Wolverine/Black Cat: Claws

[JephYork]

When does "Claws" take place?

Cyclops and Emma are an item, so it's got to be after the 2004 "Reload" event. But Spidey is flirting with, trying to kiss, and generally chasing after the Black Cat...

Could this take place after "One More Day"? That would put it over a year out of publication sequence, but placing it after the marriage was deleted seems like the best way to explain Spidey macking on the Cat...

-Jeph!

[Chris McCarver]

Well, the only other option is placing it back when Pete and MJ were actually (ahem) realistically separated (pre-ASM2 50), but that would place it three years out of publication in the other direction...

[JephYork]

The other-other option is that Peter's just being flirty, honestly. But what's Spidey's post-OMD status with the Black Cat? Did they ever make a big deal about "I haven't seen you since ____!", that would invalidate placing this series post-OMD?

-Jeph!

[Col_Fury]

When the two run into each other in ASM 606, they make a deal out of not having seen each other in a while... since at least pre-Secret Invasion. (they briefly saw each other in ASM 587, but she was dressed as Spider-Man at one of his court appearances. Afterwards, Daredevil tells Spider-Man that one of the Spider-Men was the Black Cat, so that doesn't really "count" as a meeting) The implication was that they didn't see each other between ASM 587 & 606. Also, during this time the Black Cat was dating someone(Puma? I'd have to check) over in Marvel Divas, and they break up in Marvel Divas #4. That wouldn't stop her from being flirty, though.

And then, having not seen each other since at least pre-Secret Invasion they get busy that night(of ASM 606-607).(with the lights off, so she wouldn't see his unmasked face)

That doesn't necessarily mean they couldn't have seen each other at some point post-OMD pre-Secret Invasion... but I took it as Peter just being flirty in CLAWS #1.

[JephYork]

Dang, I forgot all about a key plot point of OMD: everyone forgets his secret identity.

Since Black Cat knows who he is in "Claws" (she says his name), I guess it's pre-OMD after all, and Peter's just plain being extra-flirty for some reason.

-Jeph!