Catwoman #58 is written by Tini Howard and published by DC Comics. Artwork is by Nico Leon, colours by Veronica Gandini and letters by Lucas Gattoni. Main cover art (left) is by David Nakayama.
Catwoman #58 is available now, in print and on digital platforms where all good comic books are sold.
Synopsis
Every general puts their plans into play as Selina Kyle’s cat’s cradle threatens to pull the city apart. Red Hood, fundamentally changed, struggles to find his new role in this broken city. Claws fly, secrets are told, and hearts are on the line in the penultimate chapter of the Gotham War event.
Review
Part five of The Gotham War has arrived. With the event nearing its conclusion the story, masterminded by Tini Howard and Chip Zdarsky, is kicking in to high gear. Catwoman #58 appears to mark a shift in the balance of power in the city with both of the central characters losing their grip.
We pick up right where we left off in the last issue of Batman, with Bruce and Selina meeting on a Gotham rooftop. Bruce is broken, something we don’t regularly see and something which is enough to stop Selina in her tracks. Tini Howard writes this issue and perfectly exploits the moment as a turning point in the conflict between the pair. Evoking the legacy of these two characters and their relationship everything melts away, even just for a moment. For a brief moment all that matters is the connection between them, even as the world burns around them.
But sadly for Batman and Catwoman there’s always a looming threat and in this case it’s the father-daughter pairing of Vandal and Scandal Savage. After previously revealing to the audience that Marquise was really Scandal, Howard reveals the twist to Catwoman this issue. There is, of course, a twist within the twist which enrages Vandal and gives Catwoman the briefest of upper hands. But as The Gotham War unravels like a game of chess, the next move might be the most lethal.
Elsewhere Catwoman #58 can’t ignore the issue of Red Hood. Batman’s treatment of his former-Robin will likely be the biggest consequence of The Gotham War. Whilst neither we nor Selina has ben privy to exactly what Batman has done to Jason, the ramifications are felt across this issue. With another Red Hood-centric issue coming it seems there’s more mileage in the story of Bruce neutering Jason. But for now it certainly seems like his actions will be the most controversial of the event. As both Zdarsky and Howard have tee’d up Bruce to be single-mindedly trying to carry out his mission it will no doubt be spun that he was trying to help bring Jason peace. But as yet his decision makes feels mostly misjudged.
As Catwoman #58 draws to a close, events that I have been predicting for some time finally come in to effect. Thanks to a little clever manipulation by Vandal Savage, the A-list criminals of Gotham take to the streets setting up what could be a bloody conclusion to The Gotham War. With only a brief tease of their arrival we still don’t know where the story is going but given the final issue is a one-shot called Scorched Earth it seems pretty safe to say there’s more conflict coming.
Verdict
Whilst The Gotham War hasn’t resonated with all fans it’s hard to ignore the emotional impact that Tini Howard is able to instil with this issue. The Gotham War is racing towards its conclusion with plenty at stake for both its central forces.
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