By Zack Quaintance — At my increasingly distracted age, I have had less time for reading and obsessing over comic book preview copy, which means that I went into this week’s Catwoman - Lonely City #1 by the great Cliff Chiang relatively unaware of what was to come. That is to say, I didn’t even really know what this comic was about. All I knew was that Chiang — who is one of comics best designers and a fantastic graphic sequential artist, as demonstrated by his work on everything from Paper Girls to Wonder Woman — was serving up a Catwoman comic. What I found in this book is quite possibly the best Gotham City comic of the year, which is really saying a lot because in the past 12 months the Batman line has been prolific and strong.

This, friends, is going to be one of those reviews that unpacks what makes Catwoman - Lonely City #1 work so well, because to me there isn’t really a serious criticism to be leveled at it. In fact, this comic has earned a perfect 10 score from me, just the fourth comic to earn a perfect score this year.

As with any Cliff Chiang project, the most striking quality of Catwoman - Lonely City #1 is the artwork. Like I said, Chiang is one of the best artist designers in comics, putting out imaginative looks for items and characters that aren’t always obvious. We get that from page one in this comic (above), wherein it is revealed the paramilitary police force wears safety gear that is evocative of Batman. It’s a relatively small touch, but it’s one that does so much work for the story, both in providing subtle context for the near-future in which this book is set, as well as making this fictional future Gotham City feel real and lived in.

So yes, this book looks great, but the concepts, writing and ideas are just as memorable. This entire affair is essentially a riff on The Dark Knight Returns, only without the Dark Knight, who is replaced with Catwoman. The tone is also suitably altered. Gone is the 1980s severity and deconstructionist realism, and in its place is a grim assessment of the worlds many problems, yet laced with an almost defiant optimism, all of which is perfect for the character of Selina Kyle.

That’s what makes the broad, foundational strokes of this one work. Past that, what’s also very charming here are the small details. This isn’t just a book about Old Lady Catwoman. No, it’s about a good number of the characters that have populated Gotham City for many years, from Barbara Gordon to Two Face to Killer Croc. And to a one, their status quos are incredibly interesting. We’ve seen so many takes on alternate future Gotham City, but none as charming and thoughtful as this one. Catwoman - Lonely City #1 might just serve up your favorite usage of Harvey Dent, in between your favorite usage of Killer Croc. It’s all fantastic.

Those are just some of the qualities that elevate Catwoman - Lonely City #1. So much is done right in this book, it’s almost a challenge to quantify them all. The last thing I’ll point out is that when a comic really truly works, there’s an intangible magic to it, a sense that while you could intellectualize what’s happening in the pages, you may be better off just leaning in to the vision, enjoying every moment of what a creator has achieved. I felt that all throughout this wonderful comic.

Overall: Catwoman - Lonely City #1 is out this week from creator Cliff Chiang, who serves up a riff on The Dark Knight Returns, that centers on Catwoman and does everything with endearing charm. This might be 2021’s best Gotham City comic, which is saying a lot. 10/10

REVIEW: Catwoman - Lonely City #1

Catwoman - Lonely City #1
Writer/Artist/Letterer: Cliff Chiang
Publisher: DC Comics - Black Label
Ten years ago, the massacre known as Fools’ Night claimed the lives of Batman, The Joker, Nightwing, and Commissioner Gordon…and sent Selina Kyle, the Catwoman, to prison. A decade later, Gotham has grown up-it’s put away costumed heroism and villainy as childish things. The new Gotham is cleaner, safer…and a lot less free, under the watchful eye of Mayor Harvey Dent and his Batcops. It’s into this new city that Selina Kyle returns, a changed woman…with her mind on that one last big score: the secrets hidden inside the Batcave! She doesn’t need the money-she just needs to know…who is “Orpheus”? Visionary creator Cliff Chiang (Wonder Woman, Paper Girls) writes, draws, colors, and letters the story of a world without Batman, where one woman’s wounds threaten to tear apart an entire city! It’s an unmissable artistic statement that will change the way you see Gotham’s heroes and villains forever!
Price: $6.99
Release Date: October 19, 2021
Buy It Here: Catwoman - Lonely City #1

Read more great graphic novel and comics reviews!

Zack Quaintance is a tech reporter by day and freelance writer by night/weekend. He Tweets compulsively about storytelling and comics as Comics Bookcase.