Catwoman #88 Review

 

Catwoman #88 Review

Writer: Torunn Grønbekk

Artist: Davide Gianfelice

Colorist: Patricio Delpeche

Letterer: Steve Wands

Cover Artist: Seba Fiumara

Variant Cover Artists: Frank Cho, Michael Walsh & W Scott Forbes

Editors: James Reid, Arianna Turturro & Rob Levin

Publisher: DC Comics

Price: $3.99/$4.99 Card Stock

Release Date: June 17, 2026

 

When Selina Kyle found Holly Robinson in her safehouse, it took her a while to determine that an intruder was wearing a mask of her friend's face. Then, on "Holly's" unconscious body, a phone rings. As Selina watches, Holly sits in a room rapidly losing oxygen. But when Selina races to save her in the shuttered Seagate Home for Troubled Teens, Holly pushes her away. After Black Mask abducted her, Holly saw Selina in his headquarters.

 

Selina may have rescued Holly from danger. But after a phone conversation with Samuel "Slam" Bradley, Selina realizes Black Mask's people are after him. And if Black Mask is targeting the people close to Selina, he won’t forget her sister. How does Maggie factor into Black Mask's plans? And why is one of his minions wearing Selina Kyle's face? Let’s leap into Catwoman #88 and see!

 

Story

Black Mask trapped Holly Robinson in a building that evoked painful memories. As she slowly asphyxiated, she stared at the hypo he left behind, knowing it could take away her pain. Yet worse was that Black Mask drugged her and made her believe that Selina had betrayed her. Farther away in terms of miles, if not emotions, Magdalena Selina senses that someone is entering her house. Like Holly, Maggie suffered from Black Mask's cruelty. And the trauma she endured is a wound that may never heal.

 

As Catwoman #88 follows Selina, Holly, and Maggie’s journey, Black Mask’s minions also pursue Samuel “Slam” Bradley. And as Black Mask enacts his grand plan, the woman who funded his magnum opus watches. While Black Mask feels every passing moment viscerally, Katarina Belov studies her agent. Unlike the sons who thought they knew better than her, Black Mask reveres her. Yet she sits and watches, imperious and quietly scornful, of these men who orchestrate criminal empires.

 

As Black Mask forces Selina, Holly, and Maggie to relive their painful past, a woman wearing a mask of her face threatens Selina’s future in Gotham. Still, she’s one among many. In Torunn Grønbekk’s story, all the characters wear masks to disguise their appearance, shield their intentions, and hide the emotions surging through them. And then there are the masks the characters wear to assure their friends and loved ones that they’re over the trauma that still afflicts them in Catwoman #88.

 

Art

Davide Gianfelice begins by contrasting two pairs of women. The first pair sits in a comfortable office. A teapot, cups, and saucers rest on the side table between them. Maggie looks down and shields her face with her hand. Yet when she faces her therapist, the woman averts her gaze. Compared with the therapist’s spotless, light-filled office, filled with arranged bookshelves and an organized desk, Holly and Selina sit in a dirty hallway. Cardboard boxes rest nearby, and blankets cover old furniture. Holly hides her face with her hands. Yet when she sees her friend's pain, Holly embraces Selina.

 

While Patricio Delpeche adorns Maggie’s painful present in red, Holly and Selina commiserate amid green. Blue vehicles, clothing, and a blue night sky tantalize characters with the possibility of escape. Clad in blue and red, Katarina hopes to destroy Selina’s life. Yet as Selina strives to end the cycle of violence, yellow and orange lights illuminate the green-tinged gray buildings in Catwoman #88.

 

Steve Wands locates readers in time and space with white lowercase letters. While the narrator employs black lowercase letters in yellow boxes, Selina’s thoughts fill light indigo boxes. White starbursts relay phone calls. Intonation emboldens words in white dialogue balloons, while raised voices enlarge dialogue. When the background fades away, colored dialogue balloons rise above the vignettes. Yet as gunshots fill the air, red letters on a dirty wall warn of Selina’s future. Thanks to DC Comics for sharing this story with us.

 

Final Thoughts

When Katarina Belov tried to kill Evie Hall, Selina Kyle wiped out her family. So now, the former crime family matriarch is using Black Mask to destroy the people in Selina's life. Believing she has nothing she values, Katarina ignores the love and admiration Black Mask offers. And in their determination to torment Selina, Katarina Belov and Black Mask ignite fires that could finish off the job Selina started last time in Catwoman #88.

 

Rating 9.4/10

 

To look inside see my preview of Catwoman #88.

 

For what happened last time, see my preview of Catwoman #87. 

For what happened before that, see my review of Catwoman #86. 

For how this story arc began, see my review of Catwoman #85.