Written by Tanner Stein
The Absolute Universe continues to expand with Absolute Catwoman #1. Writer Scott Snyder returns to the character of Selina Kyle alongside writer Che Grayson as they delve into what happened after Catwoman left Gotham in Absolute Batman #14.
In this mini-series, Selina Kyle has decided to hang up the claws and retire young, planning to start a new life free of the Catwoman title. Last we saw her, she had helped Batman take down Bane. Selina then left Gotham with a vial of venom — the same substance that Bane used to make himself into a hulking creature.
The issue opens with a gang of women dressed in suits resembling a more traditional look for Catwoman. Looking to steal something from Selina Kyle, the women are met by Catwoman, donning the suit that she has been wearing throughout her Absolute Universe appearances. As a fight breaks out in the penthouse, flashbacks show readers that Selina Kyle was ready to retire and move to Sicily.
This version of the character is much more akin to a take on Batman rather than what we normally see with Catwoman. She is rich, has her own “Cat Cave”, and even has her own Batmobile, titled “The Wildcat.” The Absolute Universe is known to strip characters of their most iconic parts, but in Absolute Catwoman #1, they add to her character instead of take away. Through flashbacks, we see that Selina Kyle grew up in a scummy foster home where she had to fend for herself while her foster dad threw their money towards gambling debts. Spending lots of her time on different rooftops is where we meet Holly, one of the members of Catwoman’s old crew, “The Calicos.”
As Holly finds her way back into Selina’s life, we see how Catwoman ended up with the suit back on, leading to an all-out motorcycle chase scene where “The Wildcat” comes out to play. The designs in Absolute Catwoman #1 from artist Bengal help to bring the characters and gadgets to life. Catwoman’s suit is gorgeous, keeping all of the big elements from her time in Gotham, including the huge fishbowl mask and long tail. “The Wildcat,” as well as her computer assistant “Jonsey,” make the chase and fight sequences seem intense.
Color in Absolute Catwoman #1 is used similarly to how it is portrayed in Absolute Batman. The flashback scenes to Gothman with young Selina Kyle are accompanied by warmer colors, while the now 25-year-old Selina Kyle, who has lived through it all, is surrounded by cooler blues that crowd her space. When Holly returns, and Selina has to re-don the Catwoman outfit, her world starts to reintroduce those warmer colors from her childhood.
While only the start of a mini-series, Snyder has proved countless times that he knows how to write for Catwoman. Alongside fellow writer Grayson and artist Bengal, Absolute Catwoman #1 is setting the groundwork for a new take on Catwoman, and if it’s anything like previous Absolute Universe works, then it will be a story like no other.
