Comic Review: Catwoman #82
During my return to reading comics after about fourteen years of not paying attention, I was looking for a good point to jump in. It didn’t take me long to settle on the Gotham City crowd. I read everything I could get my hands on, including the last few years of Catwoman, which I thoroughly enjoyed. And I was devastated to learn that issue #82 would be the last in the book’s run. So, I present to you my first and last review of Catwoman. (At least until DC wises up and brings her back.)
Catwoman #81 ended on the rooftops of Gotham City, as Batman warning Selina of her recent bad behavior, leading her to proclaim, “Tonight, one way or another, whatever it is you and I have, whatever we’ve built up over the years… I’m saying tonight… all that changes,” as she pulls Batman off the roof to plummet to the street. Readers seemed to be worried. After all, we’ve enjoyed watching the flirtation between Catwoman and Batman play out, and no one really wanted to see that change. No one wanted Selina to become a villian again. Thankfully, the final issue doesn’t make any drastic changes to their relationship. In fact, it’s just a whole lot of fun.
The story is simple: Catwoman toys with Batman, stealing his belt and leading him to chase her through the East End of Gotham–her territory–playfully taunting him until he traps her on the edge of a building. It is here where she reveals the struggles she has been facing. Her guilt over killing the Black Mask and regret from giving up her daughter is leading her to behave in a way even she doesn’t understand. Granted, Will Pfeifer doesn’t make the story too heavy and ends the book (and the series) as playfully as it starts.
Not that we’ve seen the last of Catwoman. In terms of continuity, #82 is pretty clearly set before “The Heart of Hush” arc currently playing out in Detective, in which Catwoman is a major player. Even though her series has run its course, hopefully, we fans of Catwoman will still get to see plenty of her.
Rating: 3.5 / 5