#batcatguru

[fyeahbatcat]

Your review on The Batman was excellent. Do you think Matt Reeves held back Selina's story too much? She easily could've met and dated Bruce in the movie. And through their relationship together, they could've gotten more of an arc and development as individuals. Selina could've been more of an activist and Robin Hood-like protector of the East End. Her reason for leaving Gotham at the end, felt hollow. Currently there hasn't been a Catwoman spin-off announced, and Zoë Kravitz has to deal with a controversy and blow to her image. I'd just hate to see the potential for Catwoman's ascension, be wasted. A Catwoman franchise where Batman could be a supporting character for HER, would be a dream come true.

Thank you! Do I think Matt Reeves could've done a lot more with Selina's story? Yes, absolutely. Do I think that will affect on Catwoman's film/tv potential right now? No, not necessarily. I also don’t think Zoe Kravitz is going to sustain any long term damage to her image.

I don’t know what, if any, plans that DC/WB have for Catwoman right now but even under the best possible circumstances they haven’t taken the opportunity to break Catwoman out into her own series. Catwoman’s popularity exploded after Batman Returns and although they did initially have plans for a Catwoman spin-off movie it never came to fruition. The planned Catwoman spin-off is also the primary reason why the terrible 2004 Catwoman movie happened (that’s a story for another day). The Dark Knight Rises made over $1 billion at the box office, and they still didn’t do a Catwoman solo movie. Anne Hathaway expressed interest in returning as Selina Kyle for another project and I think a prequel would’ve fit very well for that version of the character, but again nothing.

Catwoman’s future is exactly where it’s always been: in WB’s hands. They could decide to do something more with the character at any moment. The only thing stopping them is themselves. I will say that I think just given the climate at WB right now, with them seemingly more open to giving more roles for characters that they’ve never included on screen before, I think that Catwoman probably has the best chance that she’s ever had at her own movie or series. The Suicide Squad under-performed at the box office but Peacemaker is still going on to a second season of his own show; so anything’s possible.

The ball is completely in their court.

[fyeahbatcat]

So far in the (NON-CANON) Batman & Catwoman maxiseries, Tom King has really leaned into the idea that Selina is a bad girlfriend, really homicidal, not a great mother, and possibly has a romantic history with the Joker. As if Tom King's take all along, has always been that because Catwoman used to be a villain, she's the weak link in the relationship. Just curious, how do you reconcile King's BatCat era? The marriage proposal, the engagement, the Clois double date. Is it meaningless to you now?

Answer below the cut.

I think that I’ve made my feelings on this very clear at this point, and there isn’t anymore that I can say about this that I didn’t say back in October when you asked me something similar.

Tom King’s “batcat era” is not something I need to reconcile, because this is who he’s always been and I accepted that a long time ago. He never cared about or believed in this relationship or the potential to tell this story. He just saw an opportunity to exploit a passionate and desperate fan-base, ingratiated himself into said fan-base by telling them what they wanted to hear, and continues to string them along to this day. The writing’s been on the wall for years. The only difference between then and now is Dan Didio isn’t around to shoulder all the blame anymore.

Once you can accept that all that good stuff was just part of the grift, you can cut your losses, move on with your life, and stop caring about what goes on at DC Comics.

[fyeahbatcat]

BatCat has been unnecessarily broken up AGAIN, in the comics. After 80 years, most Batman writers are still hesitant to allow Catwoman fully into the Batfamily, alongside Batman. As if there has to be a protective shield for Batman, in order to keep Catwoman away. What do you think it'll take, for DC to remove the BatCat time limit? Allowing for Bruce & Selina to have a more sustained relationship. Is it all on Tom King? Do you think Matt Reeves can make an impact, with his iteration of BatCat?

I really struggled with whether or not I should answer this, because there’s no way for me to be completely honest and give you the answer you were probably looking for. In any case my answer is below the cut, but be warned if you’re looking for words of comfort and solace they will not be found there. I’m just going to be very frank in a way that some may not like. 

DC Comics and Tom King told us exactly who they are on July 1, 2018. At this point I’m really not sure what else you were expecting. Yes; I fell for it at the time. I drank the Kool-Aid. But if I didn’t know better back then I sure as hell know better now. Believe what the evidence is telling you; not what you want to be true. What is evidence says it that they’ve become so morally and creatively bankrupt that they’ve resorted to outright lying to their fans and screwing over small businesses to sell comic books. 

