Catwoman uses caltrops as an anti-personnel weapon and bolas to entangle opponents at a distance. After the introduction of DC Comics' multiverse in the 1960s, DC established that stories from the Golden Age star the Earth-Two Batman, a character from a parallel world. Since the 1990s, Catwoman has been featured in an eponymous series that cast her as an anti-heroine rather than a supervillainess. Batman #62 (December 1950) reveals that Catwoman was an amnesiac flight attendant who turned to crime after suffering a prior blow to the head during a plane crash she survived. Black Mask learns Selina's identity through his earlier alliance with Selina's childhood friend Sylvia, who still harbors a grudge against Selina. In the 1960s, Catwoman's catsuit was green, which was typical of villains of that era. However, this relationship appears to end on the Fourth of July when Bruce rejects her advances twice; once as Bruce and once as Batman. [75] She is revealed to be the daughter of the villain Multiplex; she inherits her father's ability to self-duplicate, but can only create nine copies of herself, explaining her adoption of the Catwoman moniker. Once Selina is freed, Talia orders Zatanna to wipe Bruce's identity from her memory, reasoning that her kidnapping has proved that the knowledge is too dangerous for her to handle. When she is 13 years old, Selina discovers that the detention center's administrator has been embezzling funds, and she confronts her. Afterwards, However, after an encounter with the Joker and conversation with Holly, Selina comes to the conclusion that Batman is better lonely and leaves Bruce at the alter before the ceremony. She quickly quit however and was replaced by Batgirl. The Joker attacks and paralyzes her, much like he does to Barbara Gordon in Batman: The Killing Joke. During one of her heists, she is approached by the Kite Man to aide the Joker in a gang war against the Riddler, which she refuses. Back in reality, Talia reveals to the Sirens that just a few hours prior, an unknown benefactor had offered up a massive reward to whoever could kidnap and deliver Catwoman to him, with the hopes that he could penetrate her mind and learn Batman's secret identity. Selina got into a fight with a disguised Bruce after he grabbed Holly, who had stabbed him during a fight with Stan, but was knocked out. Back in reality, Talia reveals to the Sirens that just a few hours prior, an unknown benefactor had offered up a massive reward to whoever could kidnap and deliver Catwoman to him, with the hopes that he could penetrate her mind and learn Batman's secret identity. Bane asks her to work for him, but she refuses, as she is repulsed by the criminal who "broke" Batman. This nickname was quite popular during Batman's early days and although it is still used today, it is considered to be a historical nickname. Although she does not wear her iconic cat-suit, the story establishes her core personality as a femme fatale who both antagonizes and attracts Batman. It was not until her next appearance that she donned a mask, which was a theatrically face-covering cat-mask that had the appearance of a real cat, rather than a more stylized face mask seen in her later incarnations. Batman catches criminals, and Catwoman is a criminal. Batman co-creator Bob Kane was a great movie fan and his love for film provided the impetus for several Batman characters, among them, Catwoman. Bruce proposes to Selina in Batman (vol. HE was the one who went at Batman like a toddler throwing a tantrum. Selina during her early days as Catwoman. Catwoman's originand, to an extent, her characterwas revised in 1987 when writer Frank Miller and artist David Mazzucchelli published Batman: Year One, a revision of Batman's origin. [42] The teams eventually come into conflict in the publisher's "Trinity War" crossover. Catwoman has a long history in Gotham City as Batman's classic anti-heroine femme fatale, but The Batman avoided using her iconic moniker and simply referred to her as Selina Kyle. Catwoman's attractiveness and feminine wiles have also allowed her to take advantage of male opponents. This is a dark and tragic period which culminates with Selina's former pimp Stan abducting and violently abusing her sister Maggie. In the follow-up to The Return of Bruce Wayne, the Sirens help Zatanna put out a massive fire at a local park near their home, only for them to be ambushed by a creature made of mud. Several stories in the 1970s featured Catwoman committing murder, something that neither the Earth-One nor Earth-Two versions of her would ever do. (Image credit: DC) Batman is known as the Caped Crusader, thanks to his fanatical one-man-war on crime. [26] Now calling herself Sister Zero, Maggie attempts to kill Selina, but ultimately flees after being defeated by the Sirens. Knowing that the real Bruce is dead, and that the man with Harley is really Thomas Elliot (Hush), Selina takes Ivy to the restaurant where the picture was taken. She later aides Batman, with whom she already has a romantic relationship, to spy on the Joker. During this time, a client gives her a cat o' nine tails, which Selina keeps as a trophy. Batman asks Catwoman to infiltrate the violent tribe of Bana Amazons during The Amazons Attack! While still recuperating, she pulls off one more heist and exacts her revenge on Hush. I felt that women were feline creatures and men were more like dogs. It is later revealed that this Earth is a creation of her own mind, and she has not left the Prison Planet. Annette Bening was originally cast in the role, but she had to drop out of filming due to her . Maria Kyle is a distant parent who preferred to spend her time with cats, and commits suicide when Selina is very young. Selina is helped to her feet by her