"The Cat and the Bat" (part one)

Batman Confidential is not Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight. The Confidential books serve as a medium for retro-planted stories that have definitely happened, with respect to continuity. It is because of this theme that I am declining to actually read "The Cat and the Bat". I will only be reviewing the artwork in the book. I have done this before when reviewing a Geoff Johns / Jerry Ordway project. I am not however resurrecting the technique to slight Fabian Nicieza, whose writing I generally like. I will be spoiling the visual narrative. So for those not wishing to have their art spoilt, let me simply say four words that should have Batgirl fans running to their comic book store. Kevin Maguire illustrates Batgirl.

I have taken this course of action because I will not read Batgirl stories set in her past. That is because I know how her story ends. In a tale that logically could not occur in DC continuity, The Joker shoots Barbara Gordon through the spine and cripples her for life; he then proceeds to take photos of her naked as she lies suffering and bleeding. Batman has a good laugh about the whole affair.

Batgirl's end occurs in The Killing Joke, a story that works outside of continuity but not within. DC has this year twice renewed its vows to the single iota of continuity they have left, a shred that shouldn't but always will remain intact. Resistant to the power of the Purple Ray, immune to the effects of time travel, scoffing at mutant healers like Sondra Kinsolving, the damage done to Barbara will never be stopped, never be retconned and certainly will never be mended, at least not until the powers that be are fired, one of my fondest dreams.

I will not give DC one cent of approval for stories starring the crippled Barbara Gordon, nor will I read stories that are definitely set in Batgirl's past because she will eventually become the crippled Barbara Gordon. In other words, I would have to accept that the only way I will ever be able to read another Batgirl story is to read one set in the past while Babs' present and future are shaped by the sexism of the wheelchair. I will not accept this "bargain".

I am also aware that some people do not like my referring to Barbara Gordon as crippled. They prefer the nicer term disabled. Tough. Real people are disabled. They have few options. That may one day change. In a universe where a fictional character as incidental as John Stewart leaps out of his wheel chair and does a little soft shoe, Barbara Gordon is without a doubt crippled and symbolizes everything that is wrong with DC as an alleged shared universe.

Art does not require continuity. Art does not require words. Art does not demand period. Art can be independent of story, and this is how I am reviewing Batman Confidential, as a piece of Batgirl art. Batgirl is at this moment alive, active and whole. She is not confined to a wheelchair. This is the power of art.

Kevin Maguire illustrating the bona fide Batgirl is something not to be missed. He is a master of the human form and a maestro when it comes to detailing expression. Because Kevin Maguire is behind the pencils and the inks, Batgirl should look perfect, and she does.

Page one consists of five panels depicting Barbara Gordon working at her desk. Maguire opens with glimpses of her. Babs chews on a pencil's eraser in a natural depiction of habit. We see a half-cut of her face as she examines a notebook, soon to be stealthily snatched by Catwoman. The second tier of panels centerpieces a photograph of she and her father James Gordon. A viewer who has never before encountered Babs Gordon can glean the relationship from the emotion captured in the photo. The colorist must also be lauded for selecting a shade of rich red for Babs' hair. This facet lends consistency with Batgirl's visual history. A few colorists opt for orange or auburn. They're simply wrong.

The second page relies upon classical super-hero imagery. This is very much in keeping with the theme of Batgirl being an untouchable hero on the same tier as Supergirl. Maguire gives Babs an intent look in her eyes and brow, knitted with concentration, as she realizes the notebook has only one exit. The artist allows the reader to put the pieces of the puzzle together to create the whole woman in their mind before actually displaying her. It's a similar technique used by various cinematographers and directors, but specifically, it's a method that was employed in the first Michael Keaton Batman film.

The depiction of Batman should be momentous. Maguire gives the same resonance to Batgirl. In the third panel, Babs takes off her glasses and lets loose her flashing hair. The fourth panel shows her drawing her utility belt from her purse, and the fifth shows her pulling apart her bulky clothing to reveal the truth behind the facade.



