The Queen of Hearts has been locked up. She’s been put in prison by someone sharing Selina’s secret identity. The only thing is...the Queen doesn’t know about Selina’s other life. Now Selina’s dealing with someone in prison who her counterpart put there in Catwoman #54. Writer Tini Howard’s story finally starts to see some interesting payout in an issue drawn by artist Nico Leon and colorist Veronica Gandini. The contrast between the two Catwomen turns much more interesting than it has been since Selina’s incarceration some months ago. Selina may have been a lot more fascinating outside of prison, but her contrast against the current active Catwoman on the streets makes for an intriguing issue. 

Selina is on the inside. She’s going to try to break out of prison. She’s got a guest, though. That guest is breaking into prison to try to settle a score with her. Selina’s going out. Punchline is coming in. It would be the stuff of theatrical farce if there wasn’t so much aggression involved. Meanwhile, Eiko is looking to clean things up a bit more before Selina comes back to the outside to reclaim the mask. It isn’t going to be easy for Eiko to let go...

Howard finally found a dynamic that works with Selina on the inside and Eiko on the outside...just in time for the big prison break that happens in the middle of everything. It’s really too bad that it has to end now. The idea of a supervillain crime drama where one of the main villains is in prison...it’s a really cool idea. By the time Howard has managed to make something of it, she’s already shifted the scene so that things begin to tilt back towards the classic Selina Catwoman. Too bad Howard hadn’t landed on the right dynamic with Selina in prison.

Leon is at his best with life outside of prison. The institutional feel of the prison doesn’t lend itself well to the kind of action that makes Catwoman so appealing in the first place. Selina gets a blaze orange cat mask for the combat with Punchline. And that’s...cute and everything, but it lacks the type of aesthetic that takes advantage of Selina’s sleek combat style. Eiko continues to work really well with her “Tomcat” sidekick Dario. Leon and Gandini give the latest Catwoman a lithe grace and springiness that feels surprisingly distinct. It would be interesting to see what other artists might do with it.

Selina’s been Catwoman for so long that it’s kind of disappointing to see her slide back into the role at issue’s end. With things shifting back in the direction of the status quo, Howard and company can get back to more traditional Catwoman stories, but Kyle has been drifting quite a bit over the course of the past few years, and there doesn’t seem to be a whole lot of momentum in her adventures of late. Eiko seems a lot more captivating.

Grade: B