3.5 stars

I wasn't sure what to expect going into this, but was intrigued and wanted to check it out since one of my favorite characters from the Batman universe was Catwoman. This was an interesting take on her younger years and the events that lead up to her being who she was. I did feel like some points were a little too overemphasized, but overall the story was interesting and enjoyable.

I loved the art style and the more monochromatic theme, especially when past and present had different color schemes. The characters are richly done and easily recognizable once they are introduced.

I wasn't sure what to expect, but I enjoyed reading this. An interesting story with fun characters. Well written.

The art was nice, but the storytelling was lacking. It's completely understandable to portray her childhood for a better explanation to who she became. However, it was too repetitive.

So, I like to include something good with each review I do, even if I don't like the book. In this case I loved the illustrations.
I hated the book though, it does not feel like a cat woman book at all, in fact I wish there had been a trigger warning for all the abuse and self harm that goes on in this one.
I don't know, it was just weird for me, it is not what I would expect a YA graphic novel to be.

I received this book in exchange for an honest opinion, which has not altered my opinion of the book. I want to thank NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book.

Trigger warnings for self-harm, abuse, animal death, bullying.

I love Catwoman. I really do, I've never really been one for the heroines in stories. The anti-heroes who really just want to live their lives are where I gravitate. Selena is such a sassy character and I love that she never gave up. The only time she ever allowed someone to really get close to her was Rosie. Even the boys kept back due to their personalities. Honestly, I loved that she didn't want to be a hero and she was honestly alright when she was alone.

The art of this graphic novel was beautiful!! I can't wait to see a physical copy of this, because the art was so amazing. The switch in color theme when there was a flashback allowed the story to flow without confusion. I highly recommend this book and can't wait to see if Ms. Myracle has more coming! 5 out of 5 from me!

Selina Kyle is constantly victimized by her mother's horrible live-in boyfriends. Her current "love'', Dernell seems to be around to stay. Selina has endured his temper and abuse for two years. At school she has three friends (read as...people she doesn't consider jerks...)....Angie, Tristan and.....Bruce Wayne. But, high school isn't her only worry. People in Gotham are being violently murdered by a monster called The Gotham Growler. Sharp Teeth, ripping claws, savage attacks. The kids at school are scared. Selina isn't scared. She already knows the world is full of monsters. She leaves home, vowing to become stealthy and aloof, never allowing anyone to victimize her again.

My husband is a huge comic book fan. He knows the backstory and details of nearly every DC and Marvel character. I love comics too, but as a child I wasn't allowed to read them. My parents didn't let me to read superhero comics. To this day, I'm not sure why. My best guess is that the considered them violent and inappropriate reading for a girl (eyeroll). I've been grown up for years now and can read what I want...so slowly I'm starting to enjoy comics and appreciate the art and storylines. I'm no expert like my husband. Sometimes that's a disadvantage. But when it comes to new visions of established characters, I see it as a positive thing. I can read reboots and updates with new eyes and enjoy them for the fascinating story, rather than being disappointed that an old storyline is getting a reboot. I love this new introduction to Selina Kyle. It follows the framework of the old storyline, but updates it to appeal to a new, younger audience.

Positives first:

The art in this book is awesome! The dark blues and shadowy hues work perfectly for a Catwoman story.

I like the plot and most of the changes in the story & character. I felt so sorry for Selina when she endured so much at the hands of her mother's bad boyfriends...and loved seeing her grow into a strong character. My favorite character in the story is hands-down Selina's new friend, Ojo. Definitely a Parkour enthusiast, Ojo is an awesome character that really brings the updated feel home. Her other new friends, Briar Rose and Yang, are interesting additions to the story as well. They form a family of sorts for Selina, who has learned to withdraw from any emotional ties. It added a nice depth to the character.

I do understand that this story might be a bit of a drastic departure from the norm for some Catwoman fans. There have been other recent Catwoman stories published that are completely different (I haven't read any of them....so this is secondhand information), and this new book does not follow the character or story continuity very much at all. This version of Selina Kyle is only 14. She is a runaway, a high school dropout, and makes some pretty rough decisions -- self harm, living homeless, joining a gang of street kids, etc. There are changes to the character....but I liked the differences. After looking at other reviews, I see that some did not. Not every story (or comic book) will appeal to every reader.

Now a few concerns:

This story is definitely aimed at a younger YA audience....so why all the cussing? And at one point, Selina gets angry and yells about boys being dicks, followed up by a string of rather graphic penis references. I'm not sure that is something a 13-14 year old would be mature enough to read. I do understand that kids cuss...I have a middle school age boy at home, so I'm well aware. But I think putting the F word repeatedly into a graphic novel aimed at 13 year olds is a bit much.....

