Catwoman Vol. 1: The Game (The New 52)

Q: What's it like working on a huge initiative like The New 52?

Judd Winick: It was thrilling. Like being given the keys to a spaceship. We were all given the opportunity to go ANYWHERE with the characters. So, we all just strapped in and held on tight.

Q: How are you balancing making these stories and characters feel fresh and new while still respecting what came before?

JW: It was about making the characters feel present. To tap an old cliché, we are "...standing on the shoulders of giants." There's a reason these characters have been around for so long--they're so rich and strong that they stand the test of time. Our job is to make them a part of the modern world.

Q: What would you say defines the character you are working on?

JW: Catwoman is a criminal, but she's not a villain. She steals, she breaks the law, but she's got a very specific moral code that drives her. She is by no means a hero. That makes her very different from most of the leads in other books. And, y'know, she's sexy as all heck.

Q: What have you thought about the response so far for The New 52 and your title(s) as a whole?

JW: With Catwoman we have piqued interests, stirred up trouble, surprised, outraged, drawn people in, and turned the tables on them again. Just like Catwoman would do.

Q: What do you think makes the character of Selina Kyle so appealing? Why is she such an integral part of the Batman mythos?

JW: Catwoman is the ultimate bad girl. A historic bad girl. She has always represented many layers of trouble for Batman. He's drawn to her, he knows that he should stop her, but ...he can't bring himself to do it. Batman sees himself as an unemotional beast driven by his mission. But there's this woman in the cat suit that just knocks him off his game. And I think part of him likes it.