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One Step Ahead / Uninvited Guest
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Main Story
Written by Ty Templeton
Pencils by Rick Burchett
Inks by Terry Beatty
Colors by Lee Loughridge
Lettering by Phil Balsman
Cover by Kelsey Shannon
Asst. Editor Harvey Richards
Editor Joan Hilty
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Back-Up
Written by Dan Slott
Pencils by Rick Burchett
Inks by Terry Beatty
Colored by Zylonol
Lettered by Phil Balsman
Asst. Editor Harvey Richards
Editor Joan Hilty |
Issue #10 - One Step Ahead / Uninvited Guest
Cover Date - March 2004. Released January 21st.
Misunderstood by the cops, Batman needs Catwoman’s help to escape them. But if Catty thinks they can be fugitives together, she’s wrong! And in the backup story, Catwoman pulls a heist at Wayne Manor! |
Review
Of all the Batman villains,
Catwoman is unquestionably the most morally ambiguous.
Batman’s Rogues Gallery is so strong primarily because
its denizens have such understandable and well-defined
motivations, yet few could argue that any of them
constitute “heroes” in the traditional comic book sense
of the word. Catwoman, perhaps, is the exception to this
rule. Unlike Poison Ivy, the Riddler, Mr. Freeze, the
Joker, or any of the other great Batman villains, murder
is not part of her modus operandi. Yes, she
steals, but as seen in “The Cat and the Claw”, much of
the motivation behind that stealing (outside of her
overgrown kleptomania) is charity. She has participated
in her fair share of righting wrongs over the course of
her career, and follows a moral code almost as rigid as
Batman’s. One could argue, not unreasonably, that the
only thing which truly separates her from the Dark
Knight is her relationship with the law. Whereas Batman
is approved (if complicity) by authority, Catwoman is a
clear enemy of the police. So what happens when that
last, definite barrier between the two costumed
individuals is torn down? When both Batman and Catwoman
are in the crosshairs of the law, does anything truly
divide them anymore, or have they become two of a kind,
partners in a sense?
That’s a question Batman Adventures #10 endeavors
to answer, a premise made possible by the new
Penguin-as-mayor setup. When Batman confronts Selina but
winds up needing her to escape from an attack staged by
the GCPD, they each gain new understanding into each
other. With Batman now as targeted by local authorities
as Selina Kyle, the creative team is free to explore
their relationship from a surprisingly fresh direction:
how it relates to the concepts of law and order. This is
not entirely new ground. Frank Miller played with the
same ideas in “Batman: Year One”, where Catwoman was
re-imagined as a vigilante first and a thief second. The
same approach also takes center stage in both Ed
Brubaker’s solo Catwoman series and Jeph Loeb’s
popular “Hush” arc in Batman. In a sense, all of
them took the easy way out, playing Catwoman as
essentially sympathetic and heroic. Ty Templeton doesn’t
take such a simple route. Instead, he acknowledges that
while tearing down the barriers of law do indeed make
slight difference in the Batman/Catwoman relationship,
each remains somewhat aloof in regard to the other.
Templeton does little to resolve Catwoman’s moral
ambiguity, instead choosing to deepen it and make it
even more fascinatingly complex. Ultimately, this is a
greater payoff than having Selina fall cleanly onto the
side of the angels, and far more consistent with her
past appearances.
Lest I make all this sound too cerebral, rest assured,
the issue is also great because it’s packed to the brim
with fun action. Most of the fifteen page main story is
dedicated to an extended chase sequence, and it’s an
absolute blast to read. Eagle-eyed Batman fans will spot
a dual homage to both “Batman: Year One” and Batman:
Mask of the Phantasm. For the first time in the
series, the GCPD’s role of antagonist becomes fully
believable. Both Jim Gordon and Renee Montoya receive
strong character moments. And the flirtatious “Will
they/Won’t they?” interactions of Batman and Catwoman
are always a pleasure.
Special mention must be made of Rick Burchett’s art, as
this is unquestionably his finest issue in the entire
series. The atmosphere is palpably cold, the layouts are
creative and eye-catching, and the use of shadows and
lighting sublime. He knocks this story out of the park,
and it must be seen if only for that reason.
The backup is a pleasant caper story offering nice
insight into Catwoman’s methodology. Though nothing
special, it is awfully fun, and Burchett’s art has some
daring Eisner-esque layouts that bring a level of visual
uniqueness to the page. As standalones go, this is
perhaps the book’s strongest issue… but don’t take my
word for it.
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