Absolute Catwoman #1 Advance Preview

 

Cover by Bengal

She grew up with Bruce, Waylon, Ozzie, Eddie, and Harvey in Crime Alley. Selina helped Bruce set up the deal with Carmine Falcone that got Waylon his gym. Then she escaped Gotham, and made a name for herself as she traveled the world. But when Bruce went missing for months, Selina Kyle returned home to see what Ark M did to him. 

"Don't trust her, kid," Alfred Pennyworth advised. But Bruce knew what he needed to know about Selina Kyle. Her gear suggested an association with Black Mask, the organization that had wracked Gotham with violence. "Don't tell me you got where you got by playing clean," Bruce said to her. Still, she helped him battle Bane. "If the rules aren't fair, stop playing by them," was Selina's slogan.

What did Selina Kyle do in Penang that turned Alfred against her? And where will Catwoman turn up next?

Here's all the info from DC Connect:

 

Absolute Catwoman #1 Advance Preview

Writers: Che Grayson & Scott Snyder

Artist: Bengal

Cover Artist: Bengal

Variant Cover Artists: David Nakayama, Sozomaika & Kaare Andrews

1:25 Variant Cover Artist: Mateus Manhanini

Foil Variant Cover Artist: Bengal

Also Available: Logo cover

Publisher: DC Comics

Price: $4.99/5.99 Card Stock

Issue Length: 32 Pages

Series Length: 6 Issues

Release Date: June 10, 2026

 

With all the wealth…with all the gear…with all the skills, she is the Absolute Apex Predator!

 

Selina Kyle has carved a good life for herself. Through her ingenuity and skills, she’s become the greatest thief the world has ever known. With high-tech gear and weaponry, there’s no place too secure for Catwoman. But when someone from her past comes knocking at her door, Selina’s life comes crashing down around her and she’ll need to get to the bottom of a mystery taking her all around the globe! Written by Che Grayson and Scott Snyder with art by Bengal, Catwoman bursts onto the scene in the Absolute Universe! 

 

 

While the colorist and letterer are hard at work, let's take a look at Bengal's interior art: 

 

 

 

 

 

Here are more cover options: 

 

Variant Cover by Kaare Andrews

 

 

1:25 Variant Cover by Mateus Manhanini

 

Variant Cover by David Nakayama

 

To ensure you receive a copy, and secure your favorite cover, ask your local comic shop to order Absolute Catwoman #1 by Monday, May 18, 2026.

 

Thanks to DC Comics for sharing this advance preview with us.

For more on Absolute Catwoman, see:

 

 

My preview of Absolute Batman #12,

 

 

My preview of Absolute Batman #13, and 

 

 

My preview of Absolute Batman #14. 

Spider-Man & Wolverine #3 Review

 

Writer: Marc Guggenheim

Artist: Kaare Andrews

Colorist: Brian Reber

Letterer: Travis Lanham

Cover Artists: Kaare Andrews, Stephanie Hans, Niko Henrichon & Dan Panosian

Design: Adam Del Re

Editors: Cy Pedro Beltran, Mark Basso, Tom Brevoort, Nick Lowe & C B Cebulski

Publisher: Marvel

Price: $3.99

Release Date: July 30, 2025

 

Shay Marken thinks Peter Parker’s life is a dumpster fire because he lost his parents. But when Logan drafts him for a mission, Peter discovers why Richard and Mary Parker abandoned him. The circumstances surrounding his discovery of the classified video seem fishy. But that can’t diminish Peter’s heartbreak as he watches Wolverine kill his parents.

 

Logan cannot assure Peter that the video is fake. People and trauma have messed with Wolverine's memory. Perhaps like the Winter Soldier, Logan had little choice in sabotaging Richard and Mary Parker's airplane. Can Peter ever work with Logan again to protect the world from villains? Or will Spider-Man and Wolverine forever be at each other’s throats? Let’s leap into Spider-Man & Wolverine #3 and see!

 

Story

When Peter awakens in the jungle, he wears a black and white suit. He remembers Wolverine impaling him, but feels bandages covering his claw marks. While each movement brings pain, Peter yearns to rest and collect his thoughts. Then a Tyrannosaurus Rex enters the clearing and sees Peter as his black plate special.

