Who Taught Catwoman How to Fight?

It is reasonable to question how Catwoman learned to battle anyone who stood in her way. Many know that Bruce Wayne traveled the world to become an expert fighter. But what is Selena Kyle’s explanation? After all, she is seemingly an average woman in her 20s. So how is she able to hold her own, and who taught Catwoman how to fight in the first place?

The answer is revealed in the first Catwoman comic miniseries from 1989. It takes place parallel to Batman Year One. Gotham vice Detective Flannery finds Selena in a hospital after being beat up. He gives her the phone number of someone named Ted who teaches her how to fight and use a whip. He starts of by telling her to cut her hair because it’s too easy to grab. She quickly uses this new knowledge to get revenge on the pimp who beat her up and put her in the hospital.

Unfortunately there is no elaboration on how Ted taught Catwoman how to fight. However we do know from other stories that he is Ted Grant, an expert boxer also known as Wildcat. In fact, Grant even trained Batman himself. This helps explain how Catwoman and Batman are able to compliment each other’s combat abilities. It turns out though that Grant was not the only one to teach Selina fighting tactics. In Catwoman Annual 2 (Affiliate Link) (from 1995) we get to see her story from year one.

Through burglarizing a property and a set up by a client, Selena accidentally discovers a martial arts group. Although no immediate mention of his name, she apparently studied under a man known as the Armless Master. While under training she learns a special blend of every known martial art form. She takes to it like a cat to milk. She also makes an enemy at the academy named Kai, later known as Hellbound.

Now that you know the two who taught Catwoman how to fight, what are your thoughts? Comment below.