Comic Info
Comic Name: Catwoman (Volume 3)
Publisher: DC Comics
Writer: Judd Winick
Artist: Guillem March
# of Issues: 6
Release Date: 2012
Catwoman (3) #3
Reprints Catwoman (3) #1-6 (November 2011-April 2012). Catwoman loves the game and the chance at a big score. While dogged by her sometime lover Batman, Catwoman finds herself confronted by her past. When the confrontation leads to death, Catwoman questions if she loves the game, or if she hopes to make the ultimate sacrifice in the process.
Written by Judd Winick and illustrated by Guillem March, Catwoman Volume 1: The Game was part of the New 52 re-launch of DC Comics after Flashpoint. The series was met with heavy criticism of its blatant cheesecake style portrayal of its leading “hero” and the controversial ending to the first issue.
I was actually set to dislike Catwoman. I think the character is a bit one dimensional. From her first appearance in Batman (1) #1 (Spring 1940), she was just the femme fatale foil to Bruce Wayne and Batman. While a femme fatale usually does have an interesting backstory, it is often better if she remains a mystery. Once the mystery is exposed, there isn’t much more to do with the character and the character “goes straight” or dies.
Catwoman (3) #6
I’m not a huge fan of Winick’s writing, but at least he understands the character in this sense. Winick realizes he can’t have a traditional origin issue for Catwoman since she has to have some mystery to her and Catwoman’s goal is to die it appears through her suicidal actions and her admission that she doesn’t know if she want to live. I’m not saying this is great, but it does have some basis for a series. I wish in this first collection of stories there was more direction and more of a goal.
The big controversy about this came from Catwoman’s overt sexuality. Through Guillem March’s art (she’s always sporting the cleavage) to the shocking ending of the first issue where Catwoman and Batman get it on (in costume no less), Catwoman goes for a trashy feel. Catwoman’s costume has always been as revealing as the time period has allowed so I can’t fault that (she got lumped in with the New 52’s portrayal of Starfire and Voodoo which were also criticized). As to the Batman scene…trashy was reached, but years in the making. It wasn’t the best way to pull it off, but they went for the shock value and that worked.
Catwoman Volume 1: The Game is worth looking into. Don’t expect great things from it, and you will be pleasantly surprised by better than average entertainment. The series has potential, but it needs more direction that I don’t know it will get. Catwoman Volume 1: The Game is followed by Catwoman Volume 2: Dollhouse.
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