By: Will Pfeifer Publisher: DC Comics Average Rating: Binding: Paperback Label: DC Comics Number of Items: 1 Number of Pages: 168 Publication Date: August 01, 2007 Release Date: August 01, 2007
Product Description: Selina Kyle has prowled the skyline of Gotham City asCatwoman, the protector of the East End, for years.But one year ago,following the events of INFINITE CRISIS, she became pregnant and decided toleave the costumed world behind. In this volume, the father of Catwoman's baby is revealed!Learn thefallout from Catwoman's killing of Black Mask, including the horrible priceshe paid for vengeance and why she chose to bring a baby into the world. Plus, Selina pays a visit to Superman's home, Metropolis!
Another part of the One Year Later stories, and an odd one. They've taken the femme fatale, and had her drop the bundle offscreen so to speak. So will Selina is ensconced at home looking after the kid, her protege takes over the Catwoman leathers. While she might fill them out aesthetically reasonably well, tactically, logistically and skillfully? Not so much, given she is having severe problems with just one killer and just one cop.
3.5 out of 5
Catwoman - hero, villain, mother Will Pfeifer's run on Catwoman is one of those frustrating paradoxes, a well respected comic that does not sell well. Changes certainly have been made during his tenure, some controversial, including a replacement Catwoman and Selina giving birth to a baby girl. This approach may be applauded for adding realistic life situations to the storytelling; it certainly gives new meaning to the term "working mother", but may not be what the readership wants. All pluses aside, it tends to detract from the superhero aspect of the book, which is probably why most people buy it in the first place, and replace it with more of a soap opera feel. Of course one person's soap opera is another person's characterization. This trade comprises both approaches. The first part focuses more on her interpersonal relationships and her young daughter, with the second half concentrating on her Catwoman alter ego in an adventure in Metropolis involving Lex Luthor. It is the latter that is the more intriguing and works the best. The new direction was an interesting and possibly necessary direction to explore, and added depth to her character and her mythos, but at a price. Superhero characters having marriages and/or children is a hot topic currently in comics, with some people thinking that it limits the potential story possibilities with them. Selina has and always will be a major part of any Catwoman story, and the two personas meld perfectly to make her the great character that she is, but first and foremost she is Catwoman, a lone wolf, part hero, part villain. It may be time to take her back to her roots, which is probably what most people want anyways.
It's "New Coke" for Catwoman Comic-book readers often must suffer through a "New Coke" phase in their favorite titles. Heroes as iconic as Superman, Batman, Green Arrow, Green Lantern and, as of this writing, Wonder Woman have been killed or otherwise disposed of while a younger, fresher and, almost certainly, inferior substitute takes their place. In most cases, the publisher eventually recognized the error and brought the classic version back to the fore.
Now it's Catwoman's turn and, as usual, it's probably a mistake.
In what will probably turn out to be a plotting catastrophe, writer Will Pfeifer decided it was time for Selina Kyle to get pregnant. With a baby on the way, Selina decides it's time to give up her roof-hopping and crook-kicking ways, and she passes the costume and whip on to an unlikely successor: Holly, former-prostitute-turned-lesbian sidekick.
A crash training course doesn't really prepare Holly for the job, however, and right out of the gate she runs afoul of several large problems. It's hard to imagine which is worse, the film-obsessed villain who wants to kill Catwoman or the tireless cop who wants to arrest her for murder.
Of course, it's not long before Selina is forced back into her costume (which, given her recent pregnancy, doesn't fit quite like it used to). And it's not long before her baby is put at risk because of her nocturnal outings -- and, let's be honest here, the sight of a maternally outraged Catwoman is a treat.
But New Coke never satisfied the thirst like Classic Coke does, and Holly as Catwoman is equally unsatisfying. She lacks both skill and motivation, and it appears her future must involve either an unrealistic upgrade in abilities or her constant use as a foil to bring Selina back into action and save her. Either way, I'll sip the new formula grudgingly until DC brings the real deal back to the shelves.
Anything Goes Trivia
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