Catwoman is the quintessential superhero comic femme fatal. She has a long on-again-off-again relationship with Batman, and she always seems to wind up on the wrong side of the law if left to her own devices. She first showed up in Batman #1 by Bob Kane and Bill Finger way back in 1940 and has been a consistent part of Gotham's underworld ever since.
DC Comics likes to shake things up and explore its characters in different settings and contexts than they usually appear. This has led to some unforgettable stories, but it has also produced some downright strange versions of characters over the years. Catwoman is no exception to this rule.
7 She Has Been Fused To Both Elektra And Viper
The crossovers that have taken place between DC and Marvel Comics constitute what is known as the "Amalgam Universe." In this universe, characters from both Marvel and DC are fused into one. Catwoman has had two fusions in her time.
One such fusion was with Elektra, resulting in the character known as Catsai. She was the partner to a Daredevil and Deathstroke amalgam known as Dare the Terminator. The other fusion was Catwoman and the Viper, with this character just being known as Selina Luthor.
6 In One World, Catwoman Is A Star Sapphire
One notable alternate universe finds Batman as the first Green Lantern of Earth. This version of Batman primarily clashes with Sinestro, but he still operates mainly out of Gotham City.
In the same universe, Catwoman becomes the Star Sapphire and, ultimately, a thrall of Sinestro. Two-Face also becomes a similarly Sinestro-powered villain known as Binary Star. This story comes from the creative minds of Mike W. Barr and Jerry Bingham.
5 Catgirl Was Catwoman's Sidekick And The Heiress To The Falcone Crime Family
Kitrina Falcone is the granddaughter of the notorious crime lord Carmine Falcone. She is also a fan of Catwoman and aspired to be like her while growing up. She began training and took the identity of Kittyhawk, and, eventually, Catwoman discovered her and took her on as a sidekick named Catgirl.
Batman saw that this could be a bad idea from the get-go, and he was soon proven right when some of the Riddler's goons almost killed Kitrina. After that, Catwoman and Kitrina agreed that Catgirl should be retired and the two women parted ways.
4 Thrillkiller Catwoman Is Just A Pole Dancer Who Dresses Like A Cat
Batman: Thrillkiller is an alternate world created by Howard Chaykin and Dan Brereton that finds Batman and his allies using more lethal methods to dispense justice. Batman, Robin, and Batgirl are the main characters of this tale, but they're not the only familiar faces.
Selena Kyle appears as a pole dancer with a cat theme instead of the thieving occasional vigilante that she is in the main DC Universe. She does serve as an informant for Batman, but is ultimately killed by Bianca Steeplechase, who is the Joker of this world.
3 The Cat Is A Union Organizer In Batman: Golden Streets Of Gotham
The Golden Streets of Gotham is a story by Jen Van Meter, Cliff Chiang, and Tommy Lee Edwards and takes place during the Industrial Revolution. In this world, Batman is named Bruno Vanekow, and he takes the identity of the Bat. He is a lowly worker hunting down a serial killer of working-class women.
Selina Kyle takes the name of the Cat, and she is a union organizer who is trying to orchestrate a citywide strike to take back power for the laborers of Gotham City. It's a wild ride from start to finish, but also a fairly weird one.
2 Capitana Felina Is A Cat-Themed Pirate Queen
On another Earth, Batman lives in the 17th Century and is a privateer who hunts the pirate known as the Laughing Man. Here, Batman is known as Leatherwing, and he marries a woman named Capitana Felina. The two of them are pirate-like vigilantes of the sea who hunt down those who evade traditional justice.
Catwoman is almost caught by Admiral Cobblepot, but she was able to escape with the help of Leatherwing and Robin Redblade. This story was conceived by Chuck Dixon and Enrique Alcatena and is one of the more unique Batman reimaginings.
1 There Are Several Versions Of Catwoman Where She Is Some Kind Of Were-Cat
Unsurprisingly, perhaps, there are many different versions of Catwoman that take on the form of a cat-powered woman or, in a lot of cases, a were-cat. Joanie Jordan was fused together with her cat Ebony in the Just Imagine: Catwoman comic by Stan Lee and Chris Bachalo, for example, but this is far from the only one.
In Batman: Bloodstorm by Doug Moench and Kelley Jones and the Berlin Batman of Batman: Chronicles by Paul Pope, Catwoman is specifically transformed into a kind of were-cat that is unable to control her powers. In Batman: Bloodstorm, she fights alongside a vampiric Batman just for good measure.
In Catwoman Annual #1 1994 by Christopher Priest and Federico Cueva, Talia al Ghul is the Catwoman in the year 1275. She and her father, Ras al Ghul aka the Cat-Man, are champions of the House of Selene in the land of Augustonia. The pair end up battling Emperor Maddox and his son, Timon Vicar the Black Knight, for control of Augustonia.