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Catwoman by Jim Balent #1
Catwoman by Jim Balent, Book One
Start your collection of Catwoman comics with the epitome of Catwoman artists, Jim Balent.
Jim Balent is the modern architect of Catwoman's look all the way up until the New 52. His epic run on Catwoman from 1993 to 1999 defined Selina Kyle like never before and solidified her status in the DC Universe.
Collects CATWOMAN #0-14.
Jim Balent is the modern architect of Catwoman's look all the way up until the New 52. His epic run on Catwoman from 1993 to 1999 defined Selina Kyle like never before and solidified her status in the DC Universe.
Collects CATWOMAN #0-14.
328 pages, Paperback
First published August 1, 1994
18 people are currently reading
121 people want to read
About the author
Jo Duffy
494 books9 followersAlso published under the name Mary Jo Duffy and/or Mary-Jo Duffy.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
June 15, 2019
The first 13 issues in Jim Balent's 77 issue run on Catwoman in the 90's. The stories aren't great, but nor are they bad. They're full of 90's cheese and lots of mandatory Knightfall tie-in issues that really have little to do with Catwoman, interrupting her stories. There are lots of stories where Catwoman reluctantly stops to help the little guy, getting embroiled in someone else's mess. Jim Balent's a very talented artist and he makes the purple suit look good even if Catwoman is too well-endowed to stand up straight.
August 30, 2021
Jo Duffy brings Catwoman back in a second volume as a 'living it large' cat burglar. Goodreads kind of spits in the face of the female writer with this graphic novel listing having the male artist as the headliner! Pretty mediocre overall truth be told. 5 out of 12.
I read the comic books Catwoman series two #1-14, Annual #1 and Batman #503-504.
I read the comic books Catwoman series two #1-14, Annual #1 and Batman #503-504.
January 9, 2018
A strong run on an overlooked title. The crossovers are a bit lacking (though not as isolated and confusing as New 52 and Rebirth ones) and the art is a bit limited (Purple Spandex Catwoman is one of the worst stylistic eras for the character), but the story arcs are tight and the one-offs well presented.
September 3, 2018
Before Balent became (in)famous for his paranormal comedy softcore porn series, Tarot, Witch of the Black Rose, he hit big with a 77 issue run on Catwoman. This book collects the first 13 issues of the series and not much else. of Twice an issue ends on a "To be continued in book X" but doesn't include those issues, so the story jumps ahead with some recap in the dialogue. The only extras are a non-Balent pinup and her entry from the character guide. It's servicable but not terribly special.
October 1, 2017
4.5 stars.
Great start to this seminal take on the Catwoman character, with both solid art and writing.
I'd forgotten that this series actually started during the years-long Knightfall/Knightquest/Knightsend storyline, but fortunately the inevitable crossovers are marginally better than I remember.
Great start to this seminal take on the Catwoman character, with both solid art and writing.
I'd forgotten that this series actually started during the years-long Knightfall/Knightquest/Knightsend storyline, but fortunately the inevitable crossovers are marginally better than I remember.
July 15, 2022
Catwoman’s first series did not disappoint me. It was a lot better than I expected for a female driven comic from the 90’s. While the art was highly sexualized (as expected), it also sexualized both men and women, although the latter a lot more. I thought the sexism was going to be a lot worse than it was, but the writers did a great job at giving Selina a perfect balance of bad ass and humanity. I thought they perfectly demonstrated her good guy/bad guy persona. Life is not black and white to her, it’s grey and that’s one of her most endearing qualities. She is able to see the best in some of the worst people, but it’s also enduring how much she fights for the little guy. That was probably my favorite thing in the whole graphic novel.
The artwork is pretty spectacular as well! I’m not super familiar with Jim Balent’s work, but I was very impressed with his work on this series. Everything is dark and edgy, but he still uses colors that are fun and exciting. The style was a perfect fit for Catwoman and of course it has that beautiful 90’s vibe to it. I love her costume as well, it’s one of my favorites. The purple is a great nod to her original outfit with the green cowl. And the covers throughout this series! Don’t even get me started. They are gorgeous.
