the dark, which she exploits by tearing out the fusebox in Donalbain's building. His goons have guns, but they're much easier targets in the dark - as is Donalbain himself.
* MentorOccupationalHazard: Dr. Tumolo, who provides Greer with her enhancements, is seemingly killed in the first issue, when Donalbain's men blow up her laboratory. [[spoiler:The second issue reveals that she's still alive, but unconscious and may never recover]].
* MovingTheGoalposts: Mal Donalbain funds Dr. Tumolo's process to physically and mentally enhance women, so that they can "totally fulfill" their potential. Despite the agreement that all test subjects must be pretested and mutually acceptable, he then insists that his associate Shirlee Bryant must be the first woman who's enhanced.
* NinetyPercentOfYourBrain: Dr. Tumolo's treatment is intended to let any woman "totally fulfill" her physical and mental potential. The result includes enhanced senses, physical speed and strength boosts, and improved memory and comprehension.
* NoteFromEd: The first issue is a HowWeGotHere tale that starts in the middle of the action. When Greer talks about her training with Dr. Tumolo a footnote immediately reassures readers that they haven't missed anything and it'll all be explained later.
* PosthumousCharacter: Greer's husband, policeman Bill Nelson, is killed before the start of the first issue, but their relationship is shown via flashbacks and a FallingInLoveMontage (which also highlights his StayInTheKitchen views and how they impacted Greer's independence).
* ShoutOut:
** When the Cat confronts Donalbain's thugs at the start of the first issue, she comments that violence begets violence and suggests that they've learned nothing from Music/{{John|Lennon}} and Music/{{Yoko|Ono}}.
** One scene in the first issue's TrainingMontage shows Greer leaping between the branches of a large tree. She comments that with a little more practice she'll be able to take on Creator/JohnnyWeissmuller.
* StayInTheKitchen: Greer's husband Will is a PosthumousCharacter, shot before the series starts. The FallingInLoveMontage of their relationship makes it clear that he pressured her to abandon her studies and become a housewife, leaving things like work, DIY and driving to him.
-->'''Greer:''' Don't you think ''I'' could drive the new car daddy gave me, Bill?
-->'''Bill:''' I'd feel like a ''fool'', baby! Besides -- I ''know'' more about these things!
* TrainingMontage: The first issue spends a couple of pages showing scenes from Greer's training regime as Dr. Tumolo helps her adapt to her new abilities. She can read and fully absorb a textbook in under an hour, sense an animal's pain, feel the movement of individual parts in a mechanism and easily leap between the high branches of a huge tree.
* WolverineClaws: The Cat outfits have a "claw-hook" built into each glove, with five curved metal claws connected together. This can be fired as a projectile, remaining attached to the glove by wires. The claw-hook also allows the wearer to climb walls and swing between buildings.
----
%%[[caption-width-right:350:some caption text]]
''The Cat'' (styled as ''Beware! The Claws of... The Cat'' on covers) is a 1972 comic book series from Creator/MarvelComics. The series is written by Linda Fite (with editor Creator/RoyThomas credited as co-plotter on the first issue's origin story).
Set in the shared Franchise/MarvelUniverse, the series introduces [[Characters/TheAvengers Greer Nelson]], a young widow who becomes the titular superhero The Cat.
After her husband's murder, Greer starts to rediscover her independence and build a new life for herself. Initially taking a lab assistant job with her old teacher Dr. Tumolo, she soon becomes a secret test subject for the doctor's current project, an enhancement process that will allow women to access their full mental and physical potential. Combining her new abilities with the claws and night vision granted by the Cat costume, Greer becomes Chicago's newest superhero.
The series was abruptly cancelled after the fourth issue.
Greer's adventures continued elsewhere, initially in a ''Giant-Size Creatures'' one-shot comic, a team-up with Characters/WerewolfByNight that saw her abandon the costumed Cat identity and become Tigra, a more literal [[BeastMan cat woman]].
The Cat outfit later returned as well, with an issue of ''ComicBook/TheAvengers'' reintroducing long-running romance heroine ComicBook/PatsyWalker as a LegacyCharacter successor to Greer, under the name ComicBook/{{Hellcat}}.
