CATWOMAN'S NEW MAN: WILL PFEIFER ON CATWOMAN

[MattBrady]

by Benjamin Ong Pang Kean

Following Scott Morse’s three-part story in Catwoman #38-#40, Will Pfeifer jumps on board as the new Catwoman writer beginning with issue #43 (issues #41 and #42 are written by Matteo Casali, with art by Brad Walker and Jimmy Palmiotti). DC Comics has confirmed for Newsarama that Pfeifer will be joined by penciler Pete Woods on the title.

Sure, the name’s familiar, but for the writer, comics aren’t (yet) his full time gig. Pfeifer is assistant features editor for the Rockford Register Star newspaper. He got his first break in the comic book industry when he collaborated with artist Jill (Scary Godmother, Death: At Death’s Door) Thompson on Vertigo’s Finals.

Prior to getting this gig, Pfeifer’s written HERO and Aquaman for DC. “Though I naturally wish HERO had attracted enough readers to avoid getting the axe, I’m glad I had enough notice that the book was ending to actually write a story that brought all the loose ends together and brought the whole story full circle,” Pfeifer said. “It was a blast to write, and it was my first long-term assignment in comics where I feel like I was able to create my own world within the DCU and really put my stamp on a super-hero project. There were other stories I wanted to tell – we had one planned out to coincide with the election that would’ve had a political candidate find the H-device – but as a whole, I’m pretty proud of the 22 issues that we did put together.”

And what’s it like passing the baton to new Aquaman writer John Arcudi? “I didn’t really hand the baton off to John so much as I stopped writing the book and he started. I haven’t spoken to him about Aquaman, but having read his other stuff - especially Major Bummer, I know Arthur, Lorena and the citizens of Sub Diego are in good hands. That’s the thing with writing a super-hero book – sometimes, the editors see a need for a change and people get shifted around. I had a lot of fun on the eight issues I did, and think we set up some intriguing story possibilities with the sinking of San Diego. I’m as eager to see what John and Patrick do with the book now as the readers.”

On Catwoman, he said he was approached by editor Matt Idelson at the Wizard World convention last summer. “I had gone there knowing that my run on Aquaman was coming to an end, and that HERO wasn't going to be long for this world. I was hoping to at least line up the possibility of something else with DC, but Matt just asked me to step behind the giant DC booth for a second and asked me how I'd like to do Catwoman. Needless to say, I was pretty damn happy about it. We batted around some ideas over lunch, discussed my take on the character, and we were off and running.”

Pfeifer said he’s been reading former writer Ed Brubaker’s take on Catwoman and has a great respect for Brubaker’s stories and characterization of Selina Kyle. “I've been reading Ed's Catwoman since the first issue, and I'm a huge fan of it. I think it combines the elements all comics should have – smart storylines, compelling characters, a sense of mystery and excitement and just enough off-the-wall touches to make the story seem both real and unreal at the same time. I especially like his take on Selina - it proves you don't have to be a big-boobed heroine in some sprayed on outfit to be sexy. I'd argue she's one of the sexiest female characters around, both because she's one of the smartest and one of the most human. This is a woman we can believe is real, and that's why her experiences connect with readers.”

But inquiring minds want to know - will Pfeifer be following in the same, or at least a similar tone as Brubaker’s? Will he be keeping the supporting characters like Slam Bradley and Holly around? Or will he be introducing new ones? “The tone will be similar, at least for the time being,” he said. “I think Catwoman works the best as an adventure book with some film noir touches thrown in here and there. As an over-the-top super-hero book, it's not really playing to its strengths. Selina and the characters she hangs around with - except for the guy in the bat suit - are more down-to-Earth and, for lack of a better term, normal, than the rest of the DC Universe. In some ways, I want to continue the tone I used in HERO - people trying to live normal lives in a very abnormal place. Naturally, there will be all sorts of reasons Selina can't/won't live a "normal" life - otherwise, the book would get a little tedious: "Page one, panel one: Selina sits in her cubicle at her data processing job, trying to remember if she put a cover sheet on her TPS report. Page one, panel two: Selina makes a cup of coffee..."

