Absolute Catwoman #2 Review: Solid Setup and a Fun Heist

I just read Absolute Catwoman #2, released 7/8/26. It’s still a solid entry in the Absolute Universe and cool that it’s tied into Absolute Batman’s world directly. This issue spends a good amount of time on setup, introduces more of the Calicos, and features a really enjoyable heist flashback.

The Setup

The story continues building out Selina’s circle and the larger world around her. We get more time with the Calicos and some backstory that expands on how this group operates. There’s also the mystery orb left behind after Selina’s friend was taken — she ends up putting it up for auction on a dark web-style marketplace, which pulls in some shady rich players and sets up the next phase of the story.

Highlights

The standout part of the issue for me was the heist flashback. It starts with just Selina and Holly, then they bring in two more members (including a Bertinelli). They break in and redirect a serious amount of money from some of Gotham’s biggest crime families — Falcone, Thorne, Elliott, Bertinelli, and Crown — into donations. The crime family name-drops and the way the heist plays out made it the most fun section of the book.

I also liked the overall direction the story is heading. There’s a mix of secret-agent style work, some reality-bending/synthetic intelligence elements, and Mission Impossible-type energy that feels different from the other Absolute titles. The flashbacks in general work well and help ground the characters.

That said, some of the present-day undercover scenes at the auction felt a little clumsy (characters saying names out loud more than once, for example), and at times the issue leans more toward telling you the plot rather than letting you fully experience it. It’s not a big issue, but it did stand out.

Final Verdict

Absolute Catwoman #2 is a fine, solid issue. The big idea is interesting and the heist was a highlight, but it’s not operating at the same level as Absolute Batman right now. I’m still curious to see where it goes, especially if it starts tying back into the main Absolute Batman story more directly at some point — that crossover potential feels like it could elevate things at some point.

It’s not my favorite book in the Absolute line so far, but I’m not unhappy with it either. The foundation is there, and there’s enough going on that I’m willing to keep reading to see how it develops.

What did you think of the heist and the direction this series is taking? Tag me on X @NostalgicNestEg!

Originally posted as a thread on X — check out the original conversation here:

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