friends, who tell her that Maggie has fled the scene. Catwoman is a fictional character from the DC Comics universe. Selina Kyle appears as an aging and somewhat overweight madam in Frank Miller's Batman: The Dark Knight Returns four times; all are brief. During one of their encounters, Selina and Eiko kiss, establishing their relationship as a romantic one. With the help of a few allies on both sides; the Oracle, Holly Robinson, Poison Ivy, Harley Quinn, and Slam Bradley, Selina taps into Hush's assets, leaving him penniless and suffering from wounds inflicted by Batman. This week's Top Five List is the Top Five Nicknames for Batman!! She allies herself with Lex Luthor in an attempt to return to Earth, and mistakenly ends up on an alternate universe-Earth where Catwoman is a notorious villain. He couldn't finish a bag of popcorn! Batman Wiki is a FANDOM Comics Community. While Ivy and Harley distract him, Selina ends Boneblaster's threat by shorting out his gauntlets with a live electrical conduit, deducing that the villain had yet to get used to the technology, and had failed to properly insulate his gloves. Several characters have also taken up the role in addition to Kyle, including Holly Robinson and Eiko Hasigawa. This was the second time that Batman's true identity was shown to be known to her. Catwoman assumes a prominent role in the third volume of Batman. So there's a love-resentment thing with women. In recent years, artists have typically depicted Catwoman in some variation of a tight, black bodysuit. She initially teams up with the Laughing Man (the Joker) against the English freebooter Captain Leatherwing (Batman), before turning to Leatherwing's side, and eventually marrying him. In 2011, DC Comics relaunched its main line of superhero titles under the umbrella The New 52, which revised and updated the fictional history of its superhero characters. 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Today, we look at when Batman and Catwoman first discovered each other's secret identities. She turns to her informant, Lola, who often supplies Catwoman with information and various jobs. ", "Catwoman #39: "Better Than He Does Himself", "The Man Behind The Cat Exclusive Interview with Ed Brubaker", "Exclusive: Get a Sneak Peek at Catwoman's New Costume", "DC Announces Batman '89 and Superman '78 Digital First Series", "Catching up with the original Catwoman, Julie Newmar", Star-Spangled War Stories Featuring G.I. She winds up reforming and stays on the straight and narrow for several years, helping out Batman in Batman #65 and #69, until Selina decides to return to a life of crime in Detective Comics #203. Though the story adds more circumstantial evidence to the theory of Selina's Falcone heritage, establishing that the Falcones' second-born daughter was put up for adoption in America, it also supplies no definitive proof. In Detective Comics Annual #7 ("Batman: Leatherwing") by Chuck Dixon, set in the 18th century Caribbean, Capitana Felina is a Spanish Contessa turned pirate, who rails against the chauvinism of her own crew. Batman recovers her heart, and Dr. Mid-Nite restores it to her body; however, the doctor also makes a prognosis on whether she can still return to her former life swinging through rooftops. On the day of their wedding, Selina decides to call off the wedding as she realises that marrying Bruce would ultimately take away what makes him Batman. Still unbalanced and uncertain of herself in issue #52 (the last issue before the jump to One Year Later), Selina is forced to decide whether to kill a supervillain. In a backup storyline Trail of the Catwoman, by writer Ed Brubaker and artist Darwyn Cooke, private detective Slam Bradley attempts to find out what really happened to Selina Kyle. Batman investigates the murders of the terrorists that she has been charged with, and deduces that it was in fact Holly Robinson who committed the murders after the terrorists burned down the orphanage she and Selina were raised in. In the all-digital graphic novel Batman: Digital Justice, which is set some time in the future long after the original Batman has died, Sheila Romero, also known as the hit pop music star Gata (the Spanish female noun for "cat") and daughter of the Mayor of Gotham City, is jealous of the new Batman, James Gordon, because media coverage of his activities have been cutting into her airtime. After enlisting Batman's help in faking the death of both herself and her daughter, Selina puts Helena up for adoption. Their relationship is also strained by the fact that they sometimes find themselves on opposite sides of the law. [5] She quickly quits, however, and is replaced by Batgirl. The 1989 Catwoman limited series (collected in trade paperback form as Catwoman: Her Sister's Keeper) by writer Mindy Newell and artist J.J. Birch expanded on Miller's Year One origin. But compared to Poison Ivy, an environmental fundamentalist who believes in the . Devastated by her sister's statement, Selina fails to realize they have both been heading into a trap. crossover. She is sent to the Thomas and Martha Wayne Home For the Boys and Girls of Gotham, and even after being placed in various foster homes, Selina would escape to return to the orphanage. In the Earth-Two continuity, Selina Kyle and Bruce Wayne are married, and their daughter, Helena Wayne, is that universe's Robin. In the course of the story, the origin of Catwoman was also re-envisioned. On May 21, 2018, DC Comics unveiled Selina's revamped Catwoman costume designed by comic book writer and artist Jolle Jones. Hunting for the monster that transformed her, Selina encounters Batman as he hunts for the remaining vampires, the two subsequently joining forces to eliminate the vampire horde. When the money she stole from the