REVIEW: ‘Catwoman: Lonely City,’ Issue #2

Catwoman: Lonely City #2 is written, illustrated, colored, and lettered by Cliff Chiang and published by DC Comics under their DC Black Label imprint. After the end of the first issue, Selina Kyle has resolved to break into the Batcave, and, to do so, she needs a crew. So she gathers Killer Croc, with the Ridler and his daughter joining soon after, and even Poison Ivy getting in on the fun. Meanwhile, the race to election day in Gotham continues, with current Mayor Harvey Dent and Councilwoman Barbara Gordon locked in fierce competition.

Continuing the trend of the first issue (and other entries in the “elderly superhero” genre, including Batman: Last Knight On Earth), the series flashes back to different points in time, including “Fool’s Night” and the first meeting between Batman and Catwoman. It also ties back to the present, where Barbara can tell that Selina is still suffering from Batman’s death. Considering that Catwoman’s 80th anniversary took place last year, this is an excellent way for Chiang to use that history to shape his story. Selina has been through a lot in 30 years, and that weight is displayed on nearly every page.

But the most intriguing element is Selina’s connection with the Riddler’s daughter Edie. In the same way that the Robins and Batgirls took after Batman, Edie idolizes Selina, even training to be a gymnast, and asks her for mentorship. Not only does this pay homage to the relationship Bruce Wayne had with Carrie Kelly in The Dark Knight Returns, but it also shows that Selina has the potential to form connections after losing the love of her life.

Chiang also has put a lot of thought into how Batman’s death and the fallout from Fool’s Night would affect other villains. The Riddler is trying to be a good father to Edie, working through alcoholism and his wife’s death. Poison Ivy, heartbroken over Harley Quinn’s death, traveled to Brazil and used her plant manipulation powers to make a difference in the world. The fact that Batman’s enemies can flourish in a world without Batman or the Joker is something I’d never thought possible, but it goes to show that in the right hands, there’s untapped potential for any character. On the flipside, Chiang also shows that old habits are hard to break as Harvey Dent slowly slips into his Two-Face persona, which can’t bode well for Selina and her crew.

Design-wise, you can tell that Chiang is having a blast imagining older versions of Batman’s villains. Croc is never seen without a cap and bowler shirt (which really fits him, if I’m being honest), and Ivy is curvier than the supermodel physique Batman fans are used to. Selina also gets a redesign for her Catwoman costume that feels more street-inspired, with a baggy sweatshirt, sneakers, and a mask resembling her costume in The New Batman Adventures. All of it is bolstered by a color palette that continues to have contrasting tones of pink and purple, with the odd yellow; Gotham in the sunlight is something I’ll never get used to.

Catwoman: Lonely City #2 sets up the heist of Selina Kyle’s life while also exploring how Gotham City has changed in the wake of Batman’s death. With one more issue to go, I’m looking forward to seeing how it all ends and hope Chiang tackles more solo projects in the future.

Catwoman: Lonely City #2 is available wherever comics are sold.