Overall it was a solid read. The story sometimes took left turns, but that’s to be expected when it’s part of the Batverse as well. I like that each issue recapped what was happening, so you knew what you missed in the issues in between. Not all graphic novels do that. While there were really no super notable villains in this book (with the exception of Zephyr), I still enjoyed the story because it put Selina in situations that continuously made her question her moral compass and in the end she always did what was right albeit by unconventional ways.
The artwork is pretty spectacular as well! I’m not super familiar with Jim Balent’s work, but I was very impressed with his work on this series. Everything is dark and edgy, but he still uses colors that are fun and exciting. The style was a perfect fit for Catwoman and of course it has that beautiful 90’s vibe to it. I love her costume as well, it’s one of my favorites. The purple is a great nod to her original outfit with the green cowl. And the covers throughout this series! Don’t even get me started. They are gorgeous.
Overall it was a solid read. The story sometimes took left turns, but that’s to be expected when it’s part of the Batverse as well. I like that each issue recapped what was happening, so you knew what you missed in the issues in between. Not all graphic novels do that. While there were really no super notable villains in this book (with the exception of Zephyr), I still enjoyed the story because it put Selina in situations that continuously made her question her moral compass and in the end she always did what was right albeit by unconventional ways.
October 30, 2017
3.5 stars so I'll round up. This won't be everyone's cup of tea but, for those of us kindly disposed to the Batfamily books of the early '90s, this is a tremendous amount of fun.
June 5, 2021
I definitely have mixed feelings on this. Some of it is dated and questionable, Selina is sexualized waay to much and the outfit is ridiculous. At the same time, it was a fun read, Selina's character was likeable and far from one note. She also looked great in and out of costume, the art is beautiful. Also, so many cats.
August 24, 2018
I mean I'm not going to lie, I could have rated this 2 stars because, well, from the 13 issues collected here there was not a single one I reeeeally liked. They're not bad, they're just a compilation of 90s cheesy writing and fun mess.
What I wasn't expecting was how connected this book was with the Knightfall storyline. This book starts with Bane as Gotham's new crime lord and Catwoman working for him. Gotta say, that was maybe my favorite part of the collection, I thought it'd develop in a proper arc, but... nah, it doesn't.
The issues here act as short story arcs where Selina is going to missions, tracking people, robbing things, and always, and I mean always, doing it because of a greater reason behind it.
Even when Catwoman is seen as a dangerous criminal, she's pretty much the hero in all stories, thing is her ways are super questionable, but that's why I like her so much. When she's in the gray area, that's when I see the complexity I love the most about her, the depth, the core of her character. That being said, you won't really find that here. The writing is... is not good at all, the dialogues are quite sloppy, but hey, it was the 90s.
What I loved the most about this book was the artwork, surprise, surprise, I mean, it's called "Jim Balent Book One", and the purple costume is beautiful drawn by Balent. The covers were my fave and even when I love the current Jones suit, I kind of miss the purple.
Should you get this book? It's not really necessary to read, it's quite average, a bit cheeesy, a product of its time. That being said, I was never bored and Jim Balent's artwork is the strongest part of the book.
What I wasn't expecting was how connected this book was with the Knightfall storyline. This book starts with Bane as Gotham's new crime lord and Catwoman working for him. Gotta say, that was maybe my favorite part of the collection, I thought it'd develop in a proper arc, but... nah, it doesn't.
The issues here act as short story arcs where Selina is going to missions, tracking people, robbing things, and always, and I mean always, doing it because of a greater reason behind it.
Even when Catwoman is seen as a dangerous criminal, she's pretty much the hero in all stories, thing is her ways are super questionable, but that's why I like her so much. When she's in the gray area, that's when I see the complexity I love the most about her, the depth, the core of her character. That being said, you won't really find that here. The writing is... is not good at all, the dialogues are quite sloppy, but hey, it was the 90s.
What I loved the most about this book was the artwork, surprise, surprise, I mean, it's called "Jim Balent Book One", and the purple costume is beautiful drawn by Balent. The covers were my fave and even when I love the current Jones suit, I kind of miss the purple.
Should you get this book? It's not really necessary to read, it's quite average, a bit cheeesy, a product of its time. That being said, I was never bored and Jim Balent's artwork is the strongest part of the book.
July 6, 2018
Getting into comics as a young adult in the mid-00s, like I did, you get a certain impression about certain books from the past. After reading the amazing Ed Brubaker run of Catwoman from that time, and seeing how much of a drastic change it was, I think it's easy to assume from a quick look that the original run of Catwoman was nothing more than a shallow showcasing of T&A.
