In the age of the first appearance, why isn’t anyone talking about Catwoman #23? 

Everyone is after the next big thing. With each first appearance comic, collectors buy up all the copies they can get their hands on, hoping for the next Incredible Hulk #181  or Fantastic Four #48. It results in instant sellouts, and the big publishers are churning out the new characters like a sweatshop as a result. 

CATWOMAN #23

With so many first appearances flooding the market, it is easy to overlook some. Such is the case with Catwoman #23. 

In those pages, not only do we see Catwoman don a new costume (which can become a minor key in its own right) but she gets a new sidekick, Catgirl. However, she is not the first person to use the Catgirl moniker. Kitrina Falcone used the name a decade ago before changing to Kittyhawk. 

While we still don’t know much about the new Catgirl, she could evolve into a much bigger character if her cards are played right. That makes this comic well worth the investment.

 

THE RETURN OF SNOWFLAME

Not only do we get the first appearance of a new Catgirl, but this issue also features the second appearance of Snowflame. If you’re not familiar, Snowflame is a 1980s “war on drugs” relic who makes plenty of not-top-10 lists of villains. Basically, his power is that when he uses cocaine, he creates flames. He was last seen in New Guardians #2 in 1988.

There is also the debut of Tambra Quartz. In what will surely be a dated reference in a few years, she is an Instagram social media influencer who has lost her mind. 

THE MARKET

This is still a relatively new issue, so it makes sense why there have only been three total sales. Still, you would expect a new character’s first appearance to fetch a bigger price. The standard edition graded at a 9.8 has only sold once, and that was for $55 on August 16. The variant has just two sales, both selling for $45 also on August 16. 

As far as raw sales, both covers are still bargains. Most sold listings on eBay are in the $20 range for both the standard and variant covers, which is surprising. 

LOST IN THE MIX

Is this a sign that Marvel and DC should hedge their new characters or is there just little interest in Catgirl? My gut feeling is that she was lost in the shuffle. There is also the fact that she is a sidekick with an old name, which does not make collectors see her as having major crossover potential with other titles. It is hard to see Catgirl ranking among the BWLs of the DC Universe in terms of broad appeal, but her full story has yet to be written.

IN SEARCH OF THE NEXT BIG THING

It seems that each month, there are new characters being rolled out. Some fall flat, like Naomi and Major X, and some ascend to new levels, such as Knull and the Batman Who Laughs. It is hard to say which first appearances will boom and which will bust, and it makes pursuing that next big thing a wild goose chase.  

Complain though we may, anything that keeps comics selling is a boon for the industry and its fans. For years, we have heard the rumors of both Marvel and DC shutting down their print distribution. Whatever keeps the issues flying off the shelves is going to help justify staying in business. On that note, keep buying those first appearances and supporting the business. 

 

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