Review: Catwoman #9

“The Two-Step Cha Cha”

Writer: Ram V
Artist: John Timms
Letterer: Josh Reed

Review by Adam Ray

After a great two part story from Joëlle Jones, this issue is bit of a departure. Not bad, but different. The greatest thief in DC Comics isn’t opposed to a good heist, it’s how she lives. Writer Ram V presents Selina pulling the wool over our eyes – as well as over the eyes of many characters in the story. After an issue like this, she’d be welcome in a gang with Sandra Bullock.

One thing I missed in this issue is Joëlle Jones’ unique art. The pulp-style and deceptively simple way her issues focused on movement and emotion just made Catwoman, as a title, look completely different to everything else on the shelves.

This isn't to say that Timms hasn't done a great job in this chapter, though. Seeing his style; so glossy, clear and sharp, is very welcome. It make the issue feel "Hollywood" giving the story the heist movie feel that "Cha Cha" deserves.

Conclusion

A lot of brave things have happened. It’s risky to jump between creative team, but it’s even more bold to change teams after a change in story direction. I said in my review for the previous issue that they needed to stick the landing, and this creative team has done that in spades here. Sure, I can see the threads of an ongoing story in the characters and setup here, but I can also see elements from the past issue moving forward. I can imagine some combination of both with unforeseen consequences. The title is as free now as it’s ever been, making it an exciting read.

Images Courtesy Of DC Entertainment

(This review was originally published on the Dark Knight News website on March 13th 2019)