Catwoman 28 drops this week, and at long last, Catwoman’s plan to take back Alleytown from the gun runners and drug dealers hits full gear. Selina’s determination to reunite Alleytown and make it a safer place for the kids running loose there. Will her plans work or is she setting up the kids of Alleytown up for disaster.

The Khadym mob makes its move against Catwoman after she cost him a fortune, but little do they know, Selina prepared these kids for the worst. The kids are not only ready for the gang, but they prepare several surprises that quickly take care of the mobsters. Meanwhile Catwoman takes care of an incoming shipment at the docks with a practiced hand and surgical precision. When one spends a great deal of time around Batman, one tends to pick up some of his habits. I doubt the caped crusader could have executed the dock strike any better. Granted, Selina likes the exhibitionism a bit more than Bruce.

The thing I like about Catwoman is she has a plan. She does not strike out of anger or revenge. She envisions Alleytown as a better place, but she also takes a realistic approach. Selina knows she can’t make it some sort of Utopia, but she can make it safer. To that end, she makes choices for the long run. Take Ms. Rollins for example. Rollins betrayed Selina and tried to work against her. Normally, one would think Catwoman would eliminate her. Nope. She needs lower level bosses to keep the streets under control. She lectures Rollins on the cost of deceit, and then offers her a solution – play ball or be taken out. The warning (and a nice little bitch-slap) can be quite convincing.

Catwoman 28 – A Single Loose Thread

Everything goes down like clockwork. What could possibly go wrong? Nothing….save a single man taking a strolling down the dock without a care. With all the excitement going on, Selina knows immediately he is out of place. The problem is, she underestimates Father Valley. Catwoman may get her claws to Valley’s throat, but not before he gets a blade to hers. This is where events get quite chilling.

Valley calmly lays out his plans for Miss Kyle. He WANTS her to succeed to the point of even helping her whenever he needs too. Once she reaches the pinnacle of her success, he promises to bring her crashing down. Valley comes across more creepy than any Gotham villain to date. It’s one thing to take on a threat, but to WAIT for a threat that will come faster the more you win. His warning as he simply strolls away from Catwoman with his back turned made my skin crawl. “It is not a question of playing to win. The question is, can you play like you have nothing to lose?” Will Selina play it cool or will she go on the offensive?

Catwoman 28 – I Hate Cliffhangers

I have always hated television shows that end their season with a major reveal or cliffhanger that makes you wait for the answers. Of course it works and Catwoman 28 does precisely this. Of course while Catwoman works her magic, Detective Hadley joins up with the Alleytown division of the GCPD. He attempts to help Selina in his own way, but the case gets pulled from the precinct. Luckily for Hadley, an exception surfaces that gives them an inroad to staying involved. The meth they captured had an engineered component to it.

Funny thing the comic world. To fully understand it you need to read all the possible titles. Many of DC’s titles have been shelved for now, but many of the characters resurfaced in other titles until spring. One of these major characters was Harley Quinn. She lost her title, but continues to play huge roles in the Batman title. An interesting fact is that Harley had another major Gotham villain running around with her. This villain disappeared shortly after returning from the events of Heroes in Crisis. It appears as if Poison Ivy will return from oblivion once more….in March.

Because next up in the DC Universe is: