http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/forums/showthread.php?t=40202
CATWOMAN #59 REVIEW
Reviewer: Stephanie Kay, children_of_paradise@hotmail.co.uk
Story Title: It’s Only A Movie, Pt 1.
The father of Selina’s baby is revealed! Maybe.
Writer: Will Pfeifer
Artist: David Lopez
Inker: Alvaro Lopez
Colorist: J. Cox
Letterer: Jared K. Fletcher
Cover: Adam Hughes
Associate Editor: Nachie Castro
Editor: Matt Idelson
Published by: DC Comics
It’s been a long time since we had a paternity subplot within mainstream comics, so I (who enjoy a good soap opera as much as the next comic punter) have caught onto the train(wreck) of all good angst/lust/suggestions. This story development of Catwoman has become nearer to a proverbial ‘Who shot JR?’ of sperm scandals. Well, if issue #59 does indeed provide the information for whom the dude is then… bleh?
Perhaps the divisions that have developed from this issue and last’s ‘revelations’ were to be expected and somewhat understood in terms of lingering dissatisfaction, and uninhibited pacing quirks the last half year of Catwoman .
On this reading, it seems obvious that Pfeifer is keen on stretching out explanatory detail over an entire arc (solicits now promise issue #62 will reveal all about Selina’s missing year – just so you know - and with that I can hear the wave of frustration growing). So yes, simply put this issue feels less like ‘part 1’ of those desired ‘answers’ but instead a slight reiteration of previously known areas of discussion: it does not actually provide that much tangible information about OYL (Black Mask’s murder, the GCPD, the Pact etc.) Admittedly it may ruffle a few feathers toward the end and that is less out of ‘controversy’ (I’ll eschew from the subject of Selina’s 'like father like son' morals) but simply what may be a predictable attempt at keeping the status quo on the grand-scale of things. Flashbacks - keeping in the suitable conventions of Film Freak’s film-noir style - occur only on the now infamous Selina Kyle pregnancy mystery. Now taking these scenes at complete face-value (and without the [who-knows] red herring), this perhaps does not show Selina in the most flattering of light.
I won’t venture to quite say ‘the father’ of this baby has unforeseeable damages on both the character and title – rather it’s more in jeopardy of turning into an extremely lacklustre development which really wasn’t of depth. I’ve quite enjoyed the addition of baby Helena into the title, in-so-much that its hero-comics most decent opportunity at including single motherhood. But of course I’m not naïve enough to think female heroes can sustain both a competent family-life and a crime fighting profession (Kate Spencer, I will ignore you), so I’m somewhat fearing for the plight of Helena. With my own keen delusion, I will add a spin on what seems like Selina’s blatant animalistic lust a.k.a. dopeyness: like many, I prefer to hope Selina is hinting at ‘intentions’ for getting pregnant, although it’s also entirely possible the femme-fatale moment of aggressor in the flashback was hollow without motive (Cox did emphasise those lipz – and those eyes – and that ‘determined’ look – and the phrase ‘team-up’…)
On one level, how much a person will enjoy this issue will unsurprisingly depend on how keen they are on the ‘choice’ of paps (however simplistic that may sound with regards to sticking with Catwoman ). Less arms are up in the air over where all this ends, but whether this whole subplot has been slightly milked, and whether it thus far fits the dynamics of this title. Merit is arguably in the view that certain references feel more like minor duping to retain readership than actual genuine ‘nods’ to alternative ‘possibilities’ (as in case of the name Helena which holds very significant to the Bat-Cat lurve, a fire fanned onto every choice this issue by Helena going gaga for a mask). I can give credit to Pfeifer for substantiating the choices – but considering the amount of buildup of recent, certain ‘crucial’ moments fall flat here.
