When street kids begin disappearing from their corners, Catwoman makes it her mission to investigate this rash of kidnappings. Since she can't do it alone, she recruits the help of the handsome Detective Alvarez -- much to the dismay of her current partner-in-crime Spark.
Catwoman Volume 2: Dollhouse collects issues #7-12 of Catwoman, written by Judd Winick and art by Adriana Melo and Guillem March.
It's no secret that Catwoman had a rough start in the New 52. The first six issues of Judd Winick's run were problematic. The objectification of Catwoman's body and her reckless behaviour made the title difficult to stomach. Thankfully, Dollhouse rectifies those problems.
Where Catwoman was erratic and excessively violent in the first six issues of the series, she's written to be more grounded and calculating in this set. We're finally getting to see her put some thought into her actions, particularly with how she formulates a plan to save the street kids that are being kidnapped. She's becoming less of a hot mess and more of the antihero we know her as. This is all helped by the fact that there's a clear narrative behind the character and a defined trajectory for her. With Catwoman acting as a champion for the disenfranchised, it not only gives us insight into the character but it also sheds a light on the injustices present in our own society. Every day, sex workers face abuse and are subjected to horrendous crimes, but are ignored by the media and authorities because of their status within society.
Aside from the more layered storytelling, Winick is to be praised for the supporting cast he's created. Diversity is such a hot button topic in the comic book world lately and Catwoman proved to be an example of how creators could incorporate more diversity into their work. Since Gwen, Spark and Detective Alvarez would qualify as visible minorities, their layered personalities and importance to the overall narrative enables them to move beyond consideration as token characters. The decision to present Spark as Catwoman's love interest also defies the norms surrounding depictions of Asian-American men in fiction. They're typically henchmen or maniacal masterminds, but rarely are they ever written as alpha male lovers for Caucasian characters. Even though Winick's portrayal of these characters isn't perfect (two of them are criminals after all), it's still a step in the right direction.
Dollhouse's shortcomings have little to do with the writing or the art (which is fantastic, by the way), but it's rather the editorial team that lets the title down. Winick's arc involving the reveal of the antagonist Dollhouse and Catwoman's subsequent assault on the villain is interrupted by the "Night of the Owls" event that swept across all Batman titles at the time. Forcing Catwoman into this storyline completely derailed the arc of her own book and messed with the pacing. As such, issue #9 ended up being the weakest of the bunch.
For fans of the Feline Fatale, Dollhouse puts the character back on track with where she needs to be. She's an incredible thief who occasionally fights to protect the disadvantaged. The characterization in this collection is much stronger than in the previous and the narrative itself is quite compelling. Melo and March's art match Winick's dynamic storytelling, with beautifully choreographed action scenes and great expressive close-ups of Catwoman's face. Sadly, the interference of "Night of the Owls" really hindered this particular arc and stalled the narrative enough to be a nuisance. Ah, the things publishers will do to drum up sales.
Rating: B
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