The original and most widely known Catwoman, Selina Kyle, first appeared in Batman #1 (Spring 1940) in which she was known as The Cat. In an early 80's story line Selina and Bruce had developed a relationship. The Flash trailer has done the impossible with Michael Keaton returning as the same Bruce Wayne that appeared . In a way, the Caped Crusader was a symbol of the . During one of their encounters, Selina and Eiko kiss, establishing their relationship as a romantic one. Selina Kyle is often portrayed as a thief and cat burglar with divided loyalties. Selina Kyle appears as an aging and somewhat overweight madam in Frank Miller's Batman: The Dark Knight Returns four times; all are brief. In this series, Selina Kyle, joined by new supporting cast members Holly and Slam Bradley (a character from the early Golden Age DC Comics), becomes protector of the residents of Gotham's East End, while still carrying out an ambitious career as a cat burglar. Catwoman is a fictional character created by Bill Finger and Bob Kane who appears in American comic books published by DC Comics, commonly in association with the superhero Batman.Debuting as "the Cat" in Batman #1 (spring 1940), she is one of the Dark Knight's most enduring enemies and belongs to the collective of adversaries that make up his rogues' gallery. Once Selina is freed, Talia orders Zatanna to wipe Bruce's identity from her memory, reasoning that her kidnapping has proved that the knowledge is too dangerous for her to handle. [58] She does not appear in Batman: The Dark Knight Strikes Again, Miller's follow-up story, although she is referred to in the prologue written for the trade paperback version, but in the book, Carrie Kelley's moniker of "Catgirl" is an homage to Catwoman. She is soon found bound and gagged, with Batgirl having managed to defeat her and reclaim the opal off-screen.[78]. In the Pre-Crisis version, Catwoman was supported by different henchmen. Bane tried to learn Catwoman's identity, but she had hidden her birth name "Selina Kyle" behind dozens of aliases. There, she recognizes a man who murdered a friend of hers, and she takes her revenge. She may be involved in sadomasochism, as she first advises the Joker who has just murdered his latest loverthat "I've heard rumors on how you handle women and even I don't play it that rough". The stills from the film are used to blackmail her into stealing information from Wayne Enterprises. In Batman: Battle for the Cowl, Selina is seen as one of the members of Nightwing and Robin's contingency team known as "the Network", where she is seen taking down a gang of thugs before seeing Tim Drake dressed in a Batman uniform and is initially taken by surprise. They plan to trick men into divulging information that might be used in future crimes. Fri Mar 11, 2016 3:00pm 18 comments Favorite This. Although she does not wear her iconic cat-suit, the story establishes her core personality as a femme fatale who both antagonizes and attracts Batman. A popular figure, Catwoman has been featured in most media adaptations related to Batman. From the 1990s, she has also starred in her own comic series, with other works also featuring her as a central character. Story-lines include her adoption of teenage runaway and former sidekick, Arizona; aiding Bane, whom she later betrays to Azrael; and a stint as a reluctant government operative. Having freed from Arkham, Bruce and Selina finally caved into their long-standing mutual attraction and became romantically involved. In this instance, Lola tips Selina off to an unoccupied penthouse where Selina can lay low for a few weeks, as well as a job stealing a painting from Russian mobsters. Following a disastrous burglary, however, she accepts an offer to "lie low" as a dominatrix employed by a pimp named Stan. She was voiced by Zo Kravitz in the 2017 animated film the Lego Batman Movie, and in 2022, she portrayed the character in Matt Reeves' live-action film The Batman. WHAT COMIC HAVE YOU BEEN READING? Golden Age first appearance of "The Cat". Thankfully, Bane is revealed to be responsible for Selina's misgivings, and Batman and Catwoman renew . In this story, Holly Robinson is introduced as Selina's roommate, a young runaway and prostitute Kyle has taken in. Selina's connection to the Falcone family is further explored in the miniseries Catwoman: When in Rome. Men feel more sure of themselves with a male friend than a woman. Soon afterwards she disappears and is believed to have been killed by the assassin Deathstroke, ending her series at #94. Maria confesses that she had planned to transplant her brain into Gata's body, but she could not bring herself to do it because she loved her "daughter" too much. Once Selina is freed, Talia orders Zatanna to wipe Bruce's identity from her memory, reasoning that her kidnapping has proved that