REVIEW: ‘Catwoman’ Issue #57

Catwoman #57 is published by DC Comics, written by Tini Howard, art by Nico Leon, colors by Veronica Gandini and letters by Lucas Gattoni. This is part three of The Gotham War. Vandal Savage enters the picture, taking Wayne Manor from Bruce, Catwoman and her group stage a heist with the help of Red Hood.

This war has always had as lot of sides and opinions within it, but this part adds even more to it. The crux of the comic centres around the ballet, with numerous fancy cars out front for the taking. The plan seems simple, but there are so many outside factors that seek to disrupt it. Batman is angry and falling apart, making him entirely unpredictable. The moves he’s making are drastic and brutal, perhaps even reckless. The introduction of Vandal Savage has suddenly made the war more dangerous. At least the Bat Family cares for each other, Savage doesn’t. The structure and the pacing of the book are perfect, with so many separate threads stemming from a central location. It creates a sense of inevitability that something will go wrong, though Howard ensures that it’s extremely difficult to predict how. The fight strikes a rapid pace, charged with fragile emotions. The last part of Catwoman #57 features a shocking twist that could derail everyone’s mission even further. There are just so many players in this war circling and sporadically getting involved, stunting anyone from gaining power.

The relationships and the dialogue in this issue may be the best of the crossover so far. It’s rare for all of those included in a story like this to know each other so well, especially with such fondness and care for one another. Catwoman and Jason have aligned for this job, and from them laying out the plan you can see how they work together. But then include Batman into that mix, who knows both Selina and Jason even more. The heist is set outside of a ballet show, and so it becomes a motif that is used to remind the family of their history. It leads to some incredibly profound dialogue revolving around the intricacies of ballet.

The beginning of the issue shows further instances of Batman’s famous stoicism and resolve collapsing completely, with his family home now in the possession of a megalomaniac. Some of the actions he takes during the heist show more recklessness than usual, surprising other members of the family. Other figures are starting to get involved in the situation, ones with bigger and darker agendas than what Batman or Catwoman’s sides are hoping for. All of the Bat Family are inherently good, wanting justice, and their reaction whenever anyone joins the conflict is fascinating.

The art is terrific as each artist interprets the various members of the Bat Family differently while maintaining consistency in the styles. It is refreshing to see many of them in various disguises for this issue, with some lovely costumes crafted for Red Hood, Catwoman and other members of the crew. Selina’s mask and jewellery are particularly stunning. Within the ballet, the presentation and display are stunning even if it is only shown briefly. When the action erupts, it happens on the move, and the movement and peril are superbly illustrated, identifying just how careless some of those involved are getting. Batman’s collapse is captured through excellent body language and facial expressions. It is somewhat poignant that ballet becomes a motif and constant point of conversation in this issue, as Selina and many of those involved in this issue move in a way that seems evocative of the art form.

The colors are interesting, with a large variety of tones and shades used throughout the issue. The background colors change scene by scene. Red and blue are used in conjunction with each other, simulating the lights of the city. But when Batman and Red Hood meet, the red becomes much more prominent. The extravagance of the jewellery is gorgeous and the mask and necklace arrangement that Catwoman has makes her the standout figure in the room. The lettering is dynamic whilst remaining easy to read

Catwoman #57 is the best issue of the crossover so far. It’s a character-driven issue that revolves around a fascinating setting. It avoids the motivation of why this conflict started, focusing instead on the tragedy of it happening in the first place. And whilst the setting is intimate, the expansive nature of the story is displayed brilliantly. There’s a broken family at the centre of the plot, one that knows every intricacy of each other. But then there are the interlopers that seek to exploit the situation for their own gain. And all of this is presented by utterly phenomenal art.

Catwoman #57 is available where comics are sold.