DC Pride Book Club | Nº12 | Catwoman ('11) #35-52 | May 6 - Jun. 2

DC Pride Book Club’s 12th Installment :rainbow:

Catwoman: 80th Anniversary

:heart: :orange_heart: :yellow_heart: :green_heart: :blue_heart: :purple_heart:

In celebration of Catwoman’s 80th, DC Pride will be reading her New 52 run all month long. Read along with us and join the discussion!

:heart: :orange_heart: :yellow_heart: :green_heart: :blue_heart: :purple_heart:

Week 1

SPOILER DISCUSSION: 2020-05-06T07:00:00Z2020-05-12T07:00:00Z

What: CATWOMAN (2011-) #35-37 + CATWOMAN ANNUAL #2

:star2:Discussion Questions

  1. Are you enjoying Catwoman as a crime boss?

  2. How do you feel about the art?

  3. What were some of your favorite moments?

Week 2

SPOILER DISCUSSION: 2020-05-13T07:00:00Z2020-05-19T07:00:00Z

What: CATWOMAN (2011-) #38-42

:star2:Discussion Questions

  1. What do you make of Selina’s struggle between crime boss and Catwoman?

  2. What was your favorite thing about Spoiler showing up?

  3. Did any panels or moments stand out to you?

Week 3

SPOILER DISCUSSION: 2020-05-20T07:00:00Z2020-05-26T07:00:00Z

What: CATWOMAN (2011-) #43-47

:star2:Discussion Questions

  1. Share your opinions on Eiko.

  2. What has been interesting you about Selina’s quest to find Batman?

  3. Were you satisfied with the conclusion to this arc in #46?

Week 4

SPOILER DISCUSSION: 2020-05-27T07:00:00Z2020-06-02T07:00:00Z

What: CATWOMAN (2011-) #48-52

:star2:Discussion Questions

  1. Do you like seeing Catwoman outside of Gotham?

  2. What did you like the most about Batgirl and Killer Croc showing up?

  3. Did you find Black Mask to be a good villain throughout these issues?

:nerd_face: Share your thoughts on the reading overall as you read along and let’s discuss

Questions or concerns? Reach out @Nu52 :inbox_tray:

Click HERE to get a cool flair and join the club

Watch and track #dc-pride to keep up to date with all club events

6 Likes

Awesome! I’ve had the Valentine run in digital trade for a hot minute now, and this is definitely a good way to blow through that.

1 Like

Nice, I’ve been wanting to get into some cat woman, question any details I should know before hand ? Or should I just jump right into it? :open_hands:t4:

2 Likes

It kind of dives right in. Basically what you need to know is that in the pages of the weekly series Batman Eternal, Selina discovered that she’s actually the estranged daughter of a prominent crime boss, head of the Calebrese family. He’s put to jail (and I believe murdered, it’s been a minute since I read that story), and considering all the crazy crap happening to Gotham during Eternal, Selina decides the best way to mitigate damage is to take that legacy up in an effort to rebuild Gotham.

2 Likes

Nice! Damn that Selina Kyle, she sure is a spit fire haha

1 Like

Yes, more than I thought I would, actually.

I love it! There’s been a couple of instances where it was a challenge to tell some of the male characters apart, but the art is still dang fabulous.

The scene with the sister having to take care of her brother was well done. I suspect what we think happened didn’t, though, or I’m not sure how Selina lives with herself.

2 Likes

Gerry Brown is great at mood, but his faces are a bit tough to figure out at times.

Interesting note (to me anyway) is that outside of this run, the other book I know him from is the issue of Mass Effect: Homeworlds that focused on Garrus.

1 Like

Yes! A lot, actually! This is the first time I’m reading this version of Selina and I have to say that I am pleasantly surprised by how much I’m enjoying it.

It fits the tone of the story perfectly, especially with the darker, almost monochromatic hues of the colors.

Nick and Antonia’s relationship was very interesting (and kind of heartbreaking) to see. Also, I have to say that I am very fond Eiko. I love seeing her go behind her father’s back and prove that she’s perfectly capable despite what he thinks of her. Take that, old man! And Selina calling the shots, making the decisions, and proving herself a strong leader, in spite of the conflicts she feels with herself, has to be my overall favorite thing to see.