This is going to sound very harsh but now is the time to start developing a sense of self preservation. DC Comics is not going to change. It doesn’t matter how passionate, supportive, loyal, patient, or forgiving you are. Those things have no value to them beyond their sales margins. There’s no sense in hoping that something is going to come along and inspire them to have a change of heart. DC Comics is a greedy corporation: they have no heart. 

What do I think it’ll take for DC to make a long-term commitment to the relationship? Complete financial desperation. I’m talking Marvel-Going-Bankrupt-Couldn’t-Afford-to-Buy-Paper-in-the-90s desperate. That or, to a much, much lesser degree, a complete overhaul in leadership, editorial, and organizational structure. Neither or which I think are going to happen. Not soon anyway. 

You have two options here. Number One: 

When you stop expecting anything from them and then you’ll stop being disappointed. I know people who are some how able to just roll with the punches, and take the good with the bad. If you want to just be able to enjoy reading comics as much as you can you’re going to have to become one of those people. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing. There are bigger, far worse things happening in the world and if comics are your sense of calm in the storm and you’re able to manage your expectations, it’s worth it to continue reading. Just acknowledge that at this point we know what to expect from them and there’s no point in making a shocked Pikachu face every time they do exactly what they’ve been doing for the last 40 years. 

Your other option is very simple: it’s time to divest from DC Comics completely. DC Comics is not going to change and they’re not going to eventually give you what you if you just hold out long enough. I had to learn this lesson the hard way, and I’m telling you this so you can make an informed decision on whether or not you want to spend the next ten years of your life being constantly let down like I did. They have no incentive to change. With that said, let me introduce you to what I call “DC Comics’ Cycle of Deception.�� 

This isn’t a fine science or anything but it usually looks a little something like this: 

1. The Tease AKA “Fan-Baiting” 

DC Comics/affiliates “announce” something that sounds new and exciting  or game-changing by way of interviews, solicitations, events, social media posts, etc. 

 Examples: 

“Catwoman will be the co-lead of Batman”

Lois Lane is the new Superwoman

Major character *death* 

2. The Hype 

DC begins to hype “new and exciting” event usually through increased variant covers, planned collector’s editions, tie-ins, merchandise. Sales/ pre-orders and fan engagement begin to increase. Creators engage in interviews with mainstream media outlets such as Entertainment Weekly   

Examples: 

Approx. 152,069 exclusive variant covers of Batman #50

Damian Wayne Requiem series

3. The Catch 

When the time comes it is revealed that instead of delivering whatever new and exciting story was promised, DC Comics’ pulls the rug from underneath of fans. This is commonly in the form of a bait and switch or use of shock value. 

Examples 

Batman #50 

Lois Lane dies in first issue of Superwoman 

Character is revived from death after a few issues

Story is written off as AU or dream sequence and will have no impact on future stories

4. The Backlash 

Fan express intense anger online. The backlash is sometimes reported in comic/pop culture news media.

5. The Decline 

In the months following the backlash DC returns to the status quo. Readers lose interest in current books. DC Comics’ pre-order sales begin to decline. They increasingly lose market shares and are pushed out of top 10 pre-ordered titles by Marvel.

Wash. Rinse. Repeat. 

The problem with fans is we keep getting caught up in steps one and two very easily. We (and this included me for a very long time) are constantly rewarding DC Comics by throwing our money at them every time they do the absolute bare minimum. All they have to do is trot out batcat every so often in the most non-committal way and we come running. Every. Single. Time. 

They have absolutely no incentive to change, because we as fans have made it exceedingly easy for them to leech off of us. We can’t keep doing the same thing over and over again and expect different results.

If you’re really tired of DC and their bullshit and you’re ready to divest you’re going to have to stop subsidizing their scams until they’re ready to make a commitment. Full stop. That means no rushing out to buy the latest issue of Batman and Catwoman kissing on a rooftop or beach or whatever. Stop buying variant covers completely (DC and Marvel [but DC in particular] uses variant covers to artificially inflate their sale numbers. Don’t play this game). Don’t buy their bullshit Wedding Album or 80 Years of Batman and Catwoman, or whatever else worthless “collectible” hardcover they publish. Put the onus on them to earn your money. If you really feel that you must keep up with what’s happening with the characters, pirate that shit. 