----
!!''The Cat'' contains examples of the following tropes:
* AlmostDeadGuy: After Donalbain's men realise that Dr. Tumolo has [[HeKnowsTooMuch seen too much]], they try to kill her by blowing up her building. Despite an initial shot of a [[DeadHandShot hand poking from the rubble]], she survives just long enough to tell Greer what happened, then dies. [[spoiler:Or so it seems, anyway -- the second issue reveals she's actually survived]].
* AmazonBrigade: Mal Donalbain, the first issue's villain, plans to use the Cat suits, Dr. Tumolo's [[NinetyPercentOfYourBrain enhancement process]] and his own [[HypnoTrinket Will-Nullifier collars]] to create an army of physically powerful, mentally enslaved women. He directly describes them as an "army of amazons".
* AnimalThemedSuperbeing: The Cat's mask has feline eyes and ears, plus a facial pattern reminiscent of whiskers. The outfit also grants night vision and has claws in its gloves and boots. Greer's boosted agility and improved senses fit with the theme. However, the suit's the creation of villain Mal Donalbain and Dr. Tumolo was unaware of the feline theme when enhancing Greer's abilities - her aim was purely to allow women to access their full physical and mental potential.
* BadBoss: Mal Donalbain is pretty unpleasant to his associates. When the Cat throws one of Donalbain's goons into him, Donalbain reminds the man that he hates being touched, then has GiantMook Zabo deliver a punishment beating.
* BrainUploading: In issue #2, the Owl and his ally Broussard are uploading the minds of their victims to computer tapes, so that their skills and knowledge can be exploited later. The process seems to irreparably damage the victim's brain.
* CreateYourOwnHero: Mal Donalbain creates Cat outfits for his brainwashed AmazonBrigade and funds Dr. Tumolo's research into [[NinetyPercentOfYourBrain unlocking women's full physical and mental potential]] as part of the same plan. When he [[MovingTheGoalposts alters the deal]] and insists that Shirlee must be Tumolo's test subject, the doctor decides to secretly put Greer through the same enhancement process as well. Later, after witnessing Shirlee's death, Tumolo steals a Cat outfit from Donalbain - who then tries to kill her. When Greer faces Donalbain at the end of the first issue, her costume, her intrinsic powers, and her quest for vengeance are all due to the villain's own actions.
* CutShort: The series was abruptly cancelled after issue #4, despite a 'next issue' teaser. This also meant that [[spoiler:Dr. Tumolo's fate was left unclear, as she was last seen comatose after the Owl tried to upload her brain, in #2]].
* DeadHandShot:
** When Shirlee [[DisneyVillainDeath falls to her death]] in the first issue, only her gloved hand is shown. The wires from her Cat suit's claw-hook, which failed to stop her fall, are still connected to the glove's fingertips.
** Subverted with Dr. Tumolo, as a hand is seen poking from the rubble after Donalbain's men blow up the building to kill her, but she's [[AlmostDeadGuy barely alive]] and lives just long enough to tell Greer what happened. [[spoiler:And then the following issue reveals that she actually survived, although she's still unconscious and very badly injured]].
** At the end of the first issue, [[spoiler:Mal Donalbain [[DrivenToSuicide chooses to shoot himself]] rather than let the Cat claw him. Only a dead hand, holding a smoking gun, is shown]].
* DisneyVillainDeath: Shirlee Bryant, Mal Donalbain's chosen test subject for Dr. Tumolo's treatment, is a FlawedPrototype who wasn't properly screened for the process, isn't focused on the training regime, and is stated to be far less capable than Greer. After her skills are further reduced by Donalbain's [[HypnoTrinket Will-Nullifier]] collar, Shirlee tries to swing between two high platforms while Donalbain's testing her abilities, misses a throw with her claw-hook and then falls to her death.
* DrivenToSuicide: [[spoiler:Mal Donalbain has a terror of being touched. When facing the Cat in a darkened room, with just one bullet left in his gun, he opts to shoot himself rather than let her reach him]].
* FallingInLoveMontage: Greer's husband Will is a PosthumousCharacter, a police officer shot in a robbery before the series starts. Their romance and marriage is shown in a short montage in the first issue - which also highlights his view that Greer should quit college, [[StayInTheKitchen be a housewife]], and leave the work, driving and DIY to her husband.
* FlawedPrototype: Shirlee Bryant is Mal Donalbain's chosen candidate for Dr. Tumolo's enhancement process and the Cat costume. Shirlee hasn't been through the doctor's testing process and has a very different attitude to Greer, though. Tumolo comments that Greer's progress significantly exceeds Shirlee's - and Shirlee later falls to her death during testing, after Donalbain's [[HypnoTrinket Will-Nullifier]] further reduces her abilities.
