Catwoman #9 Review

 

Catwoman joins in the fun of “Night of the Owls.”

Catwoman #9

It seems to be an unwritten rule that most recent crossovers or tie-ins seem to damage the title they hijack. This isn’t the case with Catwoman, as Judd Winick continues his narrative threads within the context of the crossover.

Framing the issue around a dishonoured Talon is a clever move by Winick as it allows him to strike a connection between the Talon and Selina. This gives the conclusion of the book a surprising emotional climax, which continues to deepen Selina in a title already full of interesting emotional complexity.  In fact for the most part the appearance of the Talon is handled well, even if the opening pages are a little clunky. By issues end you sympathise with him slightly, but this is mainly due to Winick’s clever use of Selina’s inner monologue. It is well measured in its delivery and her sympathies aren’t over-sentimentalised. This is a testament to Winick’s work on the title as he has really fleshed out Selina as a character.

Talking of characters, Spark continues to add a dimension to the book that allows for more fun. Catwoman having a sidekick of sorts was a bizarre idea to begin with, but he really does work well. His presence brings out a new dimension to Selina, for example here we see her wanting to actually help out whereas Spark wants to get the goal and go. It is a fun dynamic which seems to have a direction to it.

As for the two guest stars they both work in the narrative and Winick writes a fun Penguin. It is nice to see that Catwoman merely stumbles upon the Talon trying to kill Cobblepot as opposed to being forced into a situation due to the crossover. The groundwork Winick established last issue really helps sell the coincidental nature of the Catwoman/Talon encounter. The Talon works well for what he is and how Selina reacts to him. But as a character in his own right, he is a bit one note. But this never detracts from the book as he is balanced by a comedic turn from the Penguin.

Guillem March is back on the book and he delivers his usual perfected style. His handle on Selina shines through here as March really does wonders with her movements and expressions. He has delivered in this series a definitive version of Catwoman, which encapsulates her role in the new 52. His art has a great sense of movement, which helps with the frenetic action scenes. March’s depiction of the fights has a brutality, which gives it a great sense of weight. Well detailed and clear, his pencils have really been missed on the book. With the final page being the highlight of the issue.

Although this is part of a crossover it does feel more like another issue of the series. It isn’t bogged down with the crushing weight of the event and this is due to some great scripting by Winick. He makes Selina’s encounter with the Talon a personal one and continues to articulate her established complex emotional state. March returns with his usual flair, which allows the narrative to come alive on the page. So, Catwoman continues to be a satisfying read even if it has to deal with the bloated “Night of the Owls” crossover.

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Tags: Catwoman DC Comics New 52 Reviews Judd Winick Night of the Owls