DC Comics character Batman was created in 1939 as the ultimate superhero detective. By 1940, he had defeated a number of petty criminals and two-bit hoodlums, and creators Bob Kane and Bill Finger were looking to give him a real adversary. They created Catwoman, an antagonist with sex appeal who could also help boost their female readership.
Catwoman first appeared in Batman #1 as a jewel thief known only as The Cat. She was a villain but she didn’t actually kill anyone. This was intentional: because she wasn’t outright evil, Catwoman could serve as a femme fatale to Batman, setting up one of the most memorable unrequited love stories in comics. At least until the modern 2016 reboot, that is, when they have a relationship and Batman proposes to Catwoman. To make sense of it all, HalloweenCostumes.com created this infographic on the evolution of Catwoman from 1940 to today. Some highlights include:
- From 1940 to 1942, she was variously called The Cat, The Cat Woman, and The Cat-Woman. It wasn’t until Batman #15 that her name settled on The Catwoman. For much of this time, she wore an actual cat mask.
- The Comics Code Authority was formed in 1954 as a reaction against sex and gore in comics. Because of her role as a femme fatale, Catwoman didn’t appear in comics for over a decade.
- The character and costumes were influenced by a variety of sources, from 1930s sex symbol Jean Harlow to Pris from the movie Blade Runner, and even Marvel Comics character Black Cat.
- Her costume was often patterned after Batman’s, especially her cat-eared cowl. When Batman’s costume was colorful, so was hers. Modern Batman and Catwoman costumes are more likely to be use blacks and grays.
Read on for the full costume-by-costume evolution of the iconic Batman villain.
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