One thing these adaptations could touch more on that made Catwoman compelling to me, is that her complex as a loner comes largely from her history of being on her own, living on the streets from childhood and needing to fight to survive. Obviously since these adaptions are meant for all ages they don’t need to touch the Year One aspect of her origin in being a prostitute.
The Year One is itself a specific origin story for Catwoman, so it shouldn't be seen as her definitive backstory which explains why she's a professional catburglar with a fascination with stealing stuff from other people.
It’s interesting how they found ways around that prostitute/dominatrix Catwoman in stuff like The Batman movie by making her a bar tender for The Penguin or Returns by making her a secretary for Shreck .
@@michealmahmoud6391 She wasn't a prostitute in her original Golden Age iteration, why should she be one in any of her expanded incarnations across media?
With her origin as an orphaned street girl I'm surprised we've never gotten an adaptation of Catwoman that has her and Red Hood/Jason Todd team up since the two of them have a lot in common as a former street kids living on their own to survive, I feel like the two of them would be an interesting duo, not in a relationship or anything like that, but more like friends who understand each others struggles.
@@milkiassamuel780 Jason is too much of a loose cannon, what with him being DC's Punisher, going around and killing criminals. Selina would never work with him unless she had a very personal vendetta towards someone who harmed a person very dear to her.
Classic Catwoman always came off to me as looking like a circus big cat tamer, which goes in line with her old habit of using tigers, lions, cheetahs and other big cats for her crimes.
11:42 This is one the reasons why I consider Matt Reeves' The Batman the best take on Selina. Not only she had interesting backstory but also her dynamic with Batman isn't there just to please the shippers. It plays a role in both characters development, with Selina having a role in Bruce's arc, about becoming more empathetic and understand that not all criminals are pure and deserve punishment, some are just people trying to survive in a city ruled by corruption, while Batman, after preventing Selina from killing Falcone, inspire her to help him in the final fight against Riddler's henchmen. They both brought the best in each other and help themselves grow into better persons, which makes the fact they can never be together more tragic.
@@dlaimer That ending, alongside Mask of the Phanstasm, perfectly sums up Batman as this tragic figure, whose dedication to be a hero gives him the strenght to move on but always prevents him from finding happiness with the person he loves.
@@alexandrefrauches132 agreed, I think it was a perfect balance of thief and a survivor. It feels so close to the comics and TAS/04 cartoon Selina, and what type of Catwoman she could grow into. She was someone who could be a protector of the strays of Gotham and a foil for Batman. But Bruce knows in order to be what Gotham needs, he must sacrifice his own happiness
@@michealmahmoud6391 With the sucess of the Penguin TV show, I could easly see Selina having her own spin-off film, probably taking inspiration from Ed Brubaker run, with her becoming the protector of her streets, but willing to do morally questionable to stuff to keep those close to her safe.
Honestly, I’m kind of astonished by the Catwoman in the orange jumpsuit. She’s clearly wasting her talents on petty burglary when she’s clearly a genius level engineer, if she’s able to build cars, submarines, rocket ships, and freaking missiles with giant animatronic, cat faces and paws on it. Look, I love Catwoman as a seductive thief with a heart of gold underneath her selfish tendencies, but I would not be against seeing a version of Catwoman that leans into that genius inventor side
My definitive Catwoman will always be the Arkham games Catwoman voiced by Grey DeLisle. No other actor has nailed Catwoman's personality like she did. It also helps that her design is the Darwyn Cooke design, which for me will always be the most iconic Catwoman design.
It's a small detail but I really like how in TNBA the civilian design model for Selina Kyle, when she had a more comic accurate hairstyle, wore the black and grey colour scheme for her regular clothes as a nod to that. Kinda fits her civilian clothes more.
@@monobro141 I think TNBA was a huge improvement, mixing Classic comic Selina (short black hair, etc) with the color scheme of TNBA. It feels more in touch with her character
I like Catwoman cause she pushes Batman's morality in a way that's different from the other villains. She can sometimes have a noble cause backing her crimes, but unlike someone like Poison Ivy, its not getting anyone killed and it's usually taking from someone who can easily afford the loss. Although I do find how the BTAS version became simpler in the New series disappointing. It'd be nice to get some step forward for her character rather than a step back. Little surprised no mention of the versions of her showing up in animated movies, Year One, Hush, the Catwoman short and Hunted coming to mind.
Kind of reminds me of Caped Crusader's take on Harley Quinn. Detaching her from the Joker and focusing heavily on her role as a psychiatrist who was so disgusted by the pettiness of the wealthy elites that she humilated them in her own psychotic episode. There are definitely elements we see as criminal because of the way we view the law, but when you add elements like that, especially in a city as corrupt as Gotham, it kind of forces you to take a second, deeper look at the character. I know Serum said "She's just a thief", but given almost every other villain in Gotham has some deep tragic backstory or "one bad day" or is all show and fanfare, the fact that Silena is just a regular thief ironically makes her stand out even more. Maybe her theft IS in a funny way justified by the nature of Gotham being so corrupt and downtrodden. If they have to rely on a costumed billionaire in a bat outfit to solve most of thier crimes, then is a woman wearing a cat suit stealing things for a living really that farfetched? The rhetorical nature of her character is interesting.
I think my favorite live action version of Selina is her Gotham adaption. Her being young but also can switch on the dime with having different views was interesting. Animated wise it's hard but I do like the The Batman version. I really love her Arkham games incarnation and her costume is just chief's kiss.
Same. I also like how Gotham had Selina and Bruce knowing each other since they were kids, a plot point that recently was brought to comics like Batman dark age and the current Absolute Batman
@@alexandrefrauches132 Not to mention seeing Selina as an orphan who was jaded and street smart but having a younger Bruce have her be vulnerable and at ease. Bruce got to be able to have fun and be something other than the rich orphan with Catwoman. It was interesting to see their growth without the cowls and identity and how they grow with each other
@@michealmahmoud6391 Yeah, plus the fact Bruce got to know Selina and seeing how she lived probably influence his empathy for people, making him realize that not all criminals are irredimable monsters. Too bad in the final episode, they never show Bruce out of costume, keeping him in the shadows. It would be pretty cool if, in his final interaction with Selina, he revealed his face to her, letting her see the man he became.
Many of Batman's most personal rivals all try to change Batman: whereas Joker wants to free Batman from his moral code (as he too wants to change Gotham), and Riddler wan wants to eliminate brute force from a Gotham where the innocent are constantly beaten down, and Penguin wants to buy off Batman to prove anyone can be bought, Catwoman wants to prove to Batman that Gotham isn't worth saving and should take what you can from it before it takes everything from you. In the end it is Catwoman who realizes despite all her riches she's alone and it is Bruce that encourages Selina to value others and it results in close allies such as her Cat Isis, Street Urchin Holly Robinson, Fencer Lola McIntyre, Personal Assistant Maven, Cousin Katrina Falcone aka Cathawk, and even a Daughter Helena She even turns from being a selfish thief into an animal rights activist/warrior and destroyer of human slave operations (usually Street urchins and sex workers).
My fav catwomen is Btas.. BUT i like the outfit of the batman's catwomen. Of note with The batman's catwomen.. shes the ONLY hero batman NEVER captured and set to jail, she ALWAYS got away in the end.
The 2000’s The Batman had a great catwoman honestly I loved every episode she’s in. Her design is fantastic as well like it has sm detail that goes so well. I love how their first encounter is catwoman wanting Batman to find her so they can “play” and taking his belt made for funny moments.
