Catwoman #54

Issue Details

Synopsis

THE REPLACEMENTS  PART 2 Months ago, Catwoman breaks into Thompson's Pharmacy to steal a pregnancy test, which Selina Kyle takes when she gets back to her apartment. It's positive. She can only say, "Oh boy."   Now Selina lives as Irena Dubrovna, and when she hears her daughter fussing in the middle of the night, she goes to check on her. She sits down on the couch to watch the news while she breastfeeds, and she watches as two pundits discuss whether Black Mask's murderer should be punished. One argues that whoever did it deserves praise, not punishment, and that's when Selina turns off the TV, saying "Idiots."  She takes Helena to look out the window and says she doesn't want to raise her daughter to live in fear, but the world is dangerous place. Just ask her dad.   That's when Karon calls. Holly went out in costume tonight, but she hasn't come back yet. Selina reassures her. Holly is trained for this, and she won't get into anything she can't handle.   Catwoman is bound and gagged at the mercy of Angle Man. He has her perched on the edge of a building, posed to fall off at the slightest move, as he crows about how he could sell her cowl to the highest bidder but he'd rather keep it as a trophy. He apologizes for not knowing who she is, and he remarks on how she seems different to how he remembers her--shorter, skinnier, dumber. Regardless, he's not going to be stupid about her death. There are no deathtraps, just a high building and her own restraints.   That's the clue Catwoman needs to figure out her own escape. She uses the claws on her suit to cut through the restraints, and she dives at Angle Man's face. He throws a triangle at her, cutting her shoulder, and pulls a gun on her. She dives at him again before he can shoot, and she knocks him down with a punch to the head.   On a nearby roof, a man watches with a video camera, amazed.   Holly gets home to Karon and tells her, "I don't want to talk about it," before Karon can ask about the blood and bruises. Holly goes to the bathroom to clean herself up and almost calls Selina before deciding she can't. This isn't Selina anymore. She has a kid and a new life. Instead she calls Wildcat, who is in the middle of a brawl and doesn't answer.   Slam Bradley is inside the bar Wildcat is fighting outside, and he asks Monk, the bartender, what the ruckus is. He is unimpressed to learn that it's a superhero fight. Monk expresses concern for Slam's drinking, and when Slam tells him he's fine, Jim Lenahan cuts in to mock him for not holding his scotch.   He introduces himself as a former coworker of Slam's son Sam, but he isn't there to reminisce. He wants to talk about another of Slam's acquaintances--Catwoman. Slam denies that he knows her. Lenahan is infuriated when he knows Slam worked with Catwoman, and he brandishes photos of Black Mask before and after he was killed in Slam's face. Slam can't believe Catwoman would do this, and Lenahan leaves with a parting shot. This little lady might not be as innocent as he thinks.   Selina is putting Helena to bed at 3:27 AM. Catwoman would have just been getting started at this time, but normal people turn on the TV when they can't sleep at 3:30 in the morning. She finds Film Freak's show, which Holly mentioned has a big following out East. Film Freak narrates about gruesome murders and the movies they inspired, then shows the film of Catwoman beating up Angle Man on the rooftop. Selina drops her head into her hands and says, "Oh, Holly... What have I done to you?"   Slam stumbles, drunk, out of Green Hornet bar and runs into Ted Grant in his civilian guise. Slam reminisces about seeing Ted beat Scarpitti at the Forum in three rounds. Slam marvels at how fit Ted still is for their age and asks him what his secret is. Ted says to never stop fighting before walking away.   Angle Man is also stumbling home after the beating Catwoman gave him. He receives a phone call from an unknown caller who taunts him about his defeat. He is walking past a video store when all the TVs in the window show the fight scene, and the caller--Film Freak--offers him a second take.