Anne Hathaway is winning huge praise from director Christopher Nolan and star Christian Bale for her performance as Selena Kyle in The Dark Knight Rises. Nolan even said Hathaway’s Selena Kyle deserved the opportunity to star in a Catwoman solo film. Bale reportedly said that Hathaway “has the toughest job on the film because the Catwoman role has been defined previously.”
Catwoman is one of the most iconic female characters in comic book history. I was inspired to collect some of Catwoman’s greatest “cuts” as the world waits to see how Christopher Nolan and Anne Hathaway will portray her in The Dark Knight Rises.
Television: As a little kid I raced off the school bus so I didn’t miss a moment of the Batman television show. I loved Julie Newmar as Catwoman. The dramatic purrs on words were part of the show’s camp but Newmar embodied the conflicted bad girl you hope would change her ways for Batman. Eartha Kitt only played Catwoman three times but what an impression. Kitt played Catwoman with a harder, dangerous edge. That cat would do a lot worse than scratch!
Movies: Michelle Pfeifer’s Catwoman was a deadly kitten with a whip in Batman Returns. Tim Burton’s origin for Selina was very different from the comic books but Pfeiffer made it work. This secretary turned feminist avenger was a deadly mix of empowerment and sex appeal.
Comics: Bob Kane created The Cat as a socialite turned catburglar villain for Batman. Selina Kyle developed into an antihero with love/hate romantic relationship with Batman. In the 1990’s writers took Selina’s character into dark territory. Modern creators interpretted her disguise and life of crime as a response to a history of abuse. Selina became an avenger of women on the streets of Gotham City.
The Dark End of the Street, Crooked Little Town, Relentless, and Wild Ride show Catwoman as a vigilante antihero in modern crime noir tales. During this era Selina takes in an ex-hooker and junkie as a protogee in her war on crime. The look in these collections are similar to the style Anne Hathaway has in photos on the set of The Dark Knight Rises.
Trail of the Catwoman marked Selina’s return to her infamous persona after a long absence with a new costume. Selina hunts a serial killer targetting the streetwalkers of Gotham City.
When in Rome is Catwoman versus the Falcone crime family. This is a sexier colorful tale of the cat burglar on a mysterious adventure in Italy.
Hush is one of my all time favorite Batman epics. The Dark Knight and Catwoman’s twisted relationship is at this most romantic and intense during this year long mystery in which a new villian uses Batman’s greatest enemies as pawns in a mind twisting game. Jim Lee’s Catwoman is perfect.
I have to give Adam Hughes praise for his portraits of Catwoman. Cover Run includes many of his iconic DC covers starring the femme fatale.
DC Comics The New 52 Catwoman title has been the target of praise and controversy. Legendary scribe Ann Nocenti is set to take over from Judd Winnick. Nocenti is famed for her powerful femme fatales in other books so this could be a continued era of greatness for DC’s most infamous anti-heroine.
Yes, I left out the Catwoman movie starring Halle Berry. Great actress. Unique take on the character. Nuff said.
By Editor