Batman Arkham: Catwoman

The Batman Arkham trade paperback series has been running for a while now, collecting various stories of classic Bat-villains in spotlight volumes. These have been mid-priced collections so a little on the no-frills side, but still pretty decent. Now, it's the Princess of Plunder's turn!And... as one review here points out, it's bit of a random swipe of stories; I may dare even say haphazard. However, in DC's defense, there have been several Catwoman collections like this in recent years (Catwoman: Nine Lives of the Feline Fatale, The Bat and the Cat, Catwoman: A Celebration of 75 Years), so finding fresh material and avoiding over-repetition is going to be something of a challenge (ALL these volumes, including this one, reprint the Cat's first appearance from Batman #1, naturally).While I will admit this present volume is by no means any kind of "Best Of...", I was happy to see stories I've never seen reprinted before. Presented in chronological order, this book gives a good overview of the career and personality-evolution of Sylena Kyle, her developing self-identity as Catwoman (from unapologetic jewel thief to defender/avenger of the forgotten), and her developing relationship with Bruce and the Bat. It's also a great historical overview of comics as an art and storytelling form, revisiting the work of some of the great writers and artists who have shaped comic and pop culture history through the decades.The art and color reproduction is very-very good; some vintage covers are included (which can be rare to see and always welcome), and a couple "Who's-Who" data/bio pages (including references to Earth 2 Catwoman).Despite being pretty happy with the package (for a fan like me, any Catwoman is good Catwoman), I can't deny the random method of story selection can make the book feel a little disjointed - particularly with the later pieces that are pulled from ongoing story lines so just kind of hang there. An intro page or two from an editor would have made a big difference, giving some history and context, and some thoughts behind the choices made (heck, DC, I'll do it for future volumes - let's talk!).For hardcore Catwoman fans, this is a nice addition with some rare stuff at a good price. For casual Bat-fans, this collection may read a little "huh".

Of all the Catwoman stories over 80+ years, this is the best DC could come up with? This is a so-so group of stories........It could , and should have been much better in story and art selection. Save your hard earned bucks.

Knappe evolutie van Catwoman. Verschillende hele artistieke old school tekenstijlen.