Reading it now, there's no denying that there is an element of that, but there's also no denying that this is a fun series.
Since this book puts the artist first, I think it's prudent to talk about him first. Balent is an artist that I think isn't as well regarded by some nowadays. But the work done here is pretty good. It's definitely in a "90s comic book" style, but all the characters look great, and the action and emotion flows very well on the page. It's very understandable after reading it why his name gets top billing.
But all that wouldn't matter much if the titular character of Catwoman (pun...kinda intended) wasn't written well, and thankfully she is. She's never portrayed as a damsel or in any way incapable. She's smart, calculating, witty, perfectly slinking on the tightrope between ruthlessness and compassionate. Imagine if Han Solo was a woman master thief with admittedly kinky choices in outfit and weapons. This was my first exposure to the writer, Jo Duffy, and I was surprised that she didn't write much after this run.
If I could find something that I think of as a flaw, it's the way it kind of bounces around different status quos and a weird revolving door of supporting cast. It first starts with Catwoman working for Bane following the events of Knightfall, where he breaks Batman's back. I thought that was an interesting place to have her, especially after she breaks into Bane's home island of Santa Prisca and unwittingly becomes the savior for the island's previous ruler. But it all kind of falls apart in a few issues and she heads back to Gotham. And it happens with every arc in the story -- new characters just show up and then bow out just as quickly.
It's not necessarily a BAD thing -- Selina as a character more than makes up for it. But a good, solid supporting cast I think are important to these characters and are a large part of how they grow into being big characters in their own right. After all, Batman is only as strong as Alfred and Jim Gordon and the legion of Robins and Batgirls and other heroes and villains around him.
Overall, while I don't think it will topple Brubaker as the best run that Catwoman's ever had, this is a pretty fun book in it's own right. It's light, fun, punchy, and just an entertaining read.
Reading it now, there's no denying that there is an element of that, but there's also no denying that this is a fun series.
Since this book puts the artist first, I think it's prudent to talk about him first. Balent is an artist that I think isn't as well regarded by some nowadays. But the work done here is pretty good. It's definitely in a "90s comic book" style, but all the characters look great, and the action and emotion flows very well on the page. It's very understandable after reading it why his name gets top billing.
But all that wouldn't matter much if the titular character of Catwoman (pun...kinda intended) wasn't written well, and thankfully she is. She's never portrayed as a damsel or in any way incapable. She's smart, calculating, witty, perfectly slinking on the tightrope between ruthlessness and compassionate. Imagine if Han Solo was a woman master thief with admittedly kinky choices in outfit and weapons. This was my first exposure to the writer, Jo Duffy, and I was surprised that she didn't write much after this run.
If I could find something that I think of as a flaw, it's the way it kind of bounces around different status quos and a weird revolving door of supporting cast. It first starts with Catwoman working for Bane following the events of Knightfall, where he breaks Batman's back. I thought that was an interesting place to have her, especially after she breaks into Bane's home island of Santa Prisca and unwittingly becomes the savior for the island's previous ruler. But it all kind of falls apart in a few issues and she heads back to Gotham. And it happens with every arc in the story -- new characters just show up and then bow out just as quickly.
It's not necessarily a BAD thing -- Selina as a character more than makes up for it. But a good, solid supporting cast I think are important to these characters and are a large part of how they grow into being big characters in their own right. After all, Batman is only as strong as Alfred and Jim Gordon and the legion of Robins and Batgirls and other heroes and villains around him.
Overall, while I don't think it will topple Brubaker as the best run that Catwoman's ever had, this is a pretty fun book in it's own right. It's light, fun, punchy, and just an entertaining read.
May 7, 2019
I wasn't sure at first but in the end it was good.
One thing that this book succeeded in doing is make me like the purple costume. I've started reading Catwoman from early 2000, right after the No Man's Land saga ended and I distinctly remember hating the purple costume. Now, some years later I'm liking it. Jim Balent's art is good with the exception of some issues near the end where the inker changed I think and he was pretty bad. But then it returned to being good again.
