Catwoman #21 Review

by Carlos R. on March 11, 2020

Written by: Joëlle Jones
Art by: Fernando Blanco
Colors by: FCO Plascencia
Lettered by: Saida Temofonte
Publisher: DC Comics

Selina Kyle approaches a crucial point in her time at Villa Hermosa in Catwoman #21. This issue serves to tie loose threads before Catwoman moves onto the next chapter of her life.

We start the story off in grand fashion on a splash page with Selina’s heel to the throat of a zombie as Raina Creel’s goons close in on her. We move to Selina running through a horde of zombies and henchmen to close in on Mrs. Creel. The tension is amplified by having scenes of an uneasy Carlos in the hospital spliced into the action sequences. Selina charges through and comes face to face with Mrs. Creel for a fitting end to their confrontations.

Selina’s attitude toward the chaos around her is just spot on, facing down zombies and gangsters unfazed and zeroed in on her target is just so appropriate. The speech bubbles tracing Selina’s inner monologue are scattered nicely throughout the panels and reinforce Selina’s concentration on her goal. My favorite bit of the book comes at Catwoman’s and Raina’s confrontation. Jones makes this interaction so cathartic for Selina and having her share a pivotal piece of her history at the end here truly highlights how similar and different both characters are.

It’s an interesting take on this series to include the undead, but Blanco and Plascencia nail the horror aspect while still having the feel of a Catwoman book. Raina is as creepy as ever, and it says a lot about the art team that she can be so distinct from the other ghoulish creatures. The action sequences flow well, and the art team utilize panels to add slight pauses so that readers don’t get lost in all the commotion. I love the matte colors of this book; they match with the tone of the story and still have this great palette of colors that contrast so beautifully against all the darkness. The change in style for the flashback scenes is exquisite, the heaviness of the pale blues and greens highlight the deep reds we see toward the end of Selina’s tale.

Catwoman #21 makes for a fitting conclusion to this chapter of Selina’s life in Villa Hermosa. Joëlle Jones continues to deliver a solid Catwoman series and though Selina may be up against a zombie horde, Fernando Blanco and FCO Plascencia make certain your eyes stay glued to each page.
 

Our Score:

8/10

A Look Inside