Batman: The Bat and the Cat: 80 Years of Romance

Batman (1940-2011) #1, 3, 15, 324, 392, 615

by Bill Finger

DC is celebrating 80 years of the greatest rivalry-turned-romance in comics in Batman: The Bat and the Cat: 80 Years of Romance!

DC is celebrating 80 years of the greatest rivalry-turned-romance in comics in Batman: The Bat and the Cat: 80 Years of Romance! Over the past eight decades, Batman and Catwoman have remained at the forefront of popular culture across movies, TV, and books, which is in no small part thanks to the stories collected here. Following Batman and Catwoman's courtship from their earliest days from the 1940s on opposite sides of the law to their modern-day engagement and more, this book features the best tales from Batman and Catwoman's storied history together.

This hardcover edition features Batman and Catwoman's greatest team-ups from their 80-year history together, from some of the best writers and artists in the industry, including Tom King, Jo�lle Jones, Darwyn Cooke, Mikel Jan�n, Tim Sale, Len Wein, Jim Lee, and more! Collects stories from Batman #1, #3, #15, #324, #392, #615 (1940 series), Batman #24, #44, #50 (2016 series), The Brave and the Bold #197, Solo #1, and Catwoman #32.

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

264 pages, Hardcover

First published December 19, 2019

About the author

William "Bill" Finger was an American comic strip and comic book writer best known as the uncredited co-creator, with Bob Kane, of the DC Comics character Batman, as well as the co-architect of the series' development. In later years, Kane acknowledged Finger as "a contributing force" in the character's creation. Comics historian Ron Goulart, in Comic Book Encyclopedia, refers to Batman as the "creation of artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger", and a DC Comics press release in 2007 about colleague Jerry Robinson states that in 1939, "Kane, along with writer Bill Finger, had just created Batman for [DC predecessor] National Comics".

Film and television credits include scripting The Green Slime (1969), Track of the Moon Beast (1976), and three episodes of 77 Sunset Strip.

-Wikipedia

Reviews

[Liz · Rating 5 out of 5]

A really solid look back at the relationship between Batman and Catwoman with some notable reprints of issues pivotal to their historic romance. I would like to have seen some more New 52 stuff in there (like Catwoman 1) and more of the Death in the Family storyline. I appreciated that a section of Hush was featured, but was a little disappointed that it wasn't the Heart of Hush sequence (one pretty crucial in Bruce's love for Selina). The book definitely highlights Selina's love for Bruce, but leaves out some of the reciprocal advances from Bruce.

Also, I know they featured the The Wedding event (later one), so I can't say they overlooked Bruce and Selina's wedding. But how dare they tease us with the Brave and the Bold relationship and not reveal that sweet moment. It was the original wedding. Oh, yeah, and they had a child together.

I think the main thing was to tie into The Wedding event at the end of the book, so everything would dovetail into that, but there are certainly some things missing. That said, I really enjoyed the explored timeline in that event with the different costumes and looks present for each. None of this (the featured issues) was really surprising or particularly original in its editing because I'd read it all remixed before and in single issue because I'm a huuuuuge nerd. Reading the key storylines including B&B, Death of Catwoman, and that massive book they put out for the anniversary, Catwoman: A Celebration of 75 Years, covers most of this same content with nice annotation for context.

5 stars because I'm a Catwoman racoon and when DC feeds me trash I eat it.

[Ryan Stewart · Rating 4 out of 5]

A beautifully curated collection of Batman and Catwoman through the years.

[Patrick · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good collection of stories. I wasn't a big fan of the "wedding" pay off. Such a bait and switch by DC. Than again, any happiness Batman gets is always going to be short lived.

[Annalise · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love the romance between Batman and Catwoman and having some of the most romance heavy stories from decades worth of comics combined into one compendium is so iconic! Seeing the different art styles and storylines they’ve had throughout the years was so fun to see and I really enjoyed reading all of them, even if they did end it with Bruce and Selina not even actually getting married🥲

[Dr Rashmit Mishra · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was basically a collection of all the important/ landmark occasions when Batman and Catwoman met/teamed-up and it led to the formation of their relationship. This all leads to the famed Tom King run and how it all ended .

It's decent collection , and i guess a Bat fan SHOULD in fact read it , but even if you dont read it , i dont think it'd hurt a lot . Meanwhile, i was not a fan of King's Batman run (in fact , i dont like any of King's work) , so less i say about that the better

[Ming · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's interesting how the stories were picked over the decades and assembled to almost form one coherent romance. Sure, one where the characters change personalities at the drop of a hat, but still. Unfortunately, there's no getting around it; the old stories are pretty much unreadable in this day and age, being both overwritten and kind of problematic. (In their first meeting, Batman says to her, "Quiet or Papa spank!" There's also a weird scene a few stories later where Batman has Robin over his lap and is about to spank him. I guess Bob Kane or Bill Finger was really into spanking?)