The 2004 version of the Batman's Catwoman is okay, but they could have adjusted the ears. They could have made the ears a little bit smaller and less bat like. I thought that she was a bat or part Chihuahua
It sucks so much that Catwoman has never been adapted properly despite being around for 82 years. She isn't a rich, greedy socialite who does it for the thrill. She was born to an immigrant family in intense poverty with an abusive, alcoholic father who drank himself to death and a mother who ended up committing suicide. She was orphaned, separated from her younger sister Maggie and sent to a state home where she was abused, eventually escaping and surviving on the streets alone. She was forced into prostitution despite being underage just to survive. When Batman appeared, she was inspired and ended up creating her own costumed persona, becoming a burglar to get enough money for her and her friends, other child prostitutes like Holly Robinson, to survive. She's a 'Robin Hood' type character, stealing from the rich and giving to the poor, protecting the sex workers of Gotham from abuse. Any time she's appearing as a socialite it's in order to case a heist, not because she is one or wants to be one. She also has an even stricter rule against killing than Batman does. Batman has infamously killed a bunch of people despite his no kill rule. The only notable kill Catwoman has in comics across her history is Black Mask, who killed her sister Maggie's husband and fed Maggie his eyes, driving her to insanity - it's why stuff like her trying to kill Falcone in The Batman, her actually killing Bane in The Dark Knight Rises or ultra murderer Burton Batman trying to lecture her on not killing in Batman Returns doesn't work. The only adaptations to get the character of Catwoman right are the animations Catwoman Hunted and DC Showcase Catwoman, everything else adapts her downright horribly. There are a myriad of reasons for this - 1) Her backstory is incredibly dark and not child friendly at all, meaning no adaptation has ever even touched it. 2) She's largely appears in Batman adaptations excluding the two aforementioned Catwoman animations - this means none of her supporting case or villains ever get to show up and she's reduced to a love interest for Batman and someone for him to 'save'. 3) Tying into that last point, a lot of Catwoman stories have her all over the world doing various heists and adventures, but all the Batman adaptations have to be set in Gotham so these stories can't be told, such as her being kidnapped by the US Government and suicide-squadded to do shady shit for them, only for her to claw her own neck open and rip the bomb out with her claws because she wasn't going to do their busywork, or her stealing a film script on an island that's a massive Jurassic Park parody, or her getting engaged to a South American dictator with the whole thing ending with everyone apart from Selina shot to death due to mob wars and stuff. She's only written in adaptations by Batman writers who just see her as a trophy for Batman and not a character in her own right. Additionally, even the Golden Age version of the character has been massively disrespected on-screen. In the Golden Age, her backstory was that she was groomed and married to a rich guy at age like 18 and then divorced him because he abused her, becoming a thief to basically stick it to him and make her own living. The Catwoman which all the adaptations draw inspiration from was the version that existed from the late 60s to the very early 70s, about 5 or so years of the character's existence where she was just this generic thief villain because the comics code banned morally grey characters. Basically, adapt Catwoman properly DC and stop gaslighting everyone into accepting your shitty adaptations. Actually get Catwoman writers to write Catwoman instead of Batwank loving misogynists. Also actually adapt her iconic Purple suit design for once, please.
The classic purple and green costume is cat-like in that it has cat ears and a collar. Her whip was also originally a cat O'nine tails (sp?). Green and purple are common colors for villains, especially in DC. Joker, Brainiac, Lex Luthor, Mongul, and more follow that or a similar color scheme. The idea is that heroes wear "pure" primary colors, while villains wear "mixed" or "muddled" secondary colors.
Any version of Catwoman is the best! And no matter what version of Catwoman is there in the DC Universe, she'll always be the best Anti Hero who has feelings for Batman despite getting into conflicts with him! Also her cat, Isis is so adorable!🤩😍💎😺💜🖤
Catwoman is not that simple, certainly her motivations are not the most tragic or complex but there's a solid reason why she is like that, more times than not Selina is usually portrayed as an orphan, poor and having to survive in the streets of Gotham since she was a little girl, having a life like that forges the character and personality that Catwoman usually has, when you have been surviving on your own your entire life you don't usually have time for charity or helping others, only time for your own benefit and survival, even so, Catwoman is still not completely evil and sometimes has a bit of humanity in herself. It is true that her motivations are not as complicated as others, but the reason behind her motives is not that simple.
I always idolized Catwoman as a child until adulthood I have a similar love for cats and a kleptomaniac past and through her I took up whip cracking the rush I understood the temptation of wealth and things I wanted. To be sexy and confident I understood her and I love her we have similar flaws and strengths before you ask I haven't stolen a thing in years
My god same here! I came from A rather poor family so I became pretty much a thief from a young age I'm better now with a husband who loves and supports me but I still love Catwoman Bonus points for making me realize I was Bisexual haha
I like the idea that Selena starts out with the dress and cat mask, then after meeting batman ditches the dress and goes for the catsuit as though Selena is taking her thievery more seriously
My favourite Catwoman is the one in DC Showcase: Catwoman. In this, she is shown as an extremely competent and very bold person, chasing after a human trafficker on a motorcycle she stole with a wink and a "Hey." Her motivation is to rescue someone dear to her, and it's sweet to see her not just as a thief. And yes, she also uses her sex appeal to get what she wants. It's part of her arsenal after all.
BtAS is my favorite in both visual and personality style (at least until she just went back to being a generic thief). Sorry, I always liked her becoming more of a hero despite her history.
I consider Catwoman to be one of the few characters' whose "The Batman" Design really holds up- it still *would* be overdesigned if brought 1-to-1 into another series, but in that show's art style, I think it lands really well, and would be happy to see other shows' take on that costume, adapting it to their own art styles. I certainly like it more as a masked/all-black outfit than the NBA design, which always felt faceless and bland to me. I feel like The Batman's red and yellow accents really make that design *pop* , which is important in a mostly-black character design (plus translating those same colors to her civilian outfit is just a neat way to make the character recognizeable to the audience at a glance), and as far as ways to make her design look catlike while still feeling like a practical costume for catburglary, I'm a big fan of the cat ears motif.
Love Catwoman, though not for any deep reasons. I had a toy of her along with the rest of the cast of Btas and Beyond. First piece of media i saw her in was indeed Btas, Cat Scratch Fever, then Batman Returns. I always like her Purple colors when i learned of them. Batman was supposed to wear black but the ink was Blue, so then they started calling it his Blue cap and cowl. So Catwoman wore Purple as an inversion of Blue. But really she qas just wear what every single villian wore back then. Joker Riddler, Purple and Green. Even Penguin wore purple in his outfit. Her all black costume in TNBA seemed to be based on the Comic Heroine Miss or Black Furry. Miss Furry was the first Super Heroine to be written and drawn by a woman June Tarpe Mills, and she predated Wonder Woman by a few years. She wore a black leopard skin that gave her magical powers of agility, and she would occasionally wear a read capen unlike Catwoman' green.
I think DC Superhero Girls (2nd half), Harley Quinn and The Batman (04) Catwoman are my favorites and what I think of when I think of Catwoman I don’t feel like BTAS Selina never captured or interested me even growing up tbh, I think I liked her better as I grew older but I think other takes captured who Selina is and should be for me
When you get to Harley Quinn three things the first about her show I think the crew has stated that it’s a lot of the characters are mostly how Harley interprets them in her mind for some characters that makes sense the second for her debut in the Batman. I think Paul just wanted to do something different with her origin which for the characters creator is a valid reason. And last for justice league action, the main episode with Harley. Titled hardly goes ape written by Paul Deney himself mostly has Harley Team up with Stargirl and Superman against gorilla grad mostly because he’s using Titano because she nursed him back at star labs before she went to work in Arkham
My hottest take is that TNBA's design is sooooo good. the silhouette is great and the contrast amazingly. and short black hair just feels right for selina idk why
While my favorite Catwoman in animation is 2004 The Batman version(althogh my favorite adaptation overall is Zoe Kravitz from The Batman 2022) I give some credit to Caped Crusader: It's one the few modern shows where Catwoman is portrayed as main villain. In previous adaptations, her episodes always had a second antagonist (ex: Red Claw, the Ventriloquist & Scarface) and Selina and Batman always team up to stop him, making Selina come off as anti-hero/secondary antagonist.
