Selina Kyle: Catwoman Appreciation 2018

[Frontier]

Catwoman is back in focus on DC Super Hero Girls, albeit in a more criminal capacity:

[signalman112]

There's something to be said for the simpler days . . .

Dave Stevens art work is the "Cats MEOW!".

[Huntsman1117]

Catwoman is back in focus on DC Super Hero Girls, albeit in a more criminal capacity:

Are Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy villainous on SuperHero Girls? It looks like they are main characters. And it looks like Catwoman is a guest character who is always acting like a petty thief. Catwoman can be a more positive role-model than Quinn or Ivy, in that she's very independent and actually helps people. Quinn and Ivy are murderers.

[CPSparkles]

Are Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy villainous on SuperHero Girls? It looks like they are main characters. And it looks like Catwoman is a guest character who is always acting like a petty thief. Catwoman can be a more positive role-model than Quinn or Ivy, in that she's very independent and actually helps people. Quinn and Ivy are murderers.

Harley and Ivy are heroes and mains. They are not murderers in this. Even in the comics the fact that Harley changed her ways is inspirational. Selina is a still a criminal. Harley is a positive strong female role model who is walking the road to redemption difficult as it might be. She is a survivor who rose above her abuser.
They can all be role models just that Harley is way more popular, way more relevant [especially for the age group in question]. Ivy could just be aesthetics [her looks are more appealing to little kids] and her proximity to/friendship with the juggernut that is Harley Quinn.

[Osiris-Rex]

Dave Stevens art work is the "Cats MEOW!".

I love the purple dress and green cape. It's a shame they decided to "modernize" Catwoman by taking away the cape and putting her in a boring jumpsuit. It's comic books, people.
If Supergirl can fight crime in a cape and a skirt, why can't Catwoman commit crimes in a cape and a skirt? I dream of the day when people stop trying to make comic book
characters "realistic" and put Catwoman back in her classic costume.

[kjn]

They can all be role models just that Harley is way more popular, way more relevant [especially for the age group in question]. Ivy could just be aesthetics [her looks are more appealing to little kids] and her proximity to/friendship with the juggernut that is Harley Quinn.

Ivy also very much fills the bookish, nerdy, likes studying, and not that social niche. Catwoman doesn't really have the same natural niche there; Batgirl already fills largely the same role, and Harley and Ivy can contrast with the rest of the cast and doesn't need Catwoman as the straight man.

If I were to include Catwoman in Superher Girls I'd probably look into making her a mentor or teacher. I think she needs a fair bit of life experience to work as a character.

[CPSparkles]

Ivy also very much fills the bookish, nerdy, likes studying, and not that social niche. Catwoman doesn't really have the same natural niche there; Batgirl already fills largely the same role, and Harley and Ivy can contrast with the rest of the cast and doesn't need Catwoman as the straight man.

If I were to include Catwoman in Superher Girls I'd probably look into making her a mentor or teacher. I think she needs a fair bit of life experience to work as a character.

Agree. The idea of Ivy fitting a particular type that young kids can identify with and that's popular with kids shows makes a great deal of sense.

[Caivu]

If Supergirl can fight crime in a cape and a skirt, why can't Catwoman commit crimes in a cape and a skirt?

I'm genuinely interested in hearing an argument for Selina dressing like that while on the job that doesn't boil down to "because sexy" or "because comics". Mostly because I don't think there is one.

[CPSparkles]

I'm genuinely interested in hearing an argument for Selina dressing like that while on the job that doesn't boil down to "because sexy" or "because comics". Mostly because I don't think there is one.

Similar to fighting crime in stilettos or a thong it's empowering for women and a way for them to own their sexuality. Or so say the men who draw comics.

[Frontier]

Are Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy villainous on SuperHero Girls? It looks like they are main characters. And it looks like Catwoman is a guest character who is always acting like a petty thief. Catwoman can be a more positive role-model than Quinn or Ivy, in that she's very independent and actually helps people. Quinn and Ivy are murderers.

Harley and Ivy are heroes.

