Doesn't slow us down
I will pretty much give away all the important story points here, so if that bothers you, you maybe shouldn't read on. First as many people already know this issue was built up on the sex factor, and really it doesn't disappoint those who want an overly sexualized Catwoman. In terms of sex though they are too different aspects here, the gratuitous stuff, and the less gratuitous. Most of the issue featured gratuitous imagery - Selina apartment is firebombed by unknown assailants and she escapes with her bra covered breast hanging out of her costume, Selina impersonated a bartender working at a Russian mob bar and seeing a guy she has a score to settle with she has to seduce him first in naughty looking clothing before she beats him up. This aspect of the issue sort of overshadowed everything else which happened, the plot in itself was not bad, just marred down by the constant shots of T&A. What was a bit more fascinating was the last few pages. Here Batman confronts Selina, and Selina ... seduces him, and not in a very passive way either. Reading it my eyes kind of bulged out for what they had done here, but as I thought of it more, I saw no reason why this wouldn't happen. it is a psychological reaction sometimes for those on the edge of death to partake in kind of spontaneous sexual activity, sort of as an evolutionary response to death there is an attempt to create new life. The Batman-Catwoman on-again off-again romance has always been displayed as something more chivalrous (in fact most comic book romances are) but here the opposite route is taken, that of complete sexual enjoyment and release. Is it suitable that children read this? Probably not, but being the new 52 this is really new, and despite the early sexualized moment this feels completely appropriate in a way. In terms of what they have attempted here, they have taken a chance, though Catwoman has had a fairly consistent publication history since the mid 90s so it is not much of a chance. Still I would say that with a toned down sexual gratuity this series has everything that a Catwoman fan would want and maybe more.