Elsewhere we do have interesting predicaments abound: Holly is looking a little worse for wear having ended up in the slam/prison/jail/interrogation for the murder of Black Mask last issue. Poor Holly. There is something painfully unfair about the setup of Catwoman of present -- we’re still far from establishing equal footing as the heroic persona and being in Selina’s shadow has been castrating for the character. Holly though takes the prize for being the most intelligent character in issue #58 and #59 (although that’s less of a glorifying statement that you’d think). She and Ted share the most ‘human’ pieces of characterisation, and currently provide more moments of understated charm. With Selina acting quite impulsively to ‘rescue’ Holly, we do get more concentration on Film Freak as a separate rampage and boy is he looking wonderfully out-of-sorts. The art team shine out especially during the movie sequences, and their ghoulish Film Freak is certainly for me, providing the most intriguing elements of the plot and visuals.
Film Freak strikes as an authentically nasty villain with an approach to murder which mirrors his knowledge on movie trivia (most especially from the Golden Age of the 1930s). As a film enthusiast, these in-jokes are refreshing dark entertainment; quite like the ‘performance’ Film Freak is delivering (including scenarios akin to Buster Keaton, James Cagney and other of noir mysteries). His dementia is unquestionably outlandish, but it is able to flourish in extremes due to the nature of this story, perhaps even more so than the preceding arc. Zatanna, who eerily looked like Talia last issue is not present here for the aftermath of the untidiness she left in Film Freak’s mind: no-one should be surprised.
Catwoman is for me a mixed bag at the moment: as a stand-alone piece of work without all the pregnancy-exposure, then it’s good fun. It’s not quite being touted as such so either way I’ll give this all a few more issues to at least confirm or revolve around its new chosen directions –at current though, Catwoman does have pitfalls in structure and resolution. The problematic limbo-position of Holly is also a slight disservice to a character who has obvious potential, and the one who is considered ‘the star attraction’ is caught up in plotline that, for the lack of a better word, may result in slight cheese . It all appears like a title going through some immense adjustment, which on one hand I actually favour. But as Film Freak demands films should take ‘bold choices’ which aren’t ‘predictable, safe or afraid to take chances’, I sort of hope that for Catwoman will as well. We’ll see.
Re: CATWOMAN #59 REVIEW
As someone who didn't follow this OYP (One Year Previously), I don't really care who the father is. I'm really enjoying the story as is. You're spot on about how Helena adds an enormous amount to the story - the scenes with Wildcat this issue were especially good. And Film Freak's m.o. is just deliciously nasty. Can't wait for the next issue!
Great review, Steph, but I do have to pick you up on one thing: Kate's family life's been a trainwreck!
Kerry Birmingham
Comixfan Reviewer
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Milwaukee, WI
Posts: 112
Re: CATWOMAN #59 REVIEW
I had reviewed this title back at issue #46, and was sort of surprised to realize I'd been picking it up ever since. I like it, especially the Film Freak's movie murders (didn't Bane kill the previous character with that name? Have they ever squared away the two versions?). I'm positive that Selina's baby, while nice for the OYL shock, is going to be a problem for Catwoman writers down the line; maybe they'll eliminate li'l Helena in Infinite Crisis 2: Crisiser .
The individual being pushed as the father seems like way too obvious a choice, so I'm assuming it's a feint. I'll be disappointed in Pfeifer otherwise. It's a character with little resonance to Bat-fans and he is, to be honest, awfully bland to boot.
On a somewhat related topic: is Anarky still supposedly the Joker's kid? Did that ever get sorted?
giantpacoctopus
Human
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: California
Posts: 128
Re: CATWOMAN #59 REVIEW
I have to say, Film Freak is not working out for me. He's way too cartoonish and over-the-top. The film references sometimes feel very contrived to me.
I am enjoying the book as a whole though.
http://www.comixtreme.com/forums/showthread.php?t=30529
CATWOMAN #59 REVIEW
Reviewer: Terry Verticchio terryvert@hotmail.com
Quick Rating: Very Good
Title: It’s only a movie—Take 1
Selina is finding it hard to juggle her new family and her old career.
Writer: Will Pfeifer
Pencils: David Lopez
Inks: Alvaro Lopez
Colours: Brad Anderson
Letters: Jared K. Fletcher
Cover art: Adam Hughes
Associate Editor: Nachie Castro
Editor: Matt Idelson
Publisher: DC Comics
I have to admit that I didn’t like the villain Film Freak when he first showed up in this title. I thought his character was lame, a poor condemnation of our celebrity-obsessed culture. As well, I have seen this type of character before in comic books. But then Will turns things 90 degrees and suddenly makes him interesting. All of that is explained quite cleverly in the first page of this issue.
