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Catwoman (2018)
Catwoman, Vol. 1: Dangerous Liaisons
It’s a new era for Catwoman, with a new creative team and a new target—Gotham City's underworld!
Meow, Catwoman is bored of Alleytown and has returned to Gotham City proper for bigger fish to fry and to go back to doing what she does best…stealing crime boss secrets for blackmail and looking damn sexy while doing it, of course.
Writer Tini Howard ( Excalibur ) makes her DC Universe debut alongside artist Nico Leon, as they place Catwoman in her first blackmail heist disguised as a stripper at Gotham’s most secure underground club!
With Batman out of the picture, it’s on to the Trixie, a retro-glam apartment building in Gotham that houses mob wives, side chicks, and mistresses—and Catwoman has secretly taken a whole floor to herself eavesdropping on mob wives and mistresses to blackmail them.
And guess who’s ready to make his play? Black Mask wants to be the dirty little secret of the Gotham underworld… but Catwoman’s even better at being a secret when she needs to be.
This volume collects Catwoman #39-44.
Meow, Catwoman is bored of Alleytown and has returned to Gotham City proper for bigger fish to fry and to go back to doing what she does best…stealing crime boss secrets for blackmail and looking damn sexy while doing it, of course.
Writer Tini Howard ( Excalibur ) makes her DC Universe debut alongside artist Nico Leon, as they place Catwoman in her first blackmail heist disguised as a stripper at Gotham’s most secure underground club!
With Batman out of the picture, it’s on to the Trixie, a retro-glam apartment building in Gotham that houses mob wives, side chicks, and mistresses—and Catwoman has secretly taken a whole floor to herself eavesdropping on mob wives and mistresses to blackmail them.
And guess who’s ready to make his play? Black Mask wants to be the dirty little secret of the Gotham underworld… but Catwoman’s even better at being a secret when she needs to be.
This volume collects Catwoman #39-44.
160 pages, Paperback
Published November 8, 2022
20 people are currently reading
114 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews
September 19, 2024
I really didn’t think much of the first story collected in this book, comprising the first four issues, and was all ready to slap a two star rating on this one and move on to something else… but then the second story, guest starring Harley Quinn, was totally hilarious with much better artwork and completely blew me away!
Now, the great second story was only two issues long, sadly, so my rating is still going to weighted down by the first two thirds of the book, but it was definitely enough to pull my rating up to three stars… and nobody cares anyway! Whoo!
Now, the great second story was only two issues long, sadly, so my rating is still going to weighted down by the first two thirds of the book, but it was definitely enough to pull my rating up to three stars… and nobody cares anyway! Whoo!
March 21, 2024
Catwoman takes on Black Mask and a group of crime lords in this enjoyable volume of Catwoman. One thing to note is that the art style changes about halfway through the book. The first half has a slick and cool art style, and the second half has a quirky cartoon punk style. Generally, I don't like it when books change style midway through, but I felt that both styles were attractive, so it didn't feel like a downgrade when the art changed. Also, the change in art style fit the stories they were attached to. The first half deals heavily with crime families, so the slick and cool style fits it well. The second half is a road trip and roller derby game with Harley Quinn, so the quirky cartoon punk style fit it well.
December 12, 2022
Hits the reset button, slightly, by moving Catwoman out of Alleytown and back into the thick of Gotham's organized crime. It's a move that suits her. Although there was definitely still story potential in Alleytown, it felt like it was time for her to leave, at least for awhile. The writing is very fun to read, and introduces a few new characters who slot right in easily. And the art looks great, stylish without being too stylized. A very satisfying read.
May 15, 2025
all the sozomaika covers included in this are so gorg, she really captures selina’s feline femme fatale vibe. this centers on the more realistic (lol) underworld of gotham, w catwoman rubbing shoulders with the japanese, italian, and romanian mob (along w black mask). all the paneling stands out too: hot-pink motorcycles, blinking magenta diner-pie signs, dark citylines dotted w lilac lights. i mostly like selina’s matter-of-fact self-awareness and noir dialogue, but only mostly; she provides a lot of feminist-lite commentary, but it goes on and on to the extent that she almost undermines her own points. still, even this much is soooo so welcome after all the i’m-not-like-other-girls writing i’ve been suffering through from some of howard’s contemporaries.
