Batman Adventures: Cat Got Your Tongue?

by Steve Vance

Batman Adventures: Cat Got Your Tongue? collects some of Batman and Catwoman’s most iconic moments! Whether she’s taking revenge on her enemies or stealing right out of someone else’s clutches, Catwoman is always surprising Gotham…especially Batman. Collects Adventures in the DC Universe #2, #19; Batman: Gotham Adventures #4, #24, #50; and Batman Adventures #10.

Genres: Graphic Novels, Comics, Dc Comics, Batman, Superheroes, Childrens, Graphic Novels Comics

144 pages, Paperback

First published August 31, 2021

About the author

Credited as: Writer, Inker, Penciller mainly for DC Comics

list of work can be found here, in chronological order:
http://www.comicbookdb.com/creator.ph...

Reviews

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

❤️

[Just a Girl Fighting Censorship · Rating 4 out of 5]

So I thought this was going to be a new story set in the Batman: The Animated Series universe, but it is just a collection of Catwoman stories that were already published, bummer.

Even though I had already read nearly, if not all, of these it was nice to revisit them and read them all together.

[cauldronofevil · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think the proper term for these books is ‘All-Ages’. Though there aren’t many comics I can think of that aren’t all ages.

Either way, I’ve enjoyed them and will continue to read them and look out for more of them.

”Chapter 1: Catch as Cat Can” is a fun and almost word-less comic about Catwoman stealing the “Cat’s-Eye” diamond. Don’t they figure they should call for extra security? Turns out luck is not on her side.

A cute story, good art (not the usually Bruce Timm imitation). 3 stars.

”Claws” starts with a car-jacking.

”Let’s go to a drive-through. I’ve never been to the drive-through…”

Batman jumps on the hood of the car, causing it to stop. Catwoman jumps into the battle just for the exercise, asking where his partner — Batgirl — is.

One of the perps almost gets away and Catwoman goes after him by herself. The perp starts singing about an illegal cosmetics lab testing animals. She ties him up for later questioning. She rescues the animals (cats of course) and turns them over to a friend in the Animal Rights League.

The cats need full time medical attention, so Catwoman decides the best person to do that is the owner of the cosmetics lab, Amy Mercedes.

Batman investigates her kidnapping. The company tries to cover the kidnapping up, but Batman is very persuasive.

Meanwhile the captive caretaker…
”Yeeuuck! It’s rubbing its gunky eyes on me!”

Wow! This one almost got me to tears! I keep being surprised by how deep these books go!

Obviously there’s the obvious animal testing, but it also gets much more personal than that. 5 stars and required reading for shippers of Batman and Catwoman.

”Chapter 3: The Truth About Cats and Gods!” has Catwoman stealing something out of a safe in the Gotham Hotel where the female resident is sleeping in the same room!

She then takes the loot to be delivered for $50,000. When she turns over her prize to get paid it turns out the loot is Wonder Woman’s lasso! The buyer uses it on a captive to try to tell him what the inscription says on a magical amulet. But the captive, even when tied with the Lasso of Truth simply tells him ‘No’. Therefore the buyer thinks that Catwoman double-crossed him and orders her killed. She gets away but is not happy to not get paid.

She spies on them summoning a cat-god having found another way to threaten the captive. Catwoman figures she is out of her league and goes to the person she robbed - Wonder Woman for help.

That was an interesting story of a non-team-up. It also revealed character for both Wonder Woman and Catwoman.

I’m not crazy about the art, which was a little more cartoony than I like - even in this series. But still 4 stars.

”Chapter 4: Missed Connections” starts with Nightwing having to leave a date because he has to meet up with his buddy. The date is not pleased.

At the appropriate meeting time Nightwing sees a truck with someone in the back calling for help. When he goes to help he falls through a trapdoor. Robin is also caught in this trap.

Not long after Killer Croc also falls into this trap.

”No, I was gonna see if they had any money I could take. ”

When Nightwing’s date calls to apologize Alfred calls Batman and Batgirl who are out rescuing people. They find the truck-trap, but Batman smells a trap and doesn’t fall for it. Turns out Catwoman set the trap for Batman. She runs and Batman chases, telling Batgirl to find Nightwing.

That was really funny. And strange. Killer Croc was a great twist. And Batgirl was the only person to figure it out. 5 stars.

”Chapter 5: Second Timers” has Batman catching Catwoman in the middle of a robbery. She tricks him and gets to the safe, but when she opens it, she sees its a bomb. It’s a trap! But when Batman catches up to her, he checks out the safe and the bomb goes off. She pushes him out of the way and gets hospitalized for her trouble.

Batman and Jim Gordon are watching Selina Kyle in the hospital when Selina’s personal assistant comes in and gives Batman an ear-full about him being the reason she’s hurt.

There’s a funny bit where Batman is listening to Batgirl at the bat cave trying to trade why there was a bomb in that house and Batman fighting crime on the street… There’s another great bit where when Batman figures out how the house got booby-trapped he confronts the mastermind - while Batgirl is in the background duking it out with thugs..

