Genevieve Valentine and Garry Brown usher in a new era for Selina Kyle in “Catwoman” #35 that will test her in more ways than she can imagine.
Written by Genevieve Valentine
Illustrated Garry BrownMeet Selina Kyle Crime Boss of Gotham City! Spinning out of events in BATMAN ETERNAL Selina has accepted the family mantle and embraced her true criminal side, but is Gotham City ready for her reign? And with the Cat away, whos the stranger haunting the empty rooftops of the city? Dont miss the start of a bold new direction for Selina Kyle by the new creative team of novelist Genevieve Valentine and Garry Brown (Five Ghosts, Iron Patriot).
At the risk of sounding harsh, “Catwoman” has not been a good title. Since the New 52 began her title has been one of the weakest of the company; Selina Kyle has been a sex object and barely held her own storylines. In this character’s history there haven’t been many great runs, so to be totally honest I came into this issue with low expectations. I never expected it to be bad but I didn’t expect to be this happy about what I got.
“Catwoman” #35 picks up in a post- “Batman Eternal” world. Selina Kyle has left behind the title of Catwoman, taken her places as heir to the Calabrese family and now rules over the Gotham underworld. Valentine and Brown introduce us to her cousins Antonia and Nick as well as Ward. Her cousins are not simple to read (“Future’s End is just a possible future) but Ward clearly doesn’t trust her or in her abilities to lead. Selina is also faced with a major gun issue. She wants to move them out of Gotham and begin rebuilding the city as her family before helped do (albeit in a crime family way) setting up the first arc in this new era of the character.
Bat family editor Mark Doyle stated on Twitter that this was the most Vertigo-esque book they’ve ever done, and he wasn’t lying when he tweeted this on Wednesday. At its core this is a gritty crime drama. There’s no holding back here. Selina is dressed and behaves like a crime boss and her intelligence means a lot more here than her ability to hop across rooftops. “Catwoman” #35 feels like a light version of “Scalped” or “100 Bullets” because everyone here is doing something that can be considered ethically or morally wrong. While it is true that Selina wants to rebuild the city, she’s not doing it the way someone like Bruce Wayne would. She’s using illegal channels and putting trust in people like the Falcone family, signaling what will be a “Grayson”-like examination of who she is.
Selina Kyle has always been a thief but she’s always remained, at least to me, a part of the Bat-Family. Batman could rely on her to an extent and went so far to have a romantic relationship with her. What’s being made very clear now is that she’s straying even farther from that fine line she’s always toed. Valentine and Brown take some time to show us an important interaction between her and Batman. He tries to remind her of all this but by now Selina is so wrapped up in what’s happening that it’s a bit too late to get out.
What will be interesting is how this relationship will be handled going forward. This scene had tinges of romance but she’s now in a role that will force her to make decisions that Batman would not approve of. This is similar to what Dick Grayson is going through in “Grayson”; like Dick, Selina has to hold on to who she is while still making it work in the world she’s in. However, unlike Dick, Batman has no part in this as he didn’t send her on this mission. DC hasn’t been great in dealing with their relationship but Valentine clearly has a firm handle on who she is and how she relates to Batman. This is not how she was once characterized in the early days of the New 52. She’s more than a sexual object, signaling a realization of a mistake and the desire to do more.
Continued below“Catwoman” #35 is very much like reconnecting with an old friend. I’ve missed Selina Kyle and she really makes a bold return in this issue. I’ve missed the take charge attitude, the confidence, the attitude and the ability to lead. Valentine and Brown are reinventing her with this story but she’s still the same character. This is important to note as we’ve seen characters reinvented lately that have lost much of what made them them. Valentine writes Selina Kyle as the same person she’s always been; she’s just in a new situation. Her internal monologue echoes classic Catwoman and the way she behaves and carries herself is the same woman that fans fell in love with.
Garry Brown and Lee Loughridge combine to create a simply gorgeous book. Brown creates a really gritty Gotham City in every sense of the word. This is an ugly and seedy city and it bleeds through in his art. There’s a Sean Murphy feel to his pencils and this echoes a little of what we saw in the dark “Punk Rock Jesus”. This was a tough story to put to art because the wrong style would ruin the story but Brown pulls it off well. His design of Selina is really something; she looks like the Queen of the Gotham underworld. Her suit makes her come off like a member of the Corleone family and her evening gown makes her look like Kate Middleton with more punch. Loughridge brings this all to life even more through what is really a simple dark palette but applied in the perfect way.
Selina Kyle is very much back. She’s not an object or assistant to anyone anymore. She’s living a much darker life now that will test her morality and place in the Bat-Family, but the future is bright thanks to this creative team.
Final Verdict: 8.0 – The most important woman in Gotham City get a reinvention that cannot be missed