* GenderRestrictedAbility: Dr. Tumolo's enhancement process is specifically intended to let women "totally fulfill" their physical and mental potential. There is no direct statement that it wouldn't work on a man, but every conversation about it implies that it's only for women. Dr. Tumolo even comments on the irony of a man funding the research.
* GiantMook: Zabo is Mal Donalbain's muscle, a huge strongman who never speaks. It's never directly stated, but he seems to be wearing one of his master's [[HypnoTrinket Will-Nullifier]] collars, so may be forced to obey Donalbain.
* HoistByHisOwnPetard: The Man-Bull starts a stampede during his battle with the Cat, mentally communicating with the cattle penned nearby. When the Cat hits him over the head with an improvised club, he starts to lose consciousness, reverts to his human form, and is promptly trampled by the cattle which he can no longer command.
* HowWeGotHere: The first issue starts with Greer at night in Chicago, wearing the Cat costume and climbing a tall building in a thunderstorm. Most of the issue is an origin story {{flashback}}, showing exactly how she got there.
* HypnoTrinket: Donalbain's Will-Nullifier collars allow him to mentally control anyone who wears one. He plans to use them, along with Dr. Tumolo's research, to create an AmazonBrigade of physically enhanced but mind-controlled women in Cat suits. His GiantMook Zabo is controlled in the same way.
* KillTheLights: The Cat outfit allows Greer to see in the dark, which she exploits by tearing out the fusebox in Donalbain's building. His goons have guns, but they're much easier targets in the dark - as is Donalbain himself.
* MentorOccupationalHazard: Dr. Tumolo, who provides Greer with her enhancements, is seemingly killed in the first issue, when Donalbain's men blow up her laboratory. [[spoiler:The second issue reveals that she's still alive, but unconscious and may never recover]].
* MovingTheGoalposts: Mal Donalbain funds Dr. Tumolo's process to physically and mentally enhance women, so that they can "totally fulfill" their potential. Despite the agreement that all test subjects must be pretested and mutually acceptable, he then insists that his associate Shirlee Bryant must be the first woman who's enhanced.
* NinetyPercentOfYourBrain: Dr. Tumolo's treatment is intended to let any woman "totally fulfill" her physical and mental potential. The result includes enhanced senses, physical speed and strength boosts, and improved memory and comprehension.
* NoteFromEd: The first issue is a HowWeGotHere tale that starts in the middle of the action. When Greer talks about her training with Dr. Tumolo a footnote immediately reassures readers that they haven't missed anything and it'll all be explained later.
* PosthumousCharacter: Greer's husband, policeman Bill Nelson, is killed before the start of the first issue, but their relationship is shown via flashbacks and a FallingInLoveMontage (which also highlights his StayInTheKitchen views and how they impacted Greer's independence).
* ShoutOut:
** When the Cat confronts Donalbain's thugs at the start of the first issue, she comments that violence begets violence and suggests that they've learned nothing from Music/{{John|Lennon}} and Music/{{Yoko|Ono}}.
** One scene in the first issue's TrainingMontage shows Greer leaping between the branches of a large tree. She comments that with a little more practice she'll be able to take on Creator/JohnnyWeissmuller.
* StayInTheKitchen: Greer's husband Will is a PosthumousCharacter, shot before the series starts. The FallingInLoveMontage of their relationship makes it clear that he pressured her to abandon her studies and become a housewife, leaving things like work, DIY and driving to him.
-->'''Greer:''' Don't you think ''I'' could drive the new car daddy gave me, Bill?
-->'''Bill:''' I'd feel like a ''fool'', baby! Besides -- I ''know'' more about these things!
* TrainingMontage: The first issue spends a couple of pages showing scenes from Greer's training regime as Dr. Tumolo helps her adapt to her new abilities. She can read and fully absorb a textbook in under an hour, sense an animal's pain, feel the movement of individual parts in a mechanism and easily leap between the high branches of a huge tree.
* WolverineClaws: The Cat outfits have a "claw-hook" built into each glove, with five curved metal claws connected together. This can be fired as a projectile, remaining attached to the glove by wires. The claw-hook also allows the wearer to climb walls and swing between buildings.
----