So what changed? I went and checked the storyline of Catwoman having split personality from 2001 and now I see the problems. At some point her costume was changed significantly - the black gloves and legs are gone so she's all purple and, most importantly, they've hidden her hair completely and made her neck longer and, lo and behold, she started to look like some bald big-headed purple alien, not like an idealized human being.
The stories are all decent sexy action fun with the exception of a random murder of her closest friend in the beginning. Good thing I didn't know anything about her I guess. A lot of these are parts of the second and third chapters of Knightfall event and the last five issues help to understand Catwoman's involvement better in the whole affair. That's essentially two thirds of the book so there's not much left that's not event-related in some way.
One thing that this book succeeded in doing is make me like the purple costume. I've started reading Catwoman from early 2000, right after the No Man's Land saga ended and I distinctly remember hating the purple costume. Now, some years later I'm liking it. Jim Balent's art is good with the exception of some issues near the end where the inker changed I think and he was pretty bad. But then it returned to being good again.
So what changed? I went and checked the storyline of Catwoman having split personality from 2001 and now I see the problems. At some point her costume was changed significantly - the black gloves and legs are gone so she's all purple and, most importantly, they've hidden her hair completely and made her neck longer and, lo and behold, she started to look like some bald big-headed purple alien, not like an idealized human being.
The stories are all decent sexy action fun with the exception of a random murder of her closest friend in the beginning. Good thing I didn't know anything about her I guess. A lot of these are parts of the second and third chapters of Knightfall event and the last five issues help to understand Catwoman's involvement better in the whole affair. That's essentially two thirds of the book so there's not much left that's not event-related in some way.
February 6, 2022
Jo Duffy's run on Catwoman has to be my favorite series of the 90s. Jim Balent's art is incredibly iconic. It has been a few years since I've dug into this run and seeing the influence of this movie and how it loosely inspired The Dark Knight Rises is kind of incredible. Balent's art is nothing short of stunning. The writing feels like a time capsule. The Bane storyline from the early 90s has become one of the most iconic stories of Batman's legacy is worth noting, as it finds its way to impact some of these issues.
I have a love-hate relationship with this. In some ways, Selina Kyle and her cat burglary alter ego have enough merit to stand on their own. The in and out of Batman in these stories kind of holds the character back from development and independence. Nonetheless, Duffy creates a strong character who can hold on her against the Dark Knight. At the end of the day, I wanted to not feel his influence so heavily.
I have a love-hate relationship with this. In some ways, Selina Kyle and her cat burglary alter ego have enough merit to stand on their own. The in and out of Batman in these stories kind of holds the character back from development and independence. Nonetheless, Duffy creates a strong character who can hold on her against the Dark Knight. At the end of the day, I wanted to not feel his influence so heavily.
January 4, 2022
Nice collection of Catwoman stories during the Knightfall era of Batman, so we get to see Azrael pop up a few times and be a jerk which I always find entertaining. Catwoman gets to show more of her humane side here, the art is better than most 90s-era DC comics - probably Balent's pencils more than anything else - and the stories move at a good clip.
One of the annoyances is that since the stories crossed multiple titles, there are gaps since this book only has Catwoman comics, particularly when we see Bats and Azrael meet up for a climatic showdown that the book skips entirely (since that fight occurs in Batman) and proceeds to the aftermath of. So, if you want the full story, you need the three Knightfall books and have to flip back and forth if you want to read in order. Not a deal breaker, but irritating.
One of the annoyances is that since the stories crossed multiple titles, there are gaps since this book only has Catwoman comics, particularly when we see Bats and Azrael meet up for a climatic showdown that the book skips entirely (since that fight occurs in Batman) and proceeds to the aftermath of. So, if you want the full story, you need the three Knightfall books and have to flip back and forth if you want to read in order. Not a deal breaker, but irritating.
February 4, 2019
Catwoman is my favourite female anti-hero, so it was fun to read some of her earlier stories. Selina is a great character who has come a long way from her origin, and is able to go toe-to-toe with some fierce enemies. This collection mostly focuses on simpler heists and shenanigans involving other thieves and greedy, businessmen.
While I did have a great time reading these stories, I have to confess that it's definitely a victim of that wacky time: the 90's. There was a little more focus on Selina's (admittedly fine) figure, and some of the costumes were just ridiculous. Looking at you, Jean Paul Valley.
