My sideblog for all things comic book, and comic book adjacent (though mostly Catwoman). Will hopefully be primarily my own original content. Be they fanfics, image edits, memes, or analysis.
For my fellow fans who want to read every comic a character appeared in, (or who like me have seen jlquaterly's excellent reading guides and wanted one for their blorbo) I have compiled a list of every single appearance of Selina Kyle in Post-Crisis continuity up to the Flashpoint reboot.
This reading guide is also in in-universe chronological order.
This reading guide was not only inspired by @jlquarterly and her excellent work, but they also provided immense help in putting this together. This guide would, on multiple levels, not exist without them.
BTW, this list also exists in spreadsheet format. Along with lists for Holly Robinson, Eiko Hasigawa, Kitrina Falcone and Maggie Kyle.
It's less pretty I'll admit but includes useful information list like where issues are collected, content warnings for the heavier stories, and also all the cameos too minor to make the cut for the image. It also has a few personal recommended readings for each character.
Also thanks again to @jlquarterly, who provided all the spreadsheet templates.
I have updated the spreadsheet to include up to the end of the New 52 and to go along with that here's a the next page of the infographic
And yes, I completely stand by that note (well... Batman and Robin #22 was also pretty good but the New 52 overall is still not great)
Each day has three prompts. You may create something based on any one of the prompts for each day to participate. If you wish to use more then one per day, feel free, but that is not required.
I tried to make prompts for every aspect of Selina’s character, so there should be a prompt for everyone, regardless of what parts of Selina you like best.
What will you create?
—
A reminder! Participation is as easy as making a work based on a prompt, and tagging #selina kyle weekend 2026.
All types of fanwork are accepted, as outlined in the Event Details (click to see full post.) The only rules are:
Be respectful.
Original work only, that includes no AI use for this event, please.
NSFW works must be properly marked and tagged. Follow platform content rules.
—
Here are the prompts written out, for ease & accessibility purposes.
Friday, Feb 6:
Something about Strays.
Childhood Memories
Family Ties
Saturday, Feb 7:
The Price of Intimacy
Glorious Heist
Mother of Gotham
Sunday, Feb 8:
Protecting Innocents
[Free Slot]
Contrasts of Sisters
Monday Feb 9:
Faces of Selina Kyle
Vigilante Shit
Unconventional Friendship
More info on prompt specifics under the cut.
FAQ:
What does “Free Slot” mean?
Free slot is just that, free! Okay sorry that’s not really helpful. Basically, it’s the option to have a free day on that day. What that means is you can do whatever you want, without having to start with a specific prompt has a jumping off point. Want an epic shopping day? A sweet beach adventure? A long cat-nap? Go for it! You can do whatever you wish, disregarding the rest of the days prompts. The only thing still in place is that the work should be about Selina Kyle. Well, I mean this is Selina Kyle Weekend after all!
How closely do I have to stick to the prompts?
Not that closely, to be honest. The prompts are meant to be a jumping off point to get your creative juices flowing. You can shape and twist the prompt into whatever way you want, even if that means doing the opposite of what the prompt says. (For example, an unglorious heist— yikes!) Try to keep the finish work related enough that an outside looker can tell how it’s related if they were given the prompt, but otherwise the prompts are a bit intentionally vague to give you the most creative freedom possible. Hopefully, they aren’t too confusing though.
What does “______” mean?
If you’re having trouble with a particular prompt or prompt set, and would like further suggestions or discussions about my thoughts behind the prompt, or how the prompt can be used please ask! Send something through the askbox or DM me & we can chat over it as necessary.
Hiii in your opinion, what are the most essential runs other than Catwoman (2002) to get to know Selina?
Ahh Nevermind the last ask loll!! I filtered the spreadsheet you’ve provided. ITS SUPER DUPER HELPFUL AND TYSM.
Well I still feel like answering anyway. My condensed "essential readings" is as follows:
Catwoman (1989): Selina's first and best post-crisis origin and also the keeps ending up as canon no matter how many retcons it's been (just be aware there's some heavy subject matter involved)
Batman: Contagion: One of my favorite events of the era and one that I think does a good job showing off Selina's dynamic with the heroes of Gotham during her villain era.
Catwoman (2002): the modern reinvention of her character. also really good.
