Judd Winick has certainly captured the true spirit and
fundamentals of Catwoman in volume 2: Dollhouse.
(Spoilers follow…)
The Selina Kyle of volume one seemed fixated on her
“intimacies” with Batman, which led to a lot of her self-thought to be focused on
him, what he’s thinking, or how a relationship between them would ever work.
This is not what Selina Kyle should be all about.
If Catwoman is to ever have any real success in her own
series, then Batman must not be involved. Sure, her stories take place in
Gotham City, and certain events (Death of the Family, Requiem) can have impact
on her story, but it should not be up to Batman to be the deciding factor in a
“Catwoman” book. Now, Dollhouse is a much better collection of issues then The
Game. Winick puts the focus on Selina and her personal life, as well as her
cat-burglar career, both of which experience highs and lows, but mature and
grow more complex and detailed. This is what readers want in comics.
Winick gives Selina a new partner in crime, one with
superpowers too, and sets them both on a series of various criminal activity
from stealing priceless artifacts, to getting themselves mixed up with The
Penguin and even a Talon from the Court of Owls. What makes this volume so much
better is the interlocking stories. When I read it, I really felt as though
this series was finally beginning to develop its own world, full of new
supporting characters and new environments, tailored to Catwoman’s persona and
lifestyle.
