Review: CATWOMAN #17

Review: CATWOMAN #17

[Editor’s Note: This review may contain spoilers]

Writer:  Joëlle Jones

Artists:  Joëlle Jones

Colors:  Laura Allred

Letters:  Saida Temofonte

Reviewed by: Carl Bryan

Summary

Selina Kyle reconnects with her criminal roots, but to be Gotham City’s top thief again, she has to take out the boss. Using the gift given to her by Lex Luthor, she finally has the key to everything Raina Creel wants-and Catwoman is going to get it first. Which all sounds dandy in theory, but Creel has come too far and put up with too much humiliation from Catwoman to let her win again. It’s a Year of the Villain showdown, but who here is the baddest baddie?

Positives

Given all the recent events in Year of the Villain, Selina really has ping ponged back and forth between the pages of Batman to her own book, but we never got closure from Lex’s prior visit.  This issue appears to bring that closure to Lex’s offer as well as Raina Creel’s eventual fate.

I am baffled as to how anyone gets a map to a Lazarus Pit (Creel must weld more power than I gave her credit for), but Joëlle Jones is to be commended in placing elements of a good Batman story peppered into Catwoman’s story line.

I also applaud her retrospective costume looks, as Selina ponders why she could even give a crap about Gotham anymore (we know what tugs her there). The costume revisits are brilliant, from grey to green to black to purple.  Selina always knew how to dress.

Speaking of dressing, the two covers for this issue sum it up…choices.  Is she a hero or a villain?  Mirror, mirror on the wall, give us a clue…that is all!

Her motorcycle ride is fraught with memories and it appears that we are on our way to dealing with Raina Creel on the edges of a Lazarus Pit!

Jone’s artwork really sets a “flash forward???” to where we may see an alternate reality or Selina’s death?  The reader has a lot of lines to cross here as Zatanna enters into the picture.  And when  there’s magic, there’s a lot more to what is going on that just raising people from the dead.  Great job Ms. Jones in putting two awesome brunettes together.  Here’s hoping Wonder Woman and the rest of the JLA Dark enter the picture!

Negatives

Nothing major to report in this issue.  I enjoyed the time jump at the end as the battle heats up and the surprise appearance of Zatanna.  Apparently, with Gotham City Monsters and JLA Dark, the world of magic seems to be rearing its head in all facets of DC lately.  Dark Metal brings out the best, or worst, in some of the characters and we, the readers, are the benefactors!

Verdict

If nothing else, you need to make sure if you are a collector to sew your timelines together.  Jones has turned a corner from the past issues as the new writer and illustrator.  She has breathed new life into this comic and it should definitely be a part of your collection!