One of Batman’s Best Rogues Just Got a Major Upgrade

Catman, one of Batman’s greatest rogues, is back and looks better than ever. In case you missed it, Catman is one of the headliners in the new Secret Six comic, starring alongside other bigtime names like Deadshot and Clark Kent’s son Jon, better known as Superman. Of course, Catman can’t join a team-up with such illustrious company and not come looking his best. He’s sporting new red eyes, extendable blade-like claws, and a cloak that just screams hardcore. Honestly, he gives Batman: Gotham by Gaslight vibes in the best way possible. And oh boy, did his entrance make him look even cooler than ever.

Catman appeared behind the brawling Superman and Deadshot, carrying the unconscious Dreamer in one arm. The other he used to lodge a knife into the back of Deadshot’s head. That’s right, Catman snuck up on Superman and headshotted the man who never misses. Granted, Superman was weakened by synthetic kryptonite and Deadshot got right back up because he seems semi-immortal right now, likely related to how he is supposed to be dead, but this still ranks as one of the coldest entrances in recent comics history.

Who is Catman, and Why Should You Care That He’s Back?

With the civilian name of Thomas Blake, Catman first appeared in Detective Comics #311 way back in 1963, created by none other than Bill Finger and Jim Mooney. He was a world class hunter that turned to a life of crime after growing bored and wanting to capture stronger prey. He initially themed himself after Catwoman, and committed similarly cat-themed crimes, leading to some of the earliest instances of Batman and Catwoman working together to clear her name.

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Blake remained a knock-off Batman joke for about forty years, until his reinvention by Gail Simone in the mid 2000s. She reimagined the character as an honor-driven dark reflection of Batman. Where Batman is gruff but has a heart of gold, Catman is endlessly charismatic and often acts more like an anti-hero than a villain, but his lethal actions always put him on the wrong side of the law. Not only that, but she solidified him as a major threat as well. Gone were the cat-themed jokes and weapons, now was the day of a sense of smell equal to a lion’s, Olympic level acrobatics, and combat skills that let him go toe-to-toe with Batman every day of the week. He has an aura about him that makes him distinct and memorable, even in Batman’s top tier rogues gallery.

Beyond his stellar confrontations with the Dark Knight, Catman has history with the Secret Six team, which has traditionally been a group of villains that come together to get dirty work done. He served as the leader during its mid-2000s rebranding, alongside his current teammate Deadshot. Now he’s back and raring to go with a whole new iteration of the Secret Six, though with Superman on the team it seems unlikely that Catman will be reclaiming his old position. And it looks like the team is going to be a lot less lethal than its previous incarnations, if Superman can rein in his more murderous teammates, at least.

But the inclusion of the younger Superman in this team makes the dynamic even more exciting to imagine. Batman and the original Superman are two fan favorites, and well known as one of DC’s best duos; you don’t earn the nickname the World’s Finest for nothing. The team up between the new Superman and the dark inversion of Batman could make for just as an electrifying combination. Instead of a bond built on decades of trust and shared vision, we’ll get to see what it looks like when the ultimate merciful idealism of Superman clashes with the cynical nature of a man who sees the world as something impossible to save, and not worth trying. I, for one, am more than excited to see how they develop Catman’s relationship with his begrudging teammates.

This unlikely Secret Six team has come together under the goal of finding the kidnapped Amanda Waller before the organization Checkmate can unlock the secrets that Dreamer buried in her head at the tail-end of the Absolute Power event, which of course spawned the incredibly popular Absolute Universe. No one here shares any goal beyond finding Waller, and what they plan to do to her once they do drastically differs between members. But one thing’s for certain. With this new look for Catman, whatever they do, they’ll be one of the most stylish groups around.

Secret Six #2 is on sale now.