His random acts of violence and mayhem actually have some motivation and his motif of using scenes from movies to further his plans is clever. Though I began to wonder why these movie-obsessed types always stick to the Golden Age of the 20’s and 30’s. But Will quickly answers my query on the last page. You think your so smart, Mr. Pfeifer .
Of course the stuff with Catwoman is also good. Selina struggles nearly by the hour to give up her old life and become a full-time mom, but the world just won’t rotate in her direction. How she handles it all is well done. My one quibble is how the identity of the father of her child is explained. It all happened on one page and I just didn’t believe it. I’ve been following this book for a while now (check out the avatar to find out the exact issue I climbed on board) and recovered all of Will’s previous issues and if there was something between those two characters I must have missed it.
Considering this is my first review of this title, I’m going to indulge in a bit of comparisons. The art by the Lopez’s is great, though I did prefer Pete Wood’s style a bit more. His had a darker edge to it. I guess that’s my one hang up about the art. Everything is a bit too bright. Selina is a thief and her world should be covered in shadows. As well, am I the only one who doesn’t like the glossy paper this book has and wishes it would return to newsprint?
I am quite surprised how much I have enjoyed this title and Will’s work on it has been stellar so far. I also enjoy how it’s pretty much on its own and outside the confines of the regular DCU. This makes it easier for a fan to jump in without having to know everything about the character for the past half century.
Story:
4/5
Art:
3.5/5
Overall:
4/5
http://www.comixtreme.com/forums/showthread.php?t=30479
CATWOMAN #59 ADVANCE REVIEW
Review by: Blake M. Petit Blake@comixtreme.com
Quick Rating: Very Good
Title: It’s Only a Movie Take 1
Film Freak sets out to make his masterpiece…
Writer: Will Pfieffer
Pencils: David Lopez
Inks: Alvaro Lopez
Colors: Jeromy Cox
Letters: Jared K. Fletcher
Editor: Matt Idelson
Cover Art: Adam Hughes
Publisher: DC Comics
This is a pretty packed issue, with three (count ‘em, three!) storylines converging at once. Our “A” plot – the psycho named Film Freak has decided that he is the star of this little motion picture, and he’s going to wreak havoc on Gotham until he reaches his grand finale. While he begins his killing spree, Wildcat drops in on Selina with the news that Holly has been arrested for the murder of Black Mask – a crime we know she’s innocent of, because we saw Selina pull the trigger. And if that isn’t enough, the mystery of Helena’s father seems to be headed towards a resolution.
That question, who Helena’s father is, is no doubt the one that will garner the most attention. Unless Pfieffer has one last trick to pull from his sleeve, the question seems to get a pretty definitive answer this issue. Interestingly enough, this isn’t the story that really gets me excited. The whole Film Freak storyline is really engaging to me, the way he’s structuring his crimes, and especially the question of how he’s going to finally go down. The Holly subplot, I’ve got to say, isn’t quite as gripping as I want it to be. Casting her as the new Catwoman was a good choice, but I feel like not enough has really been done with her – she still feels like she’s just keeping the seat warm until Selina comes back. Even if that’s the case, it’s a mistake to make it feel that way.
David Lopez and Alvaro Lopez do a really great job on the artwork. I love their designs, their faces, and the way they play with Film Freak. Cox ’s colors also help the artwork to pop, and we get a dandy cover by Adam Hughes , as always.
So this is a really strong issue. The odd thing is, it’s not strong for the reasons you’d imagine.
