The Bat and the Cat: Why Romance is Important to Batman's Character

The Bat and the Cat: Why Romance is Important to Batman's Character: "
The stories we read in comic books encompass more than super heroes fighting crime, solving mysteries and flying through outer space in action filled panels. While all of these things contribute to the excitement, there is one element in comics that some people might have some difficulty in admitting that they enjoy -- the romance.

Many readers may not confess to enjoying the romantic aspect of comics even though sometimes the romance is what drives the story and makes it interesting. I don't mind raising my hand and being the first to admit that it's the romance that has piqued my interest sometimes, and I'm not alone either. In an interview about her recent books, X-23 writer and romance novelist Marjorie Liu delved into the importance of romance to a story.

.'..As a writer, I'm not afraid of playing with intimacy. There are many different ways to express intimacy -- a look, a touch -- and I think it enriches the characters and stories when you create those moments, and then build on them.

She's right. So often the romance between characters plays out in unsuspecting ways and makes the reader feel more invested in the story. Romance can often become the driving force behind the stories and the characters, giving the characters a purpose for their actions. So now that I've just spent way too much time trying to defend the fact that I like mushy/kissy stuff in comics, I should probably go into why I decided to write about mushy/kissy stuff in the first place.

Early Monday DC revealed all of the upcoming covers and solicitations to the second issues of their Batman books, which if you haven't already seen you can check out here. What I noticed was that some of these stories contradict one another. Namely the solicits for Tony Daniel's Batman Detective #2 and Judd Winick's Catwoman #2.
In the upcoming revamped Batman: Detective Comics series Bruce is set to explore a 'budding relationship with television reporter Charlotte Rivers who is in Gotham City' investigating the Gotham Ripper murders. Meanwhile, in Catwoman, '[Batman and Catwoman] ...should keep each other at arm's length, but...they just can't seem to help themselves!' Okay, Bruce, which one is it going to be? The wannabe Vicki Vale (I know, I shouldn't judge her until I read it) or master cat burglar Selina Kyle? I guess since he's Batman he can have his cake and eat it too, right?
The possibility of introducing a new romantic love interest for Bruce makes sense. Bruce Wayne is supposed to be a playboy, he's supposed to attract the ladies by day and crime fight by night (even if these romantic rendesvous tend not to leave a lasting impression). However, if there's anything that tops my list of things I hope to see carry over into this new DC Universe come September it has to be that spark between Batman and Catwoman. What makes their involvement so interesting is that it's so fleeting. It's spontaneous, dangerous and exciting -- because that's what both of these characters are. Not only is the dynamic of their relationship interesting but Batman and Catwoman also have a very long history together, so to throw that out the window would be a damn shame.
Catwoman first appeared in Batman #1 in July of 1940 and she has ever since been a staple in the Batman universe. After first seeing Batman injured, Selina decided that if Batman can put on a costume and fight crime, then she can don on a costume and become a criminal. Thus, Catwoman was born and she has ever since posed a challenge to Bruce Wayne. Catwoman's history since her inception has evolved and varied over the years. At one point Selina even married Bruce Wayne -- but that version of herself (Golden Age Selina) was eventually moved to DC's Earth Two and a new version was set in place. She's been an orphan, a flight attendant, a prostitute and the daughter of the infamous Falcone crime family (or at least that's been implied). However, if there is one thing that has remained constant is that she has been in love with Batman, and he's sort of had a thing for her too.

In the recent Heart of Hush story arc Batman confessed that he did indeed love Selina, and while I am glad that we got to see that before September's big DC revamp, I still hold hope that these two characters will continue to entertain their affections for one another. What do you think? Do you want to see the Batman and Catwoman relationship continue? Is there something you want to see carry over into the new DC Universe from our current continuity?
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