Catwoman #24 Review

Diamond in the Snuff

Writer: Sean Murphy and Blake Northcott
Artist: Cian Tormey, FCO Plascencia, and Tom Napolitano
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: August 19, 2020

I was surprised at how much I liked the first issue of this two-parter.  Not because I didn't have faith in Sean Murphy or Blake Northcott, but because I thought this was just a throwaway two-issue arc to waste time before Ram V starts his run with issue #25.  I am glad I was wrong!  Murphy and Northcott brought back Snowflame, mentioned Codpiece, and gave fans a Catwoman issue that had the right amount of Selina to boot.  That's a party right there!  So, was the finale as satisfying as the setup?  Let's find out...


The issue opens right where we left off, Selina poisoned and being interrogated by Angelica and Kissen.  I want to say that things go a little over the top when Kissen (the giant panther of myth), can read people's truths, but she is a panther of legend, and this story stars Snowflame!  I guess I was hoping that Kissen would make sense in a more grounded way, even if myths had sprung up around and about her.

We continue with Selena getting the antidote (which plays out later), and goes to Correas Village to learn just how bad Snowflame is.  It's no surprise, and there isn't a clever twist.  Snowflame is a piece of shit drug dealer and has taken over an island nation and pretty much enslaved its people.  So what is Catwoman to do?  I think we all know the answer!

It's time to crash a party, and while Snowflame lays heavy on the Valley Girl speak, Catwoman and Kissen go to work.  The power gets cut in Snowflame's mansion, Kissen eats a couple of guys, Selina and Snowflame fight it out.  I have to tell you when Snowflame goes all Super (coked-up) Saiyan, the dayglow colors just popped and made that page such a keeper!  Kudos to Cian Tormey and FCO Plascencia.  It's like a scene from a long lost Duran Duran video starring Don Johnson, and believe me, that's a huge compliment.  If Mel Tormé was the Velvet Fog, Cian Tormey is now the pastel version.

As far as the fight goes, however, it was okay.  I guess I just wanted more and boy was I waiting for the "Cocaine is my god" line, but maybe that wouldn't fly nowadays.  Still, everything got switched into overdrive to rush to the end.  Selina got what she came for (and then some), the bad guys and gals (including Quartz/Torkelson) got what they had coming to them.  By the end, Murphy and Northcott toed the line between hero and villain well and showed they know Catwoman and Selina.  It just felt like they would have benefited more from a 3-issue story.

Bits and Pieces:

Catwoman #24 continued the last issue's fun but felt a bit rushed to get to the end.  Sean Murphy and Blake Northcott gave fans a good Catwoman/Selina, and Cian Tormey's art was excellent.  I only wish they had another issue to flesh things out more.  Still, this was an exciting little two-issue diversion before Catwoman's next run kicks off next month.  

7.0/10