SYNOPSIS: Discover the ruinous event that sounded the death knell for Evie Hall and her compatriots and gave birth to Catwoman as we journey back to the beginning of the end of it all.
With little fanfare, the seventy-fifth issue of Catwoman has arrived once again (I think this is the third time Selena has reached this milestone).
Starting a new arc in this issue, “Never Let Them Smell Blood”, Torunn Grønbekk brings the reader back to the Budapest of years ago, two days before everything went wrong. It’s weird to say this is another new storyline when it feels like just another part of this long tale that Grønbekk is telling.
We see Selena/Evie and her crew laying the groundwork for their heist. It’s always fun to see how they are going to pull things off, and you certainly feel no sympathy for their marks. Grønbekk has Selena narrating, and her dialogue leads to a sense of foreboding, crafting a sense of unease while things are seemingly going well.
Patricio Delpeche handles both art and colors and does both commendably. Characters and expressions can be a little cartoonish at times, but it’s not to the detriment of the story. His coloring is top-notch, as is his use of shadows. It’s a nice book to look at.
So why do I feel unsatisfied? Is it the lack of Catwoman in familiar environs? Do I miss Gotham and her supporting cast? That may be part. I haven’t quite taken to any of these new characters that make up her crew. I also still feel like the whole mystery is being dragged on for far too long. This is only Grønbekk’s seventh issue, but I feel like this storyline has been going on for over a year, and I’m getting impatient waiting for a conclusion. That may just be me, and your mileage may vary.
Catwoman #75 is a well-made comic that just isn’t scratching the itch for me like it used to. Everyone involved is talented, but the newer characters have worn out their welcome for me in this chase that feels like it has no end. Even Selena has tired of these rich brats. The cliffhanger failed to inspire, as we know several of the characters’ fates already. Here’s hoping the home stretch is coming very soon. – Javier E. Trujillo
GRADE: C+
