REVIEW: ‘Catwoman’ Issue 91

Catwoman Issue 91 is published by DC Comics. Written by Torunn Grønbekk, pencils by Danilo Beyrouth, inks by Joe Prado, colors by Patricio Delpeche, and letters by Steve Wands.

This is Part Three of Week Four of the Batman: Bad Seeds event. Catwoman steps out into a city being torn apart and poisoned.

Catwoman is drawn out into the chaos of the city, but with a very scattergun approach to what she’s trying to do. Catwoman begins the comic in one of the city’s most secure locations, alongside the notorious gangster Carmine Falcone. With the cops so fractured and corrupt, Selina ends up in one of the most powerful places to get information. People are desperate and going to Falcone for help, and that’s what sends Selina out into the streets.

There’s a scattergun approach to Catwoman Issue 91, with an almost video game aspect. Catwoman moves between homes, dealing with the madness on the streets and the damage inside the buildings. The pace matches Catwoman’s speed, following her as she tries to sprint across streets suffocating and spluttering.

Every street, house, and room tells its own story, and Grønbekk tells just enough to keep us interested. There are hints at tales of corruption, mob violence, and more, and that’s not everything. The whole city is devolving into a strange anarchy, leading to a combination of tragedy, fear, and occasional comedy.

The dialogue and the characters are fantastic in Catwoman Issue 91. The narration is novel, combining first- and third-person perspectives. An omniscient narrator introduces characters and their feelings. It sets the scene and provides everything we need to know heading into the moment. Then Selina has her own narration. Unlike Falcone’s cold-hearted manipulation, Selina actually cares.

The first port of call is Holly, who has taken in victims of her own. Catwoman tries to check in with as many as she can, but things are only getting worse. In this chapter, some are plain evil, some are seeking to profit from the misfortune of others, and some are innocents who made mistakes. Each interaction feels unique and full of both emotion and character.

The art in Catwoman Issue 91 is pivotal for crafting the sickly city. The streets are coated with vines, but it’s the spores that are having an effect. Outside, people are slumped against walls, and inside, they aren’t much better. The injuries some of Holly’s friends have sustained look sore, leaving them limp and out of it. People look desperate and frightened.

Then there is Catwoman, who is trying to maintain her composure. With a full mask on, Selina looks sleek, and the design is fantastic. By the end of the issue, the story shifts into a fight scene. The artists create a superb showcase of Catwoman’s abilities while also highlighting the dangers of their surroundings, as the vines pose trip hazards.

The colors in Catwoman Issue 91 also help develop a city that is cut off and suffering. The sky and background are almost always a thick, solid purple, creating an unnatural, oppressive haze. Inside Holly’s apartment, the only source of warmth casts an orange light over the characters’ skin, but it’s not enough to hold off the poison. The lettering is very clear and easy to read.

Catwoman Issue 91 is a rapid-fire recon of a dying city. In the other chapters of Bad Seeds, having a precise location in mind is important, but this approach is outstanding as well. Because it’s exactly what Catwoman stands for. She steps out of the upper class to help those in the streets, because that’s where she came from. And each person she visits is more than just a panel. Everyone is being poisoned, and their struggling voices are crying out through this comic. And the plants’ effects are only getting worse.

Catwoman Issue 91 is available now wherever comics are sold.