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DC Comics’ Catwoman and Marvel Comics’ Black Cat have long been compared in the comic book community over the years. Black Cat was inspired by Catwoman, so it makes sense that they share the femme fatale look, the feline motif, and a similar morally grey approach to being heroes, even siding with the villains at times.
However, who is the better fighter out of these two? There are valid claims for both sides, but there are a lot of elements that need to be analyzed. They are two key characters in the Batman and Spider-Man mythos who have become their own heroines.
This analysis will consider three areas: fighting skills, abilities, and intelligence. Whoever wins two of these categories will be declared the winner. Let’s begin!
Both characters are known for being very agile and flexible, which is something they use to a great extent in their fighting styles. Both Catwoman and Black Cat are not brawler types that constantly throw punches at their enemies; they rely a lot more on speed and movement to be lethal. Selina Kyle sometimes complements this with a whip, adding more variety to her attacks.
Regarding who has the best fighting skills, the comics have emphasized Selina’s growth and development as a fighter from a young age. She grew up on the bad side of Gotham City, which is already a dangerous city to begin with. She learned to defend herself in several different fighting styles, as shown in the Batman comics and her solo runs.
Felicia has proven to be a capable fighter and has had to make do with human-level abilities, much like Selina. Still, it must be pointed out Catwoman simply has way too much in her favor in this category.
Neither Catwoman nor Black Cat has special abilities or superpowers, so this could be left blank. However, there is space to debate how both characters use their regular skills.
Catwoman benefits from the fact that she has had a lot more exposure in the comics as part of the Batman series, her solo runs, and even part of some DC superhero groups. Therefore, there is much more information to form an opinion when compared to Black Cat.
Selina has shown that she has a lot of great stealth abilities (which helped her when stealing from people). She knows a lot about hacking, breaking into people’s properties, and being a great agent of chaos in these situations. All of this shows that she knows how to get the most out of her own resources, which gives her the edge over Felicia.
This is not to say that Black Cat hasn’t shown a lot of skill on the field, but it definitely pales compared to what Selina has done over the years.
This section refers to each fighter’s ability to develop a strategy and adapt to the many different variables that can take place in battle. This can tip the scales in a fighter’s favor because it has been shown time and time again that a good strategy can win the battle.
Both characters have had to live in cities filled with superheroes and supervillains and make do with what they have, although it can be argued that Black Cat has had it rougher because New York City has many more people with powers than Gotham.
As the years have gone by, Catwoman has proven time and time again that she can compete with the best of them in Gotham. While Batman, Tim Drake, and Nightwing are often highlighted as some of the best strategists in the DC universe (and rightfully so), Selina has also shown a lot of intelligence and tactical know-how in the grand scheme of things.
Going from the slums of Gotham to fighting and engaging in constant war with villains that have made Batman’s life a living hell is a testament to her tactical know-how. Yet again, this is one of those situations where Catwoman’s greater exposure in the comics gives her an edge in this discussion.
Catwoman wins in a landslide, which is unsurprising: she has proven her worth as a fighter several times in the comics. This is not to say that the Black Cat is not a very capable fighter in her own right, but Selina Kyle definitely wins, in this nerd’s opinion!