[Etienne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great collector edition for the fans of the Batman/Catwoman relationship. From the very first issue of Batman to the recent wedding series/issue/edition we get some of the greatest moment together and it also give a good overview of the evolution of the Batman comic universe. Well done, nostalgic and just a nice collectible edition!

[Ariel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Some really great stories in here!

[Carolina · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is a nice collection, but I am so sad they could not get married. I really wanted a happy ending.

[Sean · Rating 4 out of 5]

This would be a flawless book if not for that damn UNwedding.

[Artur Coelho · Rating 4 out of 5]

Por pouco, parecia que Tom King iria colocar um ponto final na ambígua relação entre Catwoman e Batman com um casamento. Esteve por um triz, como parte fundamental do seu ambicioso e irrepreensível arco narrativo, e apesar de não ter dado esse passo, fê-lo de forma a manter a proximidade entre estas duas personagens, que parecem destinadas a intersetar-se mas nunca a cruzar-se. E não pelo argumento mais óbvio, o da criminalidade de Catwoman. Esse foi resolvido há muito tempo atrás. O argumento de King tem a ver com a necessidade de Batman ter um lado trágico. A sua iconografia como cavaleiro das trevas depende do trauma da sua infância, e uma vida amorosa feliz iria ser anacrónica. No entanto, as linhas sinuosas destes dois personagens continuam entrelaçadas, como sempre o estiveram desde o início. Este volume mostra isso, coligindo algumas das histórias que mostram a relação íntima entre estes dois personagens. Desde a golden age aos tempos atuais, e é também uma boa forma de rever argumentistas e ilustradores lendários. Este livro traz-nos trabalho de Bob Kane, Bill Finger (com não podia deixar de ser), Len Wein, Jim Aparo, Doug Moench, ou Darwyn Cooke, entre outros que levaram as suas visões ao par improvável da gata e do morcego.

[Kole · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great collection of Batman/Catwoman romance. From the cheesy & sexist comics of the 1940s, to cheesy 80s romance with battles against rapists and coke addicts to set the mood, to the most modern iteration by Tom King. Every pick is solid and my only complaint is that there isn't more variety in the time periods represented.

Recommended for Batman fans. 4/5

[Megan Farve · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love Batman so obviously I enjoyed going back in time to view the Bat and Cat's romance over 80 years. It was really cool to see not only how their love has progressed over time, but their characters as well (and that includes their outfits!).

[Carla Rodrigues · Rating 5 out of 5]

Aprendi demais sobre a história dos dois personagens em um encadernado fantástico.
Foram anos e anos resumidos em uma linda história que até me fez chorar algumas vezes.

Artes belíssimas, a galeria de capas intercalando com a história final do casamento foi incrível.

[Micaela *CLONAZINE*]

Esta bueno para ver como fueron evolucionando las ilustraciones, los diálogos pero el personaje de Catwoman incluso actualmente sigue estando re sexualizado y es caricaturesco. No es mi estilo, me gustaría ver una mujer dando otro enfoque a este personaje icónico.

[Emilce · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was an interesting collection of stories about the Bat and the Cat's relationship throughout the years. I've always liked the idea of them being together, so this was a great read for me. I liked how the art and the characters have developed throughout time.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my god. I adored this. So worth the price tag. Highly recommend for any Bat-fan. Bad@ss and very touching at the same time.

[Paula ϟ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Worth the read just to peep at this classic WWII cover selling war bonds

[Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

80 years doesn't seem reflected enough in this book (speaking as a huge BatCat fan). Glad The Autobiography of Bruce Wayne was included – the most powerful and moving piece of them all.

[Lilybeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bat & Cat stories over 80 years.
I never knew Selina was originally named Elva Barr.

This is a treat for any Bat/Cat fan.
Very happy to have this compilation in my collection.

[Immigration Art · Rating 4 out of 5]

Batman TOTALLY has the hots for Catwoman. Bada-Bing!

[Ben Truong · Rating 4 out of 5]

Batman: The Bat and the Cat: 80 Years of Romance is a compilation of some of the best Batman/Catwoman stories over the years to commemorate the eightieth anniversary debut of one of the most infamous couple. This anthology collects: Batman #1, 3, 15, 324, 392, and 615 of the 1940 series, Batman #24, 44, and 50 of the 2016 series, The Brave and the Bold #197, Solo #1, and Catwoman #32.

This anthology is divided into sections, separate roughly by Comic Era and Continuity. The first part is dedicated to the beginnings of how Batman and Catwoman with stories from the Golden Age of Comics, followed by stories roughly in the Silver and Bronze Age stories with the bulk of it dedicated to the Modern and Rebooted Era and the final section deals with out of continuity stories. For the most part, the issues selected were well chosen giving a rounded impression and appreciation for the Batman/Catwoman relationship.