Rating:
4/5
http://wizarduniverse.invisionzone.com/index.php?s=9c3b86bbf6ac22a700ccb6fde2b991e3&showtopic=2515&pid=55361&st=0&#entry55361
Catwoman #59 -Review , Thursday Morning QB
Options
Pass judgment by letting your fingers do the talkin’…
THUMBS DOWN- Weak. I should have spent that money on gum. [0] [0.00%]
THUMBS TWIDDLING- Average. Not bad, but no great shakes. [7] [43.75%]
DEVIL SIGN- Awesome! I'm gonna buy four and eat them all! [9] [56.25%]
Total Votes: 16
Drink
Sep 20 2006, 07:01 PM
Post #2
Pretty good. Although weren't we going to be told once and for all this issue who Helena's daddy is? Granted they pretty well implied who it was near the end, but I would have liked to see some more obvious evidence.
Film Freak was great in this. What I first considered a rather mediocre villian is turning into a really disturbing and entertaining bad guy. And I have to say, the last page of the issue was gold.
This book has been a surprise hit for me. I didn't know what to really expect, seeing as I picked it up again with OYL, but it's been a really interesting story thus far.
thinkyouresosmart
Sep 21 2006, 03:48 PM
Post #3
They're STILL doing Film Freak? Please tell me Angle Man's done with. I know Catwoman doesn't have a wealth of villains, but it's really time to let these guys go.
Drink
Sep 21 2006, 03:57 PM
Post #4
Angle Man turned himself in with Zatanna's mindwipe. But Film Freak has gone nuts. He stole a pack of gum from a conveniance store and was chased by two cops down the street (Who were telling him that if he gave the gum back there would be no pressed charges), then he stops, hits a detonator, and a piece of building falls on all three of them, but FF is spared by a window, like a classic silent comedy.
He's got a whole lot better in this issue I think.
Ben Morse
Sep 21 2006, 05:32 PM
Post #5
Y'know, somewhere along the way this went from being a decent book not many people read to being a really good book that's still flying under the radar.
I have developed an incredible weird guilty pleasure spot for Film Freak. His monologues entertain the hell out of me and he somehow comes off as incredibly competent for a weirdo with no powers who has accomplished nothing. I hope he sees some play elsewhere in the DCU.
I love the sight of Wildcat taking care of baby Helena in his mask. Classic.
And Selina is still the star. Pfeifer has a great handle on her.
Lastly, David Lopez is a worthy successor to Pete Woods--that's saying something.
Love this book.
sloria13
Sep 21 2006, 10:59 PM
Post #6
Solid issue yet again. I guess Sam's the father, going by the scene we saw, as well as the fact that Helena has blonde hair.
http://www.comixexperience.com/savblog/2006/09/yesterdays-comics-today-jeffs-reviews.html
posted by: Jeff Lester @ 1:35 PM
CATWOMAN #59: Has this book officially changed its name to Film Freak yet? Yeah, I can see how he could be a classic villain in the Batman Rogue's Gallery style but, dude, isn't this like the tenth consecutive issue he's appeared in? Also, I know this probably makes me come off like an uptight prude, but I don't think Selina is really the type of person who would knowingly sleep with the son of someone she's slept with (and I think knows is in love with her) just because she and the son feel they have "a connection." But, hey, maybe this is just to pave the way for the revelation that the father of her baby is Tim Drake and I'm being too judgmental. Eh
http://ranterbanter.wordpress.com/tag/comics/
Catwoman #59
Pfeiffer’s continues his slow-burn approach, and it works beautifully in this book. We start things off with the Film Freak (a character who’s interesting, but…not very appealing) and it was nice to see him backing up a complete plan based on Jimmy Cagney movies. Selina’s speech to Ted was also very nice, and provided a nice nod to the events going on in Marvel’s Civil War.
Holly’s situation seems interesting as well. It should be interesting to see how Selina manages to break her out, and what path she’ll take once she has broken out. I am actually really hoping that the whole Sam thing is still a red herring, because really…I want Batman to be the father! I don’t care how they do it…they have to do it. Helena Wayne…I miss her. Otherwise cool issue, and finally, someone who understands that you don’t have to write strictly for the trade to have a compelling self-contained story.