February 12, 2023
This volume marks a new chapter in Catwoman with a big switch in the creative team. Nico Leon’s artwork is carrying this volume, and I weighed it heavily for the overall rating because it is really just a great looking book. Unfortunately, they throw in a few Harley Quinn issues with Bengal doing the art and it isn’t terrible but it really weakens the collection. I would’ve loved to see Leon draw Harley and do the whole stupid roller derby stuff but oh well.
I am not a fan of Tini Howard mostly because I think her stories are fine but overwritten. However, this is maybe the best thing I’ve read by her. She introduces a new character I like, and it’s by no means the selling point of the book but I am interested in the story. Sometimes Howard goes out of her way to shovel in a political opinion or two, like the gender wage gap on paid assassins, which is pretty silly, but whatever. I was expecting to bounce right off this story and it pulled me in instead so credit to the new team for bringing some life back to this book after the Ram V stuff. I’m excited to see where it goes.
I am not a fan of Tini Howard mostly because I think her stories are fine but overwritten. However, this is maybe the best thing I’ve read by her. She introduces a new character I like, and it’s by no means the selling point of the book but I am interested in the story. Sometimes Howard goes out of her way to shovel in a political opinion or two, like the gender wage gap on paid assassins, which is pretty silly, but whatever. I was expecting to bounce right off this story and it pulled me in instead so credit to the new team for bringing some life back to this book after the Ram V stuff. I’m excited to see where it goes.
January 5, 2023
Just looking at this cover and seeing (arguably the best) Catwoman so close to her portrayal by Michelle Pfeiffer gave me hope that we were in for something wonderful with this Volume... and I was right. With Tini Howard guiding the story, this run should be epic.
Highlights:
- Selina returns to Gotham and sets up shop in an apartment in the Trixie, a fancy building where mob leaders stick their girlfriends and mistresses. Definitely gives her an in on comings and goings.
- Getting in the middle of gangs and their petty skirmishes puts Selina too mixed up in many things, almost getting her killed at one point.
- A new character, Valmont (who kind of looks like a white suited version of Iron Fist) helps Selina for a while, but she leaves him behind when he murders some low level guys. Catwoman wants nothing to do with murderers.
- When Black Mask gets involved, Selina gains the perfect revenge by blowing up his mask
- We also get a two part story about a roadtrip with Harley Quinn, that involves both roller derby and fighting off an assassination attempt by Red Claw
A great ride. Really looking forward to seeing what comes next. This title has deserved the spotlight for a long time.
Recommend.
Highlights:
- Selina returns to Gotham and sets up shop in an apartment in the Trixie, a fancy building where mob leaders stick their girlfriends and mistresses. Definitely gives her an in on comings and goings.
- Getting in the middle of gangs and their petty skirmishes puts Selina too mixed up in many things, almost getting her killed at one point.
- A new character, Valmont (who kind of looks like a white suited version of Iron Fist) helps Selina for a while, but she leaves him behind when he murders some low level guys. Catwoman wants nothing to do with murderers.
- When Black Mask gets involved, Selina gains the perfect revenge by blowing up his mask
- We also get a two part story about a roadtrip with Harley Quinn, that involves both roller derby and fighting off an assassination attempt by Red Claw
A great ride. Really looking forward to seeing what comes next. This title has deserved the spotlight for a long time.
Recommend.
January 9, 2023
I wasn’t a big fan of Tini Howard’s X-men stuff. Wasn’t particularly a fan of how it flowed or the characterisations. But Howard’s work on Catwoman? Great stuff. Howard’s Selina is a solid mix of high octane action mixed with a healthy dose of pulpy noir. The 4 issue arc that opens her run is solid throughout with an ending that opens things up. The latter issues collected here are a nice break from the sort of doom and gloom.
The real star here though is Nico Leon’s art work. Each issue was excellent and so consistently solid.
3/5.
