MOVIE NEWS – The arrival of a redesigned Catwoman has unleashed a storm of controversy in DC’s new Absolute Universe. With a bold look, a reinvented backstory alongside Batman, and heated discussion over her race and costume, this new Selina Kyle has everyone talking.

DC’s Absolute Universe, a fresh continuity reimagining Batman and his mythos, has struck a chord with fans while stirring up plenty of arguments. This version introduces a more grounded Bruce Wayne, stripped of inherited wealth and surrounded by companions who, in other tellings, would be his sworn enemies. Among these figures is Selina Kyle, better known as Catwoman, whose debut in this new reality connects her to Bruce’s childhood — and whose striking new design has already split fan opinion.

Here comes my official variant cover for Absolute Batman 13, the first appearance of Absolute Catwoman! Man I had so much fun working on this. I’ve even brought a tinge of my favorite artist, Yoji Shinkawa’s style into it! 🙂 This book comes in both standard trade dress and foil… pic.twitter.com/IhL2sRJdzF

— Stanley Artgerm™ Lau (@Artgerm) August 30, 2025

From childhood companion to future partner

In Absolute Batman, Catwoman is no longer just a master thief or Bruce Wayne’s romantic foil. Instead, she emerges as a vital figure from his youth. Selina is by Bruce’s side at his lowest point following the death of his parents. Her outfit — still playful but symbolic — hints at her feline alter ego, with a hoodie featuring cat ears and her cheeky “borrowing” of one of Bruce’s gold medals. As DC explains, this Selina embodies deliberate ambiguity: while parts of her story unfold with Bruce, she is shown to be roaming the world in the present, and her eventual return ignites the firestorm of debate.

The controversy over color and costume

The unveiling of Absolute Catwoman has fueled online arguments and media attention. Reports from Bleeding Cool highlight the focus on her skin tone: in modern Gotham she appears as a young Black woman, though certain flashback sequences portray her with a lighter complexion. Artist Stanley “Artgerm” Lau revealed that he had to adjust the coloring according to DC’s official guidelines, while writer Scott Snyder clarified that the visual differences came from contrasting palettes between past and present, not an artistic blunder.

The debate escalated further with the release of an alternate cover, revealing a redesigned Catwoman costume with a plunging neckline and new color scheme. This sparked heated discussion over the sexualization of the character in this reinterpretation. The uproar highlights how every artistic choice in contemporary comics is scrutinized — and how something as simple as a shift in color or style can explode into worldwide debate.

Catwoman’s introduction in the Absolute Universe underscores DC’s willingness to reshape its world with creative freedom, unafraid of sparking controversy. Readers will need to follow the next chapters to see whether Selina becomes Batman’s most trusted ally or an unpredictable force capable of rewriting Gotham’s fate.

Source: 3djuegos