If WildC.A.T.s has been anything, it’s chaotic. Grifter has spent the last arc leaping across alternate universes, the core WildC.A.T.s team is working out an agreement with super spies, and Priscilla ended WildC.A.T.s #9 by jumping off of a skyscraper. To say that this book has been an exercise in escalation is an understatement.
WildC.A.T.s #10 is where all of those plots come to a head. Together, Matthew Rosenberg, Stephen Segovia, Tom Derenick, and Elmer Santos have finally dragged the team back together. The book is ready to finally reintroduce the WildC.A.T.s — even if they aren’t ready themselves.
SPOILERS AHEAD for WildC.A.T.s #9!
The issue begins with Spartan facing off against Peacemaker, and it’s a truly brutal confrontation. Though Spartan barely throws a punch, he manages to accomplish his mission and destroy an entire plane with just one blast from his eyes. It’s a sign of the true danger he represents. Still, it seemingly comes out of absolutely nowhere. If ever there was a strong indication that a book is about to revolve around Spartan, this is it.
After that flashback, Priscilla continues falling to her death. She doesn’t appear to be particularly worried. She has good reason not to be – after all, Spartan swoops in from out of nowhere and saves her from a near-certain demise. In classic WildC.A.T.s fashion, they argue about it until Maul leaps out of the sky and tries to kill them both. Ah, WildC.A.T.s.
The rest of the team, meanwhile, realizes that they were being played for fools. Lynch has been working for Marlowe all along! It’s somewhat predictable, and it’s an unfortunate twist in that it renders the past few issues completely pointless. All that standing around and talking has amounted to the team walking full circle back to Marlowe.
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While the team bickers, Spartan and Priscilla have their hands full. The Court of Owls and the Seven Soldiers are continuing their team up, and they aren’t playing nice. In a desperate attempt to survive, Cray leaps out of the Spartan body and leaves the machine to fend for itself. He’s just happy to take Maul. The Spartan flees, while Cray stays behind, a spy within the Seven.
It’s a full merge for DC and Wildstorm, and the other half of the team is dealing with that too. Batman, Arsenal, and Black Canary are hustling to take down the WildC.A.T.s. The classic DC heroes easily take the victory, but the team isn’t happy to just stand by. They take over the Justice League teleportation system and retreat, just after Grifter shows up for the fight.
Much of WildC.A.T.s #10, unfortunately, feels like filler. Thankfully, it’s a very fun filler, so it’s easy to overlook it. The entire fight scene between Batman’s team and the WildC.A.T.s is incredibly entertaining. There is a breakneck pace all throughout the issue that helps the reader feel like they are truly in the team’s shoes. All the bickering is a classic element of this series and makes this team feel unique among many of DC’s other offerings.
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One benefit of the WildC.A.T.s book is that it feels like it does much of the heavy lifting to really integrate these characters into the DC universe. With Arsenal, Peacemaker, Batman, and Black Canary all getting time to shine, the book is really pushing their dynamics with established DC heroes in a brilliant way. Additionally, it’s just fun to see superheroes fight.
Continuing on from last issue, this issue also offers more insight into some of the less explored team members. Though there are few chances for conversation, Cray and Priscilla steal the spotlight as they face off against the Seven Soldiers. Marlowe’s lackluster reveal is also made better by the fact that the character is just so fundamentally interesting. Every wisecrack feels fresh and witty, and that immediately makes the twist a little less irritating.
There are still some characters waiting for a chance to shine. Zealot has been quiet for some time and Fairchild has had similarly little attention. With Batman finding an interest in the young Fairchild, there is at least some chance for her to shine, but time is running out for her to become a significant presence in this book.
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It feels like dozens of plots are being set up in this issue, and it would be excellent to get the chance to explore them all. Cray as a spy, Fairchild’s role in the DC universe, Zealot’s debt to Black Canary, and Spartan’s attack against Peacemaker and the President are all fascinating notes. Unfortunately, they come in such quick succession that it can be hard to keep them all straight.
This is an issue worth rereading but could easily be read somewhat poorly at first glance. It’s worth taking the time to digest WildC.A.T.s #10, then return at some later time to really pick through it thoroughly. The beautiful art alone deserves a read of its own, but the stories of Cray, Priscilla, and the other WildC.A.T.s also all need second glances.
Like the rest of the series, WildC.A.T.s #10 is all about raising the stakes. Rosenberg has packed an immeasurable amount of story into a minuscule amount of pages, and it has been enough to breathe life back into the Wildstorm heroes. It’s great to see the attention spreading across the cast. This focus on Cray and Priscilla has been a long time coming. Besides, it’s always nice to see Peacemaker humbled.
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