Batman: Hush (2002): The most iconic Batman / Catwoman story, and the baseline for their dynamic for all stories afterwards.
And while I should probably reccomend a more modern story that communicates her most modern characterization are dynamic with the batfamily, there isn't a good standalone choice (Gotham Noctrune: Intermezzo maybe?)
Also there's a few stand alone issues, mini-arcs, and one-shots, I really like but i'll save those for another time.
So, for Christmas I was gifted two of the DC Absolute books (WW & MM) and with some help from my girlfriend's collection, some Christmas money, and the internet, I have now read the first volume (or equivalent) of each of the 6 DC Absolute titles.
And I almost regret to report that that universe fucks. Like, severely.
To the point that there's one book where my reaction is "It's not my speed but it is very well written" and that's the one I like the least. Everything else is art, and leaves me wanting to read more of these characters, these stories, this fucked up world Darkseid has made.
Hi! Someone recommended me Toni Howard’s run on Catwoman, but I’m a bit hesitant because I heard there’s a random love interest? Valmonte? So I was just wondering if it’s good or not, and your opinion on it!!
Hi.
First, just going to let you know that if a run introducing a new love interest for Selina is a deal breaker for you, that's will exclude alot of Selina's solo runs. On average, every other run introduces a new love interest for Selina, and that makes it a poor way of judging whether the run is good or not.
(For what it's worth: Valmont is, imo, one of the more interesting romantic partners Selina has gotten over the years. Not healthy to be clear, but interesting. That said, if he's not your type of character, he does annoy some people more than a bland love interest)
As for Tini Howard's run while I have more in depth (and spoilery) thoughts here. I can... shorten things.
It's... average. Not bad, not really good either. A middle of the pack Catwoman run, but one with marked ups and downs as opposed to being consistent but unremarkable. It is a run I enjoyed, and would recommend. But, I would recommend Howard's to someone looking for a certain kind of Catwoman story.
(Not that that's actually special to Howard's run, I don't think there's a Catwoman story I would unconditionally recommend to someone without first at least trying to get a better sense for what they want.)
If you want a more detailed recommend, it's below the cut
I would recommend Howard's run to:
Someone who wants to just jump into a recent Catwoman run.
Basically ever prior Catwoman run since that last big universe reset (which... oh god Rebirth was a decade ago) has a problem of where you kinda do need some familarity with what Selina was up to immediately prior to the run starting. Not that there aren't universe tie-ins and call backs to Selina's past adventures, but it starts with a clear break from the previous run.
(also while Grønbekk's Catwoman run also starts with a clean break, that run is still ongoing, and I'd assume there's a reason someone who wants a recent run doesn't want to read the most recent run.)
Someone who wants a more lighthearted Catwoman run
Catwoman runs have a real tendency to get a bit bleak at times, either having arcs that deal with heavy subject matter or just by putting Selina through the absolute wringer. Howard's run however is one of the more lighthearted Catwoman runs, at least since the 90s. (Like, Selina does Roller Derby at one point). It has it's moments sure, but generally the tone is alot more playful then her other modern runs, imo.
Someone who wants a comic run with a lot of causal queerness.
Catwoman's canonically bisexual. Has been for over a decade. Not that you'd know with how little DC likes to acknowledge it. She doesn't appear in any of the pride specials, the queer character encyclopedia, she doesn't even get any pride variant covers, not a one. (Nightwing's gotten 4 btw, and last I checked he's straight, but that's a rant for another time). And in terms of stories that acknowledge that aspect of her, there's really only the original Valentine run that introduced that side of Selina (It's really good) and Howard's run.
In this Selina flirts with / thrists after women, has an tense but shippable dynamic with her ex-girlfriend Eiko, has a moment with Harley which is basically "If we weren't both hung up on someone else we'd probably do more than cuddling in this bed." It's a lot, considering how usually reticent DC is with Selina's queerness.
And she's far from the only queer part of the run. Eiko is a major supporting character throughout the run, Selina's roommate is a gay man (and has a terrible ex-boyfriend), the new love interest Valmont is a subby bisexual twink (who really wants that Cat Strap and really can we blame him?), another character introduced later on is very much a lesbian. To be clear, the run's not really about queerness outside of a subplot about Dario's boyfriend being awful, but sometimes you want a story with queer people that isn't all about queerness. And to top it all off, this is the run that canonized there being a queer bar in Gotham called Conroy's and that's just nice.
