Absolute Catwoman #1 – Scott Snyder/Che Grayson, Writers; Bengal, Artist; Giovanna Niro, Colorist
Ray – 9.5/10
Ray: We’re getting new Absolute books for the first time in a while, and so far, they’re just as excellent as the first two waves. This one is sort of a spinoff of Absolute Batman, as it’s showrun by Scott Snyder and up-and-coming writer Che Grayson, giving us our first look at the inner life of Batman’s most enigmatic ally. On the surface, this version of Selina Kyle seems to have a lot of common DNA with the iconic version. She’s a thief, she’s seductive, and she has no problem straddling the line between hero and criminal. But she’s also one of the richest, most tech-savvy heroes in the Absolute Universe, to the point that she’s getting ready to get out of the game at 25 with more money than she’ll ever need. That is, until a group of mysterious women wearing her old costume raid her apartment, blow it up, and send her on the run in a tense action segment that sets this miniseries off on an explosive note.
After a brutal escape segment that shows off Selina’s gear, we flash back to a segment where she reunites with her old friend – and one of the few people she’s still in contact with from her gang, the Calicos – Holly Robinson. I do feel like this comic, of all the Absolute books, hews the closest to Selina and Holly’s characterization. “What if Catwoman had Batman’s resources” is a fun hook for a comic, but it doesn’t quite tread new ground in the way the others do. That doesn’t mean it’s not unambiguously the best Catwoman comic in years, though, showing us an incredibly competent Selina at the top of her game – and what happens when she goes up against a force designed to dismantle her world piece by piece. I was already hooked from page one, but as soon as the last issue cliffhanger hits, this becomes every bit as exciting as the other Absolute books that preceded it.
To find reviews of all the DC issues, visit DC This Week.
GeekDad received this comic for review purposes
