CATWOMAN #37 REVIEW

[Cloak]

Reviewer: Trent Hosking, glowpuddle@gmail.com
Quick Rating: Great
Story Title: Character Driven.

Don’t you go wanderin’ off…

Writer: Ed Brubaker
Penciller: Paul Gulacy
Inker: Jim Palmiotti
Colorist: Laurie Kronenberg
Letterer: Clem Robins
Assoc. Editor: Nachie Castro
Editor: Matt Idelson


This issue really makes me realise how far the character of Catwoman has come in only a couple of years, and that’s almost entirely thanks to Mr Brubaker. Of course, it might be hard to appreciate this issue if you have not read the current volume, as Selina’s recent past consumes Catwoman #37. It follows that if you do know a thing or two about Selina’s past couple of years, this reflective and retrospective episode is highly rewarding and a little saddening as Ed Brubaker leaves the title.

I can’t help but wonder if Catwoman’s frustration regarding the events of War Games mirrors Brubaker’s own. If so, then it’s completely understandable. As Selina looks around the East End and hypothesizes if all her work has been in vain, she contemplates leaving Gotham, and, whilst her final decision is never really in question and she’s had said thoughts in previous issues, the story’s effect remains fresh and genuine. Selina adds up everything she has left after War Games, and is so caught up in thought (and patrolling her city) that she completely forgets it’s her birthday. Her surprise birthday party is a good device to gather all her loved ones and further the retrospective tone of the issue. It is good to see everyone back and supporting Selina. Seeing everyone together really heightens the individual difference of each of her friends, as well as exposing Selina’s appeal as something universal.

Paul Gulacy really has done some beautiful work for this issue. Although consistency is still a (minor) problem, the glimpses of Garbo and Rossellini in Selina cannot be denied, and the gorgeous close-up on the first page has no real world counterpart, it’s all Selina. Catwoman’s beautiful acrobatic silhouette that I talked about in my last review also makes an appearance here, if only for a short time. Gulacy shows great skill as he displays the change between the hardened, focused Catwoman persona after a distasterous event, to the more relaxed, the more (excuse the cliché) human Selina.

Again, Laurie Kronenberg’s colors are fantastic, where the variety of color and lighting in each separate scene really adds to the whole package. Even more impressive is the aforementioned rooftop scene, where Gulacy, Palmiotti and Kronenberg all work to deliver a great moment, romantic and ethereal in its luminescence. The other members of Selina’s inner circle all generally look good; although Leslie stands out as a little odd with her mature face smoothed over (did she have a few face-lifts between issues?). Some of the facial expressions, such as Bridgette’s anger and disgust or Selina’s flustered smile, are so wonderfully accurate and something you’d rarely see from the other mainstream superhero books out at the moment (except for Identity Crisis and perhaps Astonishing X-Men). As you might be able to tell, Gulacy’s art has most certainly grown on me in the past few issues, and I now fully appreciate it as something beautiful and totally organic.

As I read the issue for the first time I couldn’t help thinking how a Catwoman of the past might’ve spent her birthday: stealing a nice birthday gift for herself from some European royal (almost in her birthday suit, too, thanks to Jim Balent), escaping just in time with a smile on her face. She certainly wouldn’t have appreciated Batman’s gift as much as she did. It’s a great feeling to know that Catwoman is no longer some hollow teenage fantasy girl, her potential that she always possessed has been realised (not that the Catwoman wasn’t often fun). Her very specific kind of justice, displayed brilliantly in this issue, really helps to set the character apart from the other mainstream superhero books that live in a very black and white world.

Brubaker saw Catwoman take and take and take all her life, so he gave her a conscience, and an intelligent mind, he gave her a private life with real friends and horrible enemies, he took her off that pedestal and let her be vulnerable; but most importantly, after taking her whole life he gave her the ability to finally give back. She’s no heroine, she’s just Catwoman and she’s amazing. Mr Brubaker, goodbye. Scott Morse, good luck.


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[NicholasRogue]

Loved this issue. I will be sad to see Ed go.

[Anand Khatri]

I liked this issue. It wasn't bad at all. The art was pretty nice too.

btw...Great Review Trent!

[Cloak]

Originally Posted by NicholasRogue

Loved this issue. I will be sad to see Ed go.

Indeed. It really was a kind of solemn issue now that I think about it.