Catwoman #8 Review

Got Your Nose

Writer: Joelle Jones
Artist: Elena Casagrande and Fernando Blanco
Publisher: DC Comics
Release Date: February 20, 2019
Cover Price: $3.99

I got a bit of crap for really enjoying the last issue of Catwoman.  Sure, nor a whole lot happened, but after the way the first arc of this series ended, I thought it was a bit of a reset for Joelle Jones to get back to the basics...Catwoman and Penguin.  Nice!  Two of my favorites ending the issue in grand fashion about to have a sitdown/meet and greet.  So, is this issue good enough to get the naysayers on the Catwoman trolley with me?  Let's find out...



Well, we start off with Mrs. Creel trying to get her groove (and her nose) back!  She is willing to pay the big bucks for the "source" and I'll tell you, she scares the crap out of me, even when she is fully covered up.

We then head off to see the Oswald needs Selina to "acquire" something and while it's easy to guess we say that certain something in the first scene, I love how Penguin taunts Catwoman with the idea that she will never be able to resist the challenge.  Of course, if she did want to resist, Cobblepot has a backup plan...Holly.  It's vague enough to work here and it certainly has Selina's attention as well as mine.

We then go through a large stretch of non-verbal pages with Selina doing what she does best...you know, escaping from zombies.  It is an odd scene, especially when the zombies kind of turn into the peanut gallery, but the art is great and the progression is a bit like a catsuit-clad Indiana Jones which may or may not be a dream of mine.

Following Raina home, it looks like we may have a dead is better scenario before going back to see Selina duke it out for the big prize.  Again, it looks great and the action is easy to follow, but there is just not a lot to sink your teeth into here.  The issue ends with Selina getting the goods, only to have it ripped out of her hands as if Belloq had started wearing a top hat and an eye patch!  Remember...catsuit-clad Indiana Jones!

I gave the last issue a big pass when it came to story progression, but I can't do it again.  I like this book, but not a lot is happening in each issue and that is something that is starting to get really frustrating.  Long fight scenes end up feeling like filler and the who issue could have been told in six pages tops.  On top of that, the Penguin doesn't do anything for the overall story (yet?) and just feels like he is here for the wow factor which never quite arrives.

The book does look great, though, and while I would kill to get Jones back on fulltime art, Blanco and Casagrande are awesome fill-ins.  I wouldn't say the art is worth the price of admission alone, but it's pretty darn close.

Bits and Pieces:

While this book continues to look great, it's one of the quickest reads on the shelf and sadly it's because not much is going on.  I can't keep giving it a pass because of my love of Selina and Joe;;e Jones so, unfortunately, I can't recommend this issue.

6.0/10