BACK TO THE GOLDEN STATE: THE PAST RETURNS
In IRON MAN/HELLCAT ANNUAL (2022) #1, Patsy returned to San Francisco to see the McConnell Manor, a house that belonged to her mother’s family. Everything seemed alright, until Hedy was abducted by blood demons. No wonder Dorothy Walker kept the house off the books! Patsy was transported to Hell and learned that Blackheart, son of Mephisto, was the culprit behind the plot. He possessed the souls of the McConnells, and they could be freed if Patsy gave her soul to him. (Wouldn’t be the first time a demon wanted Patsy’s soul!) Obviously, Patsy didn’t do that and instead freed her family by ripping their souls out of his chest. But that was not where the story ended…
Daimon Hellstrom, through Patsy’s stuffed animal Buttons the Rabbit, told her that Mephisto and Blackheart were aiming to conquer the Netherworld. Seeing Daimon as a threat, they exiled him, causing him to lose most of his powers and physical form. Hence, him being trapped inside an inanimate bunny to communicate. But the minute he began talking about the two teaming up again, Patsy punted him.
During her most recent time in Hell, Patsy felt imbued with “hellish, awful power.” Blackheart previously proclaimed that there, not above ground, was her true home. Is Patsy Walker, formerly squeaky clean teen, really a good person? Or is she, under the cat mask, a truly sinister force? You’ll have to decide for yourself by picking up HELLCAT (2023) #1 in comic shops now!
