Helena Wayne

Current Events

Following the launch of The New 52, via Paul Levitz's Huntress mini series, it was revealed that Helena Wayne was stranded on Earth-0, along with her friend Power Girl, after an unknown event on her home parallel world, Earth-2. Her origin was tweaked, where on Earth-2, in her childhood she served in her father's war on crime as Robin. When she was taken to Earth-0, she used different aliases adapting the roll of Huntress, including one of Helena Bertinelli, a (now) deceased mafia daughter. She currently stars in the on-going series Worlds' Finest with Power Girl.

Origin

With the introduction of Barry Allen in 1956 the DC universe was essentially fractured into two separate worlds , with the golden age heroes inhabiting Earth-2 and the modern heroes inhabiting Earth -1. Stories were still told somewhat contemporarily though, so that the heroes of Earth-2 were 20 years or so older than the heroes of Earth-1. For some characters this was not an issue, but for some such as Batman , he was forced to grow old. In order to keep a presence on Earth-2 for contemporary stories it was decided to have a character that would be the heir to tradition and Helena Wayne was created, as the daughter of the golden age Batman and Catwoman.

2 first appearances and Creation

The bronze age Huntress was created by Paul Levitz, Bob Layton and Joe Staton and her first appearance was in both DC Super Stars #17 in 1977 and All Star Comics #69. Both issues were released on the exact same day. Her first appearance in over 20 years and first in the post Crisis on Infinite Earths DC continuity was in the Huntress miniseries in 2011. Concurrently she was also released with All Star Comics #69 on the same day. Although most will not argue that her first appearance IS DC Super Stars 17 which tells her origin story and has her full body on the cover (as opposed to just her head in the left panel in Al Star Comics #69.

Character Evolution

Silver Age / Earth-2

The silver age character was based in Earth-2 which mostly had an atmosphere more closely related to the nostalgic atmosphere of the golden age. Combined with the stories already being set in the silver age this made them have a more innocent quality. Nonetheless during this time the story took on some darker tones, especially during the backup stories which ran in volume 1 of Wonder Woman . She also joined the Justice Society of America at this time and became close friends with Power Girl . This version of the character ceased to exist after Crisis on Infinite Earths, in which she died saving the lives of a group of children.

Post-Flashpoint / Earth 2

In the New 52, Helena Wayne is reintroduced after twenty years later back on Earth 2 in the new DC Continuity. Nonetheless the character maintained some ties to the Bertinelli version of the character, displaying a willingness to use more brutal tactics in her way. Before Helena become Huntress on this Earth, Helena was Robin of Earth 2.

Major Story Arcs

Silver Age / Earth-2:

The Adventures Helena Wayne

Outside of her adventures in the silver age Justice Society, Helena also appeared somewhat regularly in volume 1 of Wonder Woman as the lead character in the backup story. For the time these stories were a bit more edgy as they involved such topics as torture and kidnapping. Her most dangerous enemy at the time was a villain named the Earthworm. She also occasionally met with characters from the golden age Gotham era, including the golden age Dick Grayson (who had never become Nightwing.)

Power Trip

In JSA Classified#4, The Psycho Pirate is holding Power Girl hostage in an attempt to force her to remember her past on Earth 2, Psycho Pirate uses his mask to create illusions of Earth 2 Robin and Huntress to terrify Power Girl.

Nevermind

In Superman/Batman#27, Power Girl remember a time when Earth 2 Superman and Batman are lured into a trap at the Metropolis Zoo. The Ultra-Humanite has placed himself into the body of a gorilla there by using Brainwave and successfully works it so Batman and Superman switch bodies with The Huntress and Power Girl. Power Girl and Huntress minds are sub press, while Batman and Superman have control of their bodies. But Batman begins to feel Huntress mind slow slipping away, so they manage to track down The Ultra-Humanite and switch bodies each other bodies back just in time. Superman and Batman don't remember what had happened, but the ladies do.

Post-Flashpoint / Earth 2:

A New World

In a further allusion to her post-Crisis version as Helena Betrinelli, the character's first mission as portrayed in the post new 52 DC Universe is to hunt down mafia members in Italy. She was able to defeat the mafia, when she was leaving Italy, with a bounty Power Girl swop in to get her to the plane. Power Girl inferred they have had an interesting year on the Earth, alluding and finally concluding in the last panel they are from another alternate Earth.

Worlds' Finest

It is revealed that Helena Wayne was stranded on Earth-0, along with her friend Power Girl, after an unknown event on her home parallel world, Earth-2. Her origin was tweaked, where on Earth-2, in her childhood she served in her father's war on crime as Robin. When she was taken to Earth-0, she used different aliases adapting the roll of Huntress, including one of Helena Bertinelli, a (now) deceased mafia daughter.

Powers and Abilities

Unarmed Combat

As with the majority of Gotham City based heroes, Helena is a normal human who relies on her training and intelligence. She is an above Olympic level athlete, who excels in acrobatics and gymnastics and is a highly skilled hand-to-hand combatant.

Intellect

She is also highly skilled as a detective and employs a multitude of items of a highly technological nature very similar to Batman.

Equipment

Her weapon of choice is a crossbow, though it is not always used offensively.

Other Versions

Helena Bertinelli

Helena Bertinelli is New Earth version of Huntress. Bertinelli come from a family of Italian gangsters. Her family was killed, she sought to avenge her family and she become the Huntress.

Post-52 / Earth-2

After the 52 event, where the multiverse is restore. A new version of Earth-2, where Justice Society of America and Infinity, Inc merge into the Justice