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CATWOMAN WEEK!
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Welcome to CATWOMAN WEEK! One of the greatest characters in comics history debuted 85 years ago, in Batman #1, on April 24, 1940 — and we’re celebrating with a series of features saluting the Feline Fatale. Next week, it’ll be JOKER WEEK! For the complete index of CATWOMAN WEEK features, click here.
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A selection of Catwoman items throughout the decades, including a few bonus ones!
Catwoman. The Princess of Plunder. The Feline Fatale. Since debuting in the first issue of his eponymous title on April 24, 1940, she’s been portrayed as Batman’s, foe, foil, love interest, partner, wife, and even the father of his child! Like a real-life cat, you never know if she’s going to want cuddle up to you — or scratch you. And she’s far more than just a supporting character in Batman’s universe. She’s an icon of femininity that’s always challenged both Batman and the place society wants to box her into, both in-universe, and in popular culture.
Selina Kyle has had more than just nine lives, and her adventures in comics, TV series and films have inspired countless figural representations of her. Here are 13 examples from across the decades that show the ever-evolving, but never-less-than-fascinating form of comics’ greatest bad girl.
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Batman Playset (Ideal, 1973). Catwoman missed out on being part of Ideal’s Comic Heroines/Super Queens line of 11.5” dolls based on female DC characters in 1967. DC legend Murphy Anderson provided the gorgeous box artwork for those incredibly rare and sought after figures. But Murphy got his crack at Catwoman with this flat cardboard figure of Selina that came with Ideal’s 1973 Batman Playset. Catwoman is in her traditional Golden Age purple dress here — although the colorist left out the green and the outfit itself is blue.
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World’s Greatest Super Heroes/Pocket Super Heroes (Mego, 1974). Mego, however went with the “NOW” look for Catwoman in the comics when they they produced the Feline Fury’s first action figure. She was part of the “Super Gals” offshoot from their mega-popular 8” World’s Greatest Super Heroes line, the only villain, alongside heroines Wonder Woman, Supergirl, and Batgirl. Catwoman had debuted in what’s sometimes called her “pirate look” with Batman #210 (March 1969) conceived by the writer of that story, Frank Robbins.
She only made a handful comic-book appearances in this costume, going back to her classic dress a year after Mego’s figure hit shelves, in Batman #266 (Aug. 1975). Many Mego collectors assume the toy giant made this look up on their own! There are several variations of this costume, but this version is most accurate to the comic design. Mine is missing the long vinyl “oven mitt” gloves and plastic boots, the latter of which sometimes were omitted from the early released figures.
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Batman Robin and the Bat Villains Stand Ups (Our Way Studios, 1977). Catwoman was one of three villains selected for inclusion in this set of mini-stand-up printed figures from Our Way Studios. The others being Joker and Penguin, which showed that Catwoman was indeed in the Top 3 of Batman’s rogues. After Joker, you can debate who gets second place. I’m going Selina. But either way, Batman artist extraordinaire Dick Giordano depicts a lovely, but no doubt dangerous, version of the Princess of Plunder here.
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Super Heroes (Gulliver 1981). This small, 2.5” figure of Catwoman was available only in Brazil and Argentina as part of a series of DC figures produced in a promotion between manufacturer Gulliver and Pepsi. The figure came in a variety of colors, but I’m glad mine is in classic Catwoman purple!
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Batman Returns (Applause, 1992). Catwoman roared onto movie screens in 1992, with a show-stealing performance by Michelle Pfieffer in Tim Burton’s Batman Returns. Pfieffer and returning Batman actor Michael Keaton had dated years before, and their chemistry on-screen was undeniable. It’s a shame we never got that spin-off film teased at the movie’s end.
The Bat, the Cat and the Penguin were EVERYWHERE in 1992, and Pfeiffer’s likeness in costume was on every conceivable piece of merchandise, riding that wave of Batmania that hadn’t really subsided since 1989’s first film. Applause made this very accurate, but somewhat lifeless sculpt of the actress in her iconic role, capturing the likeness, but not the dangerously kinky energy she brought to the part.
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Batman: The Animated Series Happy Meal Premium (McDonald’s, 1993). McDonald’s famously promoted Batman Returns in their restaurants and got some flak from parents who were surprised by the sexual heat on screen between the Bat and the Cat, as well as the disgusting portrayal of the Penguin. The safer option was to wait for the toys based on Batman: The Animated Series in 1993.