I feel like the 04 cartoon and Zoe Kravitz Catwoman were my favorite hands down but I am interested in seeing how the Caped Crusader Catwoman grows and evolves over time
That’s a good observation that I glossed over - BTAS Catwoman wasn’t the main villain in her stories until TNBA. Even in Batgirl Returns, after she went on the run, Daggett was the actual villain.
@@michealmahmoud6391 Seen how Caped Crusader Selina took inspirations from Batman and how next season he will most likely begin to work with others (like Gordon and Barbara), I think she could follow a similar path, creating her own gang of thieves (maybe even meeting Holy Robinson, her sidekick from the comics). Also, since Bruce Timm is clear a fan of the 70's/80's Batman comics (as proven by BTAS episodes like "The Laughting Fish" and "The Strange Secret of Bruce Wayne"), he could adapt Len Wein run, in which Selina tries to reform and begin to do business with Wayne Enterprise, resulting in her and Bruce beginning a relationship. In the show this could fit with Batman's arc about becoming more and compassinate and empathetic . In this case he could begin to use his company to help criminals to reform and offer them a second chance. Selina could be the one to put this idea to test, with Bruce having doubts but choosing to not reject Selina so he can keep an eye on her and see if her intentions are truth. Much like in the comics, he and Selina could become close, adding more drama to the situation, with Bruce dealing with the fact he has feelings to a criminal while Selina is now in conflict about continue her reformed life or going back to be a criminal, betraying the trust of Bruce.
@@SerumLake TNBA didn't use Selina as main villain either. With exception of "You scratch my back", she was still an anti hero who help Batman against Catman and his cult. I feel this is all a case of the writers being put on corner: They can't have Selina being pure evil, since would prevent them from having her doomed romance with Batman, but they can't also have her be a full on hero since Selina is an iconic female fatale (or in this case a feline fatale).
i like cat woman, beacuse if the threat and saddness of every villian is running at 11 than alot of burn out from that so a cat woman less crazy story is good breath of air
When you mentioned Catwoman's old purple and green colored costume, it hit me, something I've been thinking about for a long time. I never found any official reasoning behind this, but- I think the idea has legs. There's a lot of heroes that wear read and blue. There's a lot of villains who wear green and purple. I think it has something to do with art rules of-the-time, and visual readability. Catwoman was probably purple and green because that's just how things were done, back then. Joker, purple and green. (Marvel)Sandman, purple and green. Green Goblin, purple and green. Penguin, not a lot of green, but definitely purple thanks to Burgess Meridith. Magneto, purple-y red? I think artists just needed a good contrast of 1 or 2 colors and those were what usually fit. And if you're doing a Harley Quinn episode, I hope you look into the Telltale Batman games. She's my favorite version of Harley Quinn. She puts that psych degree to WORK and is a mastermind for her own gang, getting the likes of Bane, Freeze, and Riddler to work FOR her. Despite her origins, I think she's at her best and most interesting, the further away she is from Joker.
Catwoman. She is my favorite chaarcter and top 5 rogues of Batman. She is a lady who is a simple theif nothing more. She is my favorite because I feel she deserves redemption and she and Bruce are similar. Both are rich socialites but while Batman wants to protect Catwoman wants to steal. Also she is my favorite anti heroes in fiction and I love how she's has motivations that are understandable but she is still a bad guy. She is the reason why she is human to Bruce and unlike Barbara Gordon she's a better love interest in my opinion. We stan her!
The Batman version is definitely the best in my opinion. She may not be tragic but you do not bloody need a sob story to be a fun villain. And FYI The Batman version also loves the thrill of the chase. Please explore the animated versions of Riddlet after Quinn.
@@tayojones9460 agreed, she was a great Catwoman/Selina. I feel like I could also watch the origin and how they get more in depth with this Selina as well
we never really get much of catwomans backstory other than she was left to fend for herself in some regard. that being said, she can be viewed as bruce wayne with no proper parental figure like alfred. with her constant motive of stealing "just because" makes me think of kids who do the same. if they can steal and get away with it without real consequences, why not? she usually lives in a somewhat wealthy lifestyle, but to spoiled people like her, it isnt enough. bruce was unfortunate to be traumatized by the death of his parents, while catwoman never seems attached with them almost never being mentioned. i feel like catwoman is the bruce wayne gone wrong if bruce had despised his parents (for one reason or another) and the lack of love and guidance of alfred, maybe he wouldve grown a resentment towards gotham instead a need to protect it.
i think that most people forget one thing about catwoman: she's an olympia-level athlete and could easily make a career on that. also she's quite smart in most versions. always able to get away somehow.
You know what I said about Helena Wayne being Batman Beyond and replace that awful Epilogue as well I wonder would Bruce go through the same problem John Stewart knowing he will have a son with Hawkgirl and he figures that Selina is the mother not Diana, well I thought of the 2004 Batman series where maybe she is hinted at in the episode Artefacts where Alfred could have a throw away line saying “that Master Bruce hasn’t been the same since his divorce with Selina and took their daughter with her or maybe she is part of that them scientist that help Batman and Nightwing take down Mr Freeze. I could also say the same for the Burton movies and the aftermath of the Dark knight rises as if Christian Bale was the DCEU Batman maybe she could be replace the motive to fight Superman and that awful script for the Justice League movie sequel which is worst than Superman Returns where superman has a illegitimate son.
Catwoman is one of my favourites, mainly because I identify with her independence and strong will. It is hard to take all of the more modern Catwoman aspects and fit them into a 22 minute time slot. I have been collecting the series that started in ‘93 in the midst of Knightfall, and her character is far more interesting than any animated short has space for. Her depiction in movies like Batman: Hush are also more meaty. You do raise a valid point in that Catwoman needs more to her in animated shorts. The mould needs breaking and redesigning and a firm direction that stays the course. If she was a hero with sticky fingers, a Batman sidekick he rescued but she still needs to let go of her kleptomania, or she returns to being a full villain with no redeeming qualities and no real attraction to Batman, these would all be interesting takes.
My favorite desing of Catwoman has to be the one from "The Batman". I just really love the outfit with the cat hears with the glasses and tail, she really looks like a cat in that one and i love it.
I like the idea of Catwoman being an animal rights activist. I think in an episode of BTAS, she tried to steal stuffed mounts of the Great Auk, Dodo and Thylacine.
On the Harley front, she did pop up in Gods & Monsters (Bruce Timm again) during one of the shorts that was saved from Machima's collapse. That Harley took after Joker more which makes Cape Crusader take the opposite end of the scale and the original smack in the middle which is neat honestly.
I think my favorite one is the Harley Quinn show’s characterization of someone who just knows what makes her happy in life and just lives it with enough confidence and charisma to stay on everyone’s good side despite all of the betrayals. Its a simple characterization but a very enjoyable one
I'm probably gonna get hate but here it goes While Catwoman is my favorite Batman girlfriend having her just be a thief is so damn BORING it's like ok I've seen this before what makes her so special It's like how Sandman and Electro (I know they're from Marvel but just hear me out)were originally just "made of sand" and "shoots elctricity" But then adaptations like Tasm and Spectacular Spider-man actually touch on how relistically being Electro sucks as your body constantly emits lights and electricity and Spiderman 3 touched on how some don't choose to be villains And that's how I fell about Catwoman on how she gets more interesting later on Long Halloween animated films is MY FAVORITE version of her because she's fun cares for others still likes money but isn't to Mr Krabs levels or is her only character trait Like she can be a bit of a rule braker but PLEASE make her interesting
I know is because of the main target audience but for me catwoman shouldn't even be considered a villain, to me she is an antihero who used to be originated a villain in the past. Almost every movie makes her an interesting character who is morally grey, but at the end would chose to help batman. This is the sort of character development i like about her. So besides btas and 2004 batman i find all her animated version unengaging. Btas and 2004 had the potential to develope her character and the relationship with bruce but they never do or they just undevelop her. As it comes to the character i stilo have yet to see one animated show that presents the way movies do and games do.
