Catwoman #39

Writer: Tini Howard Artist: Nico Leon Publisher: DC Comics Release Date: January 19, 2022 Cover Price: $3.99 Critic Reviews: 15 User Reviews: 21
8.1Critic Rating
7.6User Rating

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Meow, Catwoman is bored of Alleytown and has returned to Gotham City proper for bigger fish to fry and to go back to doing what she does best…stealing crime boss secrets for blackmail and looking damn sexy while doing it, of course. New ongoing series writer Tini Howard makes her DCU series debut writing the cat of the night, placing Catwoman in her first blackmail heist disguised as a stripper at Gotham’s most secure underground club! Oh, Catwoman, hiding in plain sight in five-inch platform heels at a gathering of Gotham’s crime elite while surrounded by all the beautiful women and other shiny things to look at…what could possibly g more

  • 10
    DC Comics News - Carl Bryan Jan 19, 2022

    We are going to enjoy Tini Howard's run on this comic. Selina is a true player and this comic has surpassed anything historically it was years ago as a "filler" book in the lineup. If you like a bit of noir, a lot of Selina, and a hero/anti-villain that is fighting the mob on several different levels, this is for you! Get in on the ground floor of Howard's run! You'll be glad you did! Read Full Review

  • 10
    COMICON - Scott Redmond Jan 20, 2022

    A whole new era begins for Selina Kyle that picks up where the last one left off, keeping the same character-heavy fun noirish energy while adding a whole new cast and setting for the master thief to play with. A stylish and gorgeous book that is just crackling with energy, kicking off what should be a pretty awesome new run. Read Full Review

  • 9.6
    You Don't Read Comics - Russ Bickerstaff Jan 19, 2022

    Howard, Leon, and Bellaire do a brilliant job of opening the current era in Catwomans life. It will be interesting to see the series play out from here. Howard is a seasoned storyteller who knows what shes doing. Leon and Bellaire work remarkably well together...each artist admirably amplifying the work of the other. Its been quite a while since Catwoman reached the level of achievement it has in the 39th issue of the current series. Read Full Review

  • 9.1
    Comic Watch - Clint Theron Jan 19, 2022

    Catwoman #39 is off to an intriguing start. I'm definitely in it for the long haul, and I'm very excited to see where Catwoman's adventures lead her next (as long as Duchess is by her side). Read Full Review

  • 9.0
    ComicBook.com - Jenna Anderson Jan 19, 2022

    While a few sequences might be a little rough-around-the-edges with regards to pacing, this proves to be a pretty excellent jumping-on point for Catwoman readers. Read Full Review

  • 9.0
    The Comicbook Dispatch - kcscribbles Jan 19, 2022

    Catwoman #39 is a great first part of Catwoman's new era, putting her back in Gotham and giving her a whole new cast of enemies and friends. The ultra-cool art and Selina's savvy attitude, coupled with some great John Wick-style action scenes, make the book a fantastic ride. Read Full Review

  • 8.6
    Monkeys Fighting Robots - Cat Wyatt Jan 18, 2022

    Catwoman #39 isn't afraid of color or daring adventures, as it sets up for a new series of events for the one and only Selina Kyle. Read Full Review

  • 8.2
    The Super Powered Fancast - Timala Elliott Jan 18, 2022

    The illustration in this edition has a modern and youthful tone. Detailed drawings are mixed with a color palate that changes with mood and location. This issue is slick, visually appealing, and surprisingly colorful. I feel it perfectly complements the world of Selena Kyle. Read Full Review

  • 8.0
    Weird Science - Jim Werner Jan 18, 2022

    Catwoman #39 is a good start to Tini Howard's Catwoman run.  The issue looks great, and Howard has Selina's voice down.  Fans of Genevieve Valentine's Catwoman run are in for a treat, but Howard makes sure the story still feels new and fresh.   Read Full Review

  • 8.0
    Geek Dad - Ray Goldfield Jan 18, 2022

    Still, as a down-and-dirty guilty pleasure, this run has potential. Read Full Review

  • 8.0
    Dark Knight News - Adam Ray Jan 19, 2022

    Catwoman #39 has truly started the new creative team's run well. We get a clear theme, a new cast of antagonists, and a mission for our hero to work on. The powerful feminist message is something I expect will be built on, and with tension this clear between characters and visuals this striking throughout, this is the renaissance that the Catwoman may not have needed but thoroughly deserves. Eager to see more of this important new direction. Read Full Review

  • 7.5
    AIPT - David Brooke Jan 18, 2022

    Catwoman #39 is an intriguing start to a new arc where Catwoman is a master of the finer things and finer details around her. The book is absolutely packed with content, maybe too much so in regards to captions, which can feel burdensome. That said, this is a Catwoman ride you'll want to continue. Read Full Review

  • 7.0
    Lyles Movie Files - Jeffrey Lyles Jan 18, 2022

    Clunky script soapboxing aside, this is an intriguing debut for the new creative team. Read Full Review