The real star here though is Nico Leon’s art work. Each issue was excellent and so consistently solid.
3/5.
August 8, 2023
In "Catwoman: Dangerous Liaisons" Catwoman returns from her previous adventures in Alleytown to fight misogyny and the mob in Gotham. This first volume features stunning artwork and Tini Howard's writing really shines. Additionally, Black Mask is back in all his creepy, villainous glory. The book does bog down a bit though in the second story arc, which in spite of an appearance by Harley Quinn and a roller derby theme just does not quite meet the bar.
January 1, 2023
Really enjoying the “reset” on Catwoman here. Taking her back to her roots with Gotham’s crime families. Enjoying the bold characters against Selena’s mothering nature, complete with glimpses on where she stands with Batman. Nico’s art does a lot of heavy lifting here, especially with the fight scenes, car chases, and showing the emotion playing out.
December 27, 2023
I only finished this because I knew it would feature Harley Quinn in the second half. The first part was trying too hard to be “noir”, without any real compelling plot, and that Valmont character was being pushed as being oh so mysterious, and yet he was awfully bland.
June 27, 2025
Finding a 'Catwoman' comic that I enjoy is like finding a diamond in the rough - where the diamond is appealing, and the rough isn't so bad, and it reminds me why I should indeed like the feline antiheroine Catwoman. Luckily, 'Catwoman, Vol. 1: Dangerous Liaisons' by Tini Howard is one of those precious, enjoyable comics.
It's the first 'Catwoman' comic I like that's written by a woman. Go girl teams!
It's dark, gritty, intriguing, action-packed, clever, cool, sleek, polished, mysterious without being too frustrating, and is rich with femme fatale/female support. It is ripe for it. And yes, it is sexy, but it isn't obnoxious about it. There's no cheesecake, nothing pervy and fanservice-y - just natural humanity and human storytelling here.
How Catwoman/Selina Kyle is drawn, especially in some of her facial expressions when she's committed to a task, it's like she's purring off the page without actually having to purr; she's naturally sexy, but dangerous and not someone you'd want to cross casually. She's a heartbreaker and a bonebreaker.
'Dangerous Liaisons' might be the first 'Catwoman' comic I've read that acknowledges and factors in her bisexuality. She may be hung up on Batman (yeah, any real reason why didn't they get married, DC?), but she's explicitly into women, too, and she loves and cares for them, and wants to protect them. When she fails at that, she is devastated, and revenge will be her life's next goal, never forgetting what and who she is fighting for.
Her determination to defend the vulnerable in society - the poor, the female, the feline, the underdog - is her strength, her animal magnetism, more so than her sex appeal.
I've noticed that a lot of Catwoman's stories revolve around her avenging the murder of a prostitute friend/lover of hers. Why do comics (and films) keep doing this? It's a tired, sexist and degrading cliché at this point.
There are other LBGTQ+ elements and characters in 'Dangerous Liaisons', as well, and it manages to subvert the Bury Your Gays trope. Awesome. Keep at it, DC.
Although, I have to mention that the comic is noticeably, strictly focused on the gender binary, for something that came out in 2022. For all its feminism, it doesn't seem that inclusive and progressive, and in spite of the presence of Onyx Adams, a League of Assassins-trained killer and vigilante (and another of Selina's exes?), who is minor in the grand scheme of things, plus the lone female crime boss (and ditto an ex of Selina's) Eiko Hasigawa, whose importance also diminishes and is forgotten about by the end, the comic veers perilously close to white feminism turf/TERF. I ask DC Comics: Have they had the gemstones to include a nonbinary character yet - minor, superhero, civilian, or any other?
I'm not sure if this is a spoiler, but the main villain that Catwoman faces (heh) up against - in Gotham with its legion of organised crime families - is Black Mask. Wow is he one of the most evil, sadistic bastards in the DCU. And he's an outright misogynist, which makes him extra dangerous and loathsome. He's a villain you'll love to hate, and seeing him get his comeuppance by our heroine at the finale - the greatest wound to his toxic masculine pride and ego, by which he ties his whole identity - is very satisfying.
