Catwoman #61

Issue Details

Synopsis

BANK ON IT! City First, a bank in Gotham City, has reopened after sustaining heavy damage during the Quake, and its owner, Norman Safold, claims to the Gotham Globe and Gotham Gazette that the bank is thief-proof. Catwoman is offended. She burns the newspaper and considers the declaration an invitation.   She goes to City First Bank as "Lily Sebastian" to rent a safety deposit box. Mr. Harrison explains to her how the boxes' locks operate before excusing himself to allow her privacy with her box. Selina pulls out her Catwoman costume and places it and a recorder inside the box, which she will use to pick up the sound of the bank's security system activating night-mode, which she can use to turn night-mode back off and rob the bank on the easier day-mode setting.  When Mr. Harrison comes back, Selina hugs him and says she feels much safer as she takes his copy of the key to her safety-deposit box from his pocket. She asks to go to the bathroom and waits until closing time, but the security guard doesn't appear to turn on night-mode before a gang of masked robbers burst in with hostages.   Selina tries to escape to the deposit box room for her costume, but when the robbers catch her as "Lily Sebastian," she can only go along with them and act as a hostage. She acts hysterical until a robber slaps her across the face, and the robbers decide to lock her in the deposit box room until she's calmed down. She continues acting like a terrified hostage until the door closes behind her. Then, she smiles.   She changes into her Catwoman costume and sneaks out of the room to save the hostages. She only manages to frighten the robbers, however, and she knows the jumpier they are, the more danger the hostages are in.   She says she's unconcerned about the hostages and claims the vault as her own. The robbers ignore her and continue to open the vault while Catwoman pulls herself onto the teller counter and leans back, pressing the button that will turn on the video cameras if you press it once and turn on the silent alarm if you press it twice. She presses it twice.   One of the robbers approaches her, and she asks whether they're there for the Brownsley Diamonds. He had no idea that they were there, but once Catwoman tells him where to find them, he runs over to tell his friends... just as the GCPD pull up.   The two officers who come to investigate think that the new, high-tech security system is simply oversensitive, and they're unprepared for the armed robbers. Catwoman prepares them by jumping one of the robbers, which warns them of what's coming before they walk into a slaughter.   The two sides exchange fire while Catwoman flips out of the way. When one of the robbers tells the police they have hostages, she chimes in "Six! and four gunmen!" One of the officers calls it in as both sides retreat.   One of the robbers goes to check on the hysterical prisoner they locked in the deposit box room, and he hears frantic pleas as Catwoman jumps down and kisses him. He asks what that was for, and she replies, "Not shooting at cops."   The robbers know the cops will return with backup. Catwoman takes a gun from one of the robbers and suggests killing the hostages, which shocks the robbers who know the hostages are their only protection from the cops. She tells them she'll testify she hired the robbers to work for her, and then they'll be charged with a lot more than attempted armed robbery...   The leader says it's time to cut their losses, and the four robbers go to surrender to the police. Catwoman throws down the gun and assures the hostages she doesn't kill. The hostages run for the doors, but Mr. Harrison insists on staying behind while Catwoman gets "Lily Sebastian" out of the deposit box room.   He listens to the two women arguing for several minutes until "Lily Sebastian" is thrown out of the room and into his arms. She tells him and the police that Catwoman got away by climbing through the air vent.   Outside, Mr. Harrison tells the police that the security system never went into night-mode, and he insists that everyone--even the hostages--be checked over in case it was an inside job. Mr. Harrison submits to a pat-down first, then so does "Lily Sebastian." She's all-clear.   The next day, "Lily Sebastian" returns to the bank to go into her safety deposit box again. Mr. Harrison excuses himself to give her some privacy, and once he's gone, she pulls out the Brownsley Diamonds.