Mark Waid’s Brave and the Bold series was one that I purchased regularly when it first launched.  But then the title got mired in this overly complex story about time lords and such, which lead me to get lost and then, uninterested.  A few issues ago I noticed that the series had taken on more of a single issue story approach, so I picked it up again.  While the last few issues were fun, I really had a blast reading this current issue.

As the cover reveals, this is a story that features Superman and Catwoman.  This is a dynamic that I’ve never really read before, which probably explains why I found it so compelling.  While Selina is a foil to Bruce and he’s drawn to her in complex ways, Superman is almost her complete opposite.  It’s a dynamic we very often don’t see with Selina, and it’s nice sometimes to see her try to charm such a boy scout.  In a way, she is able to still ooze sex and attraction on the page while Superman takes the road that Batman often doesn’t.  He ignores her patter and doesn’t really play into her games.  And yet, in a way, Waid has written this book so that even with his naivete, Superman is still somehow able to play with Catwoman.  The story is really fun and these two characters work really well for the story.  It has action in it, some great character moments, and a few goofy ones that will have you smiling (read the part where they go undercover and you’ll see what I mean).  The story is just fun, and reminds you of the stories you read when you were a kid where everything was always wrapped up at the end of an issue.

Scott Kolins is becoming one of my favorite new artists, and while he’s not new to drawing comics, he’s certainly new to my eyeballs.  I really like his style.  It’s cartoony, yet not.  His lines are bold, yet characters have details that don’t overpower their composition.  There’s a couple great facial expressions in the book (like when Superman is surprised by the purpose of the theft that he catches Selina doing) and the action is easy to follow.  The characters all look distinct and have a life of their own.  His style really meshes with me visually, so that’s a big plus.  I will admit, as much as a liked the art, there are a few panels that are a little off.  These are mainly points where the characters faces don’t match what they’re saying or there’s some weird perspective in regards to an action scene.

If you gave up on this book like I did, I encourage you to go out and give this issue a try.  I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised at how much you’ll enjoy it.