“Copycats” – Part One
Writer: Joëlle Jones
Artists: Joëlle Jones, Laura Allred
Letterer: Josh Reed
Review by Adam Ray
Batman #50 left readers startled (thanks for nothing, New York Times). Enter Selina Kyle’s solo jaunt, to somewhere south of the border. She’s living off Mahjong gambling and is the subject of a copycat as we find her in Catwoman #1, miles away from the roof of Kane Plaza.
Catwoman’s motivations for leaving are sad but justified. Batman is the dark protector of Gotham City. Being in love means having another person to care for and another thing to possibly pull his focus away from being the protector that the people need.
Copycat Killer
Kyle is taking a good deal of time to herself. As a reader, I like how you can’t quite tell how long it has actually been since Batman #50 and now. We can give ourselves distance in our minds to get over the surprise twist (again… thanks for nothing, New York Times). This means the world is our oyster with all the storylines that Ms. Jones can possibly give us.
In the strongly male-dominated industry that is comics, having women as the main creators on Catwoman #1 is both deeply refreshing, and supremely satisfying.
Jones’ deceptively detailed pencils are lifted by the simple colors which match the story around it perfectly. These artists have given us the same character we’ve always known and loved but wrapped her up in a perfect package which makes me excited and leaves me curious to learn more.
Conclusion
The next step in the story could lead us anywhere, and that’s the kind of excitement a new team on a new title should leave us with. This was a strong start to what promises to be an exciting new series.
Images Courtesy Of DC Entertainment
