This review contains spoilers.
Or maybe I become a murderer for real. Right here. Right now.
Catwoman #48 is written by Frank Tieri with art by Inaki Miranda. In this issue, Catwoman has to find out who is framing her for murder.
Previously, Catwoman was hired to steal an expensive diamond by her friend Louie. However, when she arrived to give him the diamond, she found him dead with the cops about to arrive.
The cover by Joshua Middleton is okay. It is well drawn but it isn’t that interesting of an image. It’s a profile of Catwoman against a white background. It does look nice but it isn’t interesting in any way that would make a person pick it up.
The issue begins with Catwoman narrating about New York City. She claims that criminals can thrive in a place like Gotham because of people like Gordon who will play by the rules. In New York, corruption is so widespread that cops will shoot people on sight just because they can.
I find this to be interesting. New York seems to be what Gotham was before Bruce came back as Batman. That does make me wonder why one of the DC heroes doesn’t try to help New York but that doesn’t affect this issue. I also like the idea that Gordon’s sense of justice is what invites criminals to his city which leads to him bending the rules with Batman.
After the narration, we pick up where we left off with Catwoman being found by the police next to a dead body. Catwoman is able to deduce fairly quickly that the cops killed Louie. They claim they killed him because he tried to warn Catwoman about the cops looking for the diamond she stole in the last issue. Catwoman manages to escape and heads to one of her hideouts. At her hideout, Selina dyes her hair blonde so that she is less recognizable. Her friend Tesla remarks that she looks like Michelle Pfeiffer. They also figure out that Penguin might be behind the murder and the frame so Catwoman pays him a visit.
Clearly, someone on this creative team is a fan of Batman Returns. Penguin’s design is clearly based off the look from that film and there’s the Michelle Pfeiffer comment. I am not a huge fan of Batman Returns so these choices don’t really work for me.
She finds out that the diamond she stole was actually Penguin’s diamond. However, Clayface grabs her from behind before she can make a deal with Penguin. She is able to escape determined to find her client who is obviously setting her up. She goes to Killer Croc who claims to have information. The issue ends with Tesla revealing that a bounty has been placed on Selina’s head as Croc attacks Catwoman.
Verdict
The best part of the issue is Miranda’s art. Everything from panel layout to character expression to landscapes just looks fantastic and Eva De La Cruz’s colors compliment the art very well.
The story is fairly interesting. It’s not as engaging as the previous issue but it is still fun. I like a good mystery and I am curious to find out what is going on.
Overall, this is a great read. If you’re unsure about this series, I highly recommend reading this issue and the previous one. They’re a great new start for a great character.
