Review: Batman Catwoman #12 (of 12)

Ring the bells, let the choir sing; the long drawn out adventure of Batman Catwoman is over, late but it is finally over! So, what do we have to show for it? Absolutely nothing at all! No great shakes, no great revelations, just a rehash of that which went before in some sort of pseudo homage of Tom King’s “greatest” hits from his Bat marriage storyline and a couple of annuals.

It’s Christmas time and before you can say mistletoe and wine, there is the normal family fall out as Selina’s and Helena’s world views continue to clash. Along the way we get the usual time jumps; there is the future the present and the not long after the present but not eh far future to deal with. Throw in some super guest stars and that pretty wraps up this Black Label maxi-series.

For me, Tom King is a polarising writer. As longwinded and windy with no point as this is, his Supergirl Woman of the Tomorrow was a huge hit, even it did contain some of the usual “Tom-ticks” from his other work. Back with Bat and Cat, it is quite as simple. It seems that there have been plays and plays within plays used to drag (bore?) the reader along the way. For the most part, the dialogue shows as much of the homage as the plot devices, though I have to ask, as a Black Label book why is there so much covered expletives? I thought the Black Label meant mature, which would allow elements of this. I guess I was wrong. Do I really need to read that Selina doesn’t want to drink milk or be domesticated! What is this; a comic book version of Robert Thicke’s Blurred Lines? Even the aforementioned argument between Selina and Helena is old hat. Am I being too harsh? After 12 meandering issues that go nowhere, I don’t think I am.

Clay Mann, often the saviour of this book, and Heroes in Crisis at times, may have lost some goodwill following his three issue sabbatical, which caused a change in tone and emphasised the circular nature of the story. Mann’s elegant clean lines are in full force, though I have to say the pin-up over storytelling style, which can still pack a wallop does lose something along the way; I didn’t even recognise the redhead at the end of the book; thank god her name was used! Mann’s style has had an impact; check out David Marquez on Batman Killing Time as an example. Mann also provides the clever cover of the book, with a wraparound history of Batman Catwoman. As always, Tomeu Morey provides the colors with a scheme that is a little brighter than I expected, given it is the deep dark winter in Gotham. Clayton Cowles letters have an elegance to them that matches the classic ‘dame’ look that Mann utilises.

This run has left me frustrated for quite some time. Part of the problem is the lack of progress over the longer run, extended by late books; the lack of Batman; should the book have been called Joker Catwoman and finally, the fact that I bought into the idea in the first place and still have this issue to pick up from my local comic book shop. King may well work best on books that sit under the title, such as Rorschach or Supergirl. As a Batman fan, I want more than 12 issues that feel like it is in a continual holding pattern.

Writing – 2 Stars

Art – 3.5 Stars

Colors – 3.5

Overall – 3 Stars

Written by; Tom King
Art by; Clay Mann
Colors by; Tomeu Morey
Letters by’ Clayton Cowles
Published by; DC Comics / Black Label

Author Profile

Johnny "The Machine" Hughes

I am a long time comic book fan, being first introduced to Batman in the mid to late 70's. This led to a appreciation of classic artists like Neal Adams and Jim Aparo. Moving through the decades that followed, I have a working knowledge of a huge raft of characters with a fondness for old school characters like JSA and The Shadow

Currently reading a slew of Bat Books, enjoying a mini Marvel revival, and the host of The Definative Crusade and Outside the Panels whilst also appearing on No-Prize Podcast on the Undercover Capes Podcast Network