She was an assassin. Now she’s a vigilante. Sort of. Onyx has returned to Gotham City. Selina is going to have a hell of a time dealing with a new variable in the complex power structure of the underworld of one of the darkest cities in the whole of the DC Universe. Writer Tini Howard continues an intriguing run with Catwoman #41. Artist Nico Leon handles the art on the issue with the aid of colorist Veronica Gandini. Howard’s carefully-crafted political power drama continues to hold compelling gravity. 

Selina has been through the meticulous process of lowering herself through the complex architecture of Gotham City’s bewildering ecosystem of organized crime. The last thing that she needs is a rogue element returning from out of town. Granted….SHE had only recently blown in from out of town, but this new element will give her difficulties as Onyx is a powerful element with her own concerns that could quite clearly be in conflict with her own. Gotham City is the second biggest city in the United States. Is it big enough for Catwoman AND Onyx? 

Howard proceeds into murky your territory With the introduction of another antihero. In recent years, Selina has come into contact with some serious conflicts involving other criminals. Howard has a distinct flair for dynamic intricacies between different unsavory personalities. There is a real danger of all of the different elements colliding in a way that isn’t exactly coherent. Howard managed is to keep everything in motion without blocking it down in too much narrative clutter. There are a hell of a lot of people involved in Howard’s criminal underworld. Through it all, she’s able to keep Catwoman perfectly in the center of the issue. It’s a somewhat dazzling plot construction.

Nico Leon has a gift for staging action on the page that deftly serves Howard’s script. The perspective moves around quite often without ever allowing the narrative to become too distracted by the visuals. The drama feels fresh and vibrant even when it’s lost in the dialogue. Subtle visual inflections amp up the drama with Clever little articulations. The murky darkness of a world lost in crime and skullduggery could easily feel kind of tedious and monotonous in the wrong hands. Leon makes every character in the book almost seem at home. There isn’t a character in Howard county that doesn’t appear as though they could probably have their own series. It all just looks so interesting, thanks to Leon’s visuals.

It may lack some of the stylish punch of the preceding issue, but Catwoman #41 Continues to show Howard’s unique perspective on the character, which continues to be really appealing. The story in question isn’t altogether different from many other Catwoman stories that have made it to the page over recent years. However, the author is working with familiar details in a way that makes them feel unique and fresh. It’s a whole new perspective on the classic.

Grade: B+