Review: Catwoman #24

"The Price To Pay"

Writers: Blake Northcott and Sean Murphy
Artist: Cian Tormey
Color Artist: FCO Plascencia
Letterer: Tom Napolitano

Review by Adam Ray

Catwoman #24 brings a dramatic end to Selina’s vacation. Questions float as we wonder about the nature of the mystical forces at play in Isla Nevada. Was Catwoman summoned like the great panther? Is there a place for a villain fuelled by drugs in modern comics? Who can tell? In any case, the results show Ms Kyle in a sincere and uplifiting light, building well from the first half of the story. Batman has been a good influence on her, helping out downtrodden underdogs.

A combination of plot threads leave us guessing through this issue. A seasoned pair of writers was needed to be able to balance all these elements, and both Northcott and Murphy handle it masterfully. The diamond, the tension in the village, the list, handling two antagonists. Many elements put down perfectly.

Plascencia’s rich colors really make clear the variety of setting in the issue. The contrast of Snowflame’s mansion before and after a certain change in situation, and the grit of the villages make this relatively new setting feel real and very lived in.

Conclusion

We get the right mix of classic Catwoman, doing what she does best, in combination with the anti-heroic character protecting people who need her help. A personality with a history this complex lends herself to all manner of stories. We can realistically imagine her stealing a diamond to snub a rival, the same way we can imagine her liberating a township, or finding a secret digital document. Selina’s is a unique story that can combine all those facets into one. Now that it’s all resolved, we can only imagine what she’s going to get herself into next, especially with what the closing pages teased. Only reading on with the new creative team will tell for sure.

Images Courtesy of DC Entertainment