 

Wolverine takes Peter off the menu in Spider-Man & Wolverine #3. But Peter doesn't know whether to thank Wolverine or attack him. Still, enemies often form alliances when facing a mutual threat. So, Peter and Logan agree to set aside their differences to survive in the Savage Land.

 

Wolverine knows that whoever captured and reclothed them and bandaged Peter's wounds wants to torture them. Pitting friends against each other hurts both men emotionally. Peter recognizes the truth behind Logan's words. But that doesn't clear him of his parents' deaths.

 

Marc Guggenheim paints Wolverine as a haunted man. So many people have abused his trust. Peter has also endured countless heartbreaks. Yet while Logan keeps others at arm’s length, Peter continually seeks closeness, even if he cannot meet his friends’ needs. Logan cannot remember if he killed Peter’s parents. But in Spider-Man & Wolverine #3, Logan remembers enough of his recent past to prepare them for the demands of the present. 

 

 

 

Art

In this story, where seeing may (or may not) be believing, Kaare Andrews begins with Spider-Man’s eyes opening. Yet eyes also become casualties for beasts and men. Despite Spider-Man’s distrust, Logan repeatedly offers him his hand. A flurry of arrows reminds us of Spider-Man’s hunter, while a flashing sword symbolizes Wolverine's past. An adversary in the tall grass evokes Logan as a sniper in the first issue. Weighed down by memories, emotions, and fatigue, Spider-Man deflates like a balloon in Spider-Man & Wolverine #3. But then, learning that a friend might have killed your parents can be gutting.

 

Brian Reber fills a smoky gray sky with a yellow orb. Pteranodon silhouettes fill the sky while dinosaurs graze or stalk their prey. The yellow moonlight threatens to blend the dinosaurs' green hide with the brown tree trunks. Yet it makes Spider-Man's black suit glow blue, and Wolverine's red belt shine. Yellow and orange erupt amid a painful memory. Yet red fills the air when a white sword threatens to cleave our heroes in half.

 

Travis Lanham fills white dialogue balloons and narrative boxes with black, uppercase letters. The words grow bold for intonation, swell for raised voices, and rarely shrink. A clawed yellow box relates Logan's off-panel pronouncement in this fast-paced story filled with dialogue and Spider-Man’s thoughts. Sound effects help us hear metal clang against metal, gunfire, hand-to-hand combat, thwipping, and dinosaurs rushing toward their next meal. Thanks to Marvel Comics for providing a review copy.

 

 

 

Final Thoughts

Questions swirl through Peter’s mind as he struggles to survive in the Savage Land. While people and dinosaurs hunt him, someone pulls the strings. Peter strives to reconcile what he has learned with what he knows. But regardless of Peter's feelings, Wolverine tries to protect the son of his late friends amid the savage action in Spider-Man & Wolverine #3.

 

Rating 9.4/10

 

To look inside see my review at Comic Book Dispatch. 

Spider-Man & Wolverine #1 Review

 

Writer: Marc Guggenheim

Artist: Kaare Andrews

Colorist: Brian Reber

Letterer: Travis Lanham

Cover Artists: Kaare Andrews; Mark Bagley & Richard Isanove; Nick Bradshaw & Jim Charalampidis; Clayton Crain; David Marquez & Matthew Wilson; Dike Ruan & Moreno Dinisio

Design: Adam Del Re

Editors: Cy Pedro Beltran, Mark Basso, Tom Brevoort, Nick Lowe & C B Cebulski

Publisher: Marvel

Price: $4.99

Release Date: May 21, 2025

 

Bill Branscome wants a meetup. So, Wolverine joins him in a HYDRA Safe House in Berlin. As with the fall of the USSR, SHIELD’s disbanding leaves lots of weapons up for grabs. Like James Bond, Bill doesn’t want a database of present and former undercover agents to become public knowledge. Can Wolverine prevent the Janus Directory from falling into the wrong hands? And where does Spider-Man fit into Wolverine’s mission? Let’s grab our Walther PPKs, leap into Spider-Man & Wolverine #1, and see!