Others highlights in 'Catwoman, Vol. 1: Dangerous Liaisons' include:
• Selina receives a new pet cat called Duchess ('The Aristocats', much?), who is beautiful and mysterious, and possibly supernatural and cosmic.
• Catwoman pulls off some awesome martial arts and parkour moves, including a Chun-Li boot-pinning-to-the-chest. The comic also never forgets that she has a whip.
• On the subject of her attire, I only just now realised that her black spandex costume has holes cut at and under her armpits. It looks bloody strange. Is this a practical choice? For better movement and body circulation, and less sweat and sound? Or is this yet another way for the patriarchy to get away with showing fanservice without cleavage? Is side-boob the new cleavage? How long has it been going on?
• Why does Catwoman continue to wear high heels?!
• I like the Michelle Pfeiffer-esque Catwoman homage on the cover, however. She was truly one of the best Catwomen.
• Catwoman looks like Enid from 'Ghost World' in a few panels with her mask on.
• There is a nice, funny, and colourful two-issue Catwoman and Harley Quinn story at the end of the volume, that continues Selina's story (and her trips in and out of Gotham, which are constant). It is a girls' road trip comedy-action-drama, full of girl power, feminism, roller derby, car-and-motorbike chases, more female assassins, and the backs of the Bat Family in Gotham on the final page. As great as it is, I don't like when Harley suddenly gets mad at Selina near the end for no reason. Selina did nothing wrong, and she didn't keep anything from Harley! Despite this, they are an absolutely, ridiculously adorable duo, who love each other very much, and manage to stay platonic, as their hearts belong to other people. It's a treat to see how they are together, without Poison Ivy.
• The artwork all around is fantastic.
A 'Catwoman' comic recommendation by me, alongside 'Catwoman: Lonely City' and 'Catwoman: When in Rome'.
(Meow! Another 'Catwoman' review of mine containing no cat puns! Restraint!)
Final Score: 4/5
It's the first 'Catwoman' comic I like that's written by a woman. Go girl teams!
It's dark, gritty, intriguing, action-packed, clever, cool, sleek, polished, mysterious without being too frustrating, and is rich with femme fatale/female support. It is ripe for it. And yes, it is sexy, but it isn't obnoxious about it. There's no cheesecake, nothing pervy and fanservice-y - just natural humanity and human storytelling here.
How Catwoman/Selina Kyle is drawn, especially in some of her facial expressions when she's committed to a task, it's like she's purring off the page without actually having to purr; she's naturally sexy, but dangerous and not someone you'd want to cross casually. She's a heartbreaker and a bonebreaker.
'Dangerous Liaisons' might be the first 'Catwoman' comic I've read that acknowledges and factors in her bisexuality. She may be hung up on Batman (yeah, any real reason why didn't they get married, DC?), but she's explicitly into women, too, and she loves and cares for them, and wants to protect them. When she fails at that, she is devastated, and revenge will be her life's next goal, never forgetting what and who she is fighting for.
Her determination to defend the vulnerable in society - the poor, the female, the feline, the underdog - is her strength, her animal magnetism, more so than her sex appeal.
I've noticed that a lot of Catwoman's stories revolve around her avenging the murder of a prostitute friend/lover of hers. Why do comics (and films) keep doing this? It's a tired, sexist and degrading cliché at this point.
There are other LBGTQ+ elements and characters in 'Dangerous Liaisons', as well, and it manages to subvert the Bury Your Gays trope. Awesome. Keep at it, DC.
Although, I have to mention that the comic is noticeably, strictly focused on the gender binary, for something that came out in 2022. For all its feminism, it doesn't seem that inclusive and progressive, and in spite of the presence of Onyx Adams, a League of Assassins-trained killer and vigilante (and another of Selina's exes?), who is minor in the grand scheme of things, plus the lone female crime boss (and ditto an ex of Selina's) Eiko Hasigawa, whose importance also diminishes and is forgotten about by the end, the comic veers perilously close to white feminism turf/TERF. I ask DC Comics: Have they had the gemstones to include a nonbinary character yet - minor, superhero, civilian, or any other?
