Selina Kyle is daring to leap into danger with her nine lives behind her in a new DC Comics cover from acclaimed artist Dan Panosian, depicting Catwoman boldly jumping from a rooftop with an adorable crew of kitties behind her. Catwoman has always been a beloved character but has recently seen a huge jump in popularity because of Joëlle Jones’s critically acclaimed 2018 Catwoman series and Zoë Kravitz’s gorgeous portrayal of Selina in the 2022’s The Batman film.
Selina Kyle first debuted in 1940 and since then has endured as one of Bruce Wayne’s most prominent enemies as a part of his extensive rogue’s gallery, before eventually growing into a beloved anti-hero and long-term love interest of Wayne. The name Catwoman, obviously, was inspired by Selina’s love of cats, her cat-like personality, and the fact that she was a “cat burglar,” and she has had many, many cat’s throughout her life and publication history.
Artist Dan Panosian, who has done dozens of covers and interior art for DC Comics, Image Comics, and Marvel Comics, shared the stunning cover of Catwoman on Twitter, telling a fan and follower that this was an “inventory cover,” not directly attached to any specific issue at the moment. Panosian’s cover uses the color yellow brilliantly, boldly highlighting Selina’s leap across rooftops with a moon-yellow Gotham City background, while Catwoman is seen in her redesigned costume from Jones’ Catwoman series. A brave gang of cats are leaping with Kyle in a chorus on “Meows” as Selina “Purrrr’s” through the night, showing off Catwoman’s animal-like reflexes, courage, and freedom. Of course, Panosian made sure to include nine cats in the cover, representative of the nine lives cats, and Selina Kyle, have… although in reality Catwoman has definitely gone through more than nine lives by this point!
Catwoman is known for high intelligence, incredibly thieving skills, and her ability to again-and-again defeat or escape justice at the hands of Batman, partly because of her amazing fighting abilities but also because Bruce Wayne is very clearly in love with her. Selina has now almost entirely left her villainous days behind her, operating as a member of the Bat Family (much to the chagrin of some of the Robins), although she still uses her trademark thieving skills and sneaky fighting style to fight for the side of good. Catwoman’s recent stories in Batman/Catwoman by Tom King and Clay Mann and in Catwoman: Lonely City by Cliff Chiang have seen Kyle pushed into killing Batman’s rogues gallery after his death, proving that Catwoman’s destiny lies in being an anti-hero, one who needs the bravery and boldness of the most courageous alley cat. Selina Kyle is known for having a whole gang of cats living with her wherever she goes, even owning several jaguars and panthers over the years, so it is only right that Catwoman would take her crew of kittens out on the town when she is traveling through Gotham City.
Dan Panosian’s gorgeous Selina Kyle cover perfectly highlights the epic history and future of Catwoman at DC Comics, while also creating an awesome nine-lives themed illustration featuring a truly adorable crew of cats.
