For me, considering that there is a wealth of Batman and Catwoman stuff out about now, especially with a certain film hitting the cinema and HBO (only for those in the USA), Lonely City was a surprise hit. Sure there are Year One and Dark Knight Returns overtures, but all in all, this Catwoman of a broken beyond has been an interesting take on an already very capable woman / protagonist / antagonist / lover.
Selina has her gang in place and a plan to recover the Orpheus from the Batcave. It can never hurt to have more help; step up Clayface and Jason Blood, and as you know, wherever there is the form of that particular man, there is the demon…. you know the rest. Thrown in an up snd coming election, a man trying to be the best version of himself and a candidate living in the shadow of their father. So there is a lot going on.
Cliff Chiang, mister “did everything bar stapling the book” continues his well-crafted story. This third act was always going to a tad more difficult than previous and future issues; the fun issues are always the setup and the conclusion, staying the course doesn’t always sound like fun. Chiang tries to keep things interesting by introducing new characters and elements into the heist. Is that enough to keep the interest level up? For me, pretty much. I also enjoyed the deconstruction of Harvey Dent; I am sure that this may seem like an obvious twist, though with Chiang taking his time it is more effective. There is a surprising twist in this issue from a relationship point of view.
The art still has a quirky feel to it that seems out of place in todays market. I may have mentioned that I love Chiang on Wonder Woman; this is an extension of that. The flashback scenes add weight to Selina’s situation, who knew that off orange colouring was the new black? Being the writer and artist allows for Chiang to develop the slower aspects of the story before bringing the focus back to the heist element. Chiang’s art works well for the quieter parts and packs a surprising wallop in a couple of places. Chiang’s colors are an off centre type of scheme that suits the mood, displaying the benefits of creating all aspects of the book, which includes a font that is well placed ensuring that it doesn’t affect the art for the pace of the story.
The publishing schedule may mean that we have to wait a while for each book, but all told, Catwoman Lonely City is well worth the wait.
Writing – 4 Stars
Art – 5 Stars
Colors – 5 Stars
Overall – 4.5 Stars
Written by; Cliff Chiang
Art by; Cliff Chiang
Colors by; Cliff Chiang
Letters by; Cliff Chiang
Published by; DC Comics / Black Label
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