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| Selina Kyle | |
| Aliases: | Catwoman |
| Continuity: | DC Universe |
| Notability: | Main character |
| Type: | Supervillain |
| Gender: | Female |
| Race: | Human |
| Location: | Gotham City |
| Relatives: | Maggie Kyle (sister); Helena Kyle (daughter); Brian Kyle (father); Maria Kyle (mother) |
| Status: | Alive |
| First: | Batman, Vol. 1 #1 |
Selina Kyle is a fictional comic book character best known by her codename, Catwoman. Sometimes she is presented as a criminal, other times as an anti-hero. She is associated with the Batman line of comic book titles published by DC Comics. She was created by writer Bill Finger and artist Bob Kane and first appeared in the fourth story from Batman #1 in the Spring of 1940 titled "The Cat". Catwoman has proven to be one of the Batman's most enduring adversaries, and one of the few that he has actually managed to redeem. Later stories danced with the idea of an unrequited romance between the two, and in one reality, they even got married. In addition to appearing in numerous Batman comics over the years, Catwoman's popularity has enabled her to launch into her own string of comic book limited series, ongoing titles, and one-shots. She has also appeared in adapted media such as animated projects, live-action programs, and feature films.
Overview[]
Selina Kyle, also known as Catwoman, is a jewel thief from Gotham City and one of Batman's most-well known enemies. Currently portrayed as an orphan who learned to survive on Gotham's streets, Selina took to thievery to survive... but determined to do it in style, she learned martial arts and trained extensively to perfect her skills in cat burglary. Her criminal activities are often tempered by a reluctant altruism, making her an inconstant villain and occasional ally to Batman. She regularly eludes capture by the Dark Knight and maintains a complicated relationship which frequently fluctuates between flirtatious to romantic. Since 2002's Hush storyline, Catwoman has often been depicted as an anti-hero and one of Batman's closest allies. She is often considered his main love-interest.
Biography[]
New 52[]
What motivates Catwoman? Not even she knows for certain. On the surface, she is a criminal, and the most talented thief in the entire world, willing to break any number of laws or bones to get what she wants. Conversely, she also been shown to have a caring side, and harnesses a deep connection to the downtrodden youth who inhabit Gotham City, whom she goes out of her way to aid whenever possible. The dichotomy of her virtuous and larcenous sides has bred great conflict in Selina's life, further complicating already strained relationships, particularly with the city's protector, Batman. Despite this however, Catwoman did receive an invitation to become a member of the Justice League of America. [1]
Abilities[]
Powers[]
- None: Selina Kyle is by all accounts a normal human being with no superhuman abilities to speak of.
Skills[]
- Acrobatics
- Disguise
- Hand-to-Hand Combat (Advanced)
- Martial arts
- Multilingualism
- Seduction
- Thievery
- Throwing
- Unarmed combat
Notes & Trivia[]
- The character of Selina Kyle was created by writer Bill Finger and artist Bob Kane.
- The Post-Crisis revamp of Catwoman established her as a prostitute working for a pimp named Stan. It is at this point that the character of Holly Robinson is introduced, who later becomes Selina's protégé and successor. [2] Later storylines attempt to redact the notion of Selina as a prostitute, or otherwise ignore it, but such an effort is irreconcilable with the fact that Holly Robinson is firmly entrenched in canonical DCU history.
- In Post-Crisis continuity, Selina Kyle was established to be an orphan. Subsequent revamps to her background, canonically attributed to plot device contrivances such as "Zero Hour" retroactively established that Selina's birth parents were named Brian and Maria. [3]
- There has also been speculation that Selina's birth father may have been mob boss Carmine Falcone, though this is largely circumstantial and has never been clarified. [4]
- The Post-Crisis version of Selina Kyle was trained in martial arts by the Armless Master. [5]
Personal stats[]
- Height: 5'9"
- Weight: 135 lbs. (61 kg)
- Eyes: Green
- Hair: Black
Alternate versions[]
Comics[]
- Selina Kyle - From the New 52; Current DC Comics continuity.
- Selina Kyle - From Earth-37; the "Thrillkiller" reality.
Film & Television[]
- Catwoman, Played by Julie Newmar in the 1966 Batman live-action series.
- Catwoman, Played by Eartha Kitt; Another Catwoman from the 1966 Batman live-action series.
- Catwoman, From The Batman/Superman Hour; Same continuity as the Super Friends.
- Selina Kyle, Played by Michelle Pheifer in the 1992 film Batman Returns.
- Selina Kyle, Voiced by Adrienne Barbeau in the 1992 Batman: The Animated Series.
- Patience Phillips, Played by Halle Berry in the 2004 Catwoman film.
- Selina Kyle, Voiced by Gina Gershon in The Batman animated series.
- Selina Kyle, Voiced by Nika Futterman in the Batman: The Brave and the Bold animated series.
- Selina Kyle, Played by Anne Hathaway in the 2012 film The Dark Knight Rises.
Recommended Reading[]
- Catwoman, Volume 1 - 1989 4-issue limited series.
- Catwoman, Volume 2 - 1993 ongoing comic series.
- Catwoman, Volume 3 - 2002 ongoing comic series.
- Catwoman, Volume 4 - 2011 New 52 series.
- Catwoman and Wildcat - 1998 4-issue limited series.
See also[]
External Links[]
Appearances[]
Comics[]
|
- Catwoman Vol 4 0
- Catwoman Vol 4 1
- Catwoman Vol 4 2
Alternative media[]
References[]
- ↑ Catwoman Vol 4 0
- ↑ Catwoman, Volume 1 #1
- ↑ Catwoman, Volume 3 #69
- ↑ Batman: Dark Victory
- ↑ Batman 509