the knowledge is too dangerous for her to handle. Her real name is Selina Kyle, and she made her debut as the Cat in Batman's first issue in 1940. [44] In issue #32, Selina asks Bruce to propose to her again, to which she says, "Yes". The story culminates with Selina's former pimp, Stan, abducting and beating her sister Maggie, who, in contrast to Selina, is a nun. During the Hush storyline (Batman #608-#619), Batman and Catwoman briefly work together and had a romantic relationship, during which he reveals his true identity to her. In Detective Comics #848 (November 2008), Hush attacks Selina as she is in her apartment, kidnapping her and surgically removing her heart. Their plan was to trick men into divulging information that might be used in future crimes. Catwoman was created by Bill Finger and Bob Kane, first appearing in Batman #1. Catwoman is a fictional character associated with DC Comics' Batman franchise. Selina Kyle Catwoman was always sexy, but Pfeiffer upped the ante in the 1992 movie "Batman Returns." With her kohl-lined eyes and red lips, it's easy to see why Bruce Wayne couldn't keep his eyes off her. Catwoman's real name is Selina Kyle. In Hush, Batman reveals his true identity to Catwoman. Damian is truly his father's son! However, characters associated with Catwoman's past as a prostitute have remained a part of her supporting cast. Batman investigates the murders of the terrorists that she has been charged with, and deduces that it was in fact Holly Robinson who committed the murders after the terrorists burned down the orphanage she and Selina were raised in. After "One Year later", Selina Kyle is no longer Catwoman, she has left the East End, and has given birth to a daughter named Helena. The story sees Selina saving Bruce from Poison Ivy. Just as Black Mask is about to gouge Maggie's eyes out and shove them down Selina's throat, Harley and Ivy arrive and defeat the Black Lantern by trapping him in the stomach of a man-eating plant. Her Sister's Keeper explores Selina's early life as a prostitute and the start of her career as Catwoman. While they were fighting, Catwoman says that she saw good in them and only wanted to help them. Catwoman has also appeared in various Batman media, beginning from the 1960s Batman series and including a theatrical film that loosely adapted her. Devastated by her sister's statement, Selina fails to realize they have both been heading for a trap. This storyline, known as "Her Sister's Keeper", explores Selina's early life as a dominatrix and the start of her career as Catwoman. Bruce proposes to Selina in Batman (vol. Harley's phone is next to it. Later, in Detective Comics, Selina is quite uncertain about pursuing a romantic relationship with Batman. Catwoman is a fictional character associated with DC Comics' Batman franchise. She next appears in the Batman: Knightquest saga, where Azrael is masquerading as Batman. In 1993, following the success of Batman Returns and Selina Kyles prominent role in that film, Catwoman was given her first ongoing comic book series. A 1942 tale (in Batman Vol. Several characters have also taken up the role in addition to Kyle, including Holly Robinson and Eiko Hasigawa. Now calling herself Sister Zero, Maggie attempts to kill Selina, but ultimately flees after being defeated by the Sirens. Abilities: Hush eavesdrops on the conversation, targeting both women as a way to hurt his enemy, Bruce Wayne. Her criminal activities are often tempered by a reluctant altruism, making her an inconstant villain and occasional ally to Batman. Kravitz's Catwoman will be first when The Batman hits theaters on March 4, 2022. It is revealed that Selina Kyle had been in a bad marriage, and eventually decided to leave her husband. While still recuperating, she pulls off one more heist and exacts her revenge on Hush. Catwoman often pictures a possible marriage between Batman and herself, such as in this scene (Nightwing #52), shown in one of Catwoman's romantic daydreams. Catwoman is #51 on Wizard magazine's "100 Greatest Villains of All Time" list, #11 on IGN's "Top 100 Comic Book Villains of All Time" list, and #20 on IGN's "Top 100 Comic Book Heroes". Selina then obtains an abandoned animal shelter as their new home from a man calling himself The Broker. Afterward, she is seen covering her bed with past versions of her Catwoman costume. While trying to rob Carmine Falcone, she gets rescued by Batman but is irked of being thought of as his sidekick by the media. The Actresses Who Have Played Catwoman | Den of Geek In a backup storyline Trail of the Catwoman, by writer Ed Brubaker and artist Darwyn Cooke, private detective Slam Bradley attempts to find out what really happened to Selina Kyle. Batman Continues: The Full Story Of Tim Burton's Shelved Third Batman Selina is the older of two sisters (Maggie