Selina attends Super Hero High and has helped out a few times, but she's also been shown as not being above theft and burglary when she wants something, but it is a little jarring seeing her treated like a typical villain-of-the-week, right down to getting arrested at the end of the episode like a common crook.

Ivy also very much fills the bookish, nerdy, likes studying, and not that social niche. Catwoman doesn't really have the same natural niche there; Batgirl already fills largely the same role, and Harley and Ivy can contrast with the rest of the cast and doesn't need Catwoman as the straight man.

This version of Ivy certainly does, but she's also a fair big departure from how Poison Ivy is traditionally depicted.

I feel like Catwoman's niche here feels fitting for the kind of teen Superhero setting DCSHG is, where she's athletic but also someone who enjoys being a bit of a bad girl (but with a good heart).

I'm genuinely interested in hearing an argument for Selina dressing like that while on the job that doesn't boil down to "because sexy" or "because comics". Mostly because I don't think there is one.

But that's the reasoning behind most of her costumes .

[kjn]

This version of Ivy certainly does, but she's also a fair big departure from how Poison Ivy is traditionally depicted.

I feel like Catwoman's niche here feels fitting for the kind of teen Superhero setting DCSHG is, where she's athletic but also someone who enjoys being a bit of a bad girl (but with a good heart).

As for Ivy, it depends, and I'd say that there is little of the original Ivy from the 60s in the Ivy of today, but I can see the lines between DCSHG Ivy and, say, the Ivy of Cycle of Life and Death. She has more confidence dealing with people, but is still not that good at dealing with them.

Trouble for Catwoman in that niche is that the show already has Harley Quinn there, and to a degree also Batgirl (in that Batgirl is athletic, competitive, and lacks powers).

[Frontier]

As for Ivy, it depends, and I'd say that there is little of the original Ivy from the 60s in the Ivy of today, but I can see the lines between DCSHG Ivy and, say, the Ivy of Cycle of Life and Death. She has more confidence dealing with people, but is still not that good at dealing with them.

I mean, she's generally depicted as a plant-based seductress more or less from her inception and in her most popular depictions, but they've moved away from that to some degree in trying to make her more of a "hero-type".

Ivy's generally never been depicted as a wallflower, or at least Poison Ivy hasn't, but she has leaned into her science-side more.

Trouble for Catwoman in that niche is that the show already has Harley Quinn there, and to a degree also Batgirl (in that Batgirl is athletic, competitive, and lacks powers).

I guess that's why they lean more into her dubious morals here compared to every other villain turned hero on the show.

[iron chimp]

Loving the new series. They pack a good chunk of story into each issue and still have room for some great silent pages. The plot has me hooked and the book looks lovely. Good job everyone!

[Osiris-Rex]

Ivy also very much fills the bookish, nerdy, likes studying, and not that social niche. Catwoman doesn't really have the same natural niche there; Batgirl already fills largely the same role, and Harley and Ivy can contrast with the rest of the cast and doesn't need Catwoman as the straight man.

If I were to include Catwoman in Superher Girls I'd probably look into making her a mentor or teacher. I think she needs a fair bit of life experience to work as a character.

Early on in the cartoons when Catwoman was still a very minor character there was a class where Catwoman was demonstrating her whip skills to the other students.
No hint of any villainous tendencies back then. Just another person at the school.

[Huntsman1117]

I'm re-reading the 90's series. I'm up to the point of the Legacy virus crossover. I miss that series, having Chuck Dixon write Catwoman as an international thief going on grandeur adventures to pay the rent - and just to stay alive. I miss her being a wise-ass who toys with people using puns, sarcasm, and snarky insults (not always to her advantage, but its fun to read). I miss Catwoman pulling off near-impossible acrobatic stunts and winning difficult battles with multiple deadly opponents at the same time. I miss the Cat's Paw grappling device on her arm; it gave her a lot more mobility.
I like the new Catwoman by Joelle Jones, but I wish she was a bit more like Dixon's more competent, more intelligent, and more exciting Catwoman.