It's an allusion of course to the first fully costumed, ultra-powered super-hero, Superman. Clark Kent would remove his glasses, loosen his tie and pull back his shirt and coat to reveal the S-shield.

There is more to Batgirl's imitation. The clothing, glasses and hairstyle hide and obscure Babs Gordon's natural beauty. Even the color of the drab gray coat contrasts sharply with the more attractive brighter gray costume highlighted in black beneath. When Babs pulls apart the frumpy clothes, she reveals a physique that would not be expected. This is not a typical breast shot. As with her male peers, Babs' breasts are symbols of Adonis-like health. They are comparable to the width of Batman's chest and indeed they are ideals of power.

The costume reveals who Barbara really is. The mask ironically does the same. The civil librarian who wears sensible clothing secrets a gymnast / ballet dancer who looks sexy while fighting crime. The mild-mannered reporter gives way to a man who could, if he wished, be a god. The playboy millionaire, or austere business man conceals a creature of the night that's dangerous and enticing. The costume sets the man or woman behind the persona free.

The third page shows Barbara pushing a trap up to the roof. Maguire here takes a page from Sergio Leone and focuses on her vivid green eyes. This is a departure from the original. The classic Batgirl possesses pale blue eyes, but red hair usually leads to green eyes for some reason in character design. They seem to traditionally go together. Batgirl's blue eyes made her unique in terms of red headed characters, but Maguire's luscious artwork more than makes up for a slight lapse in the colors.

The second panel casts Batgirl as shadow, while the third panel solidifies her in a black silhouette. The character who we will discover to be Catwoman also is rendered in silhouette, and the double depiction keeps both characters in the same perspective while preserving point of view. Batgirl cannot see who she is following. She can only detect glimpses and afterthoughts.

In the fourth panel, Batgirl takes action with a device from her utility belt. Maguire must be commended for depicting the proper way one fires a gun.



Maguire's illustration grants the illusion of weight and recoil. This is the way one fires a gun if her aim is to be true. Babs' effort is elaborated in the final panel on the page. Again, Maguire is letting the images percolate. In this piece we see the muscles in Batgirl's arm being stretched against the weight on the other end of her hook. Maguire chooses the understated to enhance a more realistically presented drama. In this case, Babs bites on her lip as she struggles with her catch.

Turning the page, Maguire illustrates the first splash depicting the entirety of Batgirl. Maguire shows Batgirl to the side as she's pulled by her quarry. This is a very unique choice for a splash page, and it draws all of Maguire's strengths as a super-hero illustrator. Batgirl is an example of the female form at its finest. Her lithe acrobatic body fights against the unseen foe. Her teeth clench in the struggle. Her cape and crimson hair fans out.

With the image solidified on the pages and in the viewer's head, Maguire now orchestrates the pursuit more openly. On this page, Maguire plays with the light and how it affects the shadows curving around Batgirl's physique. This also allows more color to be revealed in the lining of her cape.

Batgirl's colors are primarily blue and yellow. Classically, Batgirl's cape was depicted as solid blue. The Batgirl of television, who debuted soon after Batgirl's comic book premiere, sported a purple and gold cape. This dual color scheme was recapitulated in the animated series as blue and gold.

In reality, the sensible wardrobe for a crime fighter would be black, black and black, but such a depiction is visually dull, and this is where the viewer's suspension of disbelief comes into play without the viewer even knowing it. Often Robin's red outfit is pointed out as bait for target practice, yet nobody really notices that Batman's still wearing blue and a yellow utility belt. Darker colors add verisimilitude, but total blackness isn't practical for an artistic presentation.

The spread of the book depicts Batgirl kicking the fleeing gray-clad tabby. The spread is common in men's magazines. A comic book spread is somewhat different. Batgirl and Catwoman are not posed in a sexual way. The scope of the spread, and the illustration of both the stars with an emphasis on costumes clashing generates a different kind of excitement.

