Batman: La Gata y el Murciélago

Batman Confidential #4

by Fabian Nicieza, Kevin Maguire (dibujo)

¡Batgirl contra Catwoman! El robo de un cuaderno es el detonante de una delirante persecución por toda Gotham que llevará a dos de las mujeres más importantes de la ciudad a darse caza mutuamente mientras se enfrentan con la mafia, intentan apaciguar la ira de Batman e incluso se meten en un selecto club que no es precisamente decoroso. ¿Qué contiene ese cuaderno para que haya tanta gente interesada en él? Y, sobre todo, ¿conseguirá Batgirl salir con vida (y con ropa) de una visita al Asilo Arkham?

Genres: Comics, Batman, Graphic Novels, Dc Comics, Comic Book, Superheroes, Fiction

192 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2009

About the author

Fabian Nicieza is a writer and editor who is best known as the co-creator of DEADPOOL and for his work on Marvel titles such as X-Men, X-Force, New Warriors, and Robin.

His first novel, the Edgar Award-nominated SUBURBAN DICKS, a sarcastic murder mystery, is on sale now from Putnam Books.

The Dicks will return in THE SELF-MADE WIDOW, coming June 21st.

Reviews

[Sam Quixote · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the second time in a week that my comics beliefs have been shaken! First Mike freakin’ Barr and Tony Bedard’s The Wrath turns out to be a great Batman book, and now Deadpool co-creator Fabian Nicieza - whom I previously thought couldn’t write a good comic unless someone talented did it for him and left the credits blank so he could write his name in - has written a brilliant Batman comic with The Cat and the Bat! I wonder if I’ve somehow suffered massive head trauma sometime last week and forgotten it and that’s why these books seem awesome to me…

Catwoman nabs Commissioner Gordon’s notebook containing coded info on all of Gotham’s crooks, and Babs dons the Batgirl outfit to retrieve it before her dad notices it’s missing.

This book’s marketed as a Batman comic but he only appears in a handful of pages - this is really a Batgirl story about her and Catwoman’s first encounter. I know, sounds unnecessary, right? It turns out to be a brisk, fun and entertaining cat and mouse chase across Gotham set over the course of one night. The story also becomes more layered and serious as it goes on so it’s not this one-note plot that overstays its welcome but also manages to remain fast-paced so you keep turning the pages to see what happens next.

Babs is written super-likeable, funny and charming, as she should be! It’s set in the early days of Batman’s career which also makes it the early days of Batgirl’s career, so she’s vulnerable but capable even if she makes mistakes here and there - it’s endearing! And Kevin Maguire does the most magnificent job with the characters’ facial expressions. I also really liked the Frank Quitely-esque solidity his art has. The one critique is Catwoman’s stupid tail but to be fair that’s not Maguire’s fault, that’s something the character (unfortunately) had for a long time when she started out.

Honestly, I can’t see any flaws with this one and I had a blast reading it too. Well done, Fabian Nicieza????!?? I guess this shows that you should always read widely and with an open mind as you might miss out on gems like this one if you don’t. If you’re after an excellent Batgirl comic, I highly recommend checking out The Cat and the Bat!

[Candice M (tinylibrarian) · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was very excited when I read about this coming out as I love both Batgirl and Catwoman. Instead of a cool battle between two strong, interesting female leads, however, it was more like some guy's (ok, fine, plenty of guys' and some girls') fantasy of two hot chicks fighting over Batman.

While I'm sure that will appeal to many readers, it really disappointed me, as Batgirl and Catwoman were just relegated to auxiliary characters once again.

[H. Givens · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the bones of the plot, but the execution was super sexist.