Great video, SerumLake. However, if I may disagree with you on something about Catwoman, I personally do see Catwoman as tragic. To me, she represents what if Bruce Wayne was born female and poor and with awful parents. Being poor in a place like Gotham, if she followed the laws and rules, she'd be dead. That's why she has such a cynical attitude and justifies thievery, as it is what she could depend upon and improved and literally saved her life. However, she still cares about others and sometimes helps people, it's just filtered through all her amoral deeds and trauma.
Ive always kindof wished that a series would spend more time delving into her kleptomania. Its THE reason she gets sent to Arkham like the other villains. She IS compelled to steal, yet is otherwise at least a decent, if not good person.
I enjoyed the Telltale version of Catwoman/Selina; though I watched a bunch of BTAS growing up, a lot of the more recent adaptations have her as a solid love interest... that is also a thief, and I quite like that dynamic. She also plays an interesting role in the creation of Two-Face.
I feel like I enjoyed The Batman version of Catwoman for two fun moments. One is when she steals his belt to use his drone as a way to complete a heist she botched earlier, and spends an afternoon tinkering with it trying to get it to work... not realising that she's causing all the rest of his tech to go haywire, because it's also linked to the belt. The other is when she takes Bruce Wayne on a date to ask him about the precious gem he acquired thanks to the episode's happenings, asking where he might have it stored away. He's a billionaire, after all... Only to find out he already sold it for charity.
As you haven't talked about them - that I am aware of - I presume the various Batman video games are not in your wheelhouse of media. I have recently been going on a bit of a binge for the Batman games - mostly the Arkham Asylum games, but also Telltale's Batman game, and I have found there are some interesting ideas there for the villains as well.
Good video. Just out of curiosity, is it my imagination, or was this the first time you had a substantial mention of the Harley Quinn animated series?...
My favorite Catwoman is the Gotham By Gaslight version. She seems to be a First Wave Feminist and stage Actress. The first version of the character, so far as I know, who isn't a criminal. In fact, Batman has to save her a few times because she tries to apprehend a Serial Killer by herself.
Good thing the versions of Catwoman from Batman Ninja and Catwoman: Hunted didn't make it in the video! Those were such flavorless and cheap renditions of the charater!
0:47: A little more changes, and we may have gotten a proto-Malatesta from one of Dirty Pair's early anime episodes. Green doesn't suit Catwoman, but I gotta admit, that first cartoon appearance nails the catsuit look otherwise. 1:05: I don't know, the cartoon may have just wanted to have a different look, the same way The Batman 2004 and The Brave and the Bold didn't completely replicate the DCAU Catwoman looks. Credit where New Adventures is due, the Catwoman suit is at least... decent compared to Halle Berry's. However, she's better off only having a Catmobile. The rest is way beyond her limitations. 1:53: I expect negative side effects on the fabric as time passes. Such technology is too perfect to not have a flaw that utterly undoes its fad progress. Gotta love the B:TAS look, and blonde Selina Kyle is underrated, even if it's a hair dye thing. 3:56: The loophole is at the word "and". 4:19: Being a do-gooder is hard, hard work, but being a smooth criminal... is cake!!! That aside, that's what interests me about the DCAU Catwoman. She starts out quite the sympathetic gal, but over time, just like Mr. Freeze, Clayface, and Harley Quinn, those soft spots started to wane... good thing she didn't become Terry McGinnis' experimental mother though, according to past Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker sequel plans that later became JLU's "Epilogue". 4:21: ...Not all, I assume. 4:38: I would have preferred luscious long hair. Think Dirty Pair's Yuri, shorter length versions for Cardcaptor Sakura's Tomoyo Daidouji and Madoka Magica's Homura Akemi, Revue Starlight's Hikari Kagura, and yes, the original B:TAS concept art for her. I don't think the TNBA look is wearing face paint, for it just suddenly appears when she starts wearing the mask... apparently, it's just an aesthetic choice for the audience's benefit. 5:31: A contrast to that Batman's small "ears" on his cowl. 6:12: Nah, she would have lost her "Karma Houdini" status of getting away from being caught and put on bars if she met the Justice League. That's how GOOD she is at what she does, unlike her DCAU counterpart who probably had her last ever heist in the "Chase Me" short film. 8:57: Except for animals (bonus if non-cats are included, though dogs may be an aversion at first), kids (orphans especially, in case she was one too), and sometimes fellow "women of the night", so to enhance her Robin Hood appeal if anything. Now that's a Catwoman I would like to see get well adapted. 9:39: Won't be long before she wears something close to the Darwyn Cooke look, complete with lack of impractical cape and high heels. Overdesigned shouldn't be The Batman 2004, believe me. TBatB and CC fit that bill more with the aforementioned cape and high heels. Heh, how long is the Harley vid going to be?
Aesthetically I prefer the Harley Quinn Catwoman the most. She is also the most of catlike in her attitudes. Writing wise a think Selina based on year one would fit caped crusader much more. They could add a Holly character for her to protect and since it's an adult show they could make their case piece denouncing pdfs and pimps.
As I've gotten older I find Selina less interesting. I don't think every villain needs to be a tragic figure; I just want them to be fun, and Selina just isn't doing that for me anymore. I think The Batman 2004 has the one that I like the most these days
One thing these adaptations could touch more on that made Catwoman compelling to me, is that her complex as a loner comes largely from her history of being on her own, living on the streets from childhood and needing to fight to survive. Obviously since these adaptions are meant for all ages they don’t need to touch the Year One aspect of her origin in being a prostitute.
The Year One is itself a specific origin story for Catwoman, so it shouldn't be seen as her definitive backstory which explains why she's a professional catburglar with a fascination with stealing stuff from other people.
It’s interesting how they found ways around that prostitute/dominatrix Catwoman in stuff like The Batman movie by making her a bar tender for The Penguin or Returns by making her a secretary for Shreck .
@@michealmahmoud6391 She wasn't a prostitute in her original Golden Age iteration, why should she be one in any of her expanded incarnations across media?
With her origin as an orphaned street girl I'm surprised we've never gotten an adaptation of Catwoman that has her and Red Hood/Jason Todd team up since the two of them have a lot in common as a former street kids living on their own to survive, I feel like the two of them would be an interesting duo, not in a relationship or anything like that, but more like friends who understand each others struggles.
@@milkiassamuel780 Jason is too much of a loose cannon, what with him being DC's Punisher, going around and killing criminals. Selina would never work with him unless she had a very personal vendetta towards someone who harmed a person very dear to her.
Classic Catwoman always came off to me as looking like a circus big cat tamer, which goes in line with her old habit of using tigers, lions, cheetahs and other big cats for her crimes.
11:42 This is one the reasons why I consider Matt Reeves' The Batman the best take on Selina. Not only she had interesting backstory but also her dynamic with Batman isn't there just to please the shippers. It plays a role in both characters development, with Selina having a role in Bruce's arc, about becoming more empathetic and understand that not all criminals are pure and deserve punishment, some are just people trying to survive in a city ruled by corruption, while Batman, after preventing Selina from killing Falcone, inspire her to help him in the final fight against Riddler's henchmen. They both brought the best in each other and help themselves grow into better persons, which makes the fact they can never be together more tragic.
The movie even ends on that note, with Bats losing sight of her in his rear view mirror.
@@dlaimer That ending, alongside Mask of the Phanstasm, perfectly sums up Batman as this tragic figure, whose dedication to be a hero gives him the strenght to move on but always prevents him from finding happiness with the person he loves.
@@alexandrefrauches132 agreed, I think it was a perfect balance of thief and a survivor. It feels so close to the comics and TAS/04 cartoon Selina, and what type of Catwoman she could grow into. She was someone who could be a protector of the strays of Gotham and a foil for Batman.
But Bruce knows in order to be what Gotham needs, he must sacrifice his own happiness
@@michealmahmoud6391 With the sucess of the Penguin TV show, I could easly see Selina having her own spin-off film, probably taking inspiration from Ed Brubaker run, with her becoming the protector of her streets, but willing to do morally questionable to stuff to keep those close to her safe.