 

Story

When Peter Parker arrives at the Coffee Bean, he’s late for another date with Shay. The couple are still trying to figure out if they’re compatible, and Peter’s constant tardiness isn't helping. Like Aunt May, Shay muses about why Peter can't hold a steady job and be a dependable boyfriend. Then Logan rolls in on his chopper and tells Peter to hop on the back. Once again, Peter leaves Shay wondering why she keeps coming back for more disappointment.

 

Marc Guggenheim spins his fast-paced story in a light-hearted, breezy style. Amid the battles he and Wolverine face, drama abounds in Spider-Man & Wolverine #1. Part of the drama comes from the weapons their foes deploy. More comes from the cliffhanger ending, which delves into both the protagonists' backstories. The spectacular foes of Spider-Man and Wolverine welcome the Janus Directory as bait to entrap their mutual nemeses.

 

While it forms a small part of the narrative, a key component of the drama in Spider-Man & Wolverine #1 occurs at the beginning. Peter Parker was working on becoming a better friend. Despite his duties as Spider-Man, Peter carved time out of his schedule for weekly meetings with Miles Morales and the other regulars at the ESU Coffee. Peter also made a commitment to Shay and himself on a pivotal date. Yet he keeps flaking out on subsequent dates with Shay. And each time, Peter assures Shay that the next time will be different.

 

 

 

Art

Kaare Andrews immediately impresses with Wolverine slashing apart HYDRA agents. Bill Branscome leans against brickwork in a tunnel, illuminated by his cigarette lighter. Images of Logan as a sniper and a secret agent overlay his profile. Spider-Man performs a midair costume change into civilian attire while somersaulting down to his date. Kaare Andrews overlays similar memories over Peter's profile. Then Logan rolls in on his Harley in a leather jacket, tosses Peter a helmet, and says, "Let's ride."

 

Brian Reber lavishes bright colors on scenes that rarely fill more than half a page. Yellow and orange fill panels as Omega Red and Kraven the Hunter unleash destruction on a SHIELD helicarrier. Black dominates a page of Spider-Man & Wolverine #1 as one character struggles with fear. Yet green and magenta remind us of Spider-Man's troubled past and perhaps hint at the reason he struggles to commit to Shay.

 

Travis Lanham fills white dialogue balloons and colored narrative boxes with black, uppercase letters. The words grow bold for intonation, swell for raised voices, and shrink for lowered voices. Stylish yellow and red banners introduce the locations in this fast-paced, dialogue-filled story. Sound effects accompany Logan greeting Bill, Kraven emulating Hawkeye’s attack on Nick Fury’s helicarrier, and Peter channeling his Computer Science lessons at ESU.

 

 

 

Final Thoughts

While striving to do our best, sometimes what we do isn’t very nice. In Spider-Man & Wolverine #1, Logan’s past reminds us of the difficulties in keeping a group of like-minded people together, whether it's an organization like SHIELD, a team like the Avengers, or a relationship between two loving people.

 

Rating 9.2/10

 

To look inside see my review at Comic Book Dispatch. 

Amazing Spider-Man #31 Review Part 2

 

Writer: Zeb Wells

Pencilers: John Romita Jr, Emilio Laiso & Zé Carlos;

Inkers: Scott Hanna, Emilio Laiso & Zé Carlos

Colorist: Marcio Menyz & Bryan Valenza

Letterer: Joe Caramagna

Cover Artists: John Romita Jr, Scott Hanna & Marcio Menyz; Elena Cassagrande & Jordie Bellaire; Jim Cheung & Jay David Ramos; John Tyler Christopher; Greg Land & Frank D’Armata; George Pérez & Alex Sinclair

Publisher: Marvel

Price: $9.99

Release Date: August 9, 2023

 

What else did Marvel include in this oversized special issue celebrating 925 issues of Amazing Spider-Man? Let's fwip into Amazing Spider-Man #31 and find out!