OMG this story almost made me cry. Just 5 stars. Very cool. Must read for Catwoman and Batman fans.

”Chapter 6: One Step Beyond” starts at the Peregrinator’s Club, yet another place where the wealthy and powerful of Gotham City gather.

”That was the finest ostrich fillet I’ve ever eaten!”

Templton, Burchett & Beatty here so expect the best!

Catwoman sets of several bombs which splash red paint over all the guests and all the treasures. She lams out over the rooftops. Batman stops her.

She explains that the guest they were honoring hunts endangered jaguars and has poaching warrants all over Africa and Brazil. Batman asks if she expresses herself with property damage and vandalism?

”Oh, no… I’m just getting started!”

Batman tells her she’s not above the law, but she says he’s more wanted by the police than she is! Then the police show up. While trying to get away Catwoman accidentally conks Batman out. He falls unconscious at the feet of the police below.

They take Batman to the hospital and call Commissioner Gordon. He tells them not to take his mask off.

Catwoman hijacks the ambulance Batman’s in and then things get chaotic.

This was a fun story. Honor among thieves but always with a backup plan! 5 stars.

”Uninvited Guest” has the Penguin and two hot arm candies rejected from The Wayne Foundation New Year’s Ball for not being invited. Catwoman watches overhead.

While this party is going on Catwoman breaks in, which Robin immediately detects and warns Bruce Wayne of. Bruce says to just keep watch. No sense ruining the party with people showing up in costume.

Jim Gordon gets a weird delivery of a cup of coffee which he normally shares with… someone.

Turns out Catwoman was there, but she did something different this year.

A cute but short story. Gotta give it 4 stars because it was an unexpected riff.

This next story has very different art. It’s almost as if this was supposed to be a ‘Lego Batman’ story and they couldn’t find an artist to pull it off.

It’s Plastic Man and Batman. Okay apparently it’s a teaser for the ‘Flash Facts’ book. Hate to do this to Mayin Bialik, who edited the book, but based on the art I’m recommending you skip it.

4.42 makes this a VERY strong 4 stars. It’s really the best book of the complications I got for this series. Highly recommended.

[Joseph R. · Rating 4 out of 5]

This collection of seven tales provides a scattershot view of Catwoman, the famous foe and friend (and romantic intersest) of Batman. Some of the stories feature their relationship, others just hint at or nod to it. She is an expert thief who often uses her skills for good causes but not in good ways. Her moral ambiguity is interesting and well presented. One story has her attacking a beauty products company because they use animals, especially cats, unethically in experiments. Her noble motivation is skewed by her operating outside of, and occasionally against, the law. Such behavior naturally brings the interest of Batman, who is debatably also acts outside of the law for noble motivations.

The art follows the style of Batman: The Animated Series, with its noir overtones and sharp contrasts. A lot of different authors and artists worked on this, it is surprising how tonally and visually united the set is. Though Catwoman is romantically interested in Batman, she is not drawn provocatively or graphically and readers see nothing more than a modest kiss, making this okay for kids to read. Batman is less interested in her (or less aware) and sticks to his code of honor. He's no perfect role model (something Catwoman points out more than once). They do make a fascinating pair.

Recommended.

[Nola Lorraine · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. This graphic novel, aimed at round about the 10-14 age group, contains seven stories from the Batman Adventures series. Catwoman has always been a bit of a grey character, in that she's a thief but also does the 'right' thing on occasion. I liked the way that came out in some of the stories. In 'Claws', she battles the head of a make-up company that abuses animals. By her own admission, Catwoman knows she's crossed the line, and we see some remorse. I was reading it with a 14-year-old girl, and we were able to have a brief discussion about why the line had been crossed. There are also other stories where she commits crimes, but then helps people.

The art follows the animated series and is good on the whole. However, I wondered why Catwoman looks sexier in some illustrations than some of the comics aimed at older audiences. The pose on the back of the book, complete with whip, brings Madam Lash to mind. In 'The Truth About Cats and Gods', Wonder Woman looks perpetually angry. I know she's upset with Catwoman, but do we have to have her looking like such a sour puss in every frame?

That aside, it has some good stories that kids would enjoy. The 14-year-old I ready it with really liked it.

[Olivia Plasencia · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great read if you are a Batman fan or a Batman animated series fan. I pick this up not knowing what to expect and was pleasantly surprised by the content. Wonderful short stories that take you back to your childhood and watching Batman cartoons on TV. All the adventures are new and fresh. I saw one person say they were the same stories as the TV show, that is false. Great artwork and it was over way too soon. I am not sure which story was my favorite. I highly suggest reading this one, I checked to see if there are more, and I cannot wait to order the rest.

[Angel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quick impressions: Overall, this is a nice easy read that is light and entertaining. Fans of the animated series will likely enjoy it. I really liked it, and I'll look for more in the series.

(Review on my blog.)

[Sophie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read; brilliant illustrations!

[Kacei · Rating 4 out of 5]

All previously printed stories, I bought this because I’m a sucker for a mini book and I had to grab the box of 5 when I saw it at Ollie’s for $4.99.