On the run from assassins, Catwoman must infiltrate the group that put out the hit against her.
The Catwoman series has been hit or miss from the start. Over the past couple of months though, the series has gradually been on the upward trend quality-wise. Now with the most recent issue, Catwoman may have its best issue yet. It doesn’t break the mold nor do anything exactly revelatory, but it’s a fun read, which is what matters. The story is fun and interesting, which is combined with some excellent art.
The art is what really elevates this issue beyond its script. Mirka Andolfo does an excellent job of working the page to make this issue as enjoyable as it is. Selina looks wonderful and, for some, her depiction in this issue may be looked at as the definitive style, at least for this costume cycle. Andolfo’s Catwoman moves swiftly through the page, making everything feel organic. Because of this, the page layouts work extremely well, as they flow with the movement, rather than stifling it.
Also, the art is stylized, but not hyper-stylized, which creates a unique look that looks well for Catwoman. It’s like a mix between Guruhiru’s The Unstoppable Wasp with the more realistic style that most of DC’s books have. It’s a good mix that looks great, fits within the context of the DC Universe, and is unique.
As for the writing, it’s very enjoyable even though it’s a relatively simple premise. What matters though is the execution of said premise and, for the most part, it’s solid. Selina is very fun to read, even though there are a couple of times where her voice sounds off. There are a lot of interesting interactions that Selina has with characters that you wouldn’t necessarily associate with the character, making for a more enjoyable read.
As a whole, the story feels like it takes elements from Batman: Arkham Origins and “Year One,” with a couple of pages explicitly ripped from “Year One.” It’s great to Selina’s take on that iconic scene, but it does feel a bit forced in, like it was there to get you excited for the reference, but doesn’t do much more with it.
That’s the biggest problem with this issue. Most of it feels like it’s building up to that reference, making the assassin aspect feel severely lacking. There’s really only two in the entire issue and they don’t do much in it. The issue is still enjoyable, but it might’ve been better if there had been a bit more emphasis on the original premise.
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