Of course some might interpret this scene as erotic merely because the combatants are extremely svelte women in costumes, but I would argue that this is inference rather than implication. Batgirl's strike against Catwoman is no different from what Batman would do to the Scarecrow. If you find the female form itself to be erotic, as I do, then yes, there is an undeniable sexiness to Batgirl swatting Catwoman in mid-air. This also results from Maguire's pencils and ink. The look on Batgirl's face is so different from the static expressions that we're used to seeing on characters drawn by lesser artists that it brings out a playfulness in the scene. In addition, the twist of the lines in Batgirl's abdominal sinew are so alluring and complimentary to human anatomy, it's difficult not to feel a certain thrill.

Any sensuality, perceived or not, disapates in the next two pages. Here Maguire erupts animal-like fury and very humanly conveyed pain. Using very sharp cuts and focusing on body parts that actually carry out the action, Maguire directs an intense brutal fight between the two women that's about as far from sexy as possible. The duel is more frenetic and realistic than what's usually seen in comics, this despite the fact that no blood is drawn and very few blows reach their marks. The eight panels rather detail block after painful block.



Catwoman is not an evil character. Originally she was portrayed as a simple jewel thief, and throughout her history -- save for a few tiny blips on the radar here and there -- she has been uniformly non-lethal. Catwoman does not want to cross the line. Catwoman is out for riches and Batman, plain and simple. She does not actually want to permanently damage Batgirl. That's why on the next page, Catwoman brings down the lights on Batgirl. Using her own cape to blind her and also to cushion the coming blow, she koshes her. Maguire portrays Batgirl at the end of the scene in a comical and embarrassing light. She sits in an undignified position while she waits for the world to come into focus.

Had Catwoman departed without a trace, Batgirl probably would have been forced to start from scratch. Catwoman, however, is arrogant and stays behind. Maguire crafts a very feline pose for Catwoman.



Some might argue that the pose is exploitation, but it's well within Catwoman's character to behave in such a flirty manner. In this case, she's not attempting to attract a bat but to in essence mark her territory. Catwoman seems to be saying with her body language that Batgirl is out of her league both in terms of fighting and sex appeal.

Maguire shows Barbara looking up at Catwoman. He then emphasizes the focus on Catwoman's legs and her tail. What's important in the scene is that Catwoman is simply walking away from Batgirl. Batgirl's not even worth running from.

In three panels, Maguire shows Batgirl's chagrin and determination. The Batgirl of the comics never had training from Batman, unless you count an issue or two of Legends of the Dark Knight. Batman trained her in the animated series, but the Batgirl of the comics was primarily a civilian who no longer wanted to stay that way once she had a taste of the freedom inherent in the costume and a sampling of good guy altruism. Maguire concisely shows Batgirl considering her options of going home, then hating herself for even thinking of such a thing. She reaches a decision to chase down Catwoman and bring her to justice, symbolized again by the Sergio Leone eye motif. It's all in her face. She doesn't speak a word.

The next page shows Catwoman, again behaving like a feline. At first she's indifferent. Then she's amused by Batgirl's tenacity. She becomes annoyed and finally a little afraid that maybe she's just bitten off more than she can chew. Maguire's sense of space comes to the fore in these scenes. Batgirl is in fact getting incrementally closer to Catwoman who is positioned in the same spot per widescreen panel. Maguire creates a different pose and expression for each. He preserves the status of the hunt through the size and scale of the characters. Catwoman stays in the foreground. Batgirl is depicted as smaller in the background against the backdrop of Gotham's cityscape. However small, Batgirl is a constant presence, and that consistency at once depicts Catwoman's dilemma as well as Batgirl's resolve.

Batgirl catches up to Catwoman on the next two pages. Maguire again creates a believable expression of pain as Catwoman continues to get the better of Batgirl. It's especially wince-inducing to watch Catwoman strangle Babs with her whip.



Catwoman could kill Batgirl if she wanted. Maguire leaves no doubt. Catwoman, though, releases her again reinforcing the idea that she doesn't want to kill.

