REVIEW: ‘Catwoman,’ Issue #32

Catwoman #32 is published by DC Comics, written by Ram V, with art by Evan Cagle, colors by Jordie Bellaire, and letters by Tom Napolitano. Having rescued Poison Ivy last issue, Selina Kyle has made herself scarce in Alleytown for the moment. But it seems people are done waiting for Selina to make her next move. Alleytown has come under siege, and everyone is making the same demand: tell me everything you know about Selina Kyle.

It is commonly said that those who are the best at their skill set don’t need to brag. They don’t flaunt their abilities or waste their time trying to impress others with their successes. Their reputation speaks for itself, as will everyone else. And no amount of personal bravado or bold proclamation can compare to when everyone around you says the same things with complete confidence that you are just as great as they think you are. It is this style of character building that Catwoman #32 commits its story to.

With the situation in Alleytown getting the attention of the local authorities, Mayor Nakano doubles down on the police presence, sending in a newly mandated private security force to supplement local law enforcement. They waste no time trying to apply pressure on the locales. Their first target is anyone they can identify as part of The Strays. Elsewhere, others seeking information about Selina have sought out those close to her who may be able to give some insight about the Queen of Alleytown.

What this multi-pronged search for information concerning Selina leads to is basically Catwoman #32 becoming a sort of anthology book. Ram V delivers a trilogy of stories from those who know Selina, as they try to impress upon her pursuers just how out of their depth they are compared to Selina. The stories told here focus on Selina’s determination, resourcefulness, and foresight. Ram V continues to build Selina as the cool, confident cat we’ve always known her to be.

The art in this issue switch’s things up as we see the linework being delivered by Cagle instead of longtime series artist Blanco. Cagle does an excellent job continuing to deliver the classic action movie vibes the series has been bringing during the current run. Despite the drastically different locales and time periods that the feature stories take place in, Cagle’s art captures each with skill and precision.

Augmenting these excellent lines is Bellaire’s superb colorwork. Every scene is awash in its own unique and vibrant colors, allowing every moment of this book to stand out as the reader flips from page to page. This fantastic inter-scene contrast isn’t the only way Bellaire makes the colors pop in this book. Within each scene, characters are allowed to stand out wonderfully within the panel thanks to the masterful colorwork implemented in this book.

Rounding out this book’s presentation is Napolitano’s letters. The letterer’s work here brings the book’s trio of stories to the reader in a clear and easy-to-follow manner.

When all is said and done, Catwoman #32 delivers another well-paced tale that builds out its lead while also ratcheting up the intensity of the ongoing situation.

Catwoman #32 is available now wherever comics are sold.