It is very interesting to see how the relationship between Batman and Catwoman evolved through the years from their humble beginnings in Batman #1 to their current status in the current incarnation of the DC Universe. It is rather interesting to see the evolution of their relationship from enemies to frenemies to something more.

With anthologies like these, story selection would be the most difficult task – Batman and Catwoman has been around for a long time and there are many stories with many having different favorites – in short it is impossible to please everyone. However, I think the editors picked a somewhat nice selection that shows the characteristic and evolution that is the Batman/Catwoman relationship. So on the whole, I was really happy of which stories were presented.

All in all, despite of the imbalanced of the anthology, it was in the end, a wonderful collection that celebrated the relationship between Batman and Catwoman.

[Adam Rodgers · Rating 4 out of 5]

As the title suggests, this is a collection of the comics with Batman and Catwoman's romantic daliances over the past 80 years - from their first meeting to their recent engagement.

This is a great collection of books, where you can not only see the progession of the two characters (more so Catwoman tbf) and the building of their relationship. There is some amazing art on show here, including an array of stellar work from artists that pepper the last story. While the book ends on somewhat of a downer the journey up to it is both entertaining and intriguing - there is real progression here, so it makes the decision King took with the culmination of it all, that much more vexing.

This is a good book, but the reader is left with a bittersweet ending, that really just maintains the status quo - which speaks to DC's general modus operandi, at least with main continuity. It would be a far more interesting to see Bruce and Selina as a married couple in their costumed and private lives, rather than this notion that this would ultimately destroy who they are. I guess we'll always have Earth 2.

[Alexis · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is such a fun read. I haven't read enough Catwoman content to know if anything crucial is missing, but I thoroughly enjoyed what's here. We get a few VERY old comics, which are just a joy, as the designs are something to behold. I lost it just the tiniest bit over the mask being an actual cat head; also over Batman referring to himself as "papa".

We get their first meeting. We get some zany date night adventures. We get some hijinks. We get marriage proposals. We get brooding and romance. We get a LOT.

I really liked the art for the newer comics, and this did finally convince me I need to read "Hush", which I'm feeling properly excited about.

So yeah, I spent $10 on this, and I feel great about. I'd highly recommend.

[Nikki · Rating 5 out of 5]

Batman and Catwoman are an iconic pair. This book is a collection of important interactions between the two, starting with their very first one. "The Cat" was in Issue No. 1 released in Spring 1940. I love the colors, the camp, and the sass. And I adore that Batman and Catwoman had chemistry right from the start. As the book progresses, we see changes in costumes, art, and the deepening of their relationship. This was such a fun read and it makes me want to go back and read all the early stuff that I've missed so far on my journey into comics/graphic novels. Batman and Catwoman are made for each other and their story will always be one of my favorites.

[Jake · Rating 4 out of 5]

Happy Valentine's Day to them! My Parents!

Great selection of issues that represent pivotal moments of the Batman/Catwoman relationship, until the end. I could go on a whole separate rant about Tom King's handling of these two and that damn wedding issue, some good, some not so good. Overall, great art and even a good history lesson about comic evolutions. It ranges from a 1940 comic where Batman breaks the 4th wall and tells the reader "kids" to not admire crooks as they are cowards without their guns, then ends up at a 2010s comic where Batman and Catwoman are naked on a rooftop scattered in diamonds. Funny how audiences have changed.

[a ☕︎ · Rating 2 out of 5]

the best story was the first…i like catwoman as a static cat burglar type w a diamonds-are-a-girl’s-best-friend attitude, and you can definitely see a lot of the jane russell inspiration across these. tim sale is the other stand-out in both execution and reference (w the 1951 his kind of woman poster). batman (the storyline) always ends up getting so dreary as time passes, i get bored unfortunately.

[Sarabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this! It was cool to see Batman and Catwoman’s relationship over time, but it also felt incomplete. This collection skipped the entire Silver Age and included a couple Bronze Age stories before jumping to the 2000s. It needed more; it didn’t feel like every era was honored in the way some of DC’s other collections have.

[wolfie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I just love these two together <3. A bit of a downer "ending", seeing as the last comic issue included is, unfortunately, the infamous issue #50 of the Tom King 2016 Batman run, but I can ignore it. The good outweighs the bad in this collection. There were some other big Batman/Catwoman issues that *I* would have included, but alas, it wasn't up to me.

[Orhun · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book tells the story of Catwoman and Batman's relationship from the first time they met to the present day, and although it does not contain all the comics in which Catwoman and Batman are involved, it is a collective that contains the important ones.

I wish they had added one or two more issues, but it's still a very successful volume. The presentation of the book proceeds chronologically, so while the first page is an excerpt from the Batman & Robin issue no.1 from 1940, when we reach the end of the volume, we reach the year 2019.

Seeing how the characters have changed over the years and especially the chapters taken from Tom King's series towards the end of the volume add a very nice and romantic atmosphere.

Overall: 4/5