“Much, but not all, of the supporting cast will be sticking around. Selina's connection to Gotham's East End - and to people like Holly in particular - are a big part of what defines her as a character for me. Removing those elements from her life would change things pretty drastically, and for no good reason. That's not saying I won't be turning her entire life upside down now and then...”

He has also read the plot for Scott Morse's three-parter and found that it was a lot of fun. “Selina fighting a crazy new villain, going up against some other bad guys, couple of other characters getting involved. It won't have a huge impact on what I'm going to be writing, but that story will be part of her history now, and I might acknowledge it now and then.”

However, in the aftermath of “War Games,” Pfeifer said he’s looking forward to putting his personal stamp on Selina Kyle and Catwoman. “Right now, Selina is different things to different people. To the cops, she's definitely a criminal, and her relationship with them is going to be a whole lot less cozy. She has a few allies within the police department, but most of the cops are looking to bring her in or shoot her on sight just for the notch on their belt. It's a dangerous time to be Catwoman, and that's just how she likes it. That's not a huge change for Selina - she's never been entirely comfortable on the right side of the law, and she knows how to avoid capture better than just about anyone. To the people of the East End - especially the poor, the downtrodden and the victimized - she's a hero, and their protector. That's what defines her to me. She doesn't have much respect for " the law," seeing how it can be abused and misused by those in power - but she's a "good" person - putting her life on the line for others and stealing from those who can afford (and usually deserve) the loss. So, to finally answer the question, I see her as a criminal, a hero and the protector of the East End. How's that for noncommittal?

Costume-wise, “For the time being at least, she stays in that great Darwyn Cooke-designed outfit. I think it’s damn near perfect. It’s practical - unlike most super-hero costumes, it looks like something you might actually wear if you were out fighting/committing crime, it’s sexy and it doesn’t really look like anything else out there. Plus, how can you not like those goggles and the little cat ears on the hood?”

While he went for a non-traditional approach in HERO, devastated San Diego and created Sub-Diego in Aquaman, what kind of stories is he looking to tell in Catwoman? Is he looking forward to shake things a little in the series? “You bet. In the first issue of my run, Selina finds the HERO dial and gets cat-based super-powers. In the second issue, a cataclysm knocks Gotham City into the ocean. And in the third issue...

“Seriously, I'm not looking to shake things up yet, or change anything just for change's sake. I want to keep things exciting, put the characters through their paces and keep the readers coming back for more. I'll be putting my own personal stamp on the book for sure, but at this moment I don't have any huge, earth-shaking events planned that will ‘forever change things as we know them!!!’”

Case in point, Pfeifer’s first arc: “Word spreads among the criminal community that the only thing protecting the East End is one, non-super powered woman, and everyone who wants to carve out their claim comes a runnin'. And I'm not talking about your run of the mill gangster/mugger/tough guy crooks. I'm talking about the ones with a little something extra. The ones with the powers.”

As for the Dark Knight, “I’m sure the man in the Bat suit will stop by eventually. She and he have one of the most complex – and one of the longest – relationships in comics history, and to me they make a much better match than anyone else. They complement each other – they’re not exactly alike, but they have similar interests - dark costumes, hanging out on rooftops at night, trying not to get arrested or killed…, but Selina is actually much less intense than Batman in my opinion. She’s had a tough life, and she’s not innocent or naïve by any means, but I think she is optimistic. She believes she can make a difference in the East End, and she enjoys her work for the most part. For Batman, she’s like an oasis of sanity in his crazy world. If his parents hadn’t been killed and he had still become a super-hero, though I doubt he would’ve, he might’ve been a lot more like Selina.”

Other than Catwoman, Pfeifer is also providing the dialogue for Blood of the Demon with John Byrne providing the story and the pencils. “So far, it’s been a lot of fun. Every couple of weeks or so, I get a Fed Ex package with an issues’ worth of pencils and John’s brief plot descriptions for each page. Then I sit down with both of those items, a pencil, and figure out what everyone is saying. It’s going to be a fun series – lots of action, fast-paced plots, big-name guest stars, twist endings, you name it. I’ve been reading John Byrne comics since the glory days of the X-Men and Fantastic Four, and it’s pretty exciting to actually be working with him now.