http://the-isb.blogspot.com/2006/09/week-in-ink-9-20-06.html
Catwoman #59 : Last week, I was having a conversation about this book with the Esteemed Dr. Kunka where he mentioned that Will Pfeifer is one of those guys that has this encyclopedic film knowledge rattling around in his head, and he seems to be having a great time putting it to use for Film Freak, writing with a sense of fun that spills over to the reader even when he's, you know, smashing acidic fruit into the faces of innocent passers-by and--in this issue's two-fisted climax--revealing the one immutable truth of comic books on the last page. More to the matter at hand, though, this is the issue where the identity of Catwoman's... oh, the hell with it, I'm just going to say it: Catwoman's babydaddy is revealed, and while it certainly makes sense, the reveal itself feels a little awkward and soap-operatic. If I may be allowed to dabble in Pfeifer's brand of movie references, I'll just say that while it's better than the mandatory love scene of any mid-90s action movie--your Fair Game , that sort of thing--it's not that much better.
http://blurredproductions.wordpress.com/2006/09/20/ya-never-seen-an-archbishop-regenerate-himself-from-his-own-blood-before/
Catwoman #59 - Tsk. I was hoping the baby’s daddy would be more interesting. But what can you do? RATING: MEH
http://www.crowncommission.com/phpbb2/viewtopic.php?p=58476&sid=ec0deb513afa25df25011123e0ee33cc
CATWOMAN #59 - Still on the Film Freak story, huh?
http://toonsntunes.wordpress.com/
Catwoman #59 - This issue we find out who Selina’s babydaddy is. Um, nothing else to say about that except — FINALLY!!
http://goodcomics.comicbookresources.com/2006/09/21/what-i-bought-20-september-2006/
Catwoman #59 by Will Pfeifer ,David López , and Alvaro López. $2.99, DC .
Pfeifer continues the slow burn on this title, and I still enjoy it. He’s not writing for the trade, which is a wonderful thing, although I’m sure DC will cram some issues into a trade. As we saw, Zatanna’s spell on the Film Freak sort of backfired, and instead of making him docile, it made him delusional, and now he’s ready to be the star instead of the supporting player. In this case, it means staging complicated set pieces that lead to death, as when he steals some gum from a convenience store just to drop a building on two cops (and the perfect cartoonish scene of the building missing Edison because he was standing where a window space landed adds just some nice uncomfortable humor to what is a murder, after all). Although I worry that Edison might soon be overexposed, right now I love him, because he’s a great villain - completely crazy, but weirdly fun.
Meanwhile, Selina hears that Holly is in jail and decides to break her out. Wildcat, who tells her about the arrest, won’t call in the Justice Society, and Selina rips him a new one because he cares more about law than justice. She puts him on babysitting patrol while she goes to find Sam, but Slam is drunk and can’t help her. So she’s going it alone! We also find out that Sam is, most probably, the father of Helena, and isn’t it sweet that Selina had a kid from a night of drunken passion? What a charming bedtime story to tell her!
Pfeifer has been doing these kinds of nice little stories for a year now, and I guess he decided to kick it up a notch into the goofy stratosphere of comics, because the last page brings us … a giant gorilla. A GIANT GORILLA! Is that Monsieur Mallah? Even if it isn’t, it’s a GIANT GORILLA! Is it Gorilla Grodd? I don’t care, because it’s a GIANT GORILLA! I really hope Pfeifer doesn’t drop the ball with the GIANT GORILLA (I know some people would say you can never go wrong with a GIANT GORILLA, but you can go wrong with anything, people!), because this is such a nice little title, and it’s a nice read every month. Still … a GIANT FREAKIN’ GORILLA!
http://blog.newsarama.com/2006/06/27/forward-thinking-dc-comics-for-september/
CATWOMAN # 59: Finally, we find out who is the father of Selina’s baby. Actually, even though I regularly read this book, I don’t think I care who daddy is. They could have continued to keep his identity a mystery and I would have been okay with that.
http://www.606studios.com/bendisboard/showthread.php?t=86574&page=5
15) Catwoman #59 - I like the writing and the art, but I've lost patience with the pacing on this one. Feels like very little forward momentum since One Year Later and for $3 a whack I want some resolutions. How many issues is Film Freak really good for and they seem to be dragging out the identity of the father longer than the actual preganancy would have taken. Although I guess this issue kinda, sorta hinted about it while showing Selina acting out of character. 6/10
http://xrayspex.blogspot.com/
Buy my comics, rake me over the coals: CATWOMAN #59
And to think I thought everyone had pretty much guessed at this point who the baby's daddy was. I honestly didn't think it would be such a controversial reveal. Shows you what I know -- at least last week's post got a decent response . (It was even bigger than the response to my post about Jerry Lewis' public meltdown last fall.)
