In the future, The Joker is dead and Batwoman is on the hunt for his killer. In the present though, Batman and Catwoman must contend with The Phantasm’s plot for revenge. Spoilers for Batman/Catwoman #3 follow.
At this point, most anyone should probably know whether they are going to love Batman/Catwoman or if they’re going to hate it. If you disliked Tom King’s Batman run, odds are by this point you are already tuned out of Batman/Catwoman. But if you loved Tom King’s Batman, like I do, then you’re probably loving this series and are excited to see where it goes. And with this issue, the first act of the story is over and paves the way for the heartache and pain that is going to be inevitable by the end of the series.
Starting off, let’s be honest, this series really should be called Catwoman/Batman because this is a Catwoman-centric story in all the best ways. Throughout her decades of existence as a character, there’s been so much moral ambiguity to the character. Is she a hero? Is she a villain? Is she somewhere in-between? And really, that’s the intrigue of her as a character. She’s not a morally righteous character like Superman, Wonder Woman, or even Batman. She’s always fighting her demons, both figuratively and literally.
That’s what makes her characterization in this series so great. The moral ambiguity that she has always had is brought to the forefront of the story. Her actions are what drives the story forward in every timeline featured. There have been so many stories where Batman’s mistakes are what drive the story forward, so it’s nice to see that concept being applied to someone else, especially considering Selina is a character who is perfect for said type of story. Plus, we get to see her first interaction with Helena in this issue and I genuinely can’t wait to see them together more as the series progresses.
As for The Phantasm though, she has several great and terrifying moments throughout the issue. One scene in particular (pictured above) where she is standing in the shadows has been teased for months by Tom King and Clay Mann and it stills manages to terrify and pack a punch when reading the issue. Then comes the fight between her and Selina. It’s short and quick, but there’s some great banter involved such as The Phantasm beginning her iconic phrase “The Angel of Death…” with Selina cutting her off with “…can go %#% herself.” It’s incredible and perfectly in character for Selina.
Then comes the art. There’s been a lot of controversy around this issue in particular regarding Clay Mann’s art with many saying “He’s too horny,” which in my opinion is dumb, but whatever. To be fully honest, 90% I don’t need, and actually kind of prefer, books with little to no sex appeal. However, that other 10% of the time I am all for it and Batman/Catwoman is definitely a book where the sex appeal absolutely works for me personally. Basically, if it’s drawn by Nicola Scott or Clay Mann, I am going to perfectly fine with the sex appeal aspects of the art in a comic.
With all the said, Mann’s art and Tomeu Morey’s colors are mostly great in this issue. The story moves at a brisk pace and the art never skips a beat. It almost effortlessly weaves the timelines together in the most cohesive way yet. The one fight scene in here is impactful and it feels like there is weight behind every hit. Probably my biggest gripe though is that the facial expressions at times aren’t as expressive as they probably could be.