Review: Catwoman #1
Copycats kicks off a new chapter in the life of Selina Kyle aka Catwoman in the debut issue of her new solo title. Still bruised in the feels after leaving Bruce Wayne stranded at the alter, Catwoman #1 finds Ms. Kyle laying low and keeping herself out of the spotlight. A serious lack of sleep and what amounts to a healthy dose of depression has Selina out of sorts and no amount of gambling and drinking seems to cure her ills.
Complicating matters is the curious fact that her new town is filled with Catwomen behaving quite badly leaving a trail of dead cops and crime in their wake. As if carrying the baggage of her split with Bruce isn’t enough, now Selina has to try to get to the bottom of the Catwoman crime spree and clear her sort of good name. Throw in the mysterious and corrupt first lady of Villa Hermosa, Raina Creel and the city’s police force hot on her tail and Catwoman #1 is off to an intriguing start.
Written and drawn by Joelle Jones, Catwoman #1 has a gritty feel and it looks great. Jones’ art has a cinematic quality to it and her use of blacks gives her story an added noire feel. Laura Allred’s muted palette compliments Jones’ work and helps to further establish the turmoil that casts a shadow with a heartbroken Ms. Kyle.
Catwoman #1 is a solid start to a new chapter in Catwoman’s adventures. Reading Batman #50 is advised before jumping on board but beginning here will not disappoint. Depending on how things progress in Jones’ run the bones are there for a good collection of Catwoman stories as well as a future small screen adaptation.