If and when a time ever comes that DC is ready to commit to change and commit to their stories (and actually commit; not just say they’re going to commit; make them prove it) then, and only then, should you consider giving them any more of your time, attention, or money. 

I don’t say this to be mean or harsh or judgey. I’m saying this because you asked me what I think and I’ve been where you are. I used to think that if I was loyal enough and patient enough that eventually I would be rewarded with this big emotional payout. It never happened. I don’t want you to end up where I am. Trust me; it’s not fun on this side of jaded. 

Maybe by sharing my brutal honesty about all that I’ve learned from my experiences it will save someone out there from years of constant frustration and heart-ache. At the very least you’ll know what you’re getting yourself into. 

[fyeahbatcat]

Do you miss the pre-Flashpoint Selina Kyle? I remember early on in DC Rebirth, you were skeptical about the BatCat stuff, because The New 52 had set the bar so low. And sure enough, the romance got derailed, leading to another forgettable solo run for Catwoman, with forgettable characters. Writers aren't giving her purpose, responsibility, or a Holly Robinson to carry on her legacy. What's YOUR ideal status quo for Selina, when not in the Catsuit? Mother? Humanitarian? Activist? Businesswoman?

There are things about the PF era that I miss, but I have long accepted that that era is over. I don’t want or expect that DC Comics would revert back. As much as I used to complain about New 52 it may come as a surprise to some to learn that I don’t really have a problem with the fact that DC rebooted. I understand why they did it. My problem was at the end of the day I don’t think that the quality of the stories that were being published justified all of the radical changes that they made.

I don’t want to romanticize the PF era too much because there was definitely problems with it and editorial meddling was prevalent then as well. However, there are aspects of that era that I think were far superior and should be incorporated into the modern comics. I think the quality of the stories and characterizations were better and more meaningful, the overall DCU was more consistent and comprehensible, and writers were allowed to take risks.

A lot of times when I think about the difference the last era and the current books, I think about No Man’s Land because to me it epitomizes the best of the PF era and everything that’s wrong with current DC Comics. The events events of Contagion kind of explain how things got so bad during NML, and then NML had a wide and lasting impact on the Batman stories going forward. It permanently changed the political, economic, and social structure of Gotham City. There were very big, long term consequences to storyline, not just in the Batman books, but all across the DCU. So many writers were involved in making that happen. It’s been almost a decade since DC rebooted and they have yet to publish one story as big, as bold, as intricate, and as involved as NML. At this point they’ve had plenty of time to work out the kinks, which I think points to something very troublesome at the leadership and editorial level.

Remember the fallout from Identity Crisis? It resulted in Batman permanently quitting the Justice League leading to a restructure of the group which gave more prominence to lesser known characters, and changed Batman’s relationship with many of his former colleagues. Compare that to the crossover events of today. Remember Forever Evil, Future’s End, and Convergence? LMAO. Of course you don’t because at the end of the day they had no long term impact whatsoever. The point I’m trying to make is that during PF the stories had weight and there were actually consequences. Now it feels like every book gets a soft reboot every time a new creative team takes over and barely reference the story developments of previous creative teams, even if they are writing for the same book or characters.

That, and the DCU feels completely disjointed. It seems like every character is off in their own corner of the universe, and their stories seldom really converge. Are we to believe that Batman and Catwoman are in a committed but not legally recognized relationship and trust that this will be the story going forward when the events of the Batman book aren’t even referenced in Catwoman’s own book, if what I’ve been told is true. How come a dozen writers can get together and make NML happen, but today’s writers can’t even be bothered to figure out what the guy before him was doing.

That’s what I miss the most about Pre-Flashpoint. The quality, consistency, and cohesion. Those are the things I think that that era did much better, and what DC should strive towards.

As far as Catwoman goes; I mean she’s adaptable. Her being so versatile of a character is one of the things I like best about her. I think she can believably be all of those things, even at the same time. As long as they stay true to the character I try to keep an open mind. In my humble opinion I don’t think that Catwoman has had any meaningful development in the last ten years. Of what I did read, I don’t think they’ve done anything with the character that hasn’t already been done.

I think that what Ed Brubaker did with Catwoman was the perfect transition between her second and third series, and it’s very jarring to me that it seems like today they are in no way interested in raising the bar that he set for her, and in my opinion they’ve actually taken her backwards. I think that PF Catwoman was a much deeper character and her characterization and stories went somewhere, so yeah I miss that about her.