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Catwoman: Lonely City #1 takes Selina Kyle on an introspective journey as Cliff Chiang paints a grounded story of redemption and survival.
Superhero stories are like fine wine: with age, the stories become more rooted in reality and explore new storytelling possibilities. As the characters mature, they can become more cynical about their role and worldview, leading to inner struggles with identity. It was inevitable that a multifaceted anti-hero like Catwoman would see similar literary treatment. Cliff Chiang returns to DC Comics with an intriguing tale that he writes, draws, colors and letters. Published by DC’s Black Label imprint, Catwoman: Lonely City spotlights a dejected and world-weary Selina Kyle living in a Gotham City with no Batman to protect it.
Catwoman: Lonely City #1 opens with an older Catwoman, jumping off rooftops while evading gunfire from armored police enforcers wearing Bat cowls. Ten years ago, a fateful altercation saw the end of both the Joker and the Batman. The event, dubbed Fool’s Night, claimed the lives of many of Batman’s allies and ended in the incarceration of Catwoman. Using that as a platform, Harvey Dent makes a comeback in politics and becomes the Mayor of Gotham. The city — now safer and cleaner and peaceful than ever — is constantly under the Mayor’s surveillance. As Selina tries hard to come to terms with her new surroundings, Bruce’s last words always come back to haunt her.
As the title suggests, there is an undercurrent of melancholy that follows Selina throughout the story. As she attempts to reconcile her past, she’s amiss in a world unrecognizable from the life she left behind. Catwoman: Lonely City #1 forgoes unnecessary exposition and slowly introduces the reader to the story through a meticulously crafted narrative. Chiang conveys Selina’s feelings and trepidations through a The Dark Knight Returns style first-person narrative boxes — but without the angst and with more self-reflection. The plot gradually thickens as the story progresses, making Catwoman a pivotal character of things to come.
Eisner award-winning penciller Cliff Chiang juggles both writing and art duties admirably, giving equal attention to both. The illustrations carry an invisible weight that keeps the plot grounded in a modern reality of commercialism and totalitarianism. Chiang’s bold outlines, along with the detailed backgrounds, marry well in a clean, new look for Gotham City. Characters’ expressive faces and their world-weary glances reflect the toll the characters have taken over the years. The coloring breathes life into the artwork and gives the book a polished, stylish appearance. Chiang’s use of contrasting colors to create a transition of color gradients not only adds depth to the artwork but brings festering emotions to the surface.
A comic laden with mysteries, Catwoman: Lonely City #1 is a story of redemption and survival in a world that wrote off the antics of masked vigilantes as a bad dream. Cliff Chiang’s impressive lettering work doesn’t go unnoticed either, as several well-placed and creatively utilized onomatopoeia makes the issue even more immersive. Catwoman: Lonely City #1 ends on a hook with former DC adversaries, enticing readers to pick up the next issue.
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