Future State: Catwoman #2 Review

Written By: Ram V

Art By: Otto Schmidt

Letters By: Tom Napolitano

Cover Price: $3.99

Release Date: February 16, 2021

In Future State: Catwoman #2, Catwoman and Onomatopoeia have run out of breathing room (figuratively and literally) in their fight through the train, and Talia claims the big prize for herself. Just when it appears the Magistrate has everything under control, the "dead" rise to save the day.

It's a daring escape. It's aspirational heroes at their best. It's Future State.

Was It Good?

Yes, it's very good. Ram V shows off impressive writing with a thrilling train heist from start to finish. The art from Otto Schmidt is slick. And the overall pace keeps you hooked all the way through to the satisfying "he had it coming" finale.

What's It About?

[SPOILERS AHEAD]

Cheshire Cat has her hands full with Magistrate guards while she sets up remote explosives near the train's electrical substation. Catwoman's plan to steal the train is in full effect, and they need the power outage to divert the prisoner cars.

Back on the train, Catwoman and Onomatopoeia are taking their lumps working through the gauntlet of guards on their way to the train's main control car. Overcome with bumps and bruises, Catwoman briefly passes out and has a dream about Bruce's funeral. Eventually, Onomatopoeia slaps her awake so they can find a way to get out of their car.

Talia and the now-free Bruce get to the security car first and work to slow the train and unlock the doors so they can jump to freedom. We learn Talia is working with the resistance and her presence on the train to get Bruce is completely coincidental to Selina's heist. While Talia works the security controls, Bruce sees that Selina is on the train and trapped in one of the cars.

Back to Catwoman, she's stuck in a car where the Magistrate is pumping in knockout gas. She has a rebreather, but it won't last long and Magistrate reinforcements are on their way. She uses the little power she has left in her suit to create a magnetic pulse in her hand (claw?) to blow the car's lock and continue the fight. Unfortunately, the overwhelming numbers prove too much and Catwoman is captured.

Before the Magistrate captain can execute her, Bruce arrives in a classic "nick of time" moment to take out the guards and the captain. When Bruce and Selina are reunited, it's clear she didn't know Bruce was still alive, so their reunion is more heartfelt than anticipated.

With time running out as the train approaches the tunnel, Bruce makes the hard decision to go with Talia and the Resistance to keep Selina and the children safe as they head in the opposite direction.

We end with another nice little bit of classic Batman mythos when the Magistrate reinforcements show up to the disabled train to find the captain in handcuffs with the words "Batman Lives!" spray-painted above his head.

Classic train heist + classic Batman heroics + great art = geat comics

Bits and Pieces:

Future State: Catwoman #2 is one of the best entries in the Future State collection by taking the best of comics storytelling and pushing it far enough into the future to feel fresh without sacrificing what makes the heroes (and villains) familiar. The art is action-packed and tight, and the story keeps you hooked from cover to cover.

9.5/10