The creative team behind Batman: The Long Halloween pick up on some of its plot elements from that much-lauded series to kick off a different kind of story, focusing on Selina Kyle. This first issue is all about mood. Selina is in full sultry mode here, but there's a lot more to her character than just her sexuality. She's supremely confident and has the physical and mental skills to back it up. But there's a hidden vulnerability in Loeb's take on the character as well. Selina is still trying to figure out who she is here, and she's opted to figure it out by delving into her roots. This is an entertaining read with a strong foundation in characterization and style.
Selina Kyle decides the time has come to take a break from the hustle and bustle of Gotham City, and she accepts a mysterious invitation, courtesy a top Mafia mob boss, to visit Rome. Eddie Nygma, AKA the Riddler, tags along for the ride as well. Selina is looking for more than just a vacation from her gothic hometown. She's haunted by unanswered questions about Carmine Falcone, AKA the Roman, the king of the Gotham City underworld; she figures the birthplace of the mob is just the place to start looking for those answers.
There's an interesting conflict in Sale's style that makes for some fascinating visuals. On the surface, his style is a simple and exaggerated one. The best known characters from Gotham City are often depicted with the simplest of lines, converging to offer a surreal vision of the iconic heroes and villains. But beyond those simpler character designs are detailed backdrops. Frank Miller's influence shines through clearly here, but Sale's take on Selina Kyle put me in mind of the styles of such artists as Dave (The Rocketeer) Stevens, Bruce (Harley & Ivy) Timm and Darwyn (DC: The New Frontier) Cooke. The colors add texture to the line art as well and reinforce the dark and bizarre atmosphere that looms over the entire issue. Stewart's work here makes the art look as though it were painted.
I love Loeb's transformation of the Riddler into something of a sidekick for Catwoman. Sale's weasely depiction of the character establishes the title character as the dominant one in this unusual arrangement, but it also wisely lulls the reader into a false sense of security. It's easy to forget that the Riddler is a genius, a master schemer, and I expect that will work to the "heroine's" advantage and her detriment. I can't wait to see what Loeb has in store when it comes to this secondary player.
The classic and exotic nature of the setting matches the style of the title character wonderfully. With Selina Kyle acting more like a traditional super-hero in her ongoing series, it's fun to revisit the more self-involved incarnation of the character here. Equating the Batman with a father figure -- and a destructive one at that -- in her dream was an interesting psychological insight into the character as well, and I look forward to Loeb's further exploration of those ideas -- which seem to be the main focus of this plot -- as the series progresses.
