A BIRTHDAY SALUTE: The screen’s original Feline Fatale turns 93…
The great Julie Newmar — born Aug. 16, 1933 — turns 93!
Paul Kupperberg’s got a great look at her unpublished memoir over here, but we also want to show off noted Catwoman artist Jim Balent’s portrait of the first actress ever to play the Feline Fatale, on 1966’s Batman:
The print is an exclusive that was sold by Newmar at an appearance at a California convention back in January.
Here are some pencils:
Balent, best known for his run on DC’s Catwoman book in the ’90s, wrote on Facebook:
CAT-TASTIC!!!
Julie Newmar has let the CAT out of the bag!!!!
It is an HONOR to work with Julie on her Project!!!
…
THANK YOU AGAIN FOR ASKING ME TO WORK WITH YOU ON THIS PROJECT!!!
THANK YOU FOR BEING THE ULTIMATE CATWOMAN !!!
YOU ARE SEXY AND DANGEROUS … you were… and still … my INSPIRATION WHEN I DRAW CATWOMAN !!!
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MORE
— PAUL KUPPERBERG: Dig These 13 EXCERPTS From JULIE NEWMAR’s Never-Published Memoir. Click here.
— JULIE NEWMAR: ‘I Always Thought That as a Cat, I Could Toy With Any Male Star.’ Click here.
August 16, 2026
Gorgeous in both early pencil render as well as the color finish.
August 16, 2026
I’ll admit I don’t fully understand the message in the pencils. However, I do enjoy the finished print. I agree with decision to omit the mask and to add the scratches to the car door.