I feel this smaller Catwoman figure is honestly superior in many ways to the somewhat disappointing version Kenner produced for their otherwise excellent line. The figure captures the Bruce Timm design and includes a pet that you can set after the also-produced Batman figure.
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Legends of Batman: Batman vs. Catwoman (Kenner, 1996). From their Legends of Batman line, Kenner released a set of 12” scale figures of Batman and Catwoman based on their then-current comic looks. Selina is depicted in the skin-tight purple suit design popularized by artist Jim Balent in her eponymous ’90s comic series. Although for the sake of impressionable children, Kenner toned down Balent’s… ahem… proportions.
Interestingly, the bodysuit is cloth, while the thigh-high boots and bicep-high gloves are made of a rubbery plastic, not unlike a Barbie doll. These figures were a step toward the high-end 12” figures we see today.
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Batman: Battle Scars Batman vs. Catwoman (Mattel, 2002). Mattel took the DC license from Kenner at the turn of the millennium and continued the animated offerings based on the revamped look of The New Batman Adventures. Catwoman came with a scratched-up Batman, and the claws to match! While the articulation is limited, and the size may be a tad too small, this figure perfectly captures Bruce Timm’s redesign of Selina as a slinky silhouette of black, with a rather strange white-blue face.
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The Classic Silver Age Batman: Catwoman and the Penguin (DC Direct, 2003). DC Direct released this Catwoman figure in a two-pack with Penguin, a part of their Silver Age series that included Batman and Robin, Batgirl and Joker, and Batwoman and Bat-Girl (along with Ace the Bathound and Bat-Mite). Curiously, this classic purple dress/green cape design for the character didn’t really appear in what most consider comics’ Silver Age. Catwoman was absent for 12 years, the bulk of this period!
Either way it’s a gorgeous sculpt, and designer Tim Bruckner seems to have taken inspiration from Dave Stevens’ titillating and stunning rendition of the Golden Age Earth-Two Catwoman from the pages of DC’s original Who’s Who series.
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Microman Micro Action Series (Takara, 2003). Selina got super-articulated for the first time in this release from Takara’s long-running Microman line. This 3.75” figure was based on the then-new, wonderful redesign by Darwyn Cooke from his and Ed Brubaker’s relaunched Catwoman series. Besides what’s seen here, Selina came with a bevy of accessories, including an extra foot with a blade coming out of the boot-toe, and an un-goggled head.
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Catwoman 13” Deluxe Collector Figure (DC Direct, 2007). Catwoman was the first female added to DC Direct’s line of deluxe 13” figures in 2007. The company made the curious choice to compete in the burgeoning 1/6-scale market by going an inch bigger… assuring their figures were NOT in scale with popular figures from Hot Toys and Sideshow, etc. Another curious decision was the choice to give their female figures breasts made of a squishy vinyl material. It was a different time. But I digress.
Selina is again seen in her Cooke-designed costume, complete with removable goggles, her trademark whip, her loot bag, a large diamond to plunder, and a feline friend. The figure is really well made, and the head sculpt captures Catwoman’s mischievous side very well.
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Batman Classic TV Series (Mattel, 2013). Our long international nightmare was finally ended when all parties agreed to release the classic Batman TV series on home media, AND produce merchandise based on the show. Mattel jumped in quickly and gave fans what they had been clamoring for; a line of 6” action figures based on the 1966 TV series. They didn’t disappoint, and Catwoman may be the nicest of the bunch, perfectly capturing Julie Newmar’s likeness.
The articulation allows you to position her in most of the sultry poses she would strike throughout the series, mesmerizing both the Caped Crusader and audiences old and young alike. Holy mush!
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Batman The Classic TV Series Hallmark Keepsake Ornament (2021). Not to be outdone, Eartha Kitt’s equally intriguing, and trailblazing version of the Princess of Plunder has been pressed into plastic several times in the last decade or so. One of the best, in my opinion, is the Hallmark Keepsake ornament from 2021. Although Hallmark had made a Newmar ornament five years prior, the Kitt version is a much more dynamic sculpt that really captures the delicious ferocity she brought to the role. You can just hear the hisses and purrs!
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MORE
— The Complete CATWOMAN WEEK Index of Features. Click here.
— BATMAN’s 86-Year History Through 13 CLASSIC COLLECTIBLES. Click here.
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13th Dimension contributor Chris Franklin is a graphic designer, illustrator, writer, and podcaster, who co-hosts and produces several shows on the Fire and Water Podcast Network, including JLUCast. Check out his illustrative and design work at chrisfranklincreative.com.
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