Catwoman Vol. 1: The Game (The New 52) Paperback – May 22, 2012

Catwoman is one of my all time favorite characters so her comic was the first Comic I bought from the new 52. I Loved it from beginning to end and I enjoyed both Selina Kyle and the story. I only have a few complaints about this book and all of them combined were not enough to drop it a star.One of the main things I did not Like was Selina's hair. I have no problem with it being short, I just hate how much of a mess it is. It Looks like Pat Benatar cut her hair and Goku from Dragon Ball Z Styled it. Selina is supposed to be the epitome of feminine beauty mixed with porn star sexy, but rather than her hair looking like like sexy bed hair, it looks like she got into a fight with a lawnmower and she looks more like a lady lumber jack than somebody you are just dieing to sleep with! I really hope they fix this up in later issues and volumes.I also felt like her fight with the Meta-Human Reach was a bit of a stretch. It was very exciting, but extremely unrealistic. The beating she got looked almost as Bad as the one Batman got in Court of the Owls. I don't mind violence, but she should've ended up dead. I think DC needs to tone it down a notch because both Catwoman and Batman are supposed to be human characters you can relate to. But it's hard to believe that they are normal humans when Catwoman gets her ribs broken and she is almost strangled but somehow she still manages beat the crap out of Reach and Batman gets stabbed through the stomach and practically drowns but he still manages to survive. It's just too unrealistic. I understand it is supposed to be a bit of a fantasy, but it should still stay a little more grounded. The two new 52 titles that managed to pull that off the best were Batgirl and Batman & Robin Vol. 1.Now onto a few other plot points. I don't mind the sex scene at all. A lot of people claim it's "Soft Core Porn" but in reality you don't see much besides Catwoman in a Bra. I actually feel like it does help the story because it helps to establish the kind of relationship Batman and Catwoman have. Opposites have a magnetic attraction that is so overpowering that it actually becomes kind of unbearable sometimes. They were truly made for each other because their independence, their pride, and their "job/ mission" is exactly what keeps them from maintaining healthy relationships with normal people. They both tend to push others away but yet somehow always end up back in each others arms. What brings them together also pushes them apart. I didn't feel the sex scene was "Out of Character" at all. Batman/ Bruce Wayne has a reputation for getting laid A LOT! But if he is always working at night how is it possible for him to have such a reputation? What does he always do it during the day? Isn't he busy being Bruce Wayne during that time? Remember Batman has a whole team of people who back him up, and Catwoman herself says it's usually a quickie. Gotham will not fall apart just cuz Batman takes less that 15 minutes out of his night to get his freak on. And he never goes to Catwoman with the intention of "I am gonna get my monthly lay with Catwoman tonight." He goes to her out of concern because he has such intense but mixed feelings for her and it just escalates from there. I found it to be very natural and not solely thrown in for shock value at all. Not to mention Batman has killer abs so I, as a female reader, I don't mind the sight nor am I offended by it :-)Catwoman is wonderful as a character! You both Love her and can't stand her because you love her (very much like Batman does) She is one of the easiest characters to relate in comics because who doesn't wish they could be a little naughty sometimes? Who hasn't gone into a jewellery store wishing they could just snatch that gorgeous necklace/ stylish watch it would take 6 months to afford? Who doesn't feel cheated by the system sometimes? Most importantly, who doesn't want to get back at the system when it fails you? Catwoman is a deep character with a rich and colorful past. She is Filled with so much bitterness and pain, but somehow there is still something good inside of that crazy Cat Lady. Somewhere inside of her there is still a heart, and a conscience. Her story is fast-paced but yet smooth as butter so far. I think she actually has one of the best relaunched Bat comics in the new 52.

This book came on time and was in great condition. The graphics were draw so vividly and the read was easy. I recommend this to anyone who wants a fast read with action.

A lot of the negative reviews seem to stem from the fact that this isn't the Catwoman you've been used to and reading for the past however many years prior to the New 52 reboot. And obviously, it's not. This is intended. It's not just Judd Winnick putting a spin on a classic character, it's Judd Winnick writing a 22-23 year old Selina Kyle while the Selina Kyle you've been reading for the twenty years prior to New 52 was an older, wise and more tempered Selina Kyle. Maybe you don't remember what that age is like and how you changed in the subsequent years or maybe you lived a boring life in which case you can't compare with someone like the character of Selina Kyle, but that age can be turbulent and you can be extremely dismissive of common sense. One of the most bewildering things people seemed to be upset about was that scene where Catwoman says "Maybe I do!" to Batman asking her if she wants to die. I say bewildering because it's not as if there's any further sense in this than the fact that Selina Kyle is still grieving and is still depressed over her loss.That rant out of the way, criticisms about how overly violent and "HBO-like" the series is are true. However, a lot of the series came out flying like this because everyone at DC knew that The New 52 was going to whittle down to the New 30something eventually. And despite this, Judd Winnick and the great art by Guillem March produce a very good comic.

The art work is crisp and clean, the story Is fast paced and keeps you thinking and love the interactions between her and batman. Well worth reading the series.

My opinion: If you're a grownup who wants mature comics that bleed style and substance buy this.If you're a kid or get squeamish at adults having sex or hurting each other run away. This isn't a happy book, this isn't some kiddy cartoon character, this is an R rated thrill ride that doesn't stop until it's done and you're begging for more.This was awesome. I bought the first issue when DC rebooted the title and loved it. Sadly I don't have space in my tiny Manhattan apartment to collect single comic issues so I just buy the collections. This was worth the wait and just wowed my fiancée and me.Catwoman was always an awesome complicated character. I was nervous when they decided to just toss her rich back story and start from scratch. Now I can't wait for more of it to be told. She is confident, cocky, sexy, violent, and funny. The writing could carry this book alone if the art suffered, but thankfully the artist who handles Selina Kyle does so to perfection. I am just wowed at the quality of work here. Not one page of art or story feels forced. Perfectly paced and for a superhero comic it comes off as gritty/stylized and believable. I only wish this whole collection was the first issue that was shipped to the comic shops.This collection is the best introduction to a character that I have ever read.Buy this.