“The other project I’m working on right now is a three-part story for Legends of the Dark Knight. It’s about a low-level, would-be costumed criminal who was stopped by Batman before his criminal career could ever get started. That throws his entire life out of whack, and years later, he decides to get revenge on Batman himself. It’s more of a character study than anything else, but it also explores how Batman is viewed by both Gotham and the criminals he faces - this takes place in a pre-‘War Games’ world, by the way. The art is being handled by Chris Weston, and it’s unbelievable. Every couple of days a new page shows up in my e-mail, and I just stare in awe at it for a few minutes. He manages to include tons of detail, but still keep everything clean and well-designed. It’s really something. I’m not sure when these books will hit the stands – I don’t think it’s been scheduled yet – but the fans are in for a real treat when they do.”

Rounding up, since he’s now working on Catwoman, who’s his favorite Catwoman from the small and big screens then? Julie Newmar, Eartha Kitt, Lee Meriwether, Michelle Pfeiffer or Halle Berry? “Gotta go with Julie Newmar. I've been digging her since I was a little kid and thought Batman was a serious TV show.”

Editor's note: It was earlier implied that Pfeifer begins on the series with #41, however, issues #41 and #42 are written by Matteo Casali, with art by Brad Walker and Jimmy Palmiotti.

[Kevenn]

This looks and sounds GREAT!!! Pete Woods' art here is amazing!!! His art just keeps getting better and better with each new book! I really enjoyed Pfeifer's run on Aquaman, and it sounds like his run on Catwoman is going to rock. He also gets huge bonus points for having so much respect for what comes before. I'm very excited for this new era on the book!

[rockieman]

I'm going to be cautious with this title. I liked HERO, but I loved Ed's take on CW. I'm going to wait for some reviews to come in before coming on board.

As for the art...I really wish they hired Pete Woods at #25 instead of Gulacy/Palmiotti. The pencil samples provided look pretty good.

[Bakema NL]

Hmmm, I like Paul Gulacy. But these preview pages look great too.

[tomwe]

that art looks fantastic!!!! i love it. the current artist never seemed right, especially coming after the Darwyn Cooke inspired runs by Stewart and co, but pete woods seems an excellent fit. count me (back) in

[Heroic Images]

Psssst! Hey, Catwoman fans! Don't get too worked up over this article. Will Pfeifer is one of the best new writers out there, and his ideas sound grand. I'm sure he'll bring something new & unexpected to the book, and even closet Catwoman fans will be coming back to find out what all the fuss is about. You'll be telling your friends, buying up extra copies to support your new favorite comic...

And then DC will unceremoniously rip Pfeifer off the book after his first story arch. Without so much as a hint before his last issue ships, mind you.

Don't say you weren't warned...

Davey

P.S. -- I'm a huge DC fan, but can you tell I'm still pissed about this?

[CATMAN3]

It's cool to have Pete Woods back on a Batman family title.
I dropped the book right before the War Games crossover but I'm gonna pick it up again for Pfeifer & Woods run.

[chap22]

i'm a very late-comer to catwoman. i've always loved selina as a character but just never wanted to read about her monthly exploits. until i finally got my girlfriend to start reading comics with me. and she asked why i don't have more comics that she might like and appreciate (y'know, comics with actual girls in them as something other than a hostage). so i started buying wonder woman. and birds of prey (although i was gonna get that anyway once gail started). and then recently catwoman. and i have fallen in love. just in time for ed to leave. but...
while i have never read a word from will pfeiffer, his ideas and takes here sound like they will mesh perfectly with the book i have come to love. and i love pete woods' art. i have always had an appreciation of gulacy, but his stuff just didn't seem to "fit" selina's current world. pete's stuff does, and i am now anxiously awaiting this creative team.

[Posco]

That all sounds very good. I admit that I know Pfeiffer only from Finals (which was interesting) but he seems to have the right take on the book. And Pete woods art will be a plus about Gulacy who was not right for the kind of stories Brubaker told (besides that it was not his strongest art). I will still miss Brubaker, he had a great run. Not only good stories but also a nice number of consecutive issues on one title which has become more and more rare. It was a nearly perfect storyline by Brubaker (nearly because his "catpeople" story was weak). Hopefully the new team will manage as well as he did.