[Nicole · Rating 1 out of 5]

This comic was insultingly and blatantly sexist. Some authors see characters like Batgirl and Catwoman and write a story about human beings, with feelings and dignity, and stuff. Some authors see characters like Batgirl and Catwoman, and think, "Girls have bodies, right? Let's try to keep the focus on that." This comic was definitely the latter. There are the names of five different (male) people who all worked on this comic and apparently thought that the various convoluted ways that the two female characters have their clothes removed throughout the comic were acceptable and a good idea. Batgirl and Catwoman literally get completely naked and fight each other, and DC just went ahead stamped their seal of approval all over it. "Yes," they said. "This is how we want Batgirl to be officially represented. This story is definitely representative of how we feel about our female characters." I'm sorry I read it. I'm sorry it was written. I'm sorry Bob Kane ever thought up Batman in the first place.

[Jeff · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Cat and the Bat tells the story of how Batgirl and Catwoman first met. Told from the point of view of both characters, the two engage in a cat-and-mouse game across Gotham to gain possession of Commissioner Gordon's secret notebook - a note book that can expose the secrets of the Gotham underworld and change the balance of power in the city.

This story is a hoot from beginning to end. Kevin McGuire's expressive faces pair perfectly with Nicieza's writing, presenting a green-behind-the-ears Barbara Gordon, in over her head in trying to take down Catwoman but still determined to do it. While not complex, it's a good light-hearted chase story and reminds of a less dark chapter in the Dark Knight's legacy.

[Katherine (Kat) · Rating 3 out of 5]

3/5 Stars
Individual issues rated below -

Batman Confidential #17: 2/5
Batman Confidential #18: 3/5
Batman Confidential #19: 5/5
Batman Confidential #20: 3.5/5
Batman Confidential #21: 3/5

[Kevin Wright · Rating 3 out of 5]

just re-read this after 10 years (has it been that long?) and I have some thoughts. Forgive me as I parse through them.

As a fan of both Batgirl and Kevin Maguire, I remembered it fondly. Upon re-reading, the writing by Fabian Nicieza isn’t as sharp as I remember, but it’s still a good, fun read.

I was so excited for this book when it came out in single-issue form back in 2008 because I was (and still am) a huge fan of artist Kevin Maguire, best known for his work on Justice League International in the late ‘80s.

I was less a fan of writer Fabian Nicieza, best known as the co-creator of Deadpool and for his work on X-Force and the other X-books in the early ‘90s. But, I’m on board for anything Maguire does, so I was willing to give Nicieza a shot.

Nicieza is a bit of a wild card for me. His association with Rob Liefeld on the New Mutants and X-Force and the ‘90s X-Men books in the early days of his career has caused me to dismiss his work out of hand for the last 25 years. But, he’s been in the biz for 30 years now, has written over 1200 comics, according to Comic Vine, and lately has made a mark on the Batman family with Red Robin, etc. This story came out around the same time he started writing some Robin issues, but it’s at least among his earliest works with the Batman cast of characters.

People whose opinions I respect have dismissed this book as sexist. I don’t disagree, but I think it also has merit. It’s a both/and situation rather than an either/or. For example, I would argue that the scene where Batgirl strips down to chase Catwoman into a nude hedonist society gathering is just as revealing of her character.

I don’t think anyone on the planet has deeper, more profound insights into the character of Batman and his villains than Grant Morrison. I remember something he said in a panel once about the Joker’s sexuality. His argument was that, for the Joker, sexuality is a weapon, making him essentially pansexual, and he would be whatever made Batman the most uncomfortable. Catwoman uses her sexuality (or rather her comfort level with it) to go where she thinks Batgirl is too demure to follow. By following Catwoman in, Batgirl proves to Catwoman and to herself just how far she will go to catch a criminal.

It’s not a story Gail Simone would write. I can tell you that much. And, for the record, no one has ever written the Batrgirl character better than Simone. Yet, especially since it’s set early in Barbara Gordon’s crime-fighting career, I think it’s recognizably the same character. Despite its lighter tone, it’s a story that could fit in with the continuity and character arcs that Simone established in her Batgirl and Birds of Prey stories. Of course, I’m someone who loves Adam West Batman and Christopher Nolan Batman equally and would put Justice League International on par with Watchmen.