Sure, if you wanted to read a well written queer relationship in a Catwoman story, Brubaker's run or Valentine's run would serve you well, but in both stories there's only two queer characters total, and they're dating. They're both good stories (very good stories that I highly recommend) but sometimes it's nice to read a story where queer people don't exist alone and outside of community beyond their partner.
So Yeah, that's the sort of person I'd recommend the run too. Maybe it's you. Maybe it's not (and if not, you're always free to ask for a recommendation based on what you want). Either way: read Catwoman, it is your moral imperative / would make me happy..
So I finally finished DC Finest: Batgirl: Nobody Dies Tonight
I will have actual coherent and in depth thoughts later, but for now I'll just say that Cass is not only my favourite batkid after finishing that book, she's quite possibly my favourite member of the entire batfamily.
Two notes on Cassandra Cain being my new favourite child:
1) This is the first time i've had an answer to the question of "Who's your favourite batfam member?" that didn't have an asterisk attached (due to either being dubiously canon or dubiously a bat)
2) Between Cass being my new favourite batkid, Maggie Kyle being my favourite member of Catwoman's supporting cast, and my favourite character in my most recent (non-comic) obsession being Rumi from Huntr/x...
I have a tendency for my favourite characters being women who've had at least one canon suicidal episode.
Which is a trend I'm choosing to completely ignore.
So I finally finished DC Finest: Batgirl: Nobody Dies Tonight
I will have actual coherent and in depth thoughts later, but for now I'll just say that Cass is not only my favourite batkid after finishing that book, she's quite possibly my favourite member of the entire batfamily.
Short version: they're coming eventually, though they didn't get any notes by the end so I might just do a post on my thoughts on the DC Finest as a whole when I finish it.
I have had a kinda shitty December and I haven't been active much. (Sorry to the two pending asks I will eventually get around to those)
Also all my fandom time has been taken up by writing a Christmas fanfic that's Maggie Kyle centric that... Doesn't seem like it'll be done in time unfortunately.
But I will return to my regular yapping at some point, just probably not this week.
In which Barbara continues to be the best person in Cass's life.
So long story short, this issue is about Babs and Bruce as competing mentor figures in Cass's life.
Cass is out of it this issue, and Bruce and Babs have different ideas of how to get her head in the game. Bruce's idea is of course, based around "the mission" getting justice for an old, metaphorical, wound Cass suffered. Babs' idea is instead that Cass should live a little outside of just being batgirl.
Babs eventually gets Bruce to cave and I just adore the sequence of Cass climbing out of the cave into the vibrant light and life and bustle of day. It's so perfect
Bruce's plan to get justice doesn't solve Cass's mental state so Cass is going to move forward with Babs' suggestion of living a life outside of just being Batgirl.
Also, I think this is the first time Cass has been called Cassandra this entire run.
Ultimately, Cass is alot like Bruce, they react the same way to certain things, there's a bit where they move in perfect sync, and like Bruce Cass is pretty obessively focused on "the mission," at least for most of this issue.
The problem of course is that being like Bruce isn't a good thing. Bruce is emotionally constipated and obsessive (to list only his most obvious flaws). For as much as Cass admires and looks up to him, he is not actually someone Cass should live like. She deserves the sun, not just the darkness.
When does Cass get her name in the comics?
Like I know she gets named in the No Man's Land novelization but... strictly speaking that's an adaptation. What I'm wondering about is the comic where that moment happens.
Because, surely it didn't only happen in the novelization, right?
Because at this point i'm not livebloging i'm doing off the cuff issue reviews as I read Nobody Dies Tonight.
Spoilers ahead.
So by far the most interesting this this issue does is pull a fast one on the reader by means of one layout trick.
See, after a bit of unnecessary animal cruelty, the story is about this boy, Tim, not that one, asking Batgirl to stop his dad from doing a robbery. But as much out of concern for his Dad's wellbeing as about any sense of morality. And then we turn the page to see three robbers, one of whom is blond white man, like the kid is. And like the kid said isn't a very bad guy, he just needs to pay some bills. He even has an generic white guy (Jake) name like Tim,
He is, as you might gather from the way i'm going on, not the dad. Not that i'd think most people would figure that out on first read. Because, look at these pages, which are sequential. You'd except the person we cut to to be the dad.