Christian

[Ras Al Ghul]

I liked Pfeifer's HERO and followed it all the way to its end . . . but I'm not sure if I'm interested in his Catwoman. It's partly that I have no interest in the character. I'll wait for solicitations to make up my mind, but it's good to see he's getting more work.

[Jason Seaver]

Well, looks like I'm sticking with Catwoman - Pfeifer looks to have a handle on the character, and with any luck, I'll be able to recognize the supporting characters again now that Gulacy's gone.

AQUAMAN reached the bottom the ocean under Pfeifer. The silly Sub Diego stories coupled with the return to the awful retro look drove readers away in hordes despite the push and all the marketing tricks! AQUAMAN is now selling even worse than "The Thirst" arc!!! I just hope he is much better on CATWOMAN!

[TopJack]

Huge shoes to fill here.

Brubaker's "Catwoman" was one of if not the best comic books published for the past three years. It's a shame more people didn't pick it up because the storytelling was terrific, the plot actually moved and Brubaker was able to do what so many other writers have such a challenge attempting: coralling a vital, engaging supporting cast that enhances the title character.

Pfeiffer seems to respect this recent history and his reputation is strong. Hoping for the best.

[Ed Brubaker]

Well, I'm a big fan of Will's, and am very glad he's the new regular writer. I'll actually continue reading the book now, and that's a very good feeling.

Plus he promised not to kill my favorite character.

[Kolimar]

Looking good and sounding even better (at least in this article).

[FIG]

Awesome artwork, wow.

[Johnny Bacardi]

Hm. Great-looking art samples, and a pretty good writer with Wil Pfiefer. Looks like I just might have to re-add Catwoman, which I dropped one issue into Gulacy's tenure. Nothing against Gulacy, who's a fine artist (loved his Master of Kung Fu back in the day), but he was about a hundred different kinds of wrong for what Brubaker was trying to do on this book.

Plus, we get an always welcome namecheck for Major Bummer!

[BriGuy]

I've yet to be disappointed by anything Pfeifer's done and that first arc sounds particularly good. Kinda what War Games should have been about.

[kalorama]

Sounds interesting. I read the first few issues of Pfieffer's Aquaman and it looked pretty good. Never really cared for Woods art (always struck me as rather flat and pedestrian) but these pages look pretty good.

[COREMARK]

I actually read the last 10 issues of HERO last night and they were phenomenal. The way Will brought in all the characters from the first couple of story arcs to fight the "Superman-like" serial killer was brilliant. I also really enjoyed his Aquaman stuff. Also nice to see Pete Woods on this book, he is a truly underrated artist.

[upstart]

Ed! So sorry to see you go, man, but I am actually surprised, yet really GLAD about this news.

I've been enjoying HERO since the beginning, I thought it was one of the best series going at the time, and was saddened to see it come to a conclusion too soon.

And Pete Woods. What I've seen of his work in Detective has been VERY impressive.

So things are looking up for me, since I'm a big fan of this current Catwoman volume.

[kilroy]

Variety is the spice of life. Everyone is going to see things differently. I loved Gulacy art on Catwoman and felt it was much better suited for the tone of the book. Will be sorry to see him go. As far as Will goes. I have to disagree with the few comments knocking his Aquaman work. Aquaman has been horrid since Peter David was forced off. Larsen work was just pathetic. Jurgens was just generic and Vietch was just boring. Will brought life back into the character making him strong and giving something new rather then the atlantis scene yet again and Im sorry but I wont let people knock him for that. Im excited he taking over Catwoman and thats the only reason Ill continue to buy it. He is a much better writer then some of the hacks that continue to get work and no I dont mean austen and grayson who I love .

[<sage>]

I'm gonna miss Ed a lot

[Captain Jim]

Originally posted by MattBrady
Pfeifer said..."you don't have to be a big-boobed heroine in some sprayed on outfit to be sexy."

Somebody should have told Gulacy this.



This sounds pretty good. Pfeifer seems to have the right take on the character and Woods is a good artist. I may have to stick around after all.

[ColourMan]

Phew!! Looks like Pfieffer will have a much better run than Brubaker's drivel/colourful toilet paper.