The storyline gets a bit rough in places....a dead kitten, some rather rough child abuse, etc. I would start the age range for this book at 15+. Older teens can handle the cussing and strong plot. Might be a bit too rough for younger kids. It all depends on maturity level. Some kids are more mature than others. Parental guidance suggested. That being said.....I remember how much I hated my parents trying to "protect'' me from things I didn't need protection from. Kids cuss. Kids say rather graphic things to each other on a daily basis at school. And they are witness to real and fake violence at pretty high levels these days. So...despite the fact I was surprised at the F word popping out in this graphic novel....that word is in just about every Youtube video, television show and social media post that kids see these days. I've played video games with my son on public servers before and heard kids that sounded really young spouting off torrents of cussing that were beyond even what I could string together. So....I suppose even those limits are relaxed and change with the times. Still not sure that the F word was entirely necessary though.....but I also recognize that I am way way outside the target age range for this graphic novel.

I would change the title to "Under the Moon: A Catgirl Tale'' to be honest. Selina takes that nickname...why not run with it? Selina is very young in this story and just learning how to take care of herself. In my mind "Catwoman'' conjures up images of a woman who already knows her way around and has her street smarts at max. In this story, Selina finds herself homeless and has to learn to find her way. Definitely more of a Catgirl.

All in all, an enjoyable graphic novel! I liked the new approach to the character!

**I voluntarily read an advance reader copy of this book from DC Comics via NetGalley. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.**

I had not read any origin stories around Catwoman prior to this, so I can't speak to how in line/different this is from previous iterations. However, I can speak to how this does a good job of exploring the "Why?" of a villain. This comic focuses on Catwoman's teen years. Said simply, she has to navigate a lot of "stuff" during this time and make some decisions on what she's going to do to help herself - and others, as well as where she's going to fight back. For a comic, this is heavy content. The obstacles and issues she encounters are a lot to process in this form - any form really. Plot aside, the illustrations are outstanding. They are so, so well done, and they perfectly give vision to the story. Overall, I wanted more. This is a quick read, but I wanted more depth and dissection to Selina's tale!

"Under the Moon" is a Catwoman tale, but it is also the tale of a young, frightened, yet bold and determined young woman. I fell in love with Selina and felt every emotion she went through. The story was excellent, as well as the graphics, which were perfect for the tale being told. Each page was mesmerizing and the story and illustrations just pulled me in, in a way a regular novel would not have been able to. This tale stays true to the Gotham canon, yet carves its own way down that gritty path. I loved that Selina was portrayed in her younger years, and in high school, as that is a pretty grim environment itself these days. If you're a fan of graphic novels, or just a really great story told extremely well, check out "Under the Moon," a fascinating and absorbing Catwoman tale.

* Disclaimer: I received a free ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. No bribes, gifts, or material goods were exchanged for my review. *

Selina Kyle has always been my favorite version of Catwoman. Her story and personality are both as intriguing and complex as the vigilante herself. As far as delving into that complicated history, Under the Moon: A Catwoman Tale does an excellent job. Often it’s difficult for new authors to portray such iconic characters as those in the DC Universe but Lauren Myracle comes really close to portraying the Selina Kyle I grew up with and adored.

Even the artist, Isaac Goodhart, brings his A-game with the excellent artwork known in DC comics/graphic novels. Each panel brings a new emotion and empathetic connection to Selina and her fellow cast members. Besides the profound language featured in the story, the artwork is by far one of the best selling points of this graphic novel.

However, Under the Moon does not come without its own problems. There are several side plots that are built up through the story that are never resolved. It leaves the feeling of the possibility of a sequel but one is never mentioned. I would love to see a sequel come from this book, but without one some of the plot feels unresolved and incomplete.

This graphic novel also moves at a fast pace, which is understandable for a comic/graphic novel. They have less room than a regular novel to fit all the information in so they often move quickly from one situation to the next. Even putting that into consideration, there are times where the plot jumps from point A to point B without any explanation, often throwing in seemingly random characters along with it. It’s not terrible, per se, but there were some jumps that often left me confused and I was forced to go back just to make sure I hadn’t missed anything.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed Under the Moon. It takes a fresh, new outlook on Selina Kyle and her origin as Catwoman, bringing her into the modern era. If you enjoy graphic novels/comics, superheroes, and the coming-of-age storyline you will definitely enjoy this story.

Trigger Warning: Under the Moon does contain references to abuse, self-abuse, and mature language. Knowing the story of Selina Kyle, these references did not bother me but if you are affected by any of these things this story may not be for you.

It’s by far my favorite catwoman remake and I’m really hoping they come out with more!
Honestly I know many people have stated disappointed and displeasure within this one but honestly yes it’s tragic that abusive behavior and the death of her cat happen on panel, I’m not upset over it. Because, it lets us the reader actually get a better sense of the character and her breaking point of how she came to be, it’s sets up the story for how it can go forward. Any and every negative that happened literally just held your hand to point out how come catwoman is closed off and bitter. Which I love that, I don’t want a oh it was a tragic past let’s get on with the rest of the story. No show me, let me see why my favorite character has been crushed and broken and how she is going to learn from it and grow.
Moving on, the color scheme is phenomenal and so gorgeous. The artwork is amazing as well but for me I swear the color scheme is what made them pop and grab me.
The ending was slightly rough and rushy feeling, beginning and middle the ground work was set so well I wanted more from the ending, maybe adding extra to it could’ve made it all the better.
My fingers are crossed that they make more.
Solid 4.5

Great illustrations! Story line is juvenile and predictable. I am not sure what age group you are hoping for but it is not suitable for middle school.
Thank you the opportunity to read for a fair review.