I'm not sure if this is a spoiler, but the main villain that Catwoman faces (heh) up against - in Gotham with its legion of organised crime families - is Black Mask. Wow is he one of the most evil, sadistic bastards in the DCU. And he's an outright misogynist, which makes him extra dangerous and loathsome. He's a villain you'll love to hate, and seeing him get his comeuppance by our heroine at the finale - the greatest wound to his toxic masculine pride and ego, by which he ties his whole identity - is very satisfying.
Others highlights in 'Catwoman, Vol. 1: Dangerous Liaisons' include:
• Selina receives a new pet cat called Duchess ('The Aristocats', much?), who is beautiful and mysterious, and possibly supernatural and cosmic.
• Catwoman pulls off some awesome martial arts and parkour moves, including a Chun-Li boot-pinning-to-the-chest. The comic also never forgets that she has a whip.
• On the subject of her attire, I only just now realised that her black spandex costume has holes cut at and under her armpits. It looks bloody strange. Is this a practical choice? For better movement and body circulation, and less sweat and sound? Or is this yet another way for the patriarchy to get away with showing fanservice without cleavage? Is side-boob the new cleavage? How long has it been going on?
• Why does Catwoman continue to wear high heels?!
• I like the Michelle Pfeiffer-esque Catwoman homage on the cover, however. She was truly one of the best Catwomen.
• Catwoman looks like Enid from 'Ghost World' in a few panels with her mask on.
• There is a nice, funny, and colourful two-issue Catwoman and Harley Quinn story at the end of the volume, that continues Selina's story (and her trips in and out of Gotham, which are constant). It is a girls' road trip comedy-action-drama, full of girl power, feminism, roller derby, car-and-motorbike chases, more female assassins, and the backs of the Bat Family in Gotham on the final page. As great as it is, I don't like when Harley suddenly gets mad at Selina near the end for no reason. Selina did nothing wrong, and she didn't keep anything from Harley! Despite this, they are an absolutely, ridiculously adorable duo, who love each other very much, and manage to stay platonic, as their hearts belong to other people. It's a treat to see how they are together, without Poison Ivy.
• The artwork all around is fantastic.
A 'Catwoman' comic recommendation by me, alongside 'Catwoman: Lonely City' and 'Catwoman: When in Rome'.
(Meow! Another 'Catwoman' review of mine containing no cat puns! Restraint!)
Final Score: 4/5
January 16, 2023
Artwork stellar, story is good. Artwork carries the day here for sure. Enjoyable multipart series.
August 6, 2023
DC comics has such a great cast of female heroes and villains, but when it comes to their solo stories, I consistently find the scope and style lacking.
Catwomen gets to do some heisting here and then some roller skating... really? This is the best we can get. I want bigger stories that actually have an effect on the universe and continuity...
Can someone please pitch and write bigger stories for these ladies' solo outings.
Art is top notch though and the read is not horrible by any stretch. Just small scope and therefore bored me a bit.
Catwomen gets to do some heisting here and then some roller skating... really? This is the best we can get. I want bigger stories that actually have an effect on the universe and continuity...
Can someone please pitch and write bigger stories for these ladies' solo outings.
Art is top notch though and the read is not horrible by any stretch. Just small scope and therefore bored me a bit.
April 16, 2024
This is my first time reading Catwoman, and it's the first time in a while since I've read scribe Tini Howard's work. Catwoman is back in town after taking a sabbatical from Gotham City (the cover description's words). The story introduces a new cadre of crime family lords, a new thief on the block who loves cats, and the return of a classic DC villain.
There were some highs, there were some lows, but it feels like the start of a good run. If you're looking for a decent jumping on point look no further. I'll see you in the next one.
There were some highs, there were some lows, but it feels like the start of a good run. If you're looking for a decent jumping on point look no further. I'll see you in the next one.
June 15, 2025
Really enjoy Tini Howard’s writing—especially how she writes Catwoman. I think a lot of people have tried to write her where she’s all cat puns and witticisms, but they miss how shrewd, smart, crafty, methodical, and fun she is.
