A warm welcome back to Fresh Fiction reviewer Miranda Owen, here to chat
about the doomed nuptials of Batman and Catwoman in their recent DC graphic
novels!
The flirtation and sexual tension between Batman and
Catwoman are well documented and encompass the comics, TV, films, and
animated shows.
My earliest exposure to their relationship was when I watched the 1960s
pairing of Adam West
and Julie Newmar. When DC was building up this latest Batman/Catwoman
romantic storyline,
I knew that it wouldn’t end in a happily-ever-after, but Tom King and the
other writers and
artists who worked on this story built something with a strong emotional
punch and added
interesting nuances to these beloved characters. In BATMAN VOL. 6: BRIDE OR
BURGLAR, readers saw a different and more human side to two comic book
legends,
leaving their story on an optimistic note. The end result, covered in BATMAN VOL. 7: THE
WEDDING, BATMAN/CATWOMAN: THE
WEDDING
ALBUM, and BATMAN:
PRELUDES
TO THE WEDDING, is something to wonder over and scream into the void at
the
unfairness of it all.
Even though this entire arc is focused on Batman and
Catwoman and their alter egos Bruce Wayne and Selina Kyle, the reactions
from assorted bad
guys and good guys are pure gold. Through the years, one of the most
constant relationships
is the volatile one between Batman and his nemesis Joker.BATMAN: PRELUDES TO THE
WEDDING opens with the Joker waiting for an invitation to his
archenemy’s wedding and
Clay Mann draws him with all the malevolent mischief you’d hope the Joker to
exude. Through
each story in BATMAN:
PRELUDES TO
THE WEDDING, the Joker is a sort of Maleficent from SLEEPING BEAUTY
haunting the
upcoming wedding and those affected by it. These stories, written primarily
by Tim Seeley, are
some of my favorite of this Batman/Catwoman wedding story. Different members
of the “Bat
family” battle different foes as well as their own personal demons, leading
up to the final story
featuring a violent, but uncharacteristically honest and sweet (for them),
moment between the
Joker and Harley Quinn. All of these minor battles are entertaining, but my
favorite is perhaps
Nightwing’s bachelor party-gone-wrong encounter with Hush. As a Joker and
Harley Quinn
fan, it goes without saying that I adored “Till Death Do Us Part”. In this
final story, Harley is like
the Harley written by Amanda Conner and Jimmy Palmiotti that I love so much
– goofy, deadly,
and in no mood to put up with the Joker’s bs. Although the Joker usually
delights in mind
games, in this short interlude with his former best girl, I feel like he
throws in a kernel of truth
along with all the rest. That he opts to not kill her when he can –
something he only does with
Batman – creates a slightly poignant moment from a psychopath.
BATMAN VOL. 7: THE WEDDING opens with an alternate reality
story with the
character Booster Gold. I had never heard of Booster Gold before reading
this book, so I had
no preconceived notions about whether he was looking to cause mischief or
bring glad tidings
as an innocent well-wisher. Perhaps because I was unfamiliar with the
character, this part of
the story lagged a little for me, but I think other comic fans will enjoy
this “what if” scenario.
The meat of this story is the emotional sledgehammer delivered by the Joker,
and that’s
ultimately swung for a final time when Catwoman eventually leaves Batman
before their
anticipated wedding. Interspersed throughout the buildup to the big finale
are assorted
Batman/Catwoman cover art by a treasure-trove of artists and what amount to
love letters
written by Batman and Catwoman to each other. These letters paired with the
stunning
artwork bring me to tears. The other highlight of BATMAN VOL. 7: THE WEDDING is the strange chat between
Catwoman and
the Joker as they lay possibly dying from wounds they’ve inflicted on each
other. What seems
like just a casual conversation between former colleagues becomes more
disturbing as you
begin to see the Joker’s insidious ramblings take root in Catwoman’s head.
His chatter is
worse for this superhero couple than any shot he fires from his gun.
Learning that this was all some convoluted plan by my least
favorite Batman villain Bane, is somewhat disappointing. I get that they
think this will mentally
destroy Batman and therefore destroy him physically eventually. However
Machiavellian this
plot was, the villains are all underestimating Batman. He might undergo a
“Punisher-like
phase” after this, and it will break his heart, but Batman and Bruce Wayne
have proven their
resiliency over the years, and I think he will eventually pull himself out
of this mental and
emotional tar pit he’s in now. I was especially disappointed by Catwoman and
her
underestimating Batman. In the end, Selina pulls a move typical of guys in
romantic fiction –
she pulls away from her lover “for his own good”, or for what reason she
believes to be the
greater good. The problem in these types of scenarios is that one character
is taking away
another character’s chance to choose and decide his or her own destiny. As
somebody who
loves independence and values autonomy, I think Selina will regret doing
that more than
anything else. I look forward to reading future Batman books to see if
anything develops
between these two characters one day, and to see how Batman copes.