I can’t wait to keep reading! :catwoman_hv_2:

1 Like

I know I’m a little late for week one, busy week haha, but here’s my thoughts.

I’m really digging cat woman as crime boss, a much more mysterious vibe to her that I’ve never see, her inner noir voice really makes it believable for me. I do miss her classic Catwoman fighting style and alluring nature, BUT, I’m here for it. Especially since we got Eiko filling the gaps.

I love the color choices of the art :raised_hands:t4: Can be a little tough at time as @ralphsix had mentioned. And even a little slender man at time with the blank faces, BUT over all it’s still fantastic and totally sets the noir mood. Very reminiscent of Vertigo’s Criminal for me, if anyone ever saw that graphic novel. And Batman year one. I especially love the lighting on Black Mask in shadow, that’s one scary dude. And the city scapes. And the cover art is perfect, and gives us some of those Catwoamn vibes.

Oh man, there were many, the Eiko Catwoman imposter reveal/fight scene full page spread. Selina’s little comment about how jewelry is of more value/fun for her when the diamonds are stolen. And just seeing how Selina goes about solving problems in the public with out her car suit, she’s always been very sly in her maneuvers, and this is no different. And that touching moment with Antoina and her brother Nick, man, I could hear the gunshot, really stoked to see where this story goes, watch out Sionis, She readyyy. Haha.
oh hit bat signal :wave:t4::smiley:

2 Likes

Ooo,weee those highlights :raised_hands:t4:

I removed the pin, not because I don’t like it. It’s just, Petrie is a one man show :joy: :pray:t4::open_hands:t4::blue_heart::orange_heart::heart::orange_heart::green_heart: still got mad love though haha.

  1. Are you enjoying Catwoman as a crime boss?

I dig it. In previous stories like The Long Halloween it was hinted that Selina may have been an unwanted child of the mob, but to not only confirm it, but to take it to it’s logical extreme is very cool. It’s kind of like other characters taking on the roles of the big heroes where you know it won’t last forever, but it’s fun to switch it up every once in a while.

One thing that’s cool about it is that while this is a radical departure, this run doesn’t throw away what came before, mainly in the side cast. Detective Alvarez was from Judd Winnick’s initial run, and the Tesla that Selina mentions to boost their security was a character in the Ann Nocenti run.

  1. How do you feel about the art?

I like it for its tone and mood, but it’s not without its problems, key being that some characters just blend together in looks to the point where it was sometimes hard to follow who was who. Still not too bad, though.

  1. What were some of your favorite moments?

Man, there’s a lot. The scene at the cabin with the brother and sister was tragic, and the Selina and Eiko!Catwoman was great. Being a sucker for Bat/Cat, I always like when those two meet.

3 Likes

I’m not sure why it would be huge deal for her to be both. The main challenge for her is really how to do right by the family, yet not in a way that damages Gotham.

It’s been a long while since I read Eternal so I’m not sure I remember why they have beef. I mean, I get that Catwoman locked her up, but I don’t remember why. That being said, it should be cool to see Spoler working with the new Catwoman. But how did Eiko learn to be all Catwoman-y, anyway?

2 Likes

It just seems like both are very busy jobs, I’m trying to find a cell where she decides to take a nap haha. I am glad though she finally put on the cat suit, an additional bonus was the amazing colorful pages of art that displayed it.

I actually had no idea who spoiler was, she seemed interesting though, interesting to see this Eiko and her dynamic play out.

Yes! When Selina and Black Mask first met, and she made that comment about the dirt from his grave, that was pretty boss.

1 Like

I found it challenging to understand the character’s headspace through most of the arc. At least now she’s a fierce crimelord.

I wish the element that tied this story to the concurrent Bat titles had been more downplayed or left off the table entirely. That stuff seemed out of place with the mob take, so it took me out of it.

Yes, and no. I like where they left the Calabrese family, but a lot of the other plotlines just seemed to be concluded abruptly. I got the impression that the creative team didn’t get much notice that it was time to wrap things up.

1 Like

Behind as per usual! :sweat_smile:

  1. What do you make of Selina’s struggle between crime boss and Catwoman?

It’s pretty interesting – Selina has always walked a fine line between good and evil, and as Catwoman, that’s always been the thrill, it’s been a source of power and freedom. Now, when she’s arguably the most powerful she’s ever been and closer to the black, she’s never felt less free.

  1. What was your favorite thing about Spoiler showing up?

It’s funny, as I was reading this, I was also going through the War Games event for World of Bats, and in that story, we also have Spoler taking up with Selina. Different universe, different circumstances, but still meeting.

  1. Did any panels or moments stand out to you?

Of course, there’s the moment that probably qualified this run for the Pride Book Club, of Selina and Eiko kissing.

What’s interesting about this is that there’s a certain sense of ambiguity about what it means. Eiko even spells it out by asking, does Selina have feelings for her, or for the mask? I wonder what everyone thinks of that question.

The other big moment was Selina discovering that Batman is dead.

Both writing and art shows Selina’s grace and practicality when around her men, and then how it’s a facade for the turmoil of grief she’s feeling.

1 Like

Slowly catching up!

  1. Share your opinions on Eiko.

She goes through a pretty tragic arc in this. She feels like a parallel to Selina, a woman who grew up forced into a path she didn’t truly desire, and found a new sense of freedom to be a new person under the guise of Catwoman. But, to a certain degree because of Selina’s actions, her path to freedom was closed off.

I hope this isn’t a character that is forgotten, and maybe at one point she’ll show up again in a future Catwoman story.

  1. What has been interesting you about Selina’s quest to find Batman?

I thought it was odd at first that she seemed to abandon that quest almost just as she found Bruce in the kids’ center – though admittedly things got really heated on her mob boss front, so it made sense.

Then I started to wonder…what if Selina did finish her quest, and perhaps on some level, knew who Bruce is (or in this case, was)? While DC editorial was adamant at the start of the New 52 that Catwoman shouldn’t learn Bruce’s secret identity (to the point of actually having Winick and Guillem March do new pages when they tried to establish it early on in their Catwoman run), I wonder if Valentine was implying that she realized her search was over at that moment.

If anyone’s curious, here’s the pages from Guillem March’s blog (warning, they are mildly NSFW):

  1. Were you satisfied with the conclusion to this arc in #46?

I think so. Like I said early on, this is the kind of status quo that only lasts for so long. Selina comes out of this fairly well, leaves the Calebrese family in a decent enough place, and I think enough was established that they can come back and continue to be an opportunity for stories to do with Selina in the future.

1 Like

I know I’m very late and the discussions are over, but I just finished reading and wanted to share some stray thoughts!

Both identities have their own agendas and necessities that, depending on the situation, can conflict with one another and watching Selena struggle between the two was so interesting.

I love her. I loved seeing her become the head of the family (even if the circumstances weren’t ideal) and even the fallout between her and Selina (even if that made me sad, lol.) The relationship between her and her father was complicated, but Eiko’s grief and anger over his death as well him dying to protect her showed that despite that, they still thought of each other as family.

I thought it was a little abrupt, but I liked how it ended. Antonia becoming the head of the Calabrese family was something I really loved. She definitely deserved it.

Yes! Her heists were dearly missed, I can’t lie (her gadgets are so cool!). Also, I really liked Tesla—I haven’t read the earlier issues of this story so I’m not sure if she’s showed up before, but I loved her character and how well her and Selina worked together. The art of the cityscapes were also stunning.

The bounty on Selina’s head was probably my favorite part of this plot line (gave me John Wick vibes, and I love John Wick), so seeing Croc betray their alliance in an attempt to collect was quite the twist! And of course Babs swooping in to apprehend Selina for murder was wicked cool. Their fight was so amazing!

I actually felt as if he was a little lackluster in these issues. He made such a good antagonist throughout the crime family storyline, so seeing him fall short of that role in these issues was a little disappointing. Still loved it though, don’t get me wrong!

Overall, this was such a good read and I’m so happy I was able to see this different take on Catwoman! I’m definitely gonna go back and read the beginning issues eventually as well!

Happy Pride everyone! :rainbow_flag:

1 Like

I’m still an arc behind too, so don’t worry. :slight_smile:

She was first introduced in Ann Nocenti’s run of Catwoman. She was also mentioned in the Valentine run, when there was a security leak, Selina tells Ward to get in contact with Tesla to help fix it.

1 Like

@Jay_Kay ah I’m glad to hear there’s more of her! I’m definitely gonna have to read those issues to see her genius in action again. :relaxed:

1 Like