Catwoman #39

Issue Details

Synopsis

THREE PIECE SUIT PART 2 Slam Bradley reaches his office to find the Wooden Nickel there, sitting in his chair. He identified Slam by showing his picture around to "every other slackjaw at the local pub," but none of them knew who the unconsumed Catwoman was. Slam claims no one knows who she is out of costume, but he tells the Wooden Nickel the truth after he threatens Slam's son Sam.   On the rooftop of her building, Batman meets Catwoman. He has an early meeting tomorrow morning, so if it's alright with her, it will be easier for him to spend the night at her apartment. She tells him that he doesn't need to come up with excuses to spend time with her. They spend the night together. She shows him the photos Slam took, and he identifies the man as the Wooden Nickel, a criminal who steals loot from supervillains like Nigma and Cobblepot and filters his "earnings" through Three Piece Suit Insurance, which specializes in settlements for those injured by superpower-related skirmishes.  The next morning, Slam is in a hurry to reach Selina. He bumps into Bruce Wayne, who paused to laugh at Selina's alias "Cathy Whippes" as he left the apartment building. Slam buzzes Selina, saying "Hey, lady. Lemme up." Bruce leaves while scoffing at Slam's bad manners.   Selina tries to tell Slam what Bruce told her about the Wooden Nickel, but he interrupts her to confess that he gave the Wooden Nickel her address to protect Sam. She punches him in the stomach and tells him Sam is a police officer who can defend himself. Slam says that he gave the Wooden Nickel a fake address and a fake name, so he might not even find her... but he's already in the apartment building across the street. Slam led him straight to Selina's apartment building.   A cat jumps out at the Wooden Nickel while he watches them, and Catwoman uses his distraction to sneak up on him. Catwoman tries to set him on fire, but half his body is petrified wood and the other half is covered in flame retardant. She throws him down onto the street below, but he lands on a truck that drives away instead of the cement.   Slam hurries over to Catwoman once she too is on the street. She is furious that he led the Wooden Nickel to her, especially since she now has to move. He defends himself by saying Selina could handle the Wooden Nickel in her sleep while Sam is still green. Their argument draws some attention from passersby, so Selina pulls Slam into her apartment building. Selina calls Slam out for not only selling her out but then warning Sam about the threat first, even though he was in less immediate danger. She tells Slam they'll be in touch when she can trust him again.   The Wooden Nickel reports in to his supervisors, three distinct men from those in the last issue. He doesn't have Catwoman's real name yet, but he has another alias and he went to her apartment building. They tell her to keep on top of Catwoman and dismiss him. Once he's gone, his supervisors discuss the "wild card," and they wonder if perhaps it's time to move on this.   Catwoman keeps to the streets, silently thanking Bruce for setting up a home security system that will alert her if anyone goes into her apartment. She has to take the fight to the Wooden Nickel this time, and the best way to find him is to think like a detective, like Slam and Bruce: She finds a copy of the "Gotham Gold Pages" and tears out the address for Three Piece Suit Insurance.