Customer Reviews

Catwoman (Book 1): The Dark End of the Street

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

How well do we really know Catwoman? Well, whatever your perception of her, Selina Kyle is redefined here in this wonderful collection of originally-presented-in-magazine-form tales of Catwoman. If you're not all that familiar with her (forget what you've seen in the movies, TV, and cartoons) this is a good starting point, and for longtime fans as well. Unabashedly told in the familiar Film Noir style, we see Selina Kyle forced to reexamine herself and her life, and a neat plot twist that coincides with her eventual evolution into a reluctant Robin Hood type hero. She's all too likeable from the start. Ed Brubaker's writing is great, all the while keeping a tone of suspense with occasional light-heartedness thrown in. And Darwyn Cooke's clean and bold art style complements perfectly Brubaker's story telling. All in all, this collection is a good stand-alone book for everyone and a must for Catwoman fans. (Oh, and check out "Selina's Big Score", written and illustrated by Darwyn Cooke for a really cool "prequel" to "The Dark End Of The Street".)

This book picks up after the previous trade paperback book, "Selina's Big Score," (which is also well worth buying). Compared to that prior book, "The Dark End of the Street" is printed on cheaper, more pulpy paper, but it is less expensive and has 25% more pages than the glossy-papered "Selina's Big Score."

Where "Dark End" really beats "Big Score" is all in the cool, new Catwoman costume, which debuted here in these stories in "Dark End of the Street." This costume is probably the coolest looking costume that Catwoman has ever worn. It looks very practical and utilitarian for a cat burglar and social vigilante, that is the new and improved Selina (Catwoman) Kyle.

This book retains and continues the retro, private eye feel of "Selina's Big Score," and then this book improves upon that foundation by having lots of exhilarating costumed Catwoman action! She comes alive in her element of a rough & tumble, dog-eat-dog underworld! She swings around the rough parts of Gotham City like that is where she feels most at home in her life. She solves crimes like a rookie detective who has the skills of a master, crime fighting hero.

This book starts with a few short stories of private dick, Slam Bradley, trying to figure out the mystery of the missing Catwoman; which leads into the retelling of the first 4 issues of the new, monthly Catwoman comic book series, in which Catwoman hunts down a serial killer.

The final face-off with the killer is the only weak part of the book, it being amusing, but it does not live up to the previous 100 pages of gritty intrigue (it kind of gets less realistic at the very end of this book). But don't let that discourage you from getting this book. The trip is more fun than the final destination, but it's a really fun trip!

"The Dark End of the Street" is well worth buying! If you have any interest at all in the Catwoman comic book series, you will love this book.

I don't know how anyone can think that Brubaker's depiction of Catwoman is misogynist unless they don't actually know what the word means. This is the Catwoman who is a strong-willed woman finding her own place in Gotham, who fights the good fight and has real conflict within herself. This is one of the best comics on the stands these days and Brubaker is one of the best writers working in comics. And the art in this collection, by the talented Darwyn Cooke is to die for.

I LOVE Catwoman, and have for a long time. But I was more than a little apprehensive about the series being done in Noir style, which included Noir-ish art. So apprehensive that I've avoided reading it for almost a decade. And let me tell you folks, it was MY loss. Catwoman has been in some AMAZING stories lately, most notably in Gotham City Sirens, which is unbelievably good. (Gotham City Sirens Vol. 1: Union HC) That eventually led to my decision to finally give these a try, and all I can say is that I'm ashamed I waited so long. Why I didn't think Brubaker could deliver ANYTHING and make it good is beyond me. The art is different, minimalistic even, but after awhile, you realize it isn't bad, just different. And VERY fitting to the Noir-ish vibe of the entire book. At the core is a good mystery, not to mention the journey of self discovery that leads Catwoman to the gray area heroine she is known for being in modern continuity. Here's to hoping that it's not completely turned on it's head with this new post Flashpoint shake up of the DCU. LOL Anyhow, if you've had doubts about this, or if you're just a fan of Catwoman in general, don't hesitate, because it's a truly spectacular book. I don't think you'll be disappointed.

Thanks so much for your time folks.
Sincerely, R.A. McDowell

Finally, someone is taking Catwoman seriously again. The oftentimes embarassing art on volume I of CATWOMAN didn't save the book. (Hey, Chaos! comics went out of business, proving huge boobs don't sell books!) With Ed Brubaker's brilliant revamp of the character, we get Selina where she always should be: In Gotham City, occasionally tangling with Batman but not making it an obsession. Her supporting cast of Slam and Holly are great, and the art was wonderful. It reminded me of the 1940s and it was quite clean and well done.

This comicbook is a great read... I've been an on-again, off-again comicbook reader since about 1970, and recently fell into the graphic novel habit... A friend who's a diligent DC fan recommended this series to me, and I gotta say, he was totally right.

The first volume of this revamped Catwoman series is quite impressive -- the partnership of writer Ed Brubaker and artist Darwyn Cooke ripples with energy and inspiration, evoking the perfect moody noir atmosphere... Great to see a 1930s B-list star like Slam Bradley back in action as well...! All in all, a really fun series... Recommended!

Ed Brubaker and Darwyn Cooke come together and produce a near perfect reinvention of Selina Kyle and Catwoman. This is such a departure of the Jim Balent stuff of years past. Brubaker creates a world and Selina's role in it perfectly. Darwyn Cooke's art is so beautiful and suited for this atmosphere. The opening pages of this (from Detective Comics back-up stories) featruing Slam Bradley aren't great but bring the reader up to speed. The main issue here, to me, is the villain's striking resemblence to another Bat-villain. A little to close for me. Overall, a very good book!

I liked the story a lot although I'm a bit tired of comic books using a journalist or detective to introduce a reboot. They bring back catwoman from insanity to sanity she isn't really chaotic neutral anymore, and is just neutral good, but maybe that will change in the later editions. I really like the new costume and it makes sense to me more than her older costumes. Vinyl ad leather just aren't good materials I'm glad they switched to neoprene (not that it matters to most people it does to me a little though). Anyway as far as graphically goes it's a little lacking, a lot of the characters are bulky and not shaped well at all but usually the first issue of anything has poor graphics. Overall it's good and was worth the money in my opinion, I look forward to reading the rest.

This is a change in style for Catwoman, for both the character and the comic. Gone is Balent's purple suited bodacious buxom action babe, and in is the blacker, darker gritty underworld in the shadows kind of woman.

A change in color scheme and costume to go along with this, of course, and to offer a bit more protection.

I find comics to be a visual art form and so, while good writing is obviously important, if the pictures aren't appealing, IMO there's little point to a comic book. That being said, while there have been many various incarnations of Catwoman over the years, I really like Darwyn Cooke's version, and bought this graphic novel to see more of his work. It's a decent enough read, but really, nothing they've done recently measures up to Selina's Big Score.