DC's Gotham War Brings Back a Fan-Favorite Antihero

DC's Batman/Catwoman: The Gotham War event is now underway, and it is putting a lot of members of the Bat-family through the proverbial wringer. The comic event, which is now spilling out into the pages of Batman and Catwoman, is culminating some surprising storylines — and in the latest issue of the event, that included an unexpected character return. As it turns out, a fan-favorite DC character has been hiding in plain sight in recent comics. Spoilers for Catwoman #57 from Tini Howard, Nico Leon, Veronica Gandini, and Lucas Gattoni below! Only look if you want to know!

The issue follows Selina Kyle / Catwoman in her latest efforts to change Gotham City's approach to crime, while fighting against a passionate response from both Bruce Wayne / Batman and Vandal Savage. While the bulk of the issue concerns an elaborate robbery ploy involving Selina, Jason Todd / Red Hood, and other members of the Bat-fam, the issue is bookended by appearances by Marquise, who has been Selina's ally since they first met in prison many issues prior. As the final scene reveals, Marquise is actually a much more familiar face in the DC lexicon — she's none other than Scandal Savage, who has been working an elaborate undercover mission to help her father, Vandal.

Who Is DC's Scandal Savage?

Created by Gail Simone and Dale Eaglesham in 2005's Villains United #1, Scandal is the daughter of Vandal Savage who was raised in Brazil and grew up to be a powerful businesswoman. Over the course of Villains United, Scandal's fighting abilities were revealed, as was her identity as one of DC's first lesbian supervillains. Scandal developed a cult following through her appearance in Simone, Eaglesham, Brad Walker, and Nicola Scott's Secret Six run, developing a romantic relationship with fellow team member Knockout. 

Scandal continues to be a formidable force in the DCU, especially after Knockout's death and subsequent resurrection sends her down a new path. She, Knockout, and a woman named Liana Kerzner all entered a polyamorous relationship, which continued through the New 52 reboot, but has been missing from the Rebirth and Infinite Frontier canons. 

What Is The Gotham War About?

In Batman/Catwoman: The Gotham War, a coordinated effort in Gotham City has led to a reduction in violent crime, but at what cost? Villains scatter as their lives begin to crumble under a new regime. And as Batman recovers from his epic battle through the Multiverse and the horrors of Knight Terrors, one name runs through his mind. One name at the heart of this new, safer Gotham: Catwoman. A conflict that's been brewing for well over a year finally hits the streets, and it will fracture the Bat-Family as war erupts!

"From the moment Tini and I started working on these titles, we realized we had a huge opportunity to build toward something that would shake up the power structure of Gotham City," Batman writer Chip Zdarsky said in a statement when the event was first announced. "The Gotham War is just that: relationships explode, relationships are formed, and it all leads to massive changes! Being able to take these kinds of big swings together has been extremely exciting."

"Comics thrive on team-ups. Whether it's a team of creators or a heroic partnership, all of my favorite stories are about two strong personalities and the space between them," Catwoman writer Tini Howard echoed. "On the page, we've got one of comics' greatest love stories: the world's greatest detective and the world's greatest criminal. And they both love Gotham City. But the course of true love never did run smooth."