Comic Review: Catwoman: Lonely City #2

DC Comics

Art, Story, Colors, Letters: Cliff Chiang

As someone who adores Paper Girls and has read very little DC, Cliff Chiang’s Lonely City reads like a dense, lived-in, fully realized superhero world I’ve never been to. I imagine the experience won’t be all that different for even the most loyal Catwoman/Gotham readers, as the central theme of Lonely City seems to be, “My, my, how things do change..”

While I’m likely missing out on Easter eggs and inside jokes galore, Lonely City feels less like a love letter written in a language I don’t understand, and more like a new world opening up just as things are getting exciting. In fact, the first two issues are reminiscent of Watchmen, as readers perceive the ways of an ever-evolving world through the eyes of someone who once fit so perfectly in place. But now, the war is over. The masks and capes are gone. Catwoman is free, but what exactly does freedom look like in Harvey Dent’s nuevo Gotham?

Rather than a meandering retrospective of a Gotham that might one day be, Lonely City is served by a compelling political and crime mystery that neatly weaves together the lives of Selina Kyle, Harvey Dent, Barbara Gordon, Killer Croc, Poison Ivy, and more. This issue introduces a number of fascinating details about Fool’s Night, capped by an image of Catwoman cradling a dying Batman.

Between alternate timelines, non-canon stories, fakeouts, and everything in between, we’ve seen Batman die more times than there are Spider-people in the Spidervse. But damn if they don’t carry a punch in scenarios like these. Not a main DC story, no, but a complete narrative that hinges on the death of our caped crusader. In this world, the hero failed. And while things look rosy for the time, it’s clear Dent is cooking up a political plot that only a bat–scratch that, a cat–can unravel.

Chiang’s narrative and worldbuilding are commendable. That said, it is his art that elevates Lonely City to something special. There’s no place to begin or end the praise, considering Chiang handles every aspect of the book’s creation. City scenes, especially at night, evoke a sort of 80’s cyberpunk feel. A cup of coffee between friends, meanwhile, is colored with a more grounded, natural brush. 

Character designs are top notch, particularly Selina Kyle. Chiang manages to maintains the sexy-as-she-is-deadly appeal of Catwoman. But he also conveys the toll 10 years in prison has taken on her, mind and body alike. Chiang takes a similar approach with Poison Ivy. Time has changed her. But those changes accentuate ideas we have of these iconic characters, rather than needlessly subvert them.

Chiang’s layouts are neither innovative or boring. But more importantly, they serve the pace of the story. It’s helpful that this four-issue mini consists of double-lengths. But Chiang’s efficient use of small panel overlays allows for a fair bit of action and dialogue on every page.

A highlight of Lonely City #2 shows the first meeting between Batman and Catwoman. It’s a joy to see Chiang, who obviously loves the material, trace the narrative back to its beginning. That said, I’m much more intrigued by what comes next.