Review: CATWOMAN #22
[Editor’s Note: This review may contain spoilers]
Writer: Paula Sevenbergen
Artists: Aneke
Colors:Â Laura Allred
Letters:Â Gabriella Downie
Reviewed by: Carl Bryan
Summary
Positives
Paula Sevenbergen is taking over the reins for Joelle Jones. And this is a lighter story that she begins with. It’s always interesting with new blood enters into the “cat burgling” fray in Villa Hermosa. This tale (pun intended) is fraught with homages in costume to Michelle Pfeiffer and a tip of the hat in dialogue to Eartha Kitt and Julie Newmar.
The dialogue is one word short of “purrfect”, so when you read the dialogue, please do it with “tongue in cheek” or “paw in cheek”.
It’s a light weight story given the heaviness of what Selina has gone through in recent issues. And considering her role in the Batman saga lately, the character really needed to catch her breath.
But we really need her pace to pick up with another solid villain as this was a bit of an acknowledged “flashback” story prior to the Creel storyline.
Aneke‘s work with the pen is outstanding. The Catwoman series is based on “silence”. After all, she is a stealth burglar and the story lines lend itself to that. It’s got to be difficult to write a very verbose Catwoman story. But Aneke provides the story in pictures (as previous issues have) and does so in a very cinematic way!
But what I love most of all was the lettering/narration provided by Gabriella Downie. Black boxes…white letters…purple outline… This type of lettering is shouting for attention and kudos.
I love a good letterer and she delivers.
Again, this is a solid transition story, and arguably, one that is needed. However, Sevenbergen needs to find her pace. I have a feeling she will.
Negatives
Maybe the maid service and lingerie versus leather is a bit much these days given the #MeToo movement. It is an appeal to how gullible males can be in their wealth as well as lust. What’s the audience in this one?
Selina is a strong, strong anti-hero and was hitting her stride. I want to see her alongside Batman more. But this issue is more about the lace than the leather whip and cat claws in crime fighting.
Verdict
These “maids” are no match for Selina. Who really is on this level? I mean, she’s ran with the Joker and Penguin. She needs a Rogues Gallery and soon. But in the meantime, she needed to get a breath of air in this story to set up what we hope will be an intriguing storyline.
