Convergence: Catwoman #2 (2015) Review

Hit Me With Your Best Shot

Written by: Justin Gray
Art by: Ron Randall and Gabe Eltaeb
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: May 13, 2015

The first part of this story was not my favorite.  It wasn't the writing per se, but the scope that bothered me.  While most of the tie-ins (to that point) were concentrating on the larger issues of Convergence, Justin Gray dialed it back a bit to give us more of a street-level tale of redemption. After the obligatory origin story of how Selina got stuck in Metropolis, Gray spent most of the issue showing us how Catwoman was indeed a champion...the people's champion.  With Suicide Slums under her protection, she squared off with Bruno Mannheim in a story that could have been in the regular monthly but just seemed a bit out of place in this big event.  Of course, someone from Kingdom Come had to show up and it was no surprise that it was Batman.  While I was not chomping at the bit to get to this month's issue, now that I've read it, I was pleasantly surprised.  Was it because it was good or has this whole event beat me into submission?  Let's find out...


The issue opens with a brief "how do you do" between Batman and Catwoman before they are attacked by Mannheim's goons.  I don't know if it's because I've read every other tie-in up until now, but it seemed funny that both characters had a little "they look different then what I'm used to moment".  After Catwoman knocks the armored suited Batman out of the sky with an EMP, they get to know each other better.

While Batman's suit reboots, Catwoman tries to get him to come up with a plan to save everyone.  I really enjoyed this part.  Justin Gray nails the dialogue between the two and really makes Selina shine.  She is flirty. playful and pure Catwoman.  The scene ends with her trying to convince (force?) Batman to make the hero's choice and save both cities.

All this is interrupted by Bruno Mannheim and his Intergang thugs.  They attack the (dynamic) duo and again, Selina is the star.  She takes it to Bruno and puts her signature right across his ugly face. Unfortunately, Bruno seems to be the man with a plan and the plan involves some crazy Apokoliptian tech.  I'd love to know how and where he got it, but after Selina and Batman take care of it and him, I think Bruno needs to go get a refund.  The best part of the fight is when Bruno rips open Batman's suit and exposes his sexy, hairy chest.  Of course, this is coming from a reviewer who wishes that hairy chests were sexy!

With Bruno taken care of, the two can get down to brass tacks and put together a plan, right?  Nope, the citizens of Metropolis are taking it to the streets and want Batman dead.  Selina steps between them and it looks like she is going to talk them down when the "Earthquake" happens.  That's when Justin Gray reaches into his bag of tricks and pulls real hard at the heartstrings of every reader, including one sexy, hairy-chested reviewer.

I hated the ending...because it was so good.  Like I said above, I was not a fan of the first part of this story, but Gray did something that hasn't happened much in this Event, he turned it around and made me enjoy this issue so much that I'd say the whole story was a big success.  The key to it was Selina. While Gray had to spend the lions share of last issue establishing her as a hero, this issue he lets Selina be Selina and I fell in love with her.  I wish it could have ended differently, but I'm also glad it didn't.

I liked Ron Randall's art for the most part.  His character designs were top notch and while some of the action scenes looked a bit stiff, they packed the appropriate punch.  Gabe Eltaeb's colors were mainly the blacks and purples of the main characters and while the backgrounds felt a little drab, the issue looked nice.

Bits and Pieces:

I really liked this issue.  Justin Gray uses the groundwork of the first issue to make the reader fall in love with Catwoman and then make us all cry.  This may not have been the epic story that other Convergence tie-ins tried to tell, but it was all the better for it.  Every Catwoman fan, including those who didn't like the first issue, should give this a read.

8.5/10