Some people have commented that it boils down to Catwoman and Batgirl fighting over Batman’s affection. That is in there, but I don’t think it’s that simple. For Batgirl, she’s just starting out and she’s naturally unsure of herself and her choices. This story had a throw-away line that I wasn’t aware of in Barbara Gordon’s character bio about her being a police academy drop-out. As someone who idolizes her police commissioner father, it makes sense that Barbara would, at least initially, choose to fight crime within the confines of the law rather than joining Batman’s crusade. When the story takes place, she’s still trying to form a bond with Batman--one that’s more paternal than anything. She herself has to be unsure of why she’s doing this, but, by the end of the story, the answer is that it’s because it brings out her best self--smart, resourceful, tenacious, etc.

Catwoman also is unsure of her place in Batman’s heart and her role in the criminal underworld. Sure, she steals a notebook, but she’s doing it to save a life. She’s dealing with her own moral grayness and the push-pull of self-interest versus altruism.

Another aspect of superhero stories that doesn’t get explored enough is the weirdness of bitter enemies not knowing each other’s identities. We, as readers, don’t pick up on it, because of course we know who everyone really is. But, Batman doesn’t know who the Joker really is and the Joker doesn’t know who Batman really is. That was one of the ground-breaking aspects of the Spider-Man & Green Goblin relationship--they each knew the other’s secret identity. But, most comics don’t comment on how weird it is to have so much hate for and obsession with someone you don’t really know. On the other hand, maybe that’s more like real life than I thought. You demonize your enemies. You don’t empathize with them. Once you do, they’re no longer your enemies.

In this story, Batgirl only knows Catwoman by reputation and what Batman has said about her (and what Robin has told her about their inappropriate relationship). She doesn’t know that Catwoman is Selina Kyle, and even if she did, that wouldn’t mean much to her. Catwoman, meanwhile, can probably put together that Batgirl is Police Commissioner Gordon’s daughter Barbara, but doesn’t know her connection to Batman, why she’s wearing the costume or what she’s capable of.

Nicieza’s writing may lack the depth and nuance of more A-list Batman writers, but it still picks up on delicate relationship threads as both characters are struggling to figure out their place in the criminal/crime-fighting world.

From what I understand of Rob Liefeld’s modus operandi in his heyday, he would go off on his own and deliver finished art pages to the Marvel offices and it was up to Nicieza, as the scriptor, to write captions and dialogue that would turn the art into a story. That’s a hard way to write a story and one that I think naturally lends itself to humor. It’s like the comics equivalent of Mystery Science Theater 3000, where you’re essentially reacting to the images and commenting on them.

I also understand that that’s similar to how Justice League International was written, with Keith Giffen plotting the books and drafting the breakdowns (essentially deciding how to tell the story visually) and J.M. DeMatteis putting the words in. Maguire, then, would sell not only the humor, but the humanity of the characters with his expressive faces and understanding of body language. It makes me wonder how the two work together, especially since they’ve collaborated a few times now.

All in all, the Cat and the Bat is a pretty astute character study with some humor and some fantastic art. It’s maybe not the modern classic I remember it being (for that, check out Maguire’s run on JLI), but Nicieza’s writing is surprisingly solid and Kevin Maguire has the Midas touch.

[Ben Truong · Rating 4 out of 5]

Batman Confidential: The Cat and the Bat picks up where the previous trade paperback left off, collecting the next five issues (Batman Confidential #17–21) of the 2006 on-going series and cover one storylines: "The Cat and The Bat".

"The Cat and the Bat" is a five-issue storyline (Batman Confidential #17–21) has Barbara Gordon as Batgirl (The Bat) meeting Selina Kyle as Catwoman (The Cat) for the first time as they reluctantly team-up with each other to take on the Russian mob.