@@alexandrefrauches132 Although, "The Dark Knight Rises" went in the opposite direction with their relationship in the end.
Honestly, I’m kind of astonished by the Catwoman in the orange jumpsuit. She’s clearly wasting her talents on petty burglary when she’s clearly a genius level engineer, if she’s able to build cars, submarines, rocket ships, and freaking missiles with giant animatronic, cat faces and paws on it.
Look, I love Catwoman as a seductive thief with a heart of gold underneath her selfish tendencies, but I would not be against seeing a version of Catwoman that leans into that genius inventor side
It's the "i don't want to cure cancer, wanna turn people into dinosaurs" principle all over again
In many versions of Catwoman, the money earned form her ill-gotten gains is a bonus prize to the adrenaline rush she gets from thievery.
My definitive Catwoman will always be the Arkham games Catwoman voiced by Grey DeLisle. No other actor has nailed Catwoman's personality like she did. It also helps that her design is the Darwyn Cooke design, which for me will always be the most iconic Catwoman design.
She’s in my top 5 favorite Catwoman tbh
@@The_Phantasm I think Arkham Catwoman had some of the best lines tbh
Grey delise is the best verison
It's a small detail but I really like how in TNBA the civilian design model for Selina Kyle, when she had a more comic accurate hairstyle, wore the black and grey colour scheme for her regular clothes as a nod to that. Kinda fits her civilian clothes more.
Nice point made
I prefer the BTAS looks dispite not being a fan of the characterization but that's fine of others like it though to me it's a downgrade
@@monobro141 I think TNBA was a huge improvement, mixing Classic comic Selina (short black hair, etc) with the color scheme of TNBA. It feels more in touch with her character
I like Catwoman cause she pushes Batman's morality in a way that's different from the other villains. She can sometimes have a noble cause backing her crimes, but unlike someone like Poison Ivy, its not getting anyone killed and it's usually taking from someone who can easily afford the loss. Although I do find how the BTAS version became simpler in the New series disappointing. It'd be nice to get some step forward for her character rather than a step back. Little surprised no mention of the versions of her showing up in animated movies, Year One, Hush, the Catwoman short and Hunted coming to mind.
@@Aladelicous I need to watch Catwoman Hunted
Kind of reminds me of Caped Crusader's take on Harley Quinn. Detaching her from the Joker and focusing heavily on her role as a psychiatrist who was so disgusted by the pettiness of the wealthy elites that she humilated them in her own psychotic episode. There are definitely elements we see as criminal because of the way we view the law, but when you add elements like that, especially in a city as corrupt as Gotham, it kind of forces you to take a second, deeper look at the character. I know Serum said "She's just a thief", but given almost every other villain in Gotham has some deep tragic backstory or "one bad day" or is all show and fanfare, the fact that Silena is just a regular thief ironically makes her stand out even more. Maybe her theft IS in a funny way justified by the nature of Gotham being so corrupt and downtrodden. If they have to rely on a costumed billionaire in a bat outfit to solve most of thier crimes, then is a woman wearing a cat suit stealing things for a living really that farfetched? The rhetorical nature of her character is interesting.
I think my favorite live action version of Selina is her Gotham adaption. Her being young but also can switch on the dime with having different views was interesting.
Animated wise it's hard but I do like the The Batman version.
I really love her Arkham games incarnation and her costume is just chief's kiss.
Agreed
Same. I also like how Gotham had Selina and Bruce knowing each other since they were kids, a plot point that recently was brought to comics like Batman dark age and the current Absolute Batman
@@alexandrefrauches132 Not to mention seeing Selina as an orphan who was jaded and street smart but having a younger Bruce have her be vulnerable and at ease. Bruce got to be able to have fun and be something other than the rich orphan with Catwoman. It was interesting to see their growth without the cowls and identity and how they grow with each other
@@michealmahmoud6391 Yeah, plus the fact Bruce got to know Selina and seeing how she lived probably influence his empathy for people, making him realize that not all criminals are irredimable monsters.
Too bad in the final episode, they never show Bruce out of costume, keeping him in the shadows. It would be pretty cool if, in his final interaction with Selina, he revealed his face to her, letting her see the man he became.
Chefs Kiss?
Do They Really?
I love how a lot of modern batman villains feel like someone psycoanalysed golden age sillyness but catwoman is always just like that
Many of Batman's most personal rivals all try to change Batman: whereas Joker wants to free Batman from his moral code (as he too wants to change Gotham), and Riddler wan wants to eliminate brute force from a Gotham where the innocent are constantly beaten down, and Penguin wants to buy off Batman to prove anyone can be bought, Catwoman wants to prove to Batman that Gotham isn't worth saving and should take what you can from it before it takes everything from you. In the end it is Catwoman who realizes despite all her riches she's alone and it is Bruce that encourages Selina to value others and it results in close allies such as her Cat Isis, Street Urchin Holly Robinson, Fencer Lola McIntyre, Personal Assistant Maven, Cousin Katrina Falcone aka Cathawk, and even a Daughter Helena She even turns from being a selfish thief into an animal rights activist/warrior and destroyer of human slave operations (usually Street urchins and sex workers).
My fav catwomen is Btas.. BUT i like the outfit of the batman's catwomen.
Of note with The batman's catwomen.. shes the ONLY hero batman NEVER captured and set to jail, she ALWAYS got away in the end.
The 2000’s The Batman had a great catwoman honestly I loved every episode she’s in. Her design is fantastic as well like it has sm detail that goes so well. I love how their first encounter is catwoman wanting Batman to find her so they can “play” and taking his belt made for funny moments.
Gina Gershon was perfect casting.
Honestly she was my preferred take of Catwoman in terms of looks and personality, she was what defined Catwoman for me.
The 2004 version of the Batman's Catwoman is okay, but they could have adjusted the ears. They could have made the ears a little bit smaller and less bat like. I thought that she was a bat or part Chihuahua
@@seeleunit2000 The ears were inspired by Tim Sale's Catwoman design from the Long Halloween.
The 2004 costume is my favorite. Red and black mixture with golden eyes.
It sucks so much that Catwoman has never been adapted properly despite being around for 82 years. She isn't a rich, greedy socialite who does it for the thrill. She was born to an immigrant family in intense poverty with an abusive, alcoholic father who drank himself to death and a mother who ended up committing suicide. She was orphaned, separated from her younger sister Maggie and sent to a state home where she was abused, eventually escaping and surviving on the streets alone. She was forced into prostitution despite being underage just to survive. When Batman appeared, she was inspired and ended up creating her own costumed persona, becoming a burglar to get enough money for her and her friends, other child prostitutes like Holly Robinson, to survive. She's a 'Robin Hood' type character, stealing from the rich and giving to the poor, protecting the sex workers of Gotham from abuse. Any time she's appearing as a socialite it's in order to case a heist, not because she is one or wants to be one.
She also has an even stricter rule against killing than Batman does. Batman has infamously killed a bunch of people despite his no kill rule. The only notable kill Catwoman has in comics across her history is Black Mask, who killed her sister Maggie's husband and fed Maggie his eyes, driving her to insanity - it's why stuff like her trying to kill Falcone in The Batman, her actually killing Bane in The Dark Knight Rises or ultra murderer Burton Batman trying to lecture her on not killing in Batman Returns doesn't work.
The only adaptations to get the character of Catwoman right are the animations Catwoman Hunted and DC Showcase Catwoman, everything else adapts her downright horribly. There are a myriad of reasons for this - 1) Her backstory is incredibly dark and not child friendly at all, meaning no adaptation has ever even touched it. 2) She's largely appears in Batman adaptations excluding the two aforementioned Catwoman animations - this means none of her supporting case or villains ever get to show up and she's reduced to a love interest for Batman and someone for him to 'save'. 3) Tying into that last point, a lot of Catwoman stories have her all over the world doing various heists and adventures, but all the Batman adaptations have to be set in Gotham so these stories can't be told, such as her being kidnapped by the US Government and suicide-squadded to do shady shit for them, only for her to claw her own neck open and rip the bomb out with her claws because she wasn't going to do their busywork, or her stealing a film script on an island that's a massive Jurassic Park parody, or her getting engaged to a South American dictator with the whole thing ending with everyone apart from Selina shot to death due to mob wars and stuff.
