Everyone loves Marvel’s Hellcat, but can even the most dedicated Patsy Walker fan name her arch villain?
Longtime comic-book fans could argue that her first ex-husband, Buzz Baxter (otherwise known as Mad Dog), presented Patsy’s greatest challenge. Others would say the title belongs to her second ex, The Son Of Satan.
(Boy, Patsy sure knows how to pick ‘em.)
My choice, however, dates back to the days when Patsy headlined more than one comic-book title without the benefit of a codename or colorful costume. Her greatest rival was a teenager conniving enough to hold the title for decades: Hedy Wolfe, the “Veronica” to Patsy’s “Betty.”
Here’s just one example of their long, bitterly fought rivalry: “Wedding Belles,” written and drawn by the legendary Al Jaffe. The story originally appeared in Patsy Walker #10 (Timely, April 1947).