Fabian Nicieza penned the entire trade paperback. For the most part, it is written somewhat well. It was quite surprising that the Bat in the title was referring to Batgirl and not Batman, but it was a pleasant surprise nevertheless. Nicieza has written a fun and entertaining cat and mouse narrative with characterization done rather well.

Kevin Maguire penciled the entire trade paperback. Since he was the main penciler, the artistic flow of the trade paperback flowed exceptionally well. For the most part, I enjoyed his penciling style, it is quite distinctive – especially the close-up faces.

All in all, Batman Confidential: The Cat and the Bat is good continuation to what would hopefully be a wonderful series.

[James Copley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyed it

[Sakari · Rating 2 out of 5]

over-sexed and clearly written by a man who has never once considered what goes on in a woman’s head. however, i do like babs and selina so i can tolerate it.

[Lukas · Rating 3 out of 5]

An entertaining read, if not fantastic. Nicieza's humor, paired with Maguire's art makes for a nice combination, although the facial expressions Maguire peppers throughout are the clear draw here. It's nice to see Batman, Catwoman, and Batgirl in a more humorous light, and one does have to credit Fabian with mixing the light moments with the darker ones professionally.

In the end, not a must read, but not a bad way to spend an hour or so.

[Ryan · Rating 1 out of 5]

Utter sexist rubbish designed to show Batgirl and Catwoman in "sexy" poses.
AVOID like the plague, this "book" is everything that's wrong with comics.
Makes me sick, and no I don't hate comics I own almost 500 graphic novels including a lot of Batgirl and Batman, this is quite possibly my most hated and I wish I read it before buying online.

[Scott · Rating 4 out of 5]

This morning I had twenty minutes I didn't need an alibi for, so I read this action-packed and amusing story. Can you say 'one for the fanboys'? Actually, that's not quite fair - the two capable main characters exhibit a considerable amount of grit and determination throughout their off-kilter adventure.

[Lost Planet Airman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Barbara Gordon has, ahem, "borrowed" her father's secret notebook of Police Commissioner business, and it is stolen by Catwoman before she can break the code he has used to write it. Batgirl vs. Catwoman hi-jinx ensue.

[ilham · Rating 3 out of 5]

rating: 3.5* | i loved getting to see batwoman and catwoman together and really enjoyed their dynamic but all the unnecessary nudity.... yeah didn't feel like it belonged in this comic

[Nico D. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Barbara Gordon is my favorite member of the bat family. Selina Kyle is one of my favorite comic characters.

I wanted this to be so much more.

The story begins with Barbara, early in her career as Batgirl, “borrowing” a notebook from her father, Commissioner Gordon, which contains important information written in a cypher she’s trying to crack. Her goal is altruistic at heart: she wants to keep her dad safe. The problem is that Selina Kyle is apparently aware of the book and wants it. And as fans know, what Selina wants, she’ll get.
The tale is (fairly) light-hearted and focuses on Batgirl as she chases Catwoman throughout the city to reclaim her father’s book and return it before he’s any the wiser. Narratively, the book has a similar concept to the Batman: The Animated Series episode Batgirl Returns, which sees Batgirl and Catwoman teaming up for a tumultuous, exciting partnership in order to meet a mutual goal.
Unfortunately for this story, Batgirl Returns handles the concept way better and with a lot more class.
The Good:

— It’s OG!Batgirl and Catwoman! In conflict! In cooperation! All over the place! This is the sort of story I dream about. Their relationship is fleshed out through the narrative, and I have a strong sense of how they feel about each other come the ending.

— Babs is vibing strongly with her portrayal in Batgirl: Year One, which is great since it’s one of my favorites. Her writing is solid; determined with a strong dose of playfulness. She takes things in stride and oscillates between self-deprecating snark and cute zingers. She’s a fun, compelling protagonist. Her internal dialogue is very fun to read.
— The impetus driving Selina for the book is very on brand. The writer shows a good understanding of her character. She’s both heroic and villainous, and often misunderstood. She does morally bad things, like theft, but she’s got a far more heroic heart than she lets on.