She's only written in adaptations by Batman writers who just see her as a trophy for Batman and not a character in her own right. Additionally, even the Golden Age version of the character has been massively disrespected on-screen. In the Golden Age, her backstory was that she was groomed and married to a rich guy at age like 18 and then divorced him because he abused her, becoming a thief to basically stick it to him and make her own living. The Catwoman which all the adaptations draw inspiration from was the version that existed from the late 60s to the very early 70s, about 5 or so years of the character's existence where she was just this generic thief villain because the comics code banned morally grey characters.
Basically, adapt Catwoman properly DC and stop gaslighting everyone into accepting your shitty adaptations. Actually get Catwoman writers to write Catwoman instead of Batwank loving misogynists. Also actually adapt her iconic Purple suit design for once, please.
The classic purple and green costume is cat-like in that it has cat ears and a collar. Her whip was also originally a cat O'nine tails (sp?). Green and purple are common colors for villains, especially in DC. Joker, Brainiac, Lex Luthor, Mongul, and more follow that or a similar color scheme. The idea is that heroes wear "pure" primary colors, while villains wear "mixed" or "muddled" secondary colors.
@@seanewing204 I think that was a point that was glossed over in this video
Don't forget Riddler.
@@Compucles Don't know how I didn't mention him. Absolutely right!
Any version of Catwoman is the best! And no matter what version of Catwoman is there in the DC Universe, she'll always be the best Anti Hero who has feelings for Batman despite getting into conflicts with him! Also her cat, Isis is so adorable!🤩😍💎😺💜🖤
Catwoman is not that simple, certainly her motivations are not the most tragic or complex but there's a solid reason why she is like that, more times than not Selina is usually portrayed as an orphan, poor and having to survive in the streets of Gotham since she was a little girl, having a life like that forges the character and personality that Catwoman usually has, when you have been surviving on your own your entire life you don't usually have time for charity or helping others, only time for your own benefit and survival, even so, Catwoman is still not completely evil and sometimes has a bit of humanity in herself. It is true that her motivations are not as complicated as others, but the reason behind her motives is not that simple.
I really like that you keep mentioning The Brave And The Bold, even if only in passing. My friends and I grew up with that show. :)
I always idolized Catwoman as a child until adulthood I have a similar love for cats and a kleptomaniac past and through her I took up whip cracking the rush I understood the temptation of wealth and things I wanted. To be sexy and confident I understood her and I love her we have similar flaws and strengths before you ask I haven't stolen a thing in years
My god same here! I came from A rather poor family so I became pretty much a thief from a young age
I'm better now with a husband who loves and supports me but I still love Catwoman
Bonus points for making me realize I was Bisexual haha
@veryannoyedrn omg same here lol except Im single with 2 cats
I like the idea that Selena starts out with the dress and cat mask, then after meeting batman ditches the dress and goes for the catsuit as though Selena is taking her thievery more seriously
3:13 You can say that's the most involvement Tim Burton ever had on Batman TAS.
My favourite Catwoman is the one in DC Showcase: Catwoman.
In this, she is shown as an extremely competent and very bold person, chasing after a human trafficker on a motorcycle she stole with a wink and a "Hey." Her motivation is to rescue someone dear to her, and it's sweet to see her not just as a thief. And yes, she also uses her sex appeal to get what she wants. It's part of her arsenal after all.
BtAS is my favorite in both visual and personality style (at least until she just went back to being a generic thief). Sorry, I always liked her becoming more of a hero despite her history.
I consider Catwoman to be one of the few characters' whose "The Batman" Design really holds up- it still *would* be overdesigned if brought 1-to-1 into another series, but in that show's art style, I think it lands really well, and would be happy to see other shows' take on that costume, adapting it to their own art styles. I certainly like it more as a masked/all-black outfit than the NBA design, which always felt faceless and bland to me. I feel like The Batman's red and yellow accents really make that design *pop* , which is important in a mostly-black character design (plus translating those same colors to her civilian outfit is just a neat way to make the character recognizeable to the audience at a glance), and as far as ways to make her design look catlike while still feeling like a practical costume for catburglary, I'm a big fan of the cat ears motif.
Love Catwoman, though not for any deep reasons. I had a toy of her along with the rest of the cast of Btas and Beyond. First piece of media i saw her in was indeed Btas, Cat Scratch Fever, then Batman Returns. I always like her Purple colors when i learned of them. Batman was supposed to wear black but the ink was Blue, so then they started calling it his Blue cap and cowl. So Catwoman wore Purple as an inversion of Blue. But really she qas just wear what every single villian wore back then. Joker Riddler, Purple and Green. Even Penguin wore purple in his outfit.
Her all black costume in TNBA seemed to be based on the Comic Heroine Miss or Black Furry. Miss Furry was the first Super Heroine to be written and drawn by a woman June Tarpe Mills, and she predated Wonder Woman by a few years. She wore a black leopard skin that gave her magical powers of agility, and she would occasionally wear a read capen unlike Catwoman' green.
I think DC Superhero Girls (2nd half), Harley Quinn and The Batman (04) Catwoman are my favorites and what I think of when I think of Catwoman
I don’t feel like BTAS Selina never captured or interested me even growing up tbh, I think I liked her better as I grew older but I think other takes captured who Selina is and should be for me
Glad to see you cover multiple shows in a vid for a change
When you get to Harley Quinn three things the first about her show I think the crew has stated that it’s a lot of the characters are mostly how Harley interprets them in her mind for some characters that makes sense the second for her debut in the Batman. I think Paul just wanted to do something different with her origin which for the characters creator is a valid reason. And last for justice league action, the main episode with Harley. Titled hardly goes ape written by Paul Deney himself mostly has Harley Team up with Stargirl and Superman against gorilla grad mostly because he’s using Titano because she nursed him back at star labs before she went to work in Arkham
My hottest take is that TNBA's design is sooooo good. the silhouette is great and the contrast amazingly. and short black hair just feels right for selina idk why
I don't particularly like her caped crusader iteration, I prefer her as the “good-hearted antihero thief” rather than as a straight up villain.
1:25
i love how this is set up
just a 1 second pause between the speaking and the catmobile's wierd-looking movement
Alright, great idea. Hope you do a Poison Ivy video eventually.
While my favorite Catwoman in animation is 2004 The Batman version(althogh my favorite adaptation overall is Zoe Kravitz from The Batman 2022) I give some credit to Caped Crusader: It's one the few modern shows where Catwoman is portrayed as main villain. In previous adaptations, her episodes always had a second antagonist (ex: Red Claw, the Ventriloquist & Scarface) and Selina and Batman always team up to stop him, making Selina come off as anti-hero/secondary antagonist.
I feel like the 04 cartoon and Zoe Kravitz Catwoman were my favorite hands down but I am interested in seeing how the Caped Crusader Catwoman grows and evolves over time
That’s a good observation that I glossed over - BTAS Catwoman wasn’t the main villain in her stories until TNBA. Even in Batgirl Returns, after she went on the run, Daggett was the actual villain.
@@michealmahmoud6391 Seen how Caped Crusader Selina took inspirations from Batman and how next season he will most likely begin to work with others (like Gordon and Barbara), I think she could follow a similar path, creating her own gang of thieves (maybe even meeting Holy Robinson, her sidekick from the comics).
Also, since Bruce Timm is clear a fan of the 70's/80's Batman comics (as proven by BTAS episodes like "The Laughting Fish" and "The Strange Secret of Bruce Wayne"), he could adapt Len Wein run, in which Selina tries to reform and begin to do business with Wayne Enterprise, resulting in her and Bruce beginning a relationship.
