Batman and Catwoman have pretty much the definition of a complicated relationship. They’ve been adversaries, they’ve been allies, they’ve been engaged and now they’re…well, what are they exactly? That’s the real question at the heart of Tom King’s Batman/Catwoman, the out-of-continuity DC Black Label series that drops in on the costume-clad couple at various points throughout their relationship.
Batman/Catwoman is about to enter its final act, but before we get there, we have what King describes as a one-shot “interlude” in next week’s Batman/Catwoman Special #1, featuring a script by King and story art from Mitch Gerads, Bernard Chang, Shawn Crystal and, in the final work completed before his untimely death, John Paul Leon. Leon drew the first thirteen pages of the comic and provided the breakdowns for seven more before losing his longtime battle with cancer last year.
It’s a fitting final project for the gifted artist as, among its themes, Batman/Catwoman is also a poignant meditation on loss and saying goodbye. But surprisingly, our first look at the special focuses on the other side of Selina’s relationship with Bruce—the first time she ever saw him, when she was a child at the orphanage established by his family. It’s a sweetly envisioned moment, giving us a glimpse at Selina at arguably her most vulnerable, and certainly the youngest we’ve seen her in quite a while. Enjoy the preview, and don’t miss the full 80-page comic when it lands in stores next week.
Batman/Catwoman Special #1 by Tom King, John Paul Leon, Mitch Gerads, Bernard Chang, Shawn Crystal, Dave Stewart and others is available Tuesday, January 25 in print and as a digital comic book.