Still, I recommend giving this collection a read, as it showcases a strong heroine who takes matters into her own hands and isn't afraid to fight dirty if it means she'll win.
While I did have a great time reading these stories, I have to confess that it's definitely a victim of that wacky time: the 90's. There was a little more focus on Selina's (admittedly fine) figure, and some of the costumes were just ridiculous. Looking at you, Jean Paul Valley.
Still, I recommend giving this collection a read, as it showcases a strong heroine who takes matters into her own hands and isn't afraid to fight dirty if it means she'll win.
February 1, 2022
A surprising number of the issues collected in here were either direct tie-ins to the Batman: Knightfall story, or indirectly related. I read this after finishing my read of Knightfall, which I was lukewarm on, so I was equally lukewarm on the Knightfall content in here. Setting that aside, there's some really good character building - we get to see Catwoman as the Robin-Hood-esque thief, and see her own moral code. Some fun heist stories in here for sure. Of course, this is the iconic Jim Balent drawn Catwoman, so the art is really great. I liked it enough to continue on with Catwoman, and hopefully the stories become a bit more independent.
February 27, 2018
Contains 1-13 (14 and 0 are available in the recent Batman Zero Hour collection)
I never realised how closely this book was tied to the Knightfall storyline, beyond the obvious KnightQuest and KnightsEnd tie ins collected here.
Context isn't an issue personally as I'm very familiar with those crossovers, but I'm not sure how well this would read going in cold.
The collected parts of 'Quest and 'End read well enough alone and most batfans will have the fill story somewhere I imagine.
I never realised how closely this book was tied to the Knightfall storyline, beyond the obvious KnightQuest and KnightsEnd tie ins collected here.
Context isn't an issue personally as I'm very familiar with those crossovers, but I'm not sure how well this would read going in cold.
The collected parts of 'Quest and 'End read well enough alone and most batfans will have the fill story somewhere I imagine.
September 26, 2017
What a blast from the past! Catwoman was the first comic series I ever read, and I am struck by nostalgia reading it again 20+ years later. The more adult elements went over my head then, so I mostly focused on Jim Balent’s beautiful art. Now that I’m a little bit older, I can also appreciate the fun, breezy 90s version of Selina Kyle.
September 6, 2021
these earlier Catwoman stories just don't hold a candle to Ed brubaker's run. I had a hard time finishing this book because the stories were inconsistent and out of character in many cases. although I did enjoy the crossover with bane as I'm currently reading knightfall.
July 5, 2025
For me, this is when Catwoman really started to become the character I know and love today. Walking the line between the villain she was and the anti-hero she is now. Over this arc, you really see her come into her own and leave the Bat's shadow.
October 12, 2018
4 stars for the story. -1 star for the sexist art. Selina's costume leaves very little to the imagination.
August 16, 2019
Meh. This was the Catwoman I grew up with (along with the superior BTAS version), so it was a pretty fun-ish nostalgia trip. Kinda cringey, too.
October 11, 2019
I love Catwoman, this story was so good!! All the issues were amazing. Catwoman is really one of the strongest female dc characters
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 10, 2020
Good start to the Balent collection
March 26, 2020
Classics.
The Best.
Jim Balent.
Enough said.
The Best.
Jim Balent.
Enough said.
May 5, 2020
When people make fun of the uber cleavage and pin up pose of 1990s super hero comic art Jim Balent's art in Catwoman feels like ground zero. It's still fun but you should know what you are in for.
June 18, 2020
Solid Catwoman story, if a bit dated art wise. A lot was also crossovers, so it suffered from that as well. Overall, pretty enjoyable either way.
November 12, 2021
3 stars for the writing, 4 stars for the art.
July 12, 2022
Love catwoman, but not in my pantheon of my favorite stories of hers.
April 10, 2024
2.5 Stars
October 7, 2020
I like Catwoman and I'm even a fan of this purple jumpsuit era. This collection is frequently interrupted by Knightfall crossovers, which is a problem. Though I have to admit, I like the weird relationship she has with Jean Paul Valley's Batman. The art lives up to it's reputation and that's a double-edged sword.
For more, check out our discussion on Comic Book Coffee Break: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GyRJa...
For more, check out our discussion on Comic Book Coffee Break: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GyRJa...
Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews