Though Batman and Catwoman have a famously complicated history together in DC Comics, there are plenty of great stories involving the pair as allies. They share one of the most iconic romances in the superhero genre, and their dynamic became increasingly complex as the Cat Burglar went from villain to antihero.
And while the ongoing Gotham War crossover arc seems to be driving another wedge through their romantic relationship, their high points together still stand out as fun and exciting stories. Hush was a major turning point in their history, while The Autobiography of Bruce Wayne remains a classic fan-favorite depiction of the two.
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10 A Night On The Town
Batman and Catwoman have had several entertaining team-ups of varying scales, with Doug Moench, Tom Mandrake, Jan Duursema, and Adrienne Roy’s A Night on the Town dialing things back. When the hero goes on his nightly patrol apprehending criminals, he gets lent a hand by Catwoman, but the pair’s attempts to have a normal night get bogged down by multiple criminal cases.
A Night on the Town shows both the value of this duo as allied vigilantes and how Batman storytelling can benefit from occasional breaks from grand crossover events. The short story succeeds thanks to how it takes an unapologetically small-scale, humorous, and low-stakes approach.
9 The Best Man
The result of the Batman/Catwoman buildup in Tom King’s run was controversial for longtime fans, but “The Best Man” was a great showcase of them as a duo. When Bruce and Selina decide they should elope, their plans are abruptly interrupted when the Joker takes a church hostage.
The Joker is undoubtedly Batman’s most infamously brutal rogue, but as saturated as he might be, “The Best Man” uses the villain as an interesting perspective to commentate on the importance of Catwoman to the hero’s life. In a deeply warped way, it’s also an intriguing look into how the Joker has become important in Batman’s life — for darker different reasons.
8 I Am Suicide
King and artist Mikel Jan?n’s “I Am Suicide” paves the way for a larger-scale bout against one of the hero’s greatest villains. To rescue the Gotham Girl from Psycho-Pirate’s damage, Batman finds has to assemble a strike force comprised of heroes and villains — Catwoman included — to find the rogue holed up in Bane’s prison on Santa Prisca.
While “I Am Suicide” works best as stage dressing for I Am Bane, it’s also an engaging high-stakes premise on its own merits. Setting up Batman with a makeshift “Suicide Squad” was a thrilling and clever way to reintroduce Catwoman as a mainstay in this Batman run’s supporting cast.
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7 Heart Of Hush
While the aforementioned creative duo moved on from Hush‘s loose ends, Paul Dini and Dustin Nguyen penned a worthwhile sequel with Heart of Hush. This storyline makes the titular villain much more of a focal point, as Thomas Elliot continues to destroy Bruce from the inside out by targeting Catwoman.
Heart of Hush once again puts Batman and Catwoman’s romantic life in a somber spot, with the latter cruelly forced out of commission from Elliot’s attack. However, while the Caped Crusader works tirelessly in the field to save her life, the story cleverly demonstrates Selina’s cunning as she’s the one who puts the death knell on Hush’s schemes in the 11th hour.
6 Rooftops
Tom King’s run had several memorable Batman and Catwoman stories before the infamous wedding, with “Rooftops” being another highlight. Illustrated by Mitch Gerads, this storyline is set in the fallout of the “I Am Suicide” arc, with Selina poised to serve a life sentence for an alleged mass murder that Batman intends to disprove.
“Rooftops” is an emotional story highlighting the bittersweet element driving the duo’s romantic back-and-forth, with the hero determined to clear Selina’s name while she insists on living the moment. The plot puts their relationship in the spotlight, but it also frames it through a series of entertaining capers against Batman’s small-time villains.
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5 Superfriends
“Superfriends” is a short story arc that sees Batman and Catwoman meet up with Superman and Lois Lane. Bruce and Selina eventually join Clark Kent and Lois after some apprehension over the World’s Finest duo addressing the elephant in the room — the engagement.
Though it’s an unconventional storyline, “Superfriends” is a delightfully lighthearted and down-to-earth change of pace that conveys how important Batman and Superman are to each other. But even with the focus on Batman and Superman, “Superfriends” also shows how Selina is a great romantic partner. Selina and Lois ultimately compelled the heroes to be more forthcoming with each other.
4 Everyone Loves Ivy
Several characters in Batman’s world have walked the line between villain and hero, and “Everyone Loves Ivy” spotlights the titular botanist as the former. Not long before Bruce and Selina’s wedding, the two fall into the middle of Poison Ivy’s greatest world-conquering scheme yet.
“Everyone Loves Ivy” uses a simple yet effective premise to set up the villain as an international threat, with Poison Ivy’s involvement serving as an entertaining Gotham City Sirens reunion as much as it is a terrific spotlight on a classic Batman villain. Likewise, the arc is a fulfilling callback to “The War of Jokes and Riddles” and Ivy’s role in the conflict.
3 Hush
Even if it doesn’t hold up in the same way as The Long Halloween or Dark Victory, Jeph Loeb and Jim Lee’s Hush was a wildly engaging thriller. It’s one of the best Batman story arcs of the ’00s, revolving around the hero trying to discover the mastermind targeting the people in Bruce Wayne’s inner circle.
Aside from the exciting Hollywood blockbuster approach to storytelling and celebration of the hero’s mythos, Hush was a major milestone in the Batman/Catwoman dynamic. The pair worked together throughout this grueling mystery, and it marked the moment the Dark Knight became more trusting by revealing his identity to Selina Kyle.
2 Rules Of Engagement
A companion tale to the “Superfriends” storyline, “Rules of Engagement” sees Batman and Catwoman venture to the desert to quell a potential problem that may arise in the event of their marriage. With Bruce and Selina engaged, the pair are set to meet with Talia al Ghul — Bruce’s ex-girlfriend — as the union of two characters as prolific as Batman and Catwoman could bring them unwanted attention.
“Rules of Engagement” captures an adventurous, even swashbuckling atmosphere that’s a joy to see this pairing journey through. At the same time, Bruce seeks redemption and happiness, while Selina’s blistering dynamic with Talia provides standout moments.
1 The Autobiography Of Bruce Wayne
Arguably one of the best Batman/Catwoman comics even by today’s standards, Alan Brennert, Joe Staton, George Freeman, and Adrienne Roy’s The Autobiography of Bruce Wayne was incredibly touching. Set in the Earth-Two continuity, Bruce recounts his life falling in love and teaming up with Selina, underscored by it being told in the wake of her untimely death.
The Autobiography of Bruce Wayne is a celebration of one of DC Comics’ most standout romances, but it’s also told through an exciting team-up caper against Scarecrow. Overall, this short story is a wonderfully bittersweet tribute and endnote to a bygone era of Batman and Catwoman’s mythos as heroic allies and a couple.
Batman and Catwoman were enemies in the Golden Age, but have since become allies and even romantic partners in modern DC Comics. Read More