That said it isn't a completely unfair twist. One of the things Tim says is that his dad took his guns with him. Guns plural. Meanwhile Jake, has just one kinda crappy gun, and only other blond white man on the robbery team is introduced holding two guns. And while Jake is a nice guy trying to make ends me, Chaco, the actual father, is willing to kill his own men if they step out of line.
Not that I think anyone would catch that first go around. It's a simple but clean twist.
The only other real things to note are
a) Cass still can't read. I do like that the telepathy thing still left her struggling with language in that way.
b) this interaction right at the end.
Cass knows a thing or two about having a bad man as a father. and I like her trying to console Tim by assuring him that he isn't bad. I think that speaks to Cass's own insecurity about having an assassin as a father. That she might be like him.
So, Lacking any context from the Superboy series this is my read on things:
Kon had a bad day and is in Gotham (despite Batman's rule) to spy time with Tim and make himself feel better. But because Kon is a teenage boy, he can't come out and just say he wants to spend time with his friend because he's feeling down so has to hide his desire for connection behind a annoying fascade that's one part "too cool for school" and one part annoying prankster.
Tim gets a distress call from Batgirl and he rushes to help her because "She'd never call for help unless something went very, very, wrong."
The thing that went was was sodium zombies and Kon... kinda makes an ass of himself trying to impress Batgirl with a cool guy routine.
Also, same Cass
And he does defeat the zombies by accidentally blowing them up. Batman is called in by Tim but Kon and Cass disappear to do their own investigating without him.
(then this one page featuring a bunch of Cadmus people who I imagine are a key part of his secondary cast but I don't really follow what they're on about soo... )
Anyway, Kon continues to be annoying. The pair get drugged and captured by a supervillain, he monologues a bit before locking them in a room quickly filling with water. And then we get the heart of the issue but before that...
Kon being annoying compliation
"I feel so pregnable" Well the ship writers thing you are
(sorry that joke was beneath me)
2. Cass's body proportions are so bad in book. Like were the fuck are your insides girl?
Anyway, heart of the issue, while the room is filling with water, Cass asks Kon to talk and he ends up for the first time this issue dropping the posturing and admitting to his insecurities, wishes, regrets. It's a moment of honesty that only happens because of the drugs, Cass's request, and the fact he thinks he's about to die. But it really made me feel for this kid, who's final words before the water covers him is "I wish I had parents."
Anyway, once they're both under Cass throws an adrenaline dart at Kon, who's back in control of his powers and bust them out Just in time to get an earful from Batman. Kon stands up to Batman, taking half of Cass's punishment for this mess, and the two end the issue as friends.
It's a good story in the end, Kon's an endearing character when he stops pretending. But I'm not sure that how Cass and Kon's friendship evolves into the ship fuel / canon relationship I know it later has.
I guess it has been a few issues since we sent Cass through the emotional wringer but... were you behind your "Cass Cain Suffering" quota or what?
In this issue the person Cass saved last issue dies.
Not even from anything spectacular, the dude just called his mom and that's not something you're allowed to do on the run from the CIA. I can't even blame him because... fuck I'd want to tell someone if I had to disappear forever without warning because the feds want me dead.
speaking of the feds, the CIA are def being set up as the next major villain for Cass, they are actively hunting her and... it's just interesting that the first look at them we get this issue is... really fucking mundane. Until you the reveal that "Number 547" is Cass's file from her breakout last issue, it looks like a mundane office enviroment, with only the two guards (who aren't even coloured in properly and thus not super noticable) to tip you off that this isn't just a office building (and it could still be a bank or something)
Just... Cass is fighting for her life (and other people's) against people who treat their cruelty as a 9-5 and that's an interesting set up I think. Could be an interesting dynamic between them and Cass.
Oh, and random fun fact. Up until the genetic analysis comes back, they think Cass must be a meta human.
Speaking of
Cass is not a good time this issue.
Firstly, the CIA know her face but...she doesn't care
And, quick note:
I've been calling her "Cass" since the very start of this liveblogging series but... this series doesn't. Batgirl, as far as I can recall, hasn't called Cass/Cassie/Cassandra or any other variation there on this entire run. She's just been "Batgirl".
