Catwoman: Election Night Review - Even In Gotham, Your Vote Matters

This election season has been overtly more volatile than previous election cycles, so it's no real [...]

This election season has been overtly more volatile than previous election cycles, so it's no real surprise that the topic has made its way into the comics world. If you've at all been paying attention to the current state of our political climate, you'll recognize more than a few elements surfacing in Meredith Finch's Catwoman: Election Night.

Spoilers from here on out.

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(Photo: DC Comics)

That foundation can be both a blessing and a curse, depending on what side of the fence you happen to reside on. The parallels between Oswald Cobblepot and Donald Trump are rather humorous, if not necessarily subtle. Scratch that, they are not subtle at all, unless Oswald clamoring for a "fresh new wall around Gotham" so he can "make Gotham great again" are considered subtle.

That might rub some the wrong way, but even if that bristles against your political leanings, you should stick around for the real story, as at its heart Catwoman: Election Day is a story about Selina, her childhood, and the differing paths people take as they mature into adulthood. Selina has always been rather guarded about her past, and this is a rare window into that history. She's endlessly loyal to those who have done right by her, and while Batman is a part of the narrative, he's a relatively small part, and never takes the focus away from the star of the story, Selina.

Artist Shane Davis delivers some lovely pencils to this affair, but the most striking difference between this and other artistic takes is the way Davis plays with shadows, making Catwoman more Batman-like in a way and playing with how she appears to criminals and her targets. The action sequences don't happen that often, but he excels in these sparse instances as well.

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(Photo: DC Comics)

The backup story by Mark Russell and Ben Caldwell is an altogether different beast, though it still fits within the election theme. Russell and Caldwell reunite once again in a backup story focused on Beth Ross, who some will recognize from their previous Prez series. Ross actually makes a noteworthy appearance in the first story as well, but the backup is all Ross. What follows is a biting satire on women's issues being a topic discussed predominately by men, gun control, and birth control, and is well worth a read.

As a whole, the book is a nice reintroduction to Selina Kyle and a topical one at that. It isn't the strongest single issue of Catwoman you'll ever read, but it's a solid addition if you don't mind some political commentary in your superhero stories.

Review 3 out of 5 Stars

Written By: Meredith Finch

Penciled By: Shane Davis / Igor Vitorino

Inked By: Michelle Delecki

Colors By: Gabe Eltaeb

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