Review: Catwoman #50

Overview: In Catwoman #50, Catwoman’s story takes a surprising turn as she, Batman, Valmont, and Punchline meet in a violent collision.

Editor’s Note: Due to the anthology nature of this collection, we will feature a synopsis for each story followed by an overall synopsis of the entire issue. Spoilers are sure to be revealed.

Story #1: “Furious Hearts” Part 3 by writer Tini Howard and artist Nico Leon

Synopsis: The first story in Catwoman #50 takes place in Catwoman’s apartment at the mob hotel The Trixie, as she, Dario, Onyx, and Valmont meet to plan their assault on the Royal Flush Gang’s new base, but they are interrupted by Batman. He tells Selina that Punchline put Eiko in the hospital (in Punchline: The Gotham Game #2) but reminds her that the city needs her first.

Punchline and the Royal Flush King and Queen plan for Catwoman’s attack, as the Strays attack the Flush’s sentries as Catwoman and her team breach the perimeter – the gang almost gets the kids, but Dario tazes them with new gadgets, calling himself Tomcat. Catwoman fights Punchline and the Jack, while Onyx takes on the King and Queen. Valmont releases Amygdala, who bursts in just as Selina subdues Punchline, letting the new mob boss free to flee as Valmont kills Amygdala, causing Batman to try to apprehend the assassin. In the fight, Catwoman kills her current lover as he tries to kill Batman, and the Royal Flush Gang’s base burns down around them.

Story #2: “The Aftermath” by writer Tini Howard and artists Inaki Miranda and Juan Ferreyra

Synopsis: Following up immediately after the events of the first story in Catwoman #50, the next day, Commissioner Montoya announces the arrest of Selina Kyle for the murder of Valmont. Dario visits Eiko in the hospital, telling her of Selina’s arrest, and the two decide to team up to watch the alleys while the Cat is away.

Meanwhile, Bruce visits Selina in jail, and they talk passionately, Bruce saying he loves her and can forgive her, Selina mourning but not regretting. In jail later, she establishes her strength by beating those who wished to beat her, then prays in solitary confinement. Her cat sneaks in through a vent, and she curls up on her cot with the fuzzy animal, remembering Valmont.

Analysis: After nearly a year of issues with Black Mask as her Big Bad, Tini Howard abruptly shifts gears to put Punchline as the top threat to Catwoman and her allies. Perhaps the shift was planned, but the complete absence of any sense of Black Mask’s threat and the terrifying effects of Punchline’s violence and viciousness jar the reader, especially coming at the end of a three-part arc.

With the entrance of not just one but two female alpha villains (Punchline and the Royal Flush Gang’s Queen), Howard lays off some of the “all men are terrible” drum beating, but the lectures don’t stop, as Selina throws tired rhetoric at Punchline while they trade blows. The conflagration at the Royal Flush Gang’s base presents a lot of exciting action. The tension actually builds and releases in a nice structure, unlike a lot of Howard’s issues and arc structurings to this point – with the problem that the villains are part of Howard’s new title with her husband, Punchline: The Gotham Game – instead of being part of the ongoing storyline. Such a crossover makes commercial sense, but with such minimal setup, if one isn’t reading that miniseries, this arc feels quite disjointed – and I can’t imagine what the trade collection will feel like.

The major plot developments going forward after the events of Catwoman #50, obviously, are the death of Valmont (or is it? Like all tricky assassins associated with the Bat-Family, the theories about Selina and Valmont and possibly even Batman faking Valmont’s death to put Selina in jail as part of a larger plan are already running rampant on the internet), and Selina’s arrest (not as Catwoman). This sets up a very interesting dynamic, though since the last Punchline story just had “Harper Row infiltrates jail and faces Punchline,” it does feel a bit “already done recently.”

Perhaps the new setting and emotional textures will give Howard inspiration. She’s definitely taking advantage of the status quo to develop Eiko and Dario as the next Catwoman and Tomcat. Hopefully, they won’t be as ridiculously negligent as Howard’s Selina, who sends the Strays to fight actual Royal Flush Gang members hand to hand, requiring rescue from the new Tomcat, something Selina had no idea would happen, rendering her portrayal as consistently incompetent as Howard has been drawing her for the past year. However, I remain convinced this incompetence is unintentional on the writing front.

Nico Leon’s art for the first half of the issue is pretty consistent with what he’s produced over the last year. Veronica Gandini’s colors give his linework a strong boost, and either Howard’s script is pretty unclear, or Leon’s visualization ends up being lacking because the death of Valmont makes very little sense unless Selina did some pretty ridiculous damage with her fingernail claws. The design of the Royal Flush Gang members is really fun, though some of that is no doubt Gleb Melnikov’s work on the Punchline series – Leon renders them well, and their action sequences are pretty solid.

Jeff Dekal’s last main cover for Catwoman #50 before David Nakayama (who is incorrectly credited for the main cover) takes over the main covers is a bit spoilery – showing Catwoman snarling over her shoulder at the viewer, her hands in cuffs behind her across a bright pink background. Sozomaika’s cardstock variant B also functions as the 1:50 foil incentive variant, featuring Catwoman with a large diamond in her open mouth, a very sultry look on her face, with a generally black and white color scheme (though a slight peach tint across the white) – Selina’s costume definitely inspired by Michelle Pfieffer’s costume. Stjepan Sejic cardstock variant C, similar to Dekal’s main cover, is a bit spoilery, with an anxious-looking Catwoman picking the lock on her cuffs while she sits in the back of a police car. Nathan Szerdy’s holiday variant D shows a purple variant of Selina’s current Catwoman costume, as the Bat and the Cat look up to a mistletoe while snow swirls outside. Tula Lotay’s 1:25 incentive variant E shows a dramatic Selina with her cowl off looking up as fire blazes outside of the window, a cat peeking in at her curiously – probably the most eye-catching variant given the bright colors and strong contrast. David Marquez’s Spawn variant shows the demonic villain brandishing his glowing green hand, while Catwoman rests against his shoulder with a confident expression. Some additional Nathan Szerdy and Yunggeon Joon exclusive variants round out the offerings.

Editor’s Note: DC Comics provided TBU with a copy of this comic for review purposes. You can find this comic and help support TBU in the process by purchasing this issue digitally on Comixology through Amazon or a physical copy of the title through Things From Another World.