4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Life isn't fair, Selina., September 22, 2009
I've never read any Catwoman comics before, but "Catwoman Dies" was readily available at the local library so I picked it up, and I have to say I'm very happy I did. The first issue or so of this collected edition seems like I came into the series somewhere in the middle -- which I did -- but writer Will Pfeiffer does an excellent job of drawing in the reader regardless of not knowing any backstory. You can pick up this edition and enjoy it from the get-go. By the time I closed the book, I was actually sad for Catwoman and now I want to know more. If I have the opportunity to pick up more issues, I most certainly will.
Some cool positives:
*Catwoman's on hiatus in the beginning, so a friend of hers named Holly is filling the "role." Holly finds she's in way over her head. Luckily, Selina Kyle (the original Catwoman) shows up soon enough to resume her leathers and cat'o'nine tail (translation: whip), pulling Holly's butt out of the proverbial fire.
*We're talking downright vicious villains, Blitzkrieg, an Amazon splinter group called The Bana, and especially killers-for-hire Hammer and Sickle. Talk about mean. None of these villains have any of what us regular folks call "redeeming qualities."
*Catwoman's a mommy. The main thrust of this graphic novel is how Selina is adjusting to life as a mother, and when her identity is compromised, the baddies make it personal by coming after the only family she has, forcing Selina to get personal-er. Some great cinematic stuff here by artists David and Alvaro Lopez.
*Batman. Yes, of course, ol' Bats makes a couple appearances. But Pfeiffer does a good job of maintaining that this is Catwoman's title, not Batman's...although I did notice Selina leans on Bruce (and Alfred) quite a bit (Alfred basically ends up as a babysitter through quite a bit of the novel). Gotta say, there's an amazing gentleness about seeing the Caped Crusader cuddling a cooing six-month-old baby. Pfeiffer includes an excellent scene to note: Selina is looking on as a smiling Bruce/Batman has his cowl pulled back and is holding her baby. It's 3 am as he stands in Selina's barren apartment, comforting her child, who's little hand is touching his chin. Selina narrates:
"See, here's the thing people don't get about Bruce. They think he's all about beating up badguys or striking terror into the hearts of the underworld. But that's not it. That's not it at all.
"When you get right down to it, when you take away the cape and the cowl and the capital 'T" in 'The Batman'...He's all about protecting the innocent."
*Ultimately, "Catwoman Dies" is a story of sacrifice, and also Selina will stop at absolutely NOTHING to protect her baby girl. Let's just say it's a good thing the baby is too young to remember some of the stuff that went on around her while she was ga-ga-ing in her crib.
Highly recommended! A MUCH better read than Frank Miller's "All-Star Batman & Robin," which is absolute trash.
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3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Not too impressive..., May 3, 2008
I usually don't read too many DC comics, but I remember the excitement when Catwoman was revamped and now, some years later, have decided to take a look. I've loved waht Adam Hughes has done with the covers, but, at least in this volume, I'm less impressed with the storytelling. This volume, Catwoman Dies, finds new mother Selina Kyle struggling to balance the life of a roof-hopping antihero with that of a full-time mom. However, as new foes adn old keep coming out of the woodwork, Selina continually finds that the balance shifts unfavorably. Will she have to make a decision between anti-(super)heroics and motherhood? The answer may surprise you.
Overall, I'd say this is fairly mediocre as far as comics go. The art is passable (a little on the cartoony side, but fine); however, I'm unconvinced by the storyline. The entire Catwoman-as-mother angle simply rings hollow; it may have worked better if done with another superheroine.
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3 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
It's time to say goodbye, May 18, 2008
In my review of the previous Catwoman trade I stated that, due to weak sales, the inclusion of plot elements like a replacement Catwoman and motherhood may not have been the best direction for the character to take. Judging by the conclusion of this trade, DC may be in agreement. Despite the fact she has had two lengthy runs, Catwoman will always be a difficult character to feature in her own series. She is not a true superhero, and any comic with a villain as its protagonist has inherent problems also. This particular trade illustrates many of her limitations when she is portrayed as a hero. In her defense, she was not immensely aided by the poor storylines involving such lame villains as Hammer and Sickle, or the ridiculously bad crossover with Amazons Attack. Only the last two issues, involving the emotional resolution of the dilemma with her daughter, salvaged this book from total mediocrity. Pfeiffer himself practically admits to the overall misfiring of his tenure by his attempt at the very end to basically retcon much of what had transpired during it. It was recently announced that this comic will be cancelled within a few months, which was quite disappointing news at the time, but not as much now. DC needs to figure out the best way to use this great character, and another ongoing may not be the best fit for her. She will always be a major player in the DCU, and will be involved in the upcoming Hush story in Detective and probably other projects as well. Time will tell.
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