Walter Hardy
Walter Hardy is a male comic character who features in Marvel Comics.
Contents |
Biography
Walter Hardy
The working-class man eventually came to be a student under Raul Chalmers who operated as the Black Fox. He worked for his mentor for a number of years alongside Castillo Drake with the pair helping him in his thefts. After stealing from Dracula, Walter sought to strike out on his own after falling in love with a woman named Lydia with the Black Fox saying farewell to his student. (Black Cat v1 #1) Whilst operating as a thief, he came to be a member of the New York City chapter of the Thieves Guild and even taught his daughter about paying their due to the group. (Amazing Spider-Man v5 #9) A dozen years ago, he attempted to steal the Headdress of T'Chambwe from the Wakandan Embassy but the alarm was tripped forcing him to escape from the scene. (Spider-Man/Human Torch v1 #4)
Years later, the thief known as Black Cat steals precinct papers on the prison holding him. Peter Parker also conducted his own research, learning that Walter Hardy had been locked up in New York Prison for the past few decades and is now terminally ill. At the prison, Spider-Man fights Black Cat while her accomplices Boris Korpse and Bruno Grainger blast the wall to Walter Hardy's prison cell, the rubble of which buries Spider-Man. (Amazing Spider-Man v1 #194) With Spider-Man unable to get out of the rubble, the prison officers are unable to stop Black Cat, Korpse, and Grainger from making off with Walter Hardy. At his home, Black Cat reveals that she is his daughter, Felicia Hardy, and mentions that her mother Lydia purposefully hid his past from her. Walter then leaves to spend his final moments with his wife. After Black Cat falls into the river, Spider-Man goes to meet up with Lydia Hardy as she weeps over Walter's death. (Amazing Spider-Man v1 #195) At the time when Black Cat is in the hospital following Spider-Man's battle with Doctor Octopus, she claims to Peter Parker that she was visited by the ghost of Walter Hardy. (Peter Parker, the Spectacular Spider-Man v1 #78)
Overview
Personality and attributes
Powers and abilities
He was noted to had created a number of gadgets that were used by his mentor the Black Fox. (Black Cat v1 #1)
Notes
- Walter Hardy was created by Marv Wolfman and Keith Pollard where he made his first appearance in Amazing Spider-Man v1 #194 (July, 1979).
Alternate Versions
- In Ultimate Spider-Man v1 #53 (2004), a version of the character was seemingly shown named Jack Hardy appeared in the Ultimate Marvel reality set on Earth-1610 in the Multiverse. He was listed in the Daily Bugle files on global cat burglars.
- In Spider-Gwen v1 #5 (2015), an alternate version of Walter Hardy appeared in the reality of Spider-Gwen set on Earth-65 in the Multiverse. He came to be a notorious thief also known as Le Chat Noir until he crossed the Kingpin and was killed by his personal enforcer Matt Murdock
In other media
Television
- In Spider-Man, the character referred to as the Cat appeared in the 1990s animated television series in the episodes "The Cat" and "The Black Cat" where he was voiced by actor John Phillip Law. This version was known by his real name of John Hardesky who was a young boy during World War II where he was tricked by the Nazi's into spying on the experiment that made Captain America. The young Hardesky had a photographic memory allowing him to memorise all the details of the experiment but came to realise the true nature of his employers causing him to flee them when the Red Skull sent men to capture him.
- In The Spectacular Spider-Man, Walter Hardy appeared in the animated television series where he was voiced by actor James Remar. This version of the character had elements of his backstory merged with that of the Burglar. In a flashback accessed by the alien symbiote Parker was bonded to at the time depicts Spider-Man seeking revenge on a burglar who broke into his home and killed his Uncle Ben, only to discover he was the same robber he allowed to escape earlier that day. After Spider-Man subdues him, the burglar is arrested by the police. In the latter episode, Spider-Man discovers Hardy became an inmate of the Vault while testing the prison's security system and encountering Black Cat, who infiltrated the prison to break her father out. Amidst a prison break, Spider-Man recognizes Hardy as the burglar who killed Ben. Hardy expresses regret over taking the man's life and offers to make amends by staying behind to release knockout gas to subdue the other escaped inmates and allow Spider-Man and Black Cat to escape.
Video games
- In Marvel's Spider-Man, Walter Hardy appeared in the setting of the video game during "The Heist" DLC where he was voiced by actor Daniel Riordan. This one had previously operated as the Black Cat years prior before he faked his death and his daughter Felicia Hardy took up the mantle. During a side quest, Spider-Man is contacted by NYPD Detective "Mackey", who tasks him with tracking down paintings stolen by Walter. As Spider-Man looks for them, Mackey relays Walter's backstory to him, explaining that because of his skill as a thief, the Maggia sought to recruit him. Walter refused and allowed himself to be arrested before supposedly drowning in a failed escape attempt from Ryker's Island, though many suspect that he faked his death to protect his family from the Maggia. After collecting all of the stolen art pieces, Spider-Man discovers that Mackey is actually Walter, who adopted an alias to retrieve all the stolen paintings and use them to finance his retirement. Before he leaves, Walter asks Spider-Man to look after Felicia.
Appearances
- Amazing Spider-Man v1: (1979)
- Amazing Spider-Man v5:
- Black Cat v1:
External Links
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