The Great Gotham Escape: Reviewing ‘Catwoman’ #54

When a cat decides they are done with something, then they are done. Catwoman has decided she is done with prison. That means it’s time for a good old-fashioned prison break! Unfortunately, two familiar foes have plans of their own that might just interfere with that prison break and everything else Selina Kyle has in the works.

I continue to marvel at how much Tini Howard can pack into any given issue yet still make it feel like a super breezy easy read. There is a ton happening here and that’s fitting since this issue is in many ways a big montage rapid-fire style scene moving the character from one act to the next. We did the prison stint with Selina doing personal penance for killing Valmont, but now she needs to be on the outside and has the plan to make that happen. So, there is bits with her and the Queen of Hearts, a bunch of planning sessions, the plan in motion, Punchline throwing a wrench in the plan, a prison yard fight, an escape, the return of Selina’s Catwoman on the outside, oh and plenty of focus still on Eiko’s Catwoman and Tomcat.

Queen of Hearts being in prison because she (and her employer Punchline) can tell that Eiko’s Catwoman is clearly “not the real Catwoman” is a good beat. We always get that bit with Joker or such where they fight their usual foe but realize that whoever is wearing the mask isn’t the usual person, so spreading that out to others is always good. Villains generally, outside of henchmen and some lower villains, are observant in many ways so it feels natural that they would notice changes in their foe. Also, I really was wondering if Punchline’s part in this series really was just blink and you miss it level, so it was good to see that wrap back around with some plans to further it (and Selina’s move to avoid killing was some juicy stuff).

Howard has done stellar work to really build up not just a still-growing supporting cast for Selina but a big field of foes for her as well. This isn’t just Catwoman playing in Batman’s backyard, which is an easy thing to do with any of the characters in the Bat’s orbit. This is her place and her foes and her mission. A mission that now includes those she’s rescued from prison, as well as making further connections to help topple he gangsters bringing harm to Gotham and its people.

One final note. It also would have been easy to have Selina “get over” the Valmont choice as her motivation to get out of prison. Instead, her reasons are far beyond that and the specter of that choice is still haunting her and will continue to do so. It’s not easy to get over trauma and Howard is making sure it is addressed and explored.

This is a story that moves at a pretty rapid pace bouncing us around, and the kinetic slick smooth artwork that Nico Leon brings paired with the similar energy colors of Veronica Gandini as usual works perfectly. All of the fight scenes are solid and move as they should while all the emotional moments click because the facial expressions/body language are entirely clear at every turn. That is all solid stuff that moves the book along but what I really love about Leon’s work is the way that things are set up on the page which really enhances the tone of every moment.

From layout choices that frame things in a variety of ways, with close-ups and wide shots mixed in with other focuses, to some very interesting choices for how to present a scene, it all does a lot of work to create the right atmosphere. For example, when Catwoman/Eiko and Tomcat are taking down the Royal Flush Gang drug runners, having all the action taking place with characters in shadows (because it’s a poorly lit warehouse) adds a whole new dimension to a fight scene making it stand out even more.

A lot of shadows and darkness show up as Gandini mixes them in alongside colors that are vivid in the right spot but far more natural/toned down in other spaces. These are darker stories in tone, so the colors need to match that and make it felt and Gandini accomplishes that. Yet, it’s also a superhero-adjacent story so we need the bright flashes of color that pop up because these are costumed characters with big wild powers, personalities, and presences that need to stand out from all things that are considered normal. It feeds into that slick/smooth quality I mentioned above while also helping create a weight & depth that makes the entire world feel even more tangible and fleshed out.

For every bit of action in the issue there are also plenty of discussions to be had as characters lay out their plans, throw out some trash talk, and move things forward. Capturing all the emotions and tone in those words is Lucas Gattoni who does it so well. All the various bits of lettering, namely the dialogue, flow around the page in a logical and clear way that helps keep us from being overwhelmed when reading it while also in a way helping guide us through the pages as our eyes move from dialogue to imagery and back again. Continue to always love the bits of flair added into lettering like colorful font, size changes to indicate volume/tone, dropping in character logos when their names are shouted, colorful bubbles, and all the rest of that fun comic book-style stuff that really livens up the moment.

Comic books are fun, and this is a series that remembers that in the way that it is set up and what everyone is trying to accomplish.

Catwoman #54 is now available from DC Comics.