Basically, Hellcat, Firestar, Photon (I forget which codename Monica was using then) and the Black Cat happened to meet at a speed dating event and became friends. So this is some sort of Sex in the City with superheroes, in what was one of Marvel's typical clumsy tries at "appealing to women", or something.
I feel like the oddly proportioned, cheesecake J. Scott Campbell cover for the first issue (and the tpb) works at cross-purposes, but that's why I described it as "clumsy."
The two main threads, which end up tied together, are Firestar's cancer diagnosis, because she stopped wearing the suit Pym designed in the Busiek/Perez Avengers to help her deal with the effects of her powers, and Daimon Hellstrom being an insecure loser about not getting mentioned in Hellcat's latest book about her life. Dr. Strange is, of course, doing one of those "there are things magic can't fix" deals, but Hellstrom's got no such compunctions about promising to help, as long as it gets Patsy on an (almost literal) leash.
It's kind of a weird book, continuity-wise, because Aguirre-Sacasa's clearly referencing either current status quo (Brother Voodoo is now Doctor Voodoo, Sorcerer Supreme, Patsy's time being dead, Firestar's relationship with Vance), but he's either selective in how he does it, or flat-out ignores certain things. I mean, patsy already wrote a book about being dead, she was on a book tour at the start of the Busiek/Larsen Defenders run. It gets framed as Vance ended things with Firestar, which is technically correct, but it was because she didn't really seem to want to get married.
Monica's, whatever she wants to call it with Doctor Voodoo lurks in the background, but briefly steps to the forefront since he's the one who helps the others get into Hell to rescue Patsy. The Black Cat's attempts to get enough money to open an investigation agency, without relying on a gift from then boyfriend Thomas Fireheart (aka, the Puma) remains on its own track, never dovetailing with the other stories. Which isn't really necessary, but it adds to this feeling that Felicia is an awkward piece Aguirre-Sacasa couldn't quite make fit.
And maybe that works with her having operated on both sides of the law. But her subplot concludes with her taking a loan from the freaking Kingpin. Who screwed her over when he gave her bad luck powers, which seems like something she'd remember (see my earlier comments about a selective approach to continuity.) Rather than anything about her friends helping figure something out.
I don't know fashion, especially not women's fashion, and especially especially not women's fashion from the late-2000s, so I don't know if Zonjic does a good job there. It seems like each character has a particular style they favor for civilian clothes, and each is distinct, but hell, I don't know. He does give Hellstrom an look of someone trying real hard for casually sexy, but who just comes off as really sleazy. "Messy" hair that has to be carefully styled, always with the shirt halfway unbuttoned, assuming he's even wearing one, always stretched out over something. Even Gambit think Hellstrom needs to tone it down.
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