In case anyone's wondering why I didn't respond after the first couple messages, it's because my own actual flesh-and-blood daughter wasn't feeling well and needed some extra attention. (She had this, in case you're wondering.) Real baby trumps fictional baby every time. Sorry.
I guess I'm still surprised so many people thought it was going to be Batman. I mean, from this scene way back in the first post Year One issue, I thought I was making it obvious it wasn't Bruce Wayne. Speaking as a father -- and as a guy who knows a lot of fathers -- this is not how a father would act, buying off the mom with a teddy bear and a college scholarship. If Bruce had been the dad and tried to appease Selina with this stunt, she would've clawed his eyes out, protective lenses in the Bat mask or not. This is Batman giving a friend support, not Batman trying to weasel out of child support.
Plus, Batman is the most overly prepared guy in the DCU. Do you really think someone who went to all the trouble of formulating insanely complex plans to take down his JLA buddies on the million-to-one chance he'd need them wouldn't take much simpler precautions in other (i.e. romantic) situations? Are we talking about the same guy?
If the Sam Revelation (as historians will now call it) made you drop the book, sorry to see you go. But if you're willing to stick around, I promise plenty of thrills and chills in the upcoming months (c'mon -- aren't there any movie fans out there with an opinion on Film Freak?) and a few twists and turns in just how Sam and Selina made that baby. Well, of course, we all know how they made the baby, but the scene of them getting romantic in CATWOMAN 59 didn't necessary lead to lil' Helena. There's more in store for those two, and the stakes get much, much higher. And, as some of the posters said in the comments thread, life -- especially when it involves S-E-X -- can get very complicated. Things don't always go as planned.
As always, feel free to share you comments here. I'm not asking you to agree, but I am requesting you keep any references to cups of urine to an absolute minimum.
posted by Will Pfeifer @ 10:09 PM
http://ettacandy.blogspot.com/
A Brief Review of Catwoman #59
Before Catwoman #59, Gentle Reader, I had a theory, a very viable theory regarding the paternity of Helena Kyle. It involved Infinite Crises, the compression of several Earths' versions of Selina Kyle, and, of course, Bruce Wayne/Batman. But what it didn't involve was the actual physical act of creating a child, and certainly not with someone Other Than Batman.
***There may be spoilers ahead, Friends. Please read with Caution.***
My theory was a simple one, albeit a bit complex in execution. I believed that when all of the Earths began to melt and disappear, former versions of Selina Kyle merged with the version we have on our Earth. If memory serves me correctly, there was the scene at the end of the Catwoman issue leading up to Infinite Crisis in which Selina is surrounded by a dozen versions of herself, all pressing on her at once.
This is it! I thought. They've teased me about The Birth of Catwoman's Child, and here it is. A spontaneous pregnancy brought on by the smooshing of several versions of her into the one we hold dear. And of course, that means it's Bruce Wayne's child.
It was at This Moment that I had to admit to myself that I was a Selina/Bruce 'shipper.
Now, I'm not a 'shipper in the sense with which we are familiar. I like Buffy Summers with Angel, and I like her with Spike. I love Lorelai Gilmore with Luke, but I saw benefit in Christopher, too. I don't get rabid about my fictional romantic pairings very often, but it seems that Selina Kyle and Bruce Wayne bring out the worst in my fandom.
When Talia al Ghul showed up in Batman a few months back with a child, I was livid. Not because My Darling Bruce had been intimate with the few-bats-short-of-a-belfry Ms. Ghul, but because I knew, Deep Down Inside, that Selina Kyle would never have Bruce Wayne's child. Of course, I knew this also because I read books, and the amount of finagling the writers at DC would have to do to align all of Batman's books with Catwoman, just so she could have Batman's baby, would be Insanity of Awesome Proportions.
