Origin

Jacqueline Tavarez was a young woman wanted to become a singer, but after her musician mother drank herself to death following a failed audition, her police officer father forbade her from following in her mother's footsteps. So she decided to take a nod from superheroes, Jacqueline invented a secret identity, Nightcat, that she could perform under.

Nightcat became a huge success, but she soon found herself caught up in the designer drug business, where she was injected with a mysterious drug that could give humans animal characteristics. The drugs gave her the powers of a cat, including razor sharp claws and night vision.

Creation

The real Night Cat

Nightcat was created by Jim Salicrup, Barry Dutter, Stan Lee, Denys Cowan and Jimmy Palmiotti. Marvel creator Stan Lee wanted to develop a female superhero who crossed over into the real world. Like Dazzler, this hero was also a rock singer. So they released an issue of the Nightcat comic book and hired actress/singer Jacqueline Tavarez to embody Night Cat in real life.

An entire album simply titled Nightcat was recorded and the song "#1 House Rule." Neither the comic nor the album were commercially successful and Jacqueline was fired. At the time she claimed it was because she had appeared in a music video for a song by Joey Buttafuoco. She has since appeared in the film Tromeo And Juliet.

Character Evolution

High School

As a highschool student, Jacqueline disobeyed her father's wishes, and rehearsed with her friends in a band. When her father found out, he grounded her. Not able to make the recording session, she was replaced in the band by her rival Melissa.

Becoming Nightcat

Now in college, Jacqueline saw that Melissa had become a huge music star. Taking inspiration from the comic books she read, Jacqueline decided to dress up to sing so her father wouldn't realize it was her, and thus, Nightcat was born!

Winning a record contract with LMR records, she became a star, and bought herself a home. One night while at the recording studio, she recognized a man in the hallway who had been linked to a drug bust in the news. Seeing a briefcase he set down, she opened it, revealing the case to be filled with a large amount of cocaine.

Another man, Krak, saw this and knocked Nightcat out, bringing her with him to Amanda Gideon, who with Dr. Ecstasy, was testing designer drugs that would imbue a human with animal characteristics. After injecting Nightcat with a drug made from cat's blood, Dr. Ecstasy was shot dead by Lou Tavarez, who had gone undercover within Gideon's organization.

Lou was shot dead by Gideon's thugs, and in a moment of rage, the designer drug interacted with Jacqueline, causing her to sprout elongated, razor-sharp claws. With her newfound agility, Nightcat was able to take out a number of Gideon's goons, and even made a superhuman leap upwards, almost reaching Gideon's escape helicopter in mid-air.

With no proof except her word that Gideon was behind Dr. Ecstasy's program, Jacqueline attended her father's funeral, and soon after, pledged to get revenge on the wealthy socialite.

Jacqueline, attempted to live a normal life and continued her singing career, and was eventually contacted by Stan Lee to star in a Marvel comic book. She however, used her new found wealth to buy sophisticated computers and weaponry.

When Jacqueline heard a news report about a garbage scow that was going from port to port, she did some research, and discovered that it was owned by Gideon, and must be part of her drug smuggling operation. Nightcat was able to bust the drug ring which infuriated Gideon.

The furious Gideon, set a trap, inviting Nightcat to perform at her casino. Before the performance, a group of ninjas hired by Gideon kidnapped and replaced Nightcat's back-up singers, and the attacked her onstage. Nightcat was able to defeat them, but soon found herself face to face with Krak. She managed to electrocute him by forcing the drill appendage on his hand into a power outlet.

Nightcat located Gideon on the roof of the casino and the two fought before Nightcat flipped her foe over the edge of the building. Gideon tried to grab Nightcat's hair, but ultimately fell to her death. With the drug ring busted, and Gideon dead, Nightcat vowed to use her new powers to fight other crimes.

Damage Control: The Movie

Sometime later, Nightcat contributed a song to the Damage Control movie soundtrack.

Powers and Abilities

Due to the designer drug she was injected with, Nightcat possesses many powers similar to a feline. She has "night vision," allowing her to see in the dark. Her fingernails can extend and are razor-sharp. She also has superhuman agility and leaping abilities.

Unrelated to the drug, she is a talented musician and skilled in the field of criminology.

Equipment

Nightcat had a telescopic metal staff which she used to fight with as well as a vehicle she dubbed the "Cat-illac."