On the next page, Maguire shows perhaps Batgirl at her most desperate. Desperation leads to brutality. After a particularly clever and underhanded move worthy of Batman, Batgirl slugs Catwoman. Neither character is particularly pretty in these scenes. This is not a catfight. It's a battle conducted by the hero against a villain that's not reliant on gender. Batgirl's expression is one that befits a boxer. Catwoman looks like she was hit by a brick. The scene sets up the final panel where Batgirl stands in a position of dominance.



Unlike the particularly famous James Bond poster, the sexuality has been excised and the subtler meaning emphasized. Batgirl's long lean legs do not invite the viewer to her center. She instead simply looms over the bad kitty. The tables have been turned. The expression on Catwoman's face, of course, suggests this is far from over. Reality trumps symbolism.

The next page creates a very interesting look for Batgirl. Maguire flaunts her licking a finger and writing a hash mark in the air. The display not only gives Batgirl added dimension, however petty; Batgirl's catiness sets off Catwoman. Their fight is as much about one-upmanship as it is about justice. Batgirl is determined to prove herself worthy of the big League. Catwoman is equally determined not to fall to someone who she sees as a novice. The notebook is the McGuffin

Catwoman's contemptuous expression on the next page immediately brings the viewer back to Batgirl's favor.



Certainly Batgirl's behavior is somewhat unwarranted, but it is far lighter than Catwoman's look which emanates her completely pissed off, quite nasty attitude.

The chase is on again. Maguire attests to Batgirl being far from super-human. Catwoman ducks into a building and takes the elevator. Luck is always with the villain. Batgirl is forced to take the stairs. Maguire allows form to depict emotion. You don't need to see Batgirl's face as gravity takes its toll on her. In four panels, Maguire shows Batgirl to be fit enough to take six floors at top speed with no sweat. At floor seventeen, Barbara is having trouble; the stairwell is no longer a series of quick speedlines but concrete as the black shape of Batgirl shakes with each footfall. At the thirty-third floor, Babs is about done.

Batgirl nevertheless plows through the door and finds a new problem. Catwoman has led her into a most unique trap: a nudist spot. This calls back to Selina's suggestive pose. Catwoman is not at all concerned with being nude. She sees herself as more cosmopolitan and sophisticated. She's counting on Batgirl being too embarrassed, dare I say too American, to doff her costume.

In a succession of panels, Maguire conducts an animation of Batgirl's indignance leading to fear leading to the acceptance that suggests Catwoman just may be right. Maguire contrasts these scenes against the maitradee. He focuses on the maitradee's face and gesticulations. Batgirl is shown from belt to ears in each of her panels. Maguire wants the viewer to know what's at stake.

Catwoman might have gotten away with it had she not been a copy-cat. While masking her face, from within the gates, Catwoman mimics Batgirl's poor sportsmanship. Batgirl with an expression that's pure Maguire is about to show just how far she will go.



Without being lascivious, Maguire illustrates the final splash page: a back shot of Batgirl disrobing. Some may argue this is pandering. I disagree. The idea of a nudist colony being a haven for criminals goes back at least to A Shot in the Dark. This was a comedy featuring Peter Sellers as Inspector Clouseau. "The Cat and the Bat" functions with an undercurrent of seriousness. As such, Maguire indicates with Babs' succession of expressions that stripping is a difficult decision but one she's willing to make if it nets her Catwoman.

The character is given dignity in musculature. Maguire draws Babs' shoulders as very powerful. Her arms are sculpted and rounded not sticks. Batgirl's nude back is sensual but also strong.

Had Kevin Maguire not been chosen to illustrate Batman Confidential, I would not have likely given the book a second thought. Only a handful of artists could have overcome my contempt for DC's treatment of Barbara Gordon. I cannot judge whether or not Fabian Nicieza's story was worth the artwork, but I can say that the artwork was worth at least three times the price of the issue, and I look forward to the next.

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