 

Ms. Marvel Story

Writer: Zeb Wells

Artist: David López

Colorist: K. J. Diáz

 

Soft colors accompany Peter and Kamala's heartfelt reunion in Amazing Spider-Man #31. It's one of those If Only stories where a person gets more precious time with a late friend. I'm unsure how story events gel with the spell Emma Frost casts on Ms. Marvel's behalf in X-Men #25, but I enjoyed it.

 

“The Man With All The Answers”

Writer: Dan Slott

Penciler: Mark Bagley

Inker: John Dell

Colorist: Edgar Delgado

 

Rich coloring and sharp, detailed art breathe atmosphere and charm into Doctor Octopus’ night out. Yet instead of dancing the night away or enjoying his favorite beverage, Ock’s desperately trying to reclaim lost knowledge in a villain’s bar. His integrated ocktoids try to help, but Octavius knows they can’t pull the secrets from his mind. Still, maybe there’s a way he can make himself whole—and superior--again. This one's a perfect follow-up to the Ock's recent tussle with Spidey and Golden Norman.

 

 

 

Mary Jane Story

Writer: Celeste Bronfman

Penciler: Alba Glez

Inkers: Elisabetta D’Amico & Craig Yeung

Colorist: Jim Campbell

 

Mary Jane and Paul tread the dark road of grief as Celeste Bronfman follows up her story in the Amazing Spider-Man Annual #1. The couple grapples with their children's disappearance as they meet with a therapist and the authorities while trying to pick up the threads of ripped-and-torn lives. It doesn’t help that memories haunt their home, and the owner of their new abode inhabits an asylum. It's a penetrating look at how grief isolates and unites. While nothing can take grief away, the story reminds us that friends can help us find a way through. It’s hard not to love the second half, but the first part—which unspools with narrative but little dialogue—is achingly real.

 

Spider-Woman Story

Farewell, Doc Ock! The Bar With No Name has filled with other supervillains. Of all those, Spider-Woman picks a fight with Taskmaster. This story follows the End Of The Spiderverse story in Dan Slott’s Spider-Man series. Confrontational and atmospheric, it makes me eager to follow her desperate search in Marvel’s upcoming Spider-Woman series.

 

“The Mother Of Invention”

Writer: Dan Slott

Artist: Paco Medina

Colorist Erick Arciniega

 

This story in Amazing Spider-Man #31 starts with a chicken farmer. Or a rooster who's also a farmer? Sadly, he can't cock-a-doodle-do because something's stuck in his craw. You'll also meet a Tabby Cat maid, the suit-wearing parrot Polly, and the porcine butler Hogsworth. These Humanimals attend Madame Monstrosity, an elegant villainess unafraid of feeding anyone a poisoned apple if they steal her technology. This whimsical romp presages another Spidey series spinning out of the End Of The Spiderverse story. Might it feature a team-up with Squirrel Girl? Wait and see!

 

 

“The Case Of Perry Thomas”

Writer, Artist & Colorist: Albert Monteys

 

Carefree art sucks you into a typical creator's dilemma. How do you deal with fandom? In this case, it's Peter navigating the difficulties of hero worship. I like how Peter consults a fellow superhero on his dilemma but arrives at his solution.

 

“Spider-Man Loosey Goosey”

Writer, Artist & Colorist: Cale Atkinson

 

Atkinson’s delightful cartoon pays homage to Marvel's brightest luminary. This too-short two-pager is something to honk about.

 

Huntress

Writer: Zeb Wells

Artist: Patrick Gleason

Colorist: Edgar Delgado

 

This teaser for the next issue is arresting, mesmerizing, and visually stunning. Told from Kraven The Hunter's viewpoint, it sucks you into a nightmare world where life is death, love is hate, and violence is passion. Tell me more!

 

Dystopian Future Story

Writer & Artist: Kaare Andrews

 

This Blade Runner-like sequel to the miniseries Reign showcases a monstrous Wilson Fisk. Glittering, magical, and terrifying!

 

 

Final Thoughts

Stories in Amazing Spider-Man #31 ask if love can conquer all barriers and tease upcoming Spidey titles, making this issue a must-read for all Spider-fans.

 

Rating 9.6/10

 

To preview interior art for the main story, and the Ms. Marvel and Mary Jane shorts, see my review at Comic Book Dispatch.