But as hope springs ever eternal, I kept my Fingers Cross'd.
Now I am well aware that the scene in Catwoman #59 with Sam Bradley (Sam?! SAM?! At least make it an interesting Catwoman secondary character, like Slam or Ted) could just be The Ultimate Tease, and I know that the One Year Later storylines are Far From Over. 52 has several weeks and months left to go, and one three-page scene in one issue doesn't mean squat in The Comic Universe. But if it is A Tease, and even if Sam did not father Selina's child, why is it necessary? The words seem forced; the language out of character. "We're getting ready to 'team up,'" Selina says to Sam. And before he can really respond to this rather blatant single entendre, she says, "Now shut up and kiss me."
Selina always has been a woman who knows what she wants and how to get it. She wanted money; she got it. She wanted to go straight; she did (well, pre-Zatanna revelation, we can assume so). She wanted Batman; she got him. She wanted the East End protected; she did it herself. But not since before she went legitimate has an action of Selina's seemed so self-serving. Understandably, she was in a bit of a Crisis herself. She had killed Black Mask; she had found out that her conversion to The White Hats may not be a result of a change of heart but rather a change of mind, a la Zatanna. She was lost; she was desperate for comfort.
But Sam freaking Bradley??
I am not appalled by her taste, necessarily; rather, I'm astonished at her awkwardness.
Catwoman/Selina Kyle always has been undeniably sexy. That's part of her inherent charm. But Selina has never been less sexy than she is in this scene. And perhaps that's The Point. This isn't love. This isn't attraction, although methinks the Cat doth protest too much that it is. This is desperation, pure and simple. In the end, I think ultimately what disturbs me about this issue of Catwoman is not the suggestion that Sam Bradley may have fathered Helena, but rather the suggestion that Selina would turn to any warm body—-even the son of her former lover-—in a moment of crisis. The suggestion that Selina Kyle, The Catwoman who has never pussyfooted around (pardon the pun, Gentle Reader!) what she wanted and how to get it, including money, men, and saving the day, would resort to clichés and clumsy innuendo to get a man in bed.
If it were meant to be disturbing, off-putting, and out of character, I'd say Mission Accomplished.
http://johnnybacardi.blogspot.com/
CATWOMAN 59
S: Will Pfiefer; A: David Lopez, Alvaro Lopez (DC, $2.99)
A lot of fanmen are getting up in arms about the revelation about who Selina slept with during the past year; and who presumably is the father of her child. Me, I guess I've been reading too many Eros comics lately or something because I only shrugged. It wasn't particularly inconsistent with the way she's been portrayed in the recent past, and besides, consenting adults and all that. Also, it wouldn't surprise me a bit if Pfiefer wasn't throwing us a curve here- nowhere is it explicitly stated that the child belongs to this particular person (trying hard not to spoil here, you're welcome)...maybe Miss Kyle has been catting around with more than one guy in that 365-day span. Anyway, after you get past that this is a solid continuation of the multiple storylines Pfiefer has going on; the Film Freak gets more ruthless and bloody, innocent Holly's still in jail, more Slam and Wildcat. The art is still good, if not exceptional, and there's a weird-ass surprise at the end. Still one of DC's best ongoings, says I. A-
http://ettacandy.blogspot.com/2006/09/brief-review-of-catwoman-59.html
Tuesday, September 26, 2006
A Brief Review of Catwoman #59
Before Catwoman #59, Gentle Reader, I had a theory, a very viable theory regarding the paternity of Helena Kyle. It involved Infinite Crises, the compression of several Earths' versions of Selina Kyle, and, of course, Bruce Wayne/Batman. But what it didn't involve was the actual physical act of creating a child, and certainly not with someone Other Than Batman.
***There may be spoilers ahead, Friends. Please read with Caution.***
My theory was a simple one, albeit a bit complex in execution. I believed that when all of the Earths began to melt and disappear, former versions of Selina Kyle merged with the version we have on our Earth. If memory serves me correctly, there was the scene at the end of the Catwoman issue leading up to Infinite Crisis in which Selina is surrounded by a dozen versions of herself, all pressing on her at once.
