Catwoman 3

"Gothic Baptism" is the third issue of the Catwoman comic book limited series. It was written by Mindy Newell and penciled by J.J. Birch. Inks were provided by Michael Bair. Birch and Bair also provided the cover art illustrations for the series. Coloring was done by Adrienne Roy with lettering by Carrie Spiegle. The series was edited by Denny O'Neil. This issue was published with an April, 1989 cover-date and carries a cover price of $1.50 per copy (US).

Synopsis
Stan returns to his hideout with food, jokingly complaining that his captive, Sister Magdalene doesn't welcome him home, though she is gagged.

Elsewhere, Catwoman breaks into a fancy apartment and finds a former prostitute bathing in a large tub. Selina turns out the lights and then appears in the dark brandishing her sharpened claws. The girl quickly breaks, and Selina demands to know where Stan is. The girl fearfully responds that Stan may be in a supply depot for the F-Train, or he may be at Bruzinsky's Theatre, an old strip joint. Stealing the girl's jewels, Catwoman warns the girl to tell no one she was there, and then blows out the candle, leaving the girl in total darkness. At Stan's apartment, Batman investigates, knowing that Stan took Magdalene there. He finds little there to help him, but he does notice a cuff link on the floor. Thinking back, he recognizes it as belonging to Stan, the pimp with whom he had an altercation not long ago. This is the clue that can bring the case together. Someone may have seen Stan around. He deduces that someone or something pushed him into abducting a nun.

Elsewhere, Detective George Flannery and his partner have a tap on Selina's phone, and they overhear Holly Robinson receiving a call from Stan. He asks to speak to Selina, and Flannery hopes that he'll stay on the line long enough for them to get a trace. Fortunately, Selina comes home in time to take the call. At first it seems as though Stan is going to dare Selina to come for him, but then he changes his mind and hangs up. Fortunately, they manage to get a trace on Stan, but he is nowhere to be found at the payphone he used. Selina prepares to go after Stan, having deduced that he is in the theatre by the fact that she heard no trains over the phone. Holly warns that if Selina goes in the catsuit, she may be caught in a set up. Her actions have not gone unnoticed and word of a cat-woman on the streets has been spreading.

When Selina goes outside in plain clothes, Flannery and his partner detain her, and take her in to the station for questioning. At the station, Flannery warns that he doesn't care if Selina and Magdalene are sisters, but he does care when civilians get caught in the middle of personal vendettas like the one between Selina and Stan. He wants the issue dealt with, and if she won't help him, she will go down with Stan. He reminds her that she owes him for pointing her in the direction of Ted Grant.

Afterwards, Flannery has Selina followed, only to discover that she knew she was being tailed, and led them on a wild goose chase. When the police break their cover and chase her down, she disappears, having snuck into her catsuit and escaped onto the rooftops.

Meanwhile, Stan grows agitated with Sister Magdalene and drags her out into the rafters and scaffolding above the stage at the theatre. He is surprised to find Catwoman waiting above him, promising to kill him. Stan throws Magdalene to the ground as Catwoman drops on him. Selina is so consumed by her desire to destroy Stan that she fails to notice Magdalene holding on to the edge of the walkway for dear life.

Stan pulls a knife, but Selina manages to yank it from his grip with her whip and scratch his face. While he falls to the ground in pain, Selina reaches for Maggie's hand, but Stan gets up and pushes her aside, stepping on Magdalene's fingers and causing her to let go. Selina desperately tries to catch her sister, and in her hurry she knocks Stan over the side as well, and both Stan and Magdalene exceed her grasp.

Selina looks down to see Stan below, and from behind her, she hears Batman tell her that he's dead. She assumes that Maggie is also dead, but fortunately, Batman had caught her. Selina readily admits that she let Stan fall to his death, despite Maggie's horror, and she leaves in disgust at the thought that her sister would have saved scum like Stan, even after what he did. Batman wonders whose side Selina is on. Magdalene responds that like him, Selina is on her own side.

Appearances