— Batman’s dynamic with both protagonists is a lot of fun to see. I really liked both Babs’ reaction to Batman and Catwoman’s obvious attraction (it’s early in their relationship, and the awkward fondness depicted is very appropriate for the time period), as well as the bond between the two Bats. Bruce and Barbara have always had an interesting dynamic that differs from his relationship with his sons, and I felt like the writer had a good grasp of their complicated mentor-but-also-co-worker dynamic.

The Bad:

— The art is a total eyesore. I feel mean being so critical, but I was not jiving with it at all. The faces are sort of weird, there were occasional attempts at cheesecake imagery that really didn’t hit. It didn’t need to be there anyway, but it’s almost funny when it fails at being “sexy.” The art took me out of the story more than a few times.

— It would’ve been nice to see Catwoman and Batgirl resolve their issue without Batman coming to the rescue in the third act. In Batgirl Returns, Robin tries to intervene but it’s primarily up to Batgirl and Catwoman to solve their own problems. Robin helps—and he’s a big help— but he doesn’t narratively overwrite the women in the story to solve their problems for them. Batman… sort of does. It’s not outside the realm of believability, but I think I would’ve preferred it for him to show up after most of the action was over and had a mini version of his interactions with them both (because they were good and I liked them.)

The mixed:

— There’s a set piece where Catwoman tries to lose Batgirl by slipping into the Gotham Hedonist’s Society. I.e: a hoity toity sex club. Clothing is not allowed. Selina does so because she doesn’t think Barbara will follow her, and for a second Babs thinks she won’t… but she refuses to back down, strips off her suit and goes in with just her mask on.
I’m conflicted. The scene has a few generally funny moments—Babs’ internal monologue is great. I also think it’s a fitting, in character thing for Selina to do. She puts Babs to test, and Babs comes out with flying colors. It’s kind of great. But at the same time, there’s a sort of cheapness to it. There’s some attempted cheesecake (which fell flat for me, thanks to the weird art) and it feels a little damning that one of the few stories involving these two takes them into a setting where they’d have to get naked.

Overall, I enjoyed my read and appreciate the look into Selina and Barbara’s relationship in the comics proper. It wasn’t exactly what I wanted, but it does scratch an itch and is worth reading as a Babs fan… even if Batman: The Animated Series took the concept and did it better.

[harley :D · Rating 4 out of 5]

okay so it’s like very very obvious that like there’s ALOT of this thats just kind of catered towards some guys weird fetishization towards batgirl and catwoman BUT this was really cool and having batgirl and catwoman meet was really cool especially with both of their inner monologue

also with precrisis catwoman also thought batgirl wanted to be with Batman and was insanely jealous so it’s kinda cool they had that whole thing going but selina was a lot more.. chill about it persay and i am kind of soft with the idea that with the gothamites they’re all pretty fucking annoying to superheroes/villains alike but they kind of grow on you so that happening to catwoman was cute

although i feel like their characters could’ve been explored a lot more and would be really interesting because catwoman has seen first hand how shitass cops are and her having to defend others and herself on her own because she can’t trust them and Barbara having her cop being a dad and all she trusts them so I felt like that’s kind of a missed opportunity but alas

ALSO i kind of like really fucking love the little scene with joker because I feel like how horrifying the joker is isn’t really shown enough like at all but that SINGLE scene showed it awesomely like especially with how low grade all the villains she faced in the last issue and joker without all his other gadgets it wokld be fucking insane and you kind of think how fucking scary joker is to be THE batmans greatest enemy like how terrifying he is to the other heroes that was kind of awesome

I also like the little nods to batgirl year one it was cute and Bruce being like her weird dad in this one scolding her and such was so funny omg

[Andy Hickman · Rating 2 out of 5]

BATMAN: THE CAT AND THE BAT
Pretty much one long drawn out cat fight, where both women bash slash and slag each other throughout the series yet have no physical impediment as a result.
“So tired of being a pin cushion tonight…” sums it up.
[** 2 stars]

Batman Confidential 17
“Who robs a library? … The Gotham Library has at least six archived books worth six figures.”