Leaving what friends she has and high school, Selina goes to live on her own. She couldn’t take the death of her kitten caused by her mom’s latest boyfriend. Her mom tells her if you leave, you can’t come back. She meets up with a group of kids living on the streets. One teaches her parkour as he is a parkour whiz, one is a hacker and another is a silent, don’t touch young girl. They include her in a heist that she agrees to participate in but regrets doing so as it is home of a childhood friend. Will they get caught?

This story is about the origin of Catwoman. It shows the challenges of being a teenager and trauma she has experienced. She struggles with who she really is and who she wants to be. I enjoyed this original story of how Selina becomes Catgirl.

Dogs like everybody. Cats choose whom they like. -Selina Kyle / Catgirl

This was a fun, short read. I have always loved the world of gotham and its numerous misfit characters... Catwoman was always one of my many faves!! The trials she has to overcome in the past lead to who she is as a woman and this book gives you a little of that insight. I like the attention to detail, and of course the amazing artwork!!

I liked this book, but i had issues whit it. The story itself definitely wasn't bad and i liked the writing style. The art style was amazing and i loved it. I had problems whit how somethings are addressed. The biggest problem i had was whit self harm because i feel it wasn't good and nothing was said about it later. And the problem i had was that how parental abuse addressed. I liked the friend group that Selina had, and i loved most of the characters in the book. I had issues whit paste of the book and that it finished in the middle of the things.
Overall i gave it 3.25 out of 5 stars.

I have always been a huge fan of Catwoman. I loved the D. C. adult novel by Sarah J. Mass, and I was hoping to love this as well. However, this was a really dark novel that was not fun to read. There were graphic scenes that involved domestic violence and animal abuse. The only thing I liked about this novel was Selina’s friendship with Bruce Wayne. I also hav to mention that I think this novel should not be in the teen section but rather the adult section. This novel
Is recommended for mature teens.

The characters were more two dimensional than I was expecting, but it was still an enjoyable read. The pacing was well done and kept me hooked til the end.

Under the moon: A catwoman Tale is a different beginning story for Selena Kyle. This gives you a different back story than the one we're use too. I do enjoy the the way it drags you in to see how teenage Selena Kyle handles things that are going on in her life. How she learned her tricks of the trade and if she is a pack cat, or a lone cat. The story line is good, and it shows growth for Selena. it does feel a little rushed and then at the end I'm sitting here going "that's it?" I wanted more. I want to see more of the story and how she still grows into the woman we all know as cat woman.

Isaac Goodhart did a good job in illustrating the story that he was given. The art work for each panel is drawn out and colored very well. Keeping true to most of DC's dark colors when you get a back story on prominent characters. There's not a lot of 'happy' colors used in the panels but it still able to pull together to keep you enjoying the art that it doesn't feel 'too dark' like some other comics.

I would definitely recommend this comic to others as a fan of Catwoman. It is a reboot, but it's written well and drawn well to give you a story that you makes you want more. Catwoman is one of my favorite females in the DC universe. I was skeptical of a reboot on her backstory but it's done well enough that it doesn't disappoint.

Thank you to NetGalley and DC Entertainment and DC Ink for the advance reader copy Under the Moon: A Catwoman Tale by, Lauren Myracle, in exchange for an honest review. I loved Lauren Myracle’s take on Catwoman’s backstory. Selena is a strong female protagonist who is quick to protect but never to trust. Life has dealt her with a mother who has many abusive boyfriends, the latest being Dernell. As Selena continues to become sick Dernell’s target, she gets no help from her mother; only criticism. Dernell’s constant punishment of locking her in a closet, helps Selena become one with the darkness and when she can’t take life under his sicko powertrip; Selena runs away and becomes a teen who roams the streets, begins to hone her fighting, and finally joins a group that is planning a daring heist. For a kickass anti-heroine who takes prisoners, YA fans will fall into Myracle’s story and Goodhart's perfect dark illustrations with dark blue, black and minimal white lines does justice to comics; a must read!

This one checks all the boxes--well-constructed, well-illustrated, clever origin story with enough Easter eggs to keep die-hard D.C. fans happy. It wasn't for me because I thought the language and sexual innuendos were a little excessive (I know it sets the tone, but you can imply the f-bomb to an extent. Was it really necessary to include three times in one speech bubble?). I also think Selena's giving mixed messages about what the "right thing" to do is, and I found myself rooting against her as much as for her as she sets out on her vindictive life of crime. And I assume this is the start of a series, but the open ending (What IS going on with those R U Lost people?) is driving me insane.

DC Comics takes classic characters in welcome new directions in this book. The art is well done and the writing is excellent. Bravo to DC for continuing to bring Catwoman (and other familiar faces) to life without creating the effect of “done before.” An inventive authorial voices represented in illustrated form.