And if there was ever a moment to bring out Batgirl's civilian name, it'd this conversation about what Batgirl is giving to by revealing her face to the CIA. and fact that Babs doesn't mention it at all, probably means Batgirl hasn't been given another name yet.
And btw, I looked it up, because after the Officer Down issue and the "Cassandra" passcode I wondered if she got named in another book and it turns out she got named in the No Man's Land novelization. Which feels like it shouldn't count.
Also given Batgirl's story has this element of her not having anything in her life aside from Batgirl,I feel like this should be building towards a moment where Batgirl finally tries to live a life outside of just being Batgirl and that's when she gets named. It would make narrative sense to me at least, because rn, she doesn't need a name other than Batgirl
(I could on about Cass's identity stuff but i'm trying to be brief)
Also the issue ends with Batman giving her her own batcave with is a cool moment but
a) he mentions he wanted to do this earlier but Oracle insisted on "keeping [Batgirl] with her". So what he has done in this moment is taken Cass away from the person in her life who wanted Batgirl to have a life outside of being a Bat, and placed in in a batcave, where she now lives alone.
(if I were not so tired i'd have more to say about Bruce and Barbara as competing mentor/parental figures to Batgirl)
(on a related note: I've been developing a theory that i'll expand upon next time David Cain shows up again that he exists to be a dark mirror to the way Bruce has approached being Batgirl's Father adult male mentor figure)
So, to really talk about this issue, I need to tackle it in reverse order.
A scientist has built a device that convinces people to kills. The way it works is once you get brain blasted by it you get stunned until your brain finishes creating a scenario / rationalizing a reason to go on a killing spree.
The device gets used on a priest, who needs an hour before he's ready to kill, a veteran, who needs ten minutes, and then it's used on Batgirl as she's catching up to the scientist.
As for the mental scenario, basically it's that the Joker is behind these two men being driven into a murderous state and she and Batman team up to track down Joker and bring him in. Except the Joker (who is sing Brittney Spears this entire time) shots Batman in the chest, killing him instantly. Batgirl spends a moment to greive before chasing after the joker, knocking him down, and
But, having reached the "kill" point and unstunning, her killing blow against the joker instead destroys the device and we get the explanation for earlier, along with the tidbit that Batgirl reached the killing scenario in a single heartbeat.
Which raises some questions. Like, did Batgirl not go on a killing spree because she destroyed the device immediately, or because her anger was only directed at the joker, or because of sheer mental will?
And follow up, why did she only take a heartbeat? One option is that Batgirl is genuinely just loosing Batman away from caving someone's face in, and that she's hanging onto the no kill rule by a thread. Though the read I prefer is that due to her upbringing, lethal violence would come easily too her were in not for the sheer wall of willpower and trauma that keeps her from even entertaining that as an option.
That said this issue ends with this interaction, which more leans towards Batgirl at least thinking that losing Batman would be enough to spiral her down that path. But then also it might just be "hey I had a dream were you died and it made me sad so please don't die."
It's a interesting look into Batgirl's mind, one I'm still not entirely sure what to make of.
Oh it has been a minute (a bit over a year) since I've read that story but generally, I thought it was a good story. One that stands out in the sea of comics featuring Catwoman I read in a very short period of time
Naturally as someone who read it because Selina shows up in it. My memories of the story are more focused on her, and that whole enemy of my enemy alliance she has with Bruce. And I believe I've mentioned before that element of what might have been had either of them been willing to fully trust the other.
I do also recall the subplot Jim Gordon and one of his detectives was interesting, involving it being suspected that the serial killer being alleged to be black by the news media that just making everything worse, but I don't recall that plotline having an especially satisfying resolution.
That said, I can imagine why people might not like the story, especially if they like Thomas Blake/Catman (who I think is much more likable later on but here he's an misogynistic serial killer) plus again, I'm not sure if the racial tension storyline is actually resolved well, and i'm not able to check at the moment.
So I have since been made aware that in the first DC solicit published after I wrote this mentions Holly showing up in the Catwoman book. To which I say:
1) Please don't fuck up my girl she means so much to me
2) DC, I also really miss Sir Ystin and rest of the Demon Knights.