In the show this could fit with Batman's arc about becoming more and compassinate and empathetic . In this case he could begin to use his company to help criminals to reform and offer them a second chance. Selina could be the one to put this idea to test, with Bruce having doubts but choosing to not reject Selina so he can keep an eye on her and see if her intentions are truth. Much like in the comics, he and Selina could become close, adding more drama to the situation, with Bruce dealing with the fact he has feelings to a criminal while Selina is now in conflict about continue her reformed life or going back to be a criminal, betraying the trust of Bruce.
@@SerumLake TNBA didn't use Selina as main villain either. With exception of "You scratch my back", she was still an anti hero who help Batman against Catman and his cult.
I feel this is all a case of the writers being put on corner: They can't have Selina being pure evil, since would prevent them from having her doomed romance with Batman, but they can't also have her be a full on hero since Selina is an iconic female fatale (or in this case a feline fatale).
i like cat woman, beacuse if the threat and saddness of every villian is running at 11 than alot of burn out from that
so a cat woman less crazy story is good breath of air
When you mentioned Catwoman's old purple and green colored costume, it hit me, something I've been thinking about for a long time. I never found any official reasoning behind this, but- I think the idea has legs. There's a lot of heroes that wear read and blue. There's a lot of villains who wear green and purple. I think it has something to do with art rules of-the-time, and visual readability. Catwoman was probably purple and green because that's just how things were done, back then. Joker, purple and green. (Marvel)Sandman, purple and green. Green Goblin, purple and green. Penguin, not a lot of green, but definitely purple thanks to Burgess Meridith. Magneto, purple-y red? I think artists just needed a good contrast of 1 or 2 colors and those were what usually fit.
And if you're doing a Harley Quinn episode, I hope you look into the Telltale Batman games. She's my favorite version of Harley Quinn. She puts that psych degree to WORK and is a mastermind for her own gang, getting the likes of Bane, Freeze, and Riddler to work FOR her. Despite her origins, I think she's at her best and most interesting, the further away she is from Joker.
Catwoman. She is my favorite chaarcter and top 5 rogues of Batman. She is a lady who is a simple theif nothing more. She is my favorite because I feel she deserves redemption and she and Bruce are similar. Both are rich socialites but while Batman wants to protect Catwoman wants to steal. Also she is my favorite anti heroes in fiction and I love how she's has motivations that are understandable but she is still a bad guy. She is the reason why she is human to Bruce and unlike Barbara Gordon she's a better love interest in my opinion. We stan her!
The Batman version is definitely the best in my opinion. She may not be tragic but you do not bloody need a sob story to be a fun villain. And FYI The Batman version also loves the thrill of the chase.
Please explore the animated versions of Riddlet after Quinn.
@@tayojones9460 agreed, she was a great Catwoman/Selina. I feel like I could also watch the origin and how they get more in depth with this Selina as well
The Brave and the Bold can be serious and dark stories when it want to
we never really get much of catwomans backstory other than she was left to fend for herself in some regard. that being said, she can be viewed as bruce wayne with no proper parental figure like alfred. with her constant motive of stealing "just because" makes me think of kids who do the same. if they can steal and get away with it without real consequences, why not? she usually lives in a somewhat wealthy lifestyle, but to spoiled people like her, it isnt enough. bruce was unfortunate to be traumatized by the death of his parents, while catwoman never seems attached with them almost never being mentioned. i feel like catwoman is the bruce wayne gone wrong if bruce had despised his parents (for one reason or another) and the lack of love and guidance of alfred, maybe he wouldve grown a resentment towards gotham instead a need to protect it.
i think that most people forget one thing about catwoman: she's an olympia-level athlete and could easily make a career on that. also she's quite smart in most versions. always able to get away somehow.
I would love to see the scarecrow next
DC SUPER HERO GIRLS MENTION LETS FUCKING GOOOO
Loved the second DC Super Hero Girls Catwoman, she is so amazing!
@michealmahmoud6391 YESS SHE IS
@@yamyams8147 Yesssss!!! Man every time she showed up on screen, my eyes were GLUED!!
lol i love the way you say "The Batman."
About brave and the bold there is an episode that’s revealed to be a story written by Alfred does show Batman marrying Catwoman
Catwoman is amazing in most adaptation
0:00 Ivy looks tramatized and Two-Face just looks depressed
You know what I said about Helena Wayne being Batman Beyond and replace that awful Epilogue as well I wonder would Bruce go through the same problem John Stewart knowing he will have a son with Hawkgirl and he figures that Selina is the mother not Diana, well I thought of the 2004 Batman series where maybe she is hinted at in the episode Artefacts where Alfred could have a throw away line saying “that Master Bruce hasn’t been the same since his divorce with Selina and took their daughter with her or maybe she is part of that them scientist that help Batman and Nightwing take down Mr Freeze.
I could also say the same for the Burton movies and the aftermath of the Dark knight rises as if Christian Bale was the DCEU Batman maybe she could be replace the motive to fight Superman and that awful script for the Justice League movie sequel which is worst than Superman Returns where superman has a illegitimate son.
Catwoman is one of my favourites, mainly because I identify with her independence and strong will. It is hard to take all of the more modern Catwoman aspects and fit them into a 22 minute time slot. I have been collecting the series that started in ‘93 in the midst of Knightfall, and her character is far more interesting than any animated short has space for. Her depiction in movies like Batman: Hush are also more meaty.
You do raise a valid point in that Catwoman needs more to her in animated shorts. The mould needs breaking and redesigning and a firm direction that stays the course. If she was a hero with sticky fingers, a Batman sidekick he rescued but she still needs to let go of her kleptomania, or she returns to being a full villain with no redeeming qualities and no real attraction to Batman, these would all be interesting takes.
Not gonna lie, Btas, B&B, SHG. HQS and CS are alltime fave Catwomen! They're alluring and very comedic when they wanna be!❤️😘
My favorite desing of Catwoman has to be the one from "The Batman". I just really love the outfit with the cat hears with the glasses and tail, she really looks like a cat in that one and i love it.
Yeah, the Harley Quinn Show portrayed all of the Characters as caricatures of themselves.
I like the idea of Catwoman being an animal rights activist. I think in an episode of BTAS, she tried to steal stuffed mounts of the Great Auk, Dodo and Thylacine.
On the Harley front, she did pop up in Gods & Monsters (Bruce Timm again) during one of the shorts that was saved from Machima's collapse. That Harley took after Joker more which makes Cape Crusader take the opposite end of the scale and the original smack in the middle which is neat honestly.
I liked the TNBA in story explanation that she found out her hair coloring had been animal tested, so that I why she was no longer blonde.
I think my favorite one is the Harley Quinn show’s characterization of someone who just knows what makes her happy in life and just lives it with enough confidence and charisma to stay on everyone’s good side despite all of the betrayals. Its a simple characterization but a very enjoyable one
The New Adventures of Batman Catman orange outfit kind of reminds me of Catman
I'm probably gonna get hate but here it goes
While Catwoman is my favorite Batman girlfriend having her just be a thief is so damn BORING it's like
ok I've seen this before what makes her so special
It's like how Sandman and Electro (I know they're from Marvel but just hear me out)were originally just "made of sand" and "shoots elctricity"
But then adaptations like Tasm and Spectacular Spider-man actually touch on how relistically being Electro sucks as your body constantly emits lights and electricity
and Spiderman 3 touched on how some don't choose to be villains
And that's how I fell about Catwoman on how she gets more interesting later on
Long Halloween animated films is MY FAVORITE version of her because
she's fun
cares for others
still likes money but isn't to Mr Krabs levels or is her only character trait
Like she can be a bit of a rule braker but PLEASE make her interesting
7:56 THANK YOU!! It never did deserve all the hat...ok maybe a little bit at times😂
Green Arrow: "...wait, are you two flirting? You are! You're flirting! Flirterers!"
In Teen Titans Go, Selina apparently owns a kitty litter company as evidenced by a couple background gags.