corrupt orphanage administrator ran out, Selina found herself in "Alleytown - a network of cobblestone streets that form a small borough between the East End and Old Gotham" (Catwoman v.2 #12). Fortuna treats her students like slaves, keeping their earnings for herself. Selina Kyle, commonly known as Catwoman, is a fictional character who appears in Tim Burton 's Batman film series and is based on the DC Comics character of the same name. In this story, Holly Robinson is introduced as Selina's roommate, a young runaway and prostitute Kyle has taken in. When the two meet at an opera many years later, during the events of Batman: Hush, Bruce comments that the two no longer have a relationship as Bruce and Selina. "One Year Later" Selina Kyle is no longer Catwoman, has left the East End, and has given birth to a daughter named Helena (whose father is initially unknown). Selina was taken in by "Mama Fortuna", the elderly leader of a gang of young thieves, and was taught how to steal. Lee Meriwether and Eartha Kitt replaced when she was unavailable for the movie and season three. Her Sister's Keeper explores Selina's early life as a prostitute and the start of her career as Catwoman. In Salvation Run #2, Catwoman was exiled to the Prison Planet by Amanda Waller's Suicide Squad. [40] Her revised origin in Catwoman (vol. This series met with critical and fan acclaim, especially for its first 25 issues. In this series, Selina Kyle, joined by new supporting cast members Holly and Slam Bradley (a character from the early Golden Age DC Comics), becomes protector of the residents of Gothams East End, while still carrying out an ambitious career as a cat burglar. Catwoman has been featured in many media adaptations related to Batman. Having understandably gained a few pounds, Selina finds that her costume is now a tighter fit. In an attempt to harmonize the various versions, some writers have posited that Catwoman, early in her career, pretended to be a prostitute in order to scam lonely men and rob them. She is portrayed by American actress Michelle Pfeiffer. Selina Kyle is often portrayed as a thief and cat burglar with divided loyalties. To clear her name, they track down Holly, bringing Catwoman into a duel with Talia al Ghul. "[13] Catwoman was meant to be a love interest and to engage Batman in a chess game, with him trying to reform her. Together the girls manage to stop the faux Joker and move in together. Maggie's fate at this point in the time-line is not alluded to. Damian is truly his father's son! She died in Bruce's arms claiming "I did it all for you". Selina is sad that she might end up alone again. Meanwhile, Harley goes shopping. After the DC Universe's history was rewritten by the Flash and Doctor Manhattan, Catwoman's past was changed. At the same time, this character was meant to be different from other Batman villains like the Joker in that she was never a killer or evil. She has also been voiced by Adrienne Barbeau, Gina Gershon, Nika Futterman, Grey DeLisle, Laura Bailey, Jennifer Carpenter, Jennifer Morrison, Naya Rivera, Anika Noni Rose and Elizabeth Gillies in both Batman and DC Comics-related media. The Flash Could Use a Twisted Part of Flashpoint To Bring Back a Classic Batman Character. Black Mask attacks the institution, and somehow awakens Maggie from her coma. In Detective Comics #848 (November 2008), Hush attacks Selina as she is in her apartment, kidnapping her and surgically removing her heart. The 1989 Catwoman limited series, written by Mindy Newell and with art by J.J. Birch, expanded upon Miller's Year One origin. During the events of Blackest Night, Selina is attacked by Black Mask after he has been reborn as a member of the Black Lantern Corps. Catwoman (Selina Kyle) appears as Catwoman (Prime) a playable character in the Infinite Crisis video game. 3 #2. After being arrested by Commissioner Gordon, she escapes from prison. RELATED: 10 Awesome Catwoman Cosplay Every Batman & DC Fan Needs To See. 4) #0 draws from Batman Returns. Ed Brubaker, the writer behind the 2001 revamp of the character, has stated that Selina's current costume was inspired by Emma Peel's iconic leather catsuit in The Avengers television series. Selina is helped to her feet by her friends, who tell her that Maggie has fled the scene. Following a massive battle with Black Mask and his henchmen (which ends with neither woman being able to claim the bounty), Selina agrees to take on Kitrina as her new sidekick, Catgirl. Selina returns home from her adventure to find that the mysterious movie aficionado Film Freak has deduced her alias, joined with Angle Man, and grabbed Helena. In 1993, Catwoman was given her first ongoing comic book series. After being arrested by Commissioner Gordon, she escapes from prison. It was revealed that Selina Kyle had been the wife of an abusive man, and eventually decided to leave her husband. Later in the story, she boards a plane with Bruce Wayne to fly to Santa Prisca. Although later cleared, she displays increasingly erratic behavior throughout the story, with her series later revealing that she has developed a form of personality disorder after exposure to the Scarecrow's fear gas, causing her to act as herself and an identity that appears to be her sister Maggie pretending to be her. Abilities: "[22] Selina is taken in by Mama Fortuna, the elderly leader of a gang of young thieves, and is taught how to steal. However, Catwoman prevents her thugs from murdering Batman once he is later found knocked out, but quickly claims she wants him as a hostage. Batman approaches . Batman found out about the outing and got angry, only for Catwoman to calm him down and kiss him. Anne Hathaway portrayed the character in Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight Rises.