being the younger) born to Brian and Maria Kyle. Catwoman v.1 #0, which provides details about Selina's childhood, neglects Maggie's existence. Since the 1950s, Catwoman has often been depicted as one of Batman's main love-interests, though this has also been shared with other characters in different eras. Kane's inspiration for Catwoman was drawn from multiple sources to include actresses Jean Harlow, Hedy Lamarr, and his cousin, Ruth Steele. Towards the end, the story is flash-forwarded to the future, in which Bruce Wayne and Selina Kyle are a married couple in their golden years. In Alan Grant's Batman: Shadow of the Bat Annual #2, Vikki Vale, a reporter for Wayne Media, is Catwoman. Catwoman's response to this revelation is unequivocal: she pitched Zatanna out a window (Zatanna survives the fall). Ted Grant informs Selina that Holly has been arrested for the murder of Black Mask; Selina infiltrates the police station and frees Holly. Catwoman | Comic, Origin, Actress, & Films | Britannica SHE DID NOTHING. Growing up on in Oliver's Group Home, she and the other residents were taught to steal objects in order to continue living there. She has also been voiced by Adrienne Barbeau, Gina Gershon, Nika Futterman, Grey DeLisle, Laura Bailey, Jennifer Carpenter, Jennifer Morrison, Naya Rivera, Anika Noni Rose and Elizabeth Gillies in both Batman and DC Comics-related media. In the comics, Holly Robinson and Eiko Hasigawa have both adopted the Catwoman identity, apart from Selina Kyle.[5][6]. She attacks and subdues Kitrina, who tells Selina that she had unknowingly stolen a map that details the location of the new Black Mask's underground bunker. Their relationship is also strained by the fact that they sometimes find themselves on opposite sides of the law. RT @CatwomanNation: It's so frustrating how DC keep saying "Catwoman murdered Valmont." WHERE? This series, written by an assortment of writers but primarily penciled by Jim Balent, generally depicted the character as an international thief (and occasional bounty hunter) with an ambiguous moral code. Halle Berry's Catwoman was a new take on the hero. Catwoman made her first debut in January 1940 in Batman #1. . She then helps him retake Gotham from Bane and the Flashpoint Batman, helping Bruce defeat the former in their duel. Catwoman explained that she knew if she took the fall for the crime Batman wouldn't let her die on death row, therefore saving Holly's life. As an adversary of Batman, she was a whip-carrying burglar with a taste for high stake thefts. Zatanna gives no reason for her actions, but in a flashback it is shown that she had acted with the consent and aid of five of the seven JLA members who had helped her mindwipe Dr. Light and Batman. Shortly after defeating Bane and at the behest of Claire Clover, Bruce proposes to Selina, convincing her to accept by recalling the War of Jokes and Riddles. Zatanna refuses, judging for herself that such an act would be cruel to both mother and daughter. Catwoman appears in Gail Simone's "Sensei and Student" story-arc in Birds of Prey. She tells Selina that she was so happy about her relationship with Bruce that she ignored the other warnings in the cards. Catwoman uses caltrops as an anti-personnel weapon and bolas to entangle opponents at a distance. Created by Bill Finger and Bob Kane, Selina Kyle first clawed her way into the caped crusader's life in Batman #1 in 1940, with the intention of being an equivocal foe. You always need to keep women at arm's length. The Riddler : So help me, Catwoman, I'll feed him to the birds. The next day, the staff members of the mental institution are shown discussing Maggie's escape, also mentioning that a nun that works at the hospital had been found beaten and stripped of her uniform. In this series, Selina Kyle, joined by new supporting cast members Holly and Slam Bradley (a character from the early Golden Age DC Comics), becomes protector of the residents of Gothams East End, while still carrying out an ambitious career as a cat burglar. Selina infiltrates the police station and frees Holly. During the Batman: Hush storyline, Batman and Catwoman briefly work together and have a romantic relationship, during which he reveals his true identity to her. In an attempt to harmonize the various versions, some writers have posited that Catwoman, early in her career, pretended to be a prostitute in order to scam lonely men and rob them. Catwoman during Knightfall. Selina later reformed in the 1950s (after the events of Batman #69) and had married Bruce Wayne; soon afterward, she gave birth to the couple's only child, Helena Wayne (the Huntress). She tells Selina that she could never reverse Selina's mindset, since she was on the path to becoming a hero on her own. So there's a love-resentment thing with women. Meanwhile, Harley goes shopping.