Gotham City Sirens vol 1 by Dini, Bedard, March, and Guinado

I think this is the first graphic novel I've ever reviewed. I never grew up reading comic books so I don't have the depth of background knowledge others might. This is a first collection, however, so I'm going to jump right in.

Catwoman, fresh from a huge influx of cash, buys a hideout in Gotham and moves in with her two foes turned pals Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy. Previously, the villain Hush had taken over the identity of Bruce Wayne, a fact unknown to Harley Quinn, who rescues the billionaire from some bad guys in an attempt to sway him on her next parole board hearing only to find herself in real danger. Meanwhile, the Riddler is attempting to go straight, working as a PI to find a serial assassin alongside his old nemesis, Batman. Poison Ivy wonders how much humanity she has left and how much she wants to have and Catwoman is trying to deal with her past traumas and reconcile with how they've changed her.

The art design does focus a lot on how hot these women are supposed to be. There are a lot of exposed legs, midriffs, and cleavage when they're not wearing skin-tight latex. But it never feels pervy or at the expense of character development. They have some serious issues that they are dealing with as individuals and as a team. It was especially interesting to me to see the Riddler story arc. I always feel like he kind of gets a short shrift but maybe I'm just not as well versed in DC history.

Anyway, I really liked volume one and will definitely keep reading it.

Comments

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