Written by Ann Nocenti
Art by Ethan Van Sciver; John Costanza; & Chris Chuckry
Cover Art by Ethan Van Sciver & Chris Chuckry
SUMMARY:
Published by DC Comics in 2004, it’s the 50-page conclusion of a two-parter re: Catwoman & Batman’s concurrent searches for an elusive prototype ‘smart gun,’ which allegedly never misses its target. A determined Selina Kyle sharpens her claws for a Gotham underworld hunt re: who snares this missing gun first. A prize of two million dollars awaits the lucky winner. Batman’s extended cameo involves a young witness tipping him off re: retired master thief Pike Peavy. An unrepentant Peavy boasts to the Dark Knight that he even once infiltrated Wayne Manor and swiped Bruce Wayne’s cigar cutter.
Selina’s psychotic squad is assembled by local gun store merchant Tyler Royce. Once their target’s hiding spot has been ascertained, Catwoman’s team engages two rival crews in a bloody shoot-out. To clear her name of multiple homicides, Selina hunts her few fellow survivors to decipher who made off with the prototype. True motives are exposed, as Catwoman’s prime suspects realize the prototype’s fatal manufacturing flaw. The finale has Selina in a pivotal quandary re: whether or not her own protection outweighs saving innocent lives.
Note: Despite top billing, Batman appears in only three scenes.
REVIEW:
In fairness, this second installment is easily readable without the first issue. While the script depicts vile, gun-related mayhem, enough hints are dropped that writer Ann Nocenti’s intent is reverse psychology in deglamorizing firearms. Case in point: Batman’s poignant encounter with a grieving pre-teen who lost his older brother to gang-related violence. The despondent child even shows off his own pistol to the Dark Knight. The violence the boy’s family has already suffered doesn’t make the child abhor firearms, but rather he deems guns as a sole means of self-defense. The kid’s talking point of ‘guns don’t kill, but people do,’ is evident.
This storyline further explores Catwoman’s realistic evolution past being a self-involved mercenary-thief. Despite her desire to ascend to Gotham’s ‘Queen of Thieves,’ she plausibly realizes the price isn’t worth it this time. The script’s out-of-sequence continuity is cleverly conveyed via semi-flashback, as Nocenti employs Quentin Tarantino-style storytelling. For instance, the mystery’s last revelations come out of sequence, as to whom finally ends up with the smart gun. Catwoman, therefore, claims her cash prize before it’s revealed what the scratched-up and bloodied Selina actually does with the prototype.
Though Nocenti’s bleak script implies that guns cause violence vs. preventing it, she overplays her stance. For instance, there’s Selina’s odd diversion amidst a three-way shooting gallery. Would trigger-happy thugs seriously pause in a shoot-out and revert to macho ‘hunting instincts’ by shooting blindly at a sudden appearance of decoy ducks? Also, somewhere between implausible and ludicrous is Selina’s miraculous survival hiding behind a doomed goon’s massive corpse, which shields her from a barrage of heat-seeking bullets. One could also ponder a plot twist left unexplained as to how Selina escapes custody, if she was indeed arrested for multiple homicides.
Kudos to Ethan Van Sciver, as his superb artwork is virtually life-like in this film noir setting. His impressive take on Catwoman is likely one of her best-ever visuals. Selina’s gray-and-black ensemble (oddly completed with a gray tail and even feline whiskers on her mask) is a variant on her familiar purple-and-black costume seen in the 1990’s. Van Sciver’s Batman is also effectively conveyed in shadows. The supporting cast is exceptionally well-depicted, as these characters resemble people rather than caricatures. Van Sciver’s depiction of the book’s bloody violence very much resembles an R-rated action movie in comic book form.
To Nocenti’s credit, one unexpected (and welcome) difference from R-rated films is there’s miniscule foul language. It’s a subtle touch of class, as her characters aren’t constantly spewing profanities as a cheap substitute for actual dialogue. Despite its contrivances, Nocenti’s gritty script combines with Van Sciver’s spot-on artwork (including a stellar cover image) to create an often riveting Catwoman thriller.
ADDITIONAL CONTENT:
None (there’s not even an advertisement).
BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING: 7½ Stars
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