Catwoman‘s relationship with Batman has been as on-again, off-again as her relationship with crime over the decades. Despite Batman’s ultra detective skills, he has had enough enemies and frenemies over the years that staying ahead of all their plots is a full-time job on its own, so it’s not surprising he can’t outsmart them all every time.
Catwoman fits a position all of her own in his rogues gallery, since she is one of the few who is also in the Bat-Family, depending on the year. This means that sometimes Catwoman outsmarts Batman for her own interests, while other times she does it for his own good.
10 Utopia’s Best Side-Kick
Scarecrow has poisoned the whole city in Detective Comics Vol. 2 #27, making everyone in Gotham believe their city is a perfect utopia. Most people can’t see through it—those who do are driven to suicide by it. When, at the end of the story, Batman’s investigative skills lead him to the truth, Catwoman, dressed as his perfect side-kick/lover Catbird, is waiting to take him down. Knowing how dangerous the Bat is, she brings along the entire Bat-Family to bring him down for “his own good”.
9 Long Halloween’s Climax
In Batman: The Long Halloween, Catwoman appears to be on Batman’s side for most of the plot. She even saves him when he’s being controlled by Poison Ivy, slashing the weeds that are keeping him under her control.
When the final battle is getting heated, however, and Harvey Dent has brought Arkham’s worst to get rid of The Roman and his ilk, Batman is surprised to find Catwoman working alongside Dent. In that moment of confusion, Catwoman states what to her is obvious: she didn’t switch sides; she was always on her own side.
8 Small Packages, Big Surprises
In Catwoman Vol 2 #7, Bruce Wayne’s spine has recently been broken by Bane. A new Batman is in town, but he lacks the nuance that makes Bruce so good at the job.
Catwoman is involved in a complicated plot to try and stop an organization from releasing a dangerous toxin that would cause the death of animals and people alike. This new Batman, however, thinks Catwoman is trying to sell the toxin to make a buck. He brings the police down on her, but she has a trick up her sleeve. With a sound amplifier placed on the collar of her cat, she scares the police into thinking she has a lion working for her, which gives her enough time to escape.
7 Double Double-Cross
Later in the same comic, Catwoman has convinced Batman to trust her by turning on the Bat-Signal and having a good old chat. She asks for his help taking down eco-terrorists who kidnapped the professor responsible for making the toxin and are forcing him to make more.
Batman takes down the leader of the terrorists, but when he turns around, Catwoman is gone. As far as Batman knows, an eco-terrorist is on his way to kill a boardroom full of people. Batman rushes to the building, knowing he’ll get there too late to save anybody, Except… the professor duped the terrorists. Instead of the deadly toxin, he made tear gas. Catwoman knew this already, but she wanted a little revenge on Batman, so she made him sweat, thinking he’d failed. She also broadcast this fact to the entire scene as she flew away on a helicopter.
6 Stealing The Ransom
During the early events of the Hush storyline, in Batman #608, Batman and Killer Croc are having it out. Croc has kidnapped the child of a wealthy Gotham family in hopes of a hefty ransom, but Batman has other plans.
After rescuing the child and defeating Croc, Batman is distracted by FBI agents for long enough for someone to disappear with the ransom money. Catwoman, as it turns out, used the distraction to take the cash. Batman gives chase, but when his bat-rope is cut, she gets away with the ransom.
5 Fighting The Justice League
When Despero defeats Martian Manhunter and Aquaman in psionic fisticuffs, he comes calling on Batman in the Batcave. Now with the two mind-controlled Justice League members on his side, he takes a third by very quickly controlling the Bat’s mind. JLA #119 opens with Catwoman having to face off against a supervillain and three Justice League members in combat.
Selina, however, takes a different approach. She outsmarts all four of them by jumping on the Bat’s computer and notifying all the remaining Justice League members of the situation.
4 The Wedding Blues
In Batman Vol. 3 #50, Batman and Catwoman are finally tying the knot after years of foreplay in costume. Except, that they didn’t. In a move that was controversial to many fans, Selina leaves Bruce at the altar. She doesn’t do it to hurt him necessarily; quite the opposite.
Selina realizes right before the wedding that the Bat is who he is because of all the trauma he suffered. He is a broken man who has nothing but the need to right the wrongs in his city. By making him happy, she risks getting rid of his drive to bring about justice. Ironically enough, it was Batman’s influence on Catwoman that makes her decide on this path, as she decides to be the hero who sacrifices her own happiness for the sake of Gotham.
3 You Don’t Break Up With Me, I Break Up With You!
During the events of Batman Eternal #52, Batman has had it. Catwoman has recently taken over a crime syndicate and has the likes of Killer Croc and the Penguin working for her. Worse yet, when recent events at Gotham leave the city in chaos, she takes the opportunity to have her people save businesses while also stealing from them.
Batman confronts Catwoman, letting her know whatever relationship they had that made him look away in the past is over. Unfortunately for him, Catwoman had made that decision long before he caught up with it.
2 She Stole The Night
During the events leading up to Batman Vol. 3 #15, Catwoman has been placed on death row for the murder of over 200 people. Batman is convinced that she is innocent, despite her saying otherwise. Eventually, Batman manages to get her out of jail to help him with a case, but he has to put her back in Blackgate before the night is over, where she will spend the rest of her life behind bars.
Selina convinces him to let them have one last night together, in which they hunt down low-level criminals in Gotham and enjoy each others’ company. Except, before the night is over, Catwoman runs away from him, betraying his trust and, as he says with a look of defeat, “she stole the night” they had together.
1 Taking The Fall
Still during the events of Batman Vol. 3 #15, Batman is looking for Catwoman. He still wants to help her. On his hunt for the Cat, he finds Holly Robinson, Selina’s friend who is hiding under a different name. Batman confronts Holly, saying he just wants to help Catwoman and that he cares about her just as much as Holly does.
Holly seems about to cooperate until she slashes Bruce’s neck with a knife. See, it turns out Catwoman was covering for Holly this whole time. Holly was the one responsible for the murders, but Catwoman didn’t want her friend dying in prison, so she took the blame. Why did she take the blame? Because she knew Batman could get her out of it.
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