Article Contains Potential Spoilers for Absolute Catwoman #1
It’s a wild new era for DC Comics, with the publisher making a major departure from classic lore by introducing a brand-new Catwoman who isn’t Selina Kyle. The surprising development comes in DC’s Absolute line, where Selina still operates as Catwoman, but she is no longer the only familiar face to claim the iconic mantle. Another well-known DC character has now stepped into the role, creating one of the most unexpected twists in the Absolute Universe yet.
Writers Scott Snyder and Che Grayson, alongside artist Bengal, finally launch Absolute Catwoman #1 after months of teasers and preview releases. The issue wastes no time getting started, opening with Selina Kyle under attack in her London penthouse by a gang of women wearing knockoff Catwoman costumes. The group’s name is later revealed to be the “Copycats,” and their assault immediately throws Selina’s life into chaos.
The attack couldn’t have come at a worse time. Not only is it Selina’s 25th birthday, but it is also the day she plans to retire, leaving both her criminal career and legacy behind in favor of a quiet life in Italy. Those plans are quickly shattered when the Copycats nearly kill her by blowing up her apartment and kidnapping her childhood friend, Holly Robinson. Even more shocking is the revelation that the gang’s leader, a rival Catwoman in her own right, is none other than Cassandra Cain.
Cassandra Cain Officially Debuts as the Copycat Catwoman of the Absolute Universe
Comic Pages Come from Scott Snyder and Che Grayson’s Absolute Catwoman #1 (2026) – Art by Bengal
After the explosion, Absolute Catwoman #1 then sees Selina jump onto her “Wildcat,” an extremely high-tech motorcycle, and pursue the Copycats as they flee with the kidnapped Holly Robinson. Determining that the woman riding with Holly is the group’s leader, Selina targets her and engages in what has to be one of the most badass fight scenes in DC history.
Just as Selina begins to close in on Holly and her kidnapper, the assailant flips her motorcycle so she is facing Selina head-on while the bike continues speeding through the streets in reverse. As Selina puts it, the two then engage in “a fight on a balance beam going a hundred miles per hour.”
Despite Selina’s exceptional fighting skills, this Copycat Catwoman matches her blow for blow, with neither woman able to gain a decisive advantage. Selina eventually loses both Holly and her attacker, and readers are then taken to “Elsewhere,” where the Copycat brings Holly to an abandoned building. There, she receives a call through her helmet that reveals her true identity: “You did an excellent job tonight. We are very proud of you, Cassandra Cain.”
Cassandra Cain is the daughter of legendary assassins Lady Shiva and David Cain. Raised by her father to be the perfect killer, Cassandra eventually escaped his abuse and sought a different path. She was later welcomed into the Bat-Family, becoming one of Gotham’s greatest heroes and eventually Bruce Wayne’s adopted daughter. In DC’s main continuity, Cassandra currently operates as Batgirl.
This moment marks Cassandra Cain’s debut in DC’s Darkseid-created Absolute Universe, completely reimagining the iconic Bat-Family member’s origin and role. While much remains unknown about this version of Cassandra, fans won’t have to wait long to learn more. DC has already announced the one-shot Absolute Cassandra Cain: The Shadow’s Hand, which promises to shed further light on this copycat Catwoman and her place within the Absolute Universe.
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ABSOLUTE CATWOMAN #1 is now available from DC Comics!