I think the story is cool. Jeff Dekal’s covers are goooorgeous in this trade.
Some of the drawings of Eikos eyes i’m like hmmmm….not great, but it was only one panel that looked a little caricature-y to me.
Anyway, good stuff and overall very nice art and good writing. Would recommend.
I think the story is cool. Jeff Dekal’s covers are goooorgeous in this trade.
Some of the drawings of Eikos eyes i’m like hmmmm….not great, but it was only one panel that looked a little caricature-y to me.
Anyway, good stuff and overall very nice art and good writing. Would recommend.
June 25, 2023
Love everything about Selina taking down the four families.
:)
The story and art are engaging.
I don't like the second portion of the roller derby with Harley.
I'll always love a Harley Quinn cameo but all of that was dumb.
I also didn't like the art style. It was very jarring after the sleek, moviesque style of the first part of the story.
I gave this 4 stars but it may actually be more like 3.5.
:)
The story and art are engaging.
I don't like the second portion of the roller derby with Harley.
I'll always love a Harley Quinn cameo but all of that was dumb.
I also didn't like the art style. It was very jarring after the sleek, moviesque style of the first part of the story.
I gave this 4 stars but it may actually be more like 3.5.
October 21, 2023
I wasn't sure about this at first because the Valmont character is kind of whatever, but then the last few issues hit, and Harley showed up, and my heart was full of joy. Still kind of a "Selina takes over the mob" redux, but it's always satisfying to see Black Mask lose. Absolutely love the relationship between Harley and Selina here, two bi girls who love each other just not in that way - it's great to see what their dynamic is like without Ivy, too.
January 14, 2023
Great illustrations and drawings in this book and I think the inclusion of an lgbtq character and the conflicts around that are a very useful addition as a side story though whilst the main story can be quite hard to understand and points I do think it's really good and shows some new characters I do also love the part with harley quinn at the end <33
April 25, 2023
Catwoman steps out of Alleytown and back into Gotham proper. We're somewhat returning to the crime family setup as Catwoman gets mixed up from the five crime families currently running Gotham. Her motivations aren't always straight forward but what is is how good Nico Leon's art is in this. Bengal fills in for a two part snoozefest with Harley Quinn as well that felt like a waste of time.
June 26, 2023
I would give this 1.5 stars if there was an option for half. It wasn’t the worst thing I have read but I certainly didn’t enjoy it. It just felt like a complete and utter snooze fest for me. The dialogue was practically offensive at times at how bad it was. I really don’t see the point of this story at all..
January 17, 2024
Good lord the artwork is doing a lot of heavy lifting for this run. The plot is an absolute snooze, dialogue is very stiff and disjointed - people don't talk like how they do in this book. The setting also jumps around way too much to the point where the plot becomes hard to follow as well. Aside from some gorgeous artwork, I wouldn't suggest this to anyone.
July 20, 2024
I tend to find Catwoman fun, but her solo series can hit or miss. Tini Howard just wrote my favorite solo Catwoman book, and it's probably the best thing she's written amidst a great portfolio. Her Catwoman drips with elegance and tension, a lovely crime book that never forgets what's unique about Catwoman's perspective. Genius.
February 22, 2023
Starts with a crime take with art to match the mob theme…finished with Harley and roller derby with art that didn’t match the first 2/3rds.
I like the mafia feel of Catwoman and really didn’t need the arrival of Harley!
I like the mafia feel of Catwoman and really didn’t need the arrival of Harley!
August 27, 2023
None of these runs are hitting homeruns for me. Especially currently reading Brubaker's, everyone else feels fluffy or overly written, this one in the later. The art however is solid and really cool, wish the writing was as strong.
December 17, 2022
Not bad stories and illustrations!
December 29, 2022
The artwork is lovely but the story felt like nothing. The dialogue was too wordy and it was difficult to grasp what the story was supposed to be about.
February 3, 2023
I love the way Nico Leon does cityscapes.
May 10, 2023
The entire volume drips with Misandry.
June 7, 2023
A gorgeous book with a terrific script. Light on continuity so anyone can/should pick up and read.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews