Body Chemistry
Credits: Jo Duffy (writer), Jim Balent (penciler), Dick Giordano (inker), Bob Pinaha (letterer), Buzz Setzer (colorist)
Summary: Catwoman escapes from the police, leaving behind the Benzotrilene. Before leaving, she also tells them where to find the stolen Xyklon-C. Later, Professor Underhill is kidnapped by rogue Alliance members Marv and Doogie. Catwoman summons Batman with the Batsignal and convinces him to help her find Underhill. They rescue Underhill, but not before Doogie makes his way to the trade conference. The gas he creates, however, is harmless tear gas, because Underhill gave him the wrong formula. Catwoman exits on a helicopter, warning the businessmen to follow a stricter set of ethics.
Production Note: I would be curious to know the release schedule of this Catwoman/Batman crossover. Since Batman has the two chapters in the middle, was the crossover released in the proper order, or did it go Catwoman-Batman-Catwoman-
Review: I can’t believe this crossover was stretched out over four issues. I can understand why the first meeting between the new Batman and Catwoman would be viewed as a big deal, but four chapters about rogue environmentalists, stolen canisters, and a trade conference with literally faceless industrialists is just tedious. Given that all of the Catwoman supporting cast members disappear during the Batman chapters, and that one of the Batman chapters was an issue-long fight scene, I can only guess that Doug Moench wasn’t even fully aware of what this crossover was supposed to be. The structure goes: 1) introduce convoluted plot device, 2) have Batman meet Catwoman, 3) Batman fights Catwoman, 4) Batman and Catwoman team up, more with the plot device, story finished. It’s kind of a mess, although I still think the second chapter is fun. I could easily live with only the Batman chapters being reprinted in this book, given what had to be left out.
3 comments:
It did go Catwoman-Batman-Catwoman-Batman. Personally I kind of liked how Batman 503 began with him wondering what Catwoman was doing near the waterfront, thinking she was stealing something, then we get Catwoman #6 telling us all was not as it seemed, and the issue ends with her at waterfront leading into the story we already read in Batman. Of course, I didn't get Batman 504 until long after I read Catwoman #7, so reading things out of order was normal for me. But I distinctly remember that Part 2 came out before Part 1. (And was incorrectly labeled "The Search" on the cover.)
Correction: It went Batman-Catwoman-Batman-Catwoman. Batman came out the first week of the month and Catwoman came out the last.
I could easily live with only the Batman chapters being reprinted in this book, given what had to be left out.
Yeah, definitely sounds like filler, which is a shame given how much non-filler was left out.
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