Review: Catwoman #3

"Copycats" – Part 3

Writer: Joëlle Jones

Artists: Joëlle Jones, Fernando Blanco, Laura Allred & John Kalisz

Review by Adam Ray

We left last issue with Selina at the kind of soiree she’d normally be comfortable in. It seems more like she’s in a nest of vipers. Creel the younger is kind enough to give us the shocking reason why the actresses in Catwoman cosplay abound. After hearing a cruel ultimatum, Selina has to wonder what’s keeping her here. There’s also a satisfying moment in the issue, that I don’t think I’ve ever seen before. Trying to get a quick getaway, it’s embarrassing for smoke bombs not to go off. Selina must have learned it from her ex-fiance, a master of the craft. Any time a trope or convention is thrown over its shoulder and forgotten is a satisfying surprise for me.

Jones has been able to masterfully make this Copycats storyline about two powerful and very different women. We see the turbulent rise to power of Mrs Creel in a flashback. The difference in art styles between Jones and Fernando Blanco really show the then-and-now differences. The softer, blended colors of Kalisz really make her past seem hazier and more calm than the muted but contrasting colors Allred has applied to the Copycats storyline so far.

Silent moments in a comic book are as big a storytelling test as they are for silent moments in film or TV. The characters moving through the situation needs to be able to convey a lot. The last few pages of this issue really shows off Jones’ ability to quietly tell us a story. Seeing Catwoman leap from roof to roof, cringing at her injuries keeps pace and show the skill level of the character.

Conclusion

Catwoman’s reasons for being in town are a sudden but shocking surprise. As we continue, I’m starting to wonder if Mrs Creel has any measurable, sinister plan other than corrupting people and politics. What I’m interested most in seeing is how Selina herself will respond to the changing world she’s in.

Images Courtesy of DC Entertainment

(This review was originally published on the Dark Knight News website on September 13th 2018)