A new DC Comics series is coming to readers from writer Tom King, focusing on the relationship he helped shape when he was writing Batman in 2016: that of Catwoman and the Dark Knight himself. King's new 12 issue maxiseries Catwoman/Batman will include the ending he's always intended for the Bat and the Cat, and that ending will be told in the past, present, and future.
Tom King always meant for his run on Batman to go for 100 issues when he took on the series beginning in 2016. However, that number actually came out to 85 with 3 annual issues over the course of his run. At that time, James Tynion IV took over writing duties at the start of 2020 with Batman #86. Given King's meticulous storytelling, it was clear that his vision remained incomplete.
A core part of King's run was developing the off and on romance between Catwoman and Batman, and taking it to the next level with a marriage proposal on Batman's part. At the time, Bane's backstage machinations - aided by the insight of Riddler and Joker - led Selina Kyle to believe that being with Batman would make Bruce happy, which would kill the the crusade of the Batman; something she believed she couldn't live with or be responsible for. It was a surprising stance for Selina, but once the dust settled she was ready to reconsider, settling on a less formal commitment to the Bat, but a commitment nonetheless. While the wedding did not happen, the relationship continued over time, with Catwoman truly becoming a partner and member of his Bat Family. Happily, King revealed in DC Connect #5 that he is aiming to give them lasting growth and show readers something new.
This is the end I always wanted to write for Batman and Catwoman: the culmination of not only what we did leading up to the wedding and afterwards, but of 80 years and counting of this relationship between a hero and a criminal. But it’s also the beginning of something; it’s a standalone series, which is much more ambitious than anything I tried in Batman—my attempt to tell one story that says everything I have to say about these characters and how they affect each other and us.
For people who have read my run, the basic premise here is we have three timelines that take off from Batman Annual #2 (the first and last kiss issue). We see Batman and Catwoman at the beginning of their relationship after that first kiss, we see them now, and we see the end, after that last kiss. That allows for us to see her evolution—how Catwoman went from being a rogue to a partner, and what that transition cost her.
In comics the one thing we don’t have a lot of is growth. We’re sort of stuck in the one story. In Batman/Catwoman we try to break that barrier, and give you a history and a moment you haven’t seen before.
Fans of the Bat and Cat should be pretty excited to hear this news, as it sounds like exactly what they've been wanting since Selina left Bruce at the alter: consistent growth and change for the two of them, in whatever form that takes. While King's approach follows a recent trend of long-term writers writing their own definitive endings which future writers aren't necessarily expected to honor - a la Jason Aaron's epic Thor run - it will still be interesting to see what kind of end King has planned for Batman and Catwoman, and his efforts are likely to influence the path of these beloved characters for decades to come, if not to permanently redefine how their dynamic is seen by fans and future writers. Either way, the closure for fans and for King himself will certainly be welcome. Here's hoping that end will be fitting and satisfying for all involved.
Source: DC Connect #5