4:50 Oh so this is where that Version of Her from Lego Batman 2 came from
0:18 except Beware the Batman where her role was taken up by Magpie
I know is because of the main target audience but for me catwoman shouldn't even be considered a villain, to me she is an antihero who used to be originated a villain in the past. Almost every movie makes her an interesting character who is morally grey, but at the end would chose to help batman. This is the sort of character development i like about her. So besides btas and 2004 batman i find all her animated version unengaging. Btas and 2004 had the potential to develope her character and the relationship with bruce but they never do or they just undevelop her. As it comes to the character i stilo have yet to see one animated show that presents the way movies do and games do.
Great video, SerumLake. However, if I may disagree with you on something about Catwoman, I personally do see Catwoman as tragic. To me, she represents what if Bruce Wayne was born female and poor and with awful parents. Being poor in a place like Gotham, if she followed the laws and rules, she'd be dead. That's why she has such a cynical attitude and justifies thievery, as it is what she could depend upon and improved and literally saved her life. However, she still cares about others and sometimes helps people, it's just filtered through all her amoral deeds and trauma.
Ive always kindof wished that a series would spend more time delving into her kleptomania. Its THE reason she gets sent to Arkham like the other villains. She IS compelled to steal, yet is otherwise at least a decent, if not good person.
Really loved caped crusader maybe my top 3 Batman shows.
I enjoyed the Telltale version of Catwoman/Selina; though I watched a bunch of BTAS growing up, a lot of the more recent adaptations have her as a solid love interest... that is also a thief, and I quite like that dynamic. She also plays an interesting role in the creation of Two-Face.
Catwoman's color scheme from the 1977 cartoon is basically the same as Catman's costume from the comics.
Alfred always thought she would make a great mrs.wayne.
watched this while I folded my laundry
7:54 now that's a kicker to the teeth LMFAO
as a Teen Titans og kid, i see Go as a blasphemy against its source, but these days it's more neutral.
I absolutely ADORE her purple dress and green cape look!!! It may not look like a cat but damm is it pretty!!!!
You should do videos like this of the New DC animated series creature commandos
0:01- There reaction to Joker how he kidnapped Robin and tortured him and Jokerized him...
I feel like I enjoyed The Batman version of Catwoman for two fun moments.
One is when she steals his belt to use his drone as a way to complete a heist she botched earlier, and spends an afternoon tinkering with it trying to get it to work... not realising that she's causing all the rest of his tech to go haywire, because it's also linked to the belt.
The other is when she takes Bruce Wayne on a date to ask him about the precious gem he acquired thanks to the episode's happenings, asking where he might have it stored away. He's a billionaire, after all... Only to find out he already sold it for charity.
As you haven't talked about them - that I am aware of - I presume the various Batman video games are not in your wheelhouse of media. I have recently been going on a bit of a binge for the Batman games - mostly the Arkham Asylum games, but also Telltale's Batman game, and I have found there are some interesting ideas there for the villains as well.
The 1992 animated Catwoman is my favorite of all of Selina's costumes. 🐈⬛
Good video. Just out of curiosity, is it my imagination, or was this the first time you had a substantial mention of the Harley Quinn animated series?...
Second time, I talked about that show quite a bit in last week’s Clayface comparison video
She’s literally a cat burglar.
Caped Crusader's Catwoman felt a lot like Killer Moth to me.
hard to nail which version of Catwoman is my favorite, but I do have a soft spot for the purple dress look Brave and the Bold and Caped Crusader had
My favorite Catwoman is the Gotham By Gaslight version. She seems to be a First Wave Feminist and stage Actress. The first version of the character, so far as I know, who isn't a criminal. In fact, Batman has to save her a few times because she tries to apprehend a Serial Killer by herself.
Blonde BtaS Catwoman is my favorite as well. I also liked how her outfit looks like a Siamese cat.
Good thing the versions of Catwoman from Batman Ninja and Catwoman: Hunted didn't make it in the video! Those were such flavorless and cheap renditions of the charater!
0:47: A little more changes, and we may have gotten a proto-Malatesta from one of Dirty Pair's early anime episodes.
Green doesn't suit Catwoman, but I gotta admit, that first cartoon appearance nails the catsuit look otherwise.
1:05: I don't know, the cartoon may have just wanted to have a different look, the same way The Batman 2004 and The Brave and the Bold didn't completely replicate the DCAU Catwoman looks.
Credit where New Adventures is due, the Catwoman suit is at least... decent compared to Halle Berry's.
However, she's better off only having a Catmobile. The rest is way beyond her limitations.
1:53: I expect negative side effects on the fabric as time passes. Such technology is too perfect to not have a flaw that utterly undoes its fad progress.
Gotta love the B:TAS look, and blonde Selina Kyle is underrated, even if it's a hair dye thing.
3:56: The loophole is at the word "and".
4:19: Being a do-gooder is hard, hard work, but being a smooth criminal... is cake!!!
That aside, that's what interests me about the DCAU Catwoman. She starts out quite the sympathetic gal, but over time, just like Mr. Freeze, Clayface, and Harley Quinn, those soft spots started to wane... good thing she didn't become Terry McGinnis' experimental mother though, according to past Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker sequel plans that later became JLU's "Epilogue".
4:21: ...Not all, I assume.
4:38: I would have preferred luscious long hair. Think Dirty Pair's Yuri, shorter length versions for Cardcaptor Sakura's Tomoyo Daidouji and Madoka Magica's Homura Akemi, Revue Starlight's Hikari Kagura, and yes, the original B:TAS concept art for her.
I don't think the TNBA look is wearing face paint, for it just suddenly appears when she starts wearing the mask... apparently, it's just an aesthetic choice for the audience's benefit.
5:31: A contrast to that Batman's small "ears" on his cowl.
6:12: Nah, she would have lost her "Karma Houdini" status of getting away from being caught and put on bars if she met the Justice League. That's how GOOD she is at what she does, unlike her DCAU counterpart who probably had her last ever heist in the "Chase Me" short film.
8:57: Except for animals (bonus if non-cats are included, though dogs may be an aversion at first), kids (orphans especially, in case she was one too), and sometimes fellow "women of the night", so to enhance her Robin Hood appeal if anything. Now that's a Catwoman I would like to see get well adapted.
9:39: Won't be long before she wears something close to the Darwyn Cooke look, complete with lack of impractical cape and high heels.
Overdesigned shouldn't be The Batman 2004, believe me. TBatB and CC fit that bill more with the aforementioned cape and high heels.
Heh, how long is the Harley vid going to be?
_...she's a jewel thief...gemstones...diamonds and such..._ 💍💎...
I always liked The Batman Catwoman outfit. Don’t know why I like that she wraps her whip around your waist for a tail. It’s fun.
I loved her in Caped Crusader
7:59 Unexpected
I liked it at first as a kid
but Now its too ridiculous that i like TT series more
Aesthetically I prefer the Harley Quinn Catwoman the most. She is also the most of catlike in her attitudes. Writing wise a think Selina based on year one would fit caped crusader much more. They could add a Holly character for her to protect and since it's an adult show they could make their case piece denouncing pdfs and pimps.
7:48 not gonna lie but she dose look cute in that show
I had never seen it, had to pause the video and roll back because I wanted to see her design for more than half a second. It's really good!
Idk if the Teen Titans Go thing was a joke or not.
What happened to her in batman beyond
Yes, indeed she's a thief,... but a Hot thief.
As I've gotten older I find Selina less interesting. I don't think every villain needs to be a tragic figure; I just want them to be fun, and Selina just isn't doing that for me anymore. I think The Batman 2004 has the one that I like the most these days
This is one of the occasions where BtAS Catwoman wasn’t the best. She actually spent more time as a damsel in distress in the animated series.
You missed an opportunity not calling it the submeowrine.
At least Julie Newmar's Catwoman was nice to look at,even if she was a thief.
….Is it weird that I want to hear you talk more about Teen Titans Go???
Is it me or that the Batman version of cat woman looks more like a bat than Batman
She may be a theif but she definitely stolen our hearts 😍