Catwoman #86 – Torunn Gronbekk, Writer; Davide Gianfelice, Artist; Patricio Delpeche, Colorist
Ray – 9/10
Ray: Much like Nightwing, this is a continuing run, but one that has suddenly taken on a much darker tone. That’s because we’re returning to one of the darkest stories in DC history, and bringing back Selina’s arch-nemesis – Black Mask. The sadistic crimelord tortured Selina’s sister into insanity years ago, and Selina struck back hard. Now he’s back for revenge, and Selina’s return to Gotham has turned into a nightmare. She visits an old friend of hers, only to find him brutally murdered and herself framed for the crime. All of a sudden, she’s on the run with only a few people she could trust. She instantly seeks out Holly, her old friend and the one she was trying to help out with her most recent hype – but even from their brief text conversations, Holly is acting oddly. The meeting between them in Holly’s loft is when this issue takes the turn from unsettling to deeply disturbing.
That’s the tone that Black Mask brings to every story he’s in, so it’s not a surprise, but he’s not the only major player here with a grudge against Selina. There’s a second villain as well, one whose grudge is just as personal, and she’s out for blood as well. The first part of Gronbekk’s run mostly involved original characters and created a whole new mythology for Selina’s time abroad under different identities, but now she’s making up for lost time by bringing in a lot of players from Selina’s past books. I’m particularly happy to see the return of Slam Bradley, one of the most underrated DC characters (who most recently starred in a stand-alone Tom King book that was pretty fascinating). This book takes a distinct turn into pitch-black noir and promises to go even darker next issue, as Black Mask seems determined to track down everything Selina has left to lose and put it all on the table.
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GeekDad received this comic for review purposes