Batman Confidential 18
“I’d take you home – but honestly? More of a cat person. Don’t tell HER that.” – Batwoman to a puppy

Batman Confidential 19
“Isn’t a thief with morals still a thief?”

Batman Confidential 20
“The Russians are new to Gotham. They have a lot to learn.”

Batman Confidential 21
“Catman – the Cavalier – the Signalman – Blockbuster – The Joker – Two Face – Clayface – The Scarecrow”
- - -

[Tim · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's fine. It's kinda weird that it's billed as a Batman book, when it is actually a Barbara Gordon and Catwoman book, but it's still fine. It's far too long (at 124 pages) for the "plot" within it - it could have cut about 50 pages and been a lot more tighter. The exceptionally light plot is bogged down by many, many totally unnecessary fight scenes that do nothing to move the plot forward or to give insight into characters. If you glaze over those scenes its a mostly fine look at an early Barb Gordon as Batgirl adventure. The art is so-so.

[Sotofunkdamental · Rating 3 out of 5]

Historia protagonizada por Batgirl, con su primer enfrentamiento con Catwoman. Cómic divertido, fresco y entretenido. Argumento: "A Barbara Gordon le han robado delante de sus narices el cuaderno de su padre, el comisario de la policía de Gotham City. La ladrona no es otra que Catwoman, que no sospecha que la joven bibliotecaria es Batgirl, la flamante aliada de Batman en su lucha contra el crimen. Comienza así una trepidante persecución por las azoteas de la ciudad en que las dos mujeres intentan hacerse con un trofeo que ni siquiera saben descifrar".

[Fernando Angeleri · Rating 4 out of 5]

Un tomo que contiene dos historias diferentes.
En la primera vemos a Luthor tomando el control de un ejército de robots y saboteando la baticueva, por las dudas, cosa que hace que Batman responda y se enfrente con el villano y su ejército.
En la segunda historia vemos el arco que da título al tomo y comprende 4 números de Batman confidencial que tiene como protagonista a Batgirl y como secundaria a Catwoman, aparece Batman también, pero toda la historia gira en relación a un cuaderno y la mafia rusa.
Tiene un guión bien logrado y una mejor narración gráfica a cargo de DeMatties.

[Mike Jozic · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked it, and the art is fantastic, but the cheesecake premise does get a bit tired and some of the story doesn't hold up super well 15 years later.

That said, no regrets, love me some Catwoman, and a solid 3 star rating for "The Cat and the Bat."

[Marc Altman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nice diversionary story, not great not awful. Minor internal continuity issues, i.e. Batgirls costume gets further ripped between the end of issue 4 and start of issue 5, with no elapse of time. Took out of public library, which is the perfect way to have selected it to read.

[Chad Jordahl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Light and funny in a rom-com way. Technically impressive art. I liked this book more than I wanted to.

[Ronnie Jones · Rating 2 out of 5]

A fun book but disturbingly sexist Read the full review here

[Jorge · Rating 3 out of 5]

Muy divertido y ligero.
Dibujo dinámico y muy expresivo.

[Valerie R · Rating 3 out of 5]

Needed a better illustrator. Cheesy looking.

[Lucas · Rating 1 out of 5]

Sexista, o personagens sem motivação. Quantidade desnecessária de caras de boneca inflável e decotes.

[Jordan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun sequence of sharp-witted encounters, this showcases Catwoman and Batgirl in such a light that I wished they crossed paths more often. Wish it were longer and more significant.

[Duncan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun look at Catwoman and Batgirl. Enjoy! Fantastic writing, good art, and a fabulous plot!