  • 5.0
    The Batman Universe - Ian Miller Jan 19, 2022

    Though Howard's tone is clearly deliberately reaching for the effect it achieves, when contrasted to Selina's actual performance in the book, it falls short of what the book could be, aided by competent but not spectacular art bolstered by stellar coloring. Read Full Review

  • 5.0
    Batman-News - Michael Escalante Jan 18, 2022

    Catwoman #39 has much on its mind as Tini Howard's script attempts to establish Selina back in Gotham as well as starting a war between her and the city's underground. Nico Leon's art is competent, but most pages are cluttered and rely heavily on the dialogue to make sense of them. After Ram V and Fernando Blanco's methodical, noir inspired run, this issue's reliance on provocative scenarios feels like a step backward and its execution leaves much to be desired. As a fan of Howard's previous work, I'm hopeful the series can refocus itself after this hefty introduction. Read Full Review

  • 10
    KittyNone Jan 20, 2022

    I was expecting good things out of this, and the first issue surpasses them majestically. In particular, the art is amazing. Nico Leon really outdoes himself with the art and his Selena is breathtakingly beautiful (as she should be), and Jordie Bellaire remains one of the best colorists in the business. The setup is classic without feeling stale, and the return of Eiko from Genevieve Valentine's underappreciated run is very welcome. I'm really excited about this one!

  • 9.0
    Antenovial Jan 18, 2022

    This is a pleasant surprise. What a great first Issue.

    Nico Leon draws a wonderfully expressive Selina Kyle and a great Catwoman. I love the fashion Selina wears while investigating Trixie's and I like the upgrades to her costume. There's a bit of a Zoe Kravitz vibe to this Selina that I don't mind at all. What I thought I would mind are the seemingly movable cat ears, but they work quite well.

    Bellaire's colors enhance Leon's drawings and are simply gorgeous.

    Howard's voice for Selina is a bit more tongue-in-cheek and less sophisticated, but I like the more playful side of Selina, especially when it doesn't keep her from being a headstrong badass.

    The one thing I didn't like at all were the censo more

  • 8.5
    Screaming Enigma Jul 3, 2023

    This was my first Catwoman book and I enjoyed it. Leon's art here is absolutely fantastic and and it creates a beautiful setting for this series. As for the writing, I think Howard writes Selina well. While I do think the amount of words here can be a little much at times, I agree with what another user stated in their review, in that said writing carries the plot of this book forward a lot. There was a lot that was set up here, but I enjoyed just about all of it and I think there's a lot of intrigue created here for the series going forward. Overall, I would say that this was a strong first issue for Howard's run on Catwoman.

  • 8.5
    Psycamorean Jan 18, 2022

    This was maybe a tad overwritten, but it gave Selina something I felt has been missing for a while now. And that is, a strong voice. I've been very vocal about how I prefer Felicia Hardy over Selina Kyle, and part of why is that I've always felt that Felicia had more going on, whereas Selina seemed too often stuck in the role of femme fatale, which is inherently limiting for character growth. And to be clear, I'm sure there are amazing Catwoman stories where she's not just that, but to also be clear, they've been few and far between in my reading. This comic luckily doesn't continue the trend. Selina feels third-dimensional rather than one-note. And the sheer amount of words in this comic may have been a little much, but they did a hell of more

  • 8.0
    daspidaboy Jan 18, 2022

    this wasn't bad at all, pretty interested in how this series moves forward.

  • 7.5
    Crimson Knight Jan 19, 2022

    Interesting start. I don't have any expectation but I know it will be something new, which for me is always a plus.

  • 1.0
    liolia Sep 18, 2023



    After Ram V's EXCELLENT run, this issue is kind of like going to a Michelin star restaurant, and then on your way out, someone throws dog shit in your face. Selina - a famously independent, competent, and smart character - has lines like "the right kind of gift - the one any woman really wants - should be a sacrifice" and is motivated by "big girl shopping" . When someone offers that she prostitute herself, she wisely deduces that it's an insult.

    The writing overall is really flat and gross - its not that I have a problem with the villains being misogynists, it's that they're portrayed as the default of this world, making it unpleasant and uninteresting. Selina immediately get embroiled in dumb romantic sub plots, wh more

  • 10
    JonHordway Jan 20, 2022

  • 10
    TonyQH Jan 20, 2022

  • 10
    Bruno Mael Jan 18, 2022

  • 9.5
    retcon_D Jan 28, 2022

  • 9.0
    Fmernamz0 Jan 20, 2022

  • 9.0
    BitchWitcher Jan 18, 2022

  • 8.5
    Radar Jan 23, 2022

  • 8.5
    Magik Jan 19, 2022

  • 8.5
    Tempra16v2.0Turbo Jan 18, 2022

  • 8.0
    Atomichound Feb 13, 2022

  • 7.0
    K-23 Jul 26, 2022

  • 3.5
    ItsJess Dec 22, 2022

  • 3.5
    Watchtower022 Jan 29, 2022

  • 3.0
    GiantSlayer May 18, 2022

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