The big talk of the comics world this week is the wedding of Batman and Catwoman (and also how the story was spoiled this weekend…). I have somehow been able to stay away from spoilers, and since I’m trying to avoid spoilers, I decided to focus my excitement on another aspect of the wedding, the playlist. DC has released a Spotify playlist for the reception of the wedding along with which member of the creative team selected which song, which can be found here. I decided that I would spend my day going through each of the 26 songs and predicting about how it ties into the issue, how it got onto the playlist in the fiction, and whether its a good wedding song.

Let’s get started.

Holding Out for a Hero – Bonnie Tyler, selected by Joëlle Jones. The playlist comes out strong with a stone cold classic. Great vibe for a wedding and really is playful with the concept of a superhero wedding. The line “It’s gonna take a superman to sweep me off my feet,” solidifies that Selena definitely picked this for the playlist. Marry You– Bruno Mars, selected by Tony S. Daniel. A little on the nose with this one but it is still a pretty fun song. I feel like this one really gets the passionate and impulsive vibe at the core of the Bat/Cat pairing. This feels like a pick by Bruce because I feel like Bruce typed in “good wedding songs” into Google and went from there. The Nights– Avicii, selected by Mitch Gerads This is the first of many, many “night” themed songs. This song actually has a lot of depth in King’s run. The hypothetical conversation with the father in this reflects Bruce’s conversation with his father during The Button, in which Thomas Wayne tells Bruce not to be Batman and to be happy which reflects the lyrics, “One day you’ll leave this world behind, So live a life you will remember”… Yeah I wasn’t kidding about analysis! Batman #22 More Than You Know– Axwell /\ Ingrosso, selected by Tony S. Daniel This is a very upbeat song and would be very at home at a fun wedding I think. It has good themes of dedication which is very much in line with a wedding. I would wager that this and the last song were Bruce picks because I now have a theory that Bruce is really into EDM. Como un Lobo- Miguel Bosé, selected by Mikel Janín The first pick by Mikel Janín is interesting because he is from Spain, so all of his musical picks are in Spanish which adds an interesting dynamic to the playlist. His songs add a lot of variety in song choices and personally, I am hoping it ties into a bit of history forgotten in regards to Selina Kyle’s ethnicity, of which she was once previously written to be half latinx. The song itself pretty good and is just the right amount of goth and looks at a dynamic between order and chaos which at home here in the Batman/ Catwoman pairing. Catwoman #89 Superman– Taylor Swift, selected by Mitch Gerads Very funny… Acrobat– U2, selected by Mitch Gerads A very interesting song regarding a woman with “fire in [her] soul” and talking about resilience from those who would “grind you down”. This song really resonates with Selena’s characterization. The Girl is Mine- Michael Jackson and Paul McCartney, selected by Joëlle Jones This is a good song but I don’t really think it necessarily fits the overall tone of the wedding or the book. There’s not really a competition over someone’s affection which is what the song is essentially about. Maybe the creators just chose songs they liked and it’s not that deep… Nah! Pussycat Meow– Deee-Lite, selected by Tom King This song is pretty dope! There’s not much in the way of lyrics but if there ever was a song that screamed Selena Kyle, this is it. Noches de Boda- Joaquín Sabina, selected by Mikel Janin This is a pretty good song about wedding nights and holding on to happy moments. Very wholesome! I’m a Midnight Mover- Bobby Womack, selected by Tom King We love soul here at Comics Are Good, Actually, so this was a really nice surprise. This song really ties into the nightlife of Bruce and Selina. Let’s Pretend We are Married– Prince, selected by Tom King Tom King is on a roll. No Bat-Event would be complete without Prince (or at least that should be the case). This song is incredibly passionate and a very fun and flirty. Excellent choice! Besame Mucho – Anthology 1 Version – The Beatles, selected by Joëlle Jones Joëlle Jones seems to be a big fan of the Beatles. This is a pretty fun song and is a great romantic jam for the dance floor of the Batfam. Tired of Being Alone– Al Green, Tom King Such a good song for this event! This song is not only a classic, but it really ties into the major theme of Bruce wanting to be happy and how this marriage would be the first steps towards that future. Es por Ti- selected by Mikel Janín A pretty by the numbers love song but one line that stood out to me was “Y es por ti, Que calma mi dolor” which translates to “And it’s because of you that my pain is soothed” which relates to the pain of the trauma that Bruce and Selina have experienced that gets easier with their relationship. Jokerman– Bob Dylan, selected by Mitch Gerads Boy that Mitch Gerads is a real wise guy. This Could be the Night– The Modern Folk Quartet, selected by Tom King A fun song about nights! This is a song about anticipating a night of love which is fun. Eyes of Green– Isobel Campbell & Mark Lanegan, selected by Tom King “Take a pair of lonesome blue eyes and a pair of eyes of green”. A very direct link to Bruce’s lonely blue eyes and Selina’s green ones. This is a short song but it is a great addition. Tom King definitely went all out with his selections for this. Thank The Lord For The Night Time- Neil Diamond, selected by Joëlle Jones Bruce and Selina are the unchallenged Night Time royalty. Very fun song. “I’ll talk about plans now, baby, I got plenty”– True, Batman has many plans! “Talk about money, girl, I ain’t got any“- False, Batman is very rich! Y Nos Dieron Las Diez- Joaquín Sabina, selected by Mikel Janín A song about a night of falling in love and a few passionate encounters. A very apt song for Selina and Bruce. I’ve Never Been to Me- Charlene, selected by Joëlle Jones I really enjoyed this song. It very much speaks to the soul of Selena as an adventurous Catbutgurlar who has been around the world but never been to herself and found that fulfillment. The singer saying she has “lived a million lives” which is a few more than a cat’s traditional 9 but still rings true. The Night We Met– Lord Huron, selected by Mitch Gerads This song is the first of a few that put me in an existential crisis. This song is quite foreboding with the line “Take me back to the night we met…And then I can tell myself, Not to ride along with you”. Woah Woah Woah, I thought we were all about good vibes at this wedding! My Way- Calvin Harris, selected by Tony S. Daniel There aren’t many lyrics in this song but along with this fun tune comes a sentiment of someone being the only thing in the way of someone progressing and from my quick glance at the Genius Lyrics on my phone, this song was written as the result of the end of a relationship. Oh no… No One’s Gonna Love You- Band of Horses, selected by Tony S. Daniel Ok this one is back on the track of love, but it still seems more about loving someone when a relationship might end which is like…y’know you should move on bud. Again, a weird song to play at a wedding. Y ¿si fuera ella?– Alejandro Sanz, selected by Mike Janín

Oh no so we weren’t done with sad songs about relationships being over. This song is so sad and intense, which yeah I guess is Batman’s whole deal but jeez. I Will Follow You Into the Dark- Death Cab for Cutie, selected by Tony S. Daniel Um, the good news is that this isn’t a song about a break-up, but the bad news is that it’s about following someone you love into the cold unknown of death. Man, I can picture folks tearing up the dance floor with this one. Yikes.

So, by judging the playlist for the Batman and Catwoman Wedding Reception, I can say with very little confidence that things aren’t going to go as expected.

Batman #50 is out July 4th by Tom King, Joëlle Jones, Mikel Janín, Tony Daniel, Mitch Gerads, Frank Miller, Andy Kubert, Lee Bermejo and more. Also out July 4th is Catwoman #1 by Joëlle Jones and Laura Allred.

Title art by Kenneth Laster (me).