To see more from Miranda, check out her reviewer page here!
GRAPHIC NOVELS INCLUDED IN THIS COLUMN:
The path to the altar has never been so dangerous!Not long after Batman announces his engagement to Catwoman, he and Wonder
Woman are
called to honor an old commitment requiring them to fight for Earth in a
distant, magical realm.
But time flows strangely in this new land, and an hour in our world could be
years there. The
storied friendship between two great heroes begins to unravel--while the
universe itself does
the same around them!
Next, the Bat and the Cat find themselves isolated as Poison Ivy seemingly
takes over the rest
of the world, including the Justice League! Can they nip Ivy's plans in the
bud before the
whole world falls under her dominion? After all, there's still a wedding to
plan...
The big day approaches in these stories from Batman #38-44, from author Tom
King (Mister
Miracle) and artists Mikel Janín (Grayson), Joëlle Jones (Supergirl: Being
Super) and Travis
Moore (Fables: The Wolf Among Us).
Graphic Novel [DC Comics, On Sale: July 31, 2018,
Paperback / e-Book, ISBN: 9781401280277 / ]
Batman and
Catwoman fighting side by side and so happy together - hooray!
***
The day has finally arrived: the nuptials of Bruce Wayne and Selina Kyle.
But their road to
wedded bliss won't be easy. With visitors from this time and beyond, the Bat
and the Cat will
have to undergo even more trials and tribulations before they walk down the
aisle.
Written by generational talent Tom King and featuring art by Mikel Janín,
BATMAN VOL. 7
features one of the biggest milestones in DC history! Collects BATMAN #45-
50.
Graphic Novel [DC Comics, On Sale: October 30, 2018,
Paperback / e-Book, ISBN: 9781401283384 / ]
***
The day has finally arrived: the nuptials of Bruce Wayne and Selina Kyle.
But their road to
wedded bliss won't be easy. With visitors from this time and beyond, the Bat
and the Cat will
have to undergo even more trials and tribulations before they walk down the
aisle.
The historic wedding of Batman and Catwoman is commemorated in this must-
have collector's
item, featuring never-before-seen photos from the wedding album, behind-the-
scenes design
sketches and variant covers.
Written by the critically acclaimed Tom King, this edition celebrates one of
the biggest
milestones in DC history and features art by superstar artists Mikel Janín,
David Finch, Joëlle
Jones, Mitch Gerads, Lee Bermejo, Rafael Albuquerque, Neal Adams, Andy
Kubert, Becky
Cloonan, Ty Templeton, Jose Luis Garcia-Lopez, and more!
Graphic Novel [DC Comics, On Sale: September 11, 2018,
Hardcover / e-Book, ISBN: 9781401286538 / ]
***
Wedding bells are ringing in Gotham City...and the criminal underworld is
determined to
silence them! Following The Joker's discovery that Batman and Catwoman are
getting married,
Gotham City's villains jump into action. If they are going to lose one of
their own, it's not going
to be so that their greatest enemy can be happy!
Spinning out of the pages of DC Nation and leading up to Tom King's Batman
Vol. 7, Batman:
Preludes to the Wedding is a collection of five one-shots starring Batman's
friends and foes,
all trying to celebrate--or sabotage--the Dark Knight's big day.
Harley Quinn knows a thing or two about dysfunctional relationships. When
she hears that her
old flame is trying to get in the way of a happy life for one of her best
friends, the Maid of
Mischief tracks The Joker down to give him a piece of her mind--and maybe a
few blows from
her hammer, too. Meanwhile, Nightwing fulfills his duty as best man by
picking up the
engagement ring when Hush interferes; Ra's Al Ghul attempts to recruit
Damian as the heir to
the family business; Batgirl and the Riddler engage in a battle of wits; and
Anarky taunts Red
Hood as a failed Robin.
Writer Tim Seeley (Grayson, Nightwing, Green Lanterns), teams up with an
all-star cast of
artists to expand the world of Tom King's critically acclaimed series,
Batman!
Collects Robin vs. Ra's Al Ghul #1, Nightwing vs. Hush #1,Batgirl vs. The
Riddler #1, Red Hood
vs. Anarky #1 and Harley Quinn vs. The Joker #1.
Graphic Novel [DC Comics, On Sale: September 11, 2018,
Paperback / e-Book, ISBN: 9781401286545 / ]
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