This is it! I thought. They've teased me about The Birth of Catwoman's Child, and here it is. A spontaneous pregnancy brought on by the smooshing of several versions of her into the one we hold dear. And of course, that means it's Bruce Wayne's child.
It was at This Moment that I had to admit to myself that I was a Selina/Bruce 'shipper.
Now, I'm not a 'shipper in the sense with which we are familiar. I like Buffy Summers with Angel, and I like her with Spike. I love Lorelai Gilmore with Luke, but I saw benefit in Christopher, too. I don't get rabid about my fictional romantic pairings very often, but it seems that Selina Kyle and Bruce Wayne bring out the worst in my fandom.
When Talia al Ghul showed up in Batman a few months back with a child, I was livid. Not because My Darling Bruce had been intimate with the few-bats-short-of-a-belfry Ms. Ghul, but because I knew, Deep Down Inside, that Selina Kyle would never have Bruce Wayne's child. Of course, I knew this also because I read books, and the amount of finagling the writers at DC would have to do to align all of Batman's books with Catwoman, just so she could have Batman's baby, would be Insanity of Awesome Proportions.
But as hope springs ever eternal, I kept my Fingers Cross'd.
Now I am well aware that the scene in Catwoman #59 with Sam Bradley (Sam?! SAM?! At least make it an interesting Catwoman secondary character, like Slam or Ted) could just be The Ultimate Tease, and I know that the One Year Later storylines are Far From Over. 52 has several weeks and months left to go, and one three-page scene in one issue doesn't mean squat in The Comic Universe. But if it is A Tease, and even if Sam did not father Selina's child, why is it necessary? The words seem forced; the language out of character. "We're getting ready to 'team up,'" Selina says to Sam. And before he can really respond to this rather blatant single entendre, she says, "Now shut up and kiss me."
Selina always has been a woman who knows what she wants and how to get it. She wanted money; she got it. She wanted to go straight; she did (well, pre-Zatanna revelation, we can assume so). She wanted Batman; she got him. She wanted the East End protected; she did it herself. But not since before she went legitimate has an action of Selina's seemed so self-serving. Understandably, she was in a bit of a Crisis herself. She had killed Black Mask; she had found out that her conversion to The White Hats may not be a result of a change of heart but rather a change of mind, a la Zatanna. She was lost; she was desperate for comfort.
But Sam freaking Bradley??
I am not appalled by her taste, necessarily; rather, I'm astonished at her awkwardness.
Catwoman/Selina Kyle always has been undeniably sexy. That's part of her inherent charm. But Selina has never been less sexy than she is in this scene. And perhaps that's The Point. This isn't love. This isn't attraction, although methinks the Cat doth protest too much that it is. This is desperation, pure and simple. In the end, I think ultimately what disturbs me about this issue of Catwoman is not the suggestion that Sam Bradley may have fathered Helena, but rather the suggestion that Selina would turn to any warm body—-even the son of her former lover-—in a moment of crisis. The suggestion that Selina Kyle, The Catwoman who has never pussyfooted around (pardon the pun, Gentle Reader!) what she wanted and how to get it, including money, men, and saving the day, would resort to clichés and clumsy innuendo to get a man in bed.
If it were meant to be disturbing, off-putting, and out of character, I'd say Mission Accomplished.
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Ok, the Film Freak is back in the spotlight again. Zatanna and Catwoman convinced him to atone for his crimes, and he ended up at a TV studio. He shot the station manager and decided to start making a film of his own. He thought that Angle Man, and then Catwoman were the main characters. But he's since decided that it's all about him. We also learn this issue, for anyone out there thinking that this might be Bruce's baby, I think it's actually Sam's. We get to see Ted and Slam this issue also. Holly, unfortunately, is still in a holding cell at the Police station. Film Freak is running around town murdering anyone who gets in his path. But they all pay homage to some movie. At the end he winds up at STAR labs and is trying to take their giant gorilla. Guess which movie this is for. Pfeifer and Lopez are doing an awesome job with this book. Plus, who can complain about those Adam Hughes covers? Sheer perfection!
