In a future Gotham where vigilantes are rounded up and removed, it falls to Catwoman to rescue a handful of her Strays from a speeding train. Can she pull off the most daring train robbery of all time? Find out in Future State: Catwoman #3 from DC Comics!

FUTURE STATE: CATWOMAN #1

Writer: Ram V
Artist: Otto Schmidt
Letterer: Tom Napolitano
Editor: Jessica Chen
Publisher: DC Comics
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: January 20, 2021

Previously in Future State: Catwoman: It is a grim near future in Gotham City. In this version, things have gotten to the point that the Mayor has instituted a strict “no vigilante” policy. And more than that, he has handed law enforcement over to a private organization known as the Magistrate. This is where Selina Kyle finds herself – in a Gotham with no Batman, and with the Magistrate operating under its own rules!

IT WAS A DARK AND SNOWY NIGHT

Future State: Catwoman #1 is titled, “The Great Train Robbery.” It sounds like a heist, and indeed it is. But first we are introduced to this future version of Gotham. It’s night, it’s the middle of winter, and a group of people are being ordered to board a sleek train. They cannot bring any belongings with them, and the voice on the loudspeaker assures them that no harm will come to them…as long as they follow all instructions. Now that is sinister. We zoom in to an agent of the Magistrate talking with Ms. Canorus, who is observing and reporting on the relocation of several young people to a reformatory. One man speaks up in protest and is beaten down.

Then we cut to Catwoman, with Leo and Cheshire Cat, on a snowy road above the city, synchronizing their watches. Selina is determined to rescue everyone on the train, and her crew wonders if this isn’t too big of a job for her. But she is determined. With Batman gone, with the Magistrate taking over, she wants to do this. She takes off on a streamlined motorcycle, and we see the time ticking down as she races to intercept the train. She leaps from the bike, glides down to the train, and her armored suit enables her to secure herself to it magnetically – at least for a short time. It is so cool!

She’s arranged with some of the transported kids to cause enough of a distraction that she can get into one of the cars. An alarm goes off; extra guards are sent to that coach. The Magistrate’s man mentions they have extra security due to the high-risk passengers they’re also transporting. Ms. Canorus is intrigued.

The train will be approaching a tunnel, and Selina tells the kids in the last coach that she is going to continue making her way forward and will send others back to them. They wonder about how she’s going to get them all off, and this is when she lets drop that she intends to simply steal the whole train. This is what I like to see in a heist – raising the stakes even higher. She finds her first high-risk prisoner – Onomatopoeia. She frees him on the condition that he help her.

As the carnage continues, the Magistrate’s man becomes furious, ordering everyone to quell the disruption. But Catwoman may have an unexpected ally on this mission!

GRACE AND PANACHE

Future State: Catwoman #1 has wonderful artwork. Right from the opening we get a strong sense of place and time. The establishing shot is grand and sinister. On the following page, when we get the fascist reaction to the guy who called them fascists, we understand what sort of future we’re in. It’s night, so the colors are muted, but the gray palette emphasizes the faceless brutality of the new order in town.

I love Selina’s futuristic bike, but I really love her new armored suit. It is a light armor, so it looks like a variant of the form-fitting Catwoman suit we are familiar with. Her high-tech gadgets are built in and her little glider wings are really cool. Gliding down to the train is dramatic, and it is just when she hits that a sort of energy shield appears along her front to hold her to the sleek and speeding train. This book is full of delightful moments.

BOTTOM LINE: A HIGH-ENERGY RIDE

Future State: Catwoman #1 is engaging right out of the gate. There is some truly clever dialogue, and the plot keeps nudging the stakes a little higher every few pages. This is a thrilling ride from start to finish.

Dear Spoilerite,

At Major Spoilers, we strive to create original content that you find interesting and entertaining. Producing, writing, recording, editing, and researching requires significant resources. We pay writers, podcast hosts, and other staff members who work tirelessly to provide you with insights into the comic book, gaming, and pop culture industries. Help us keep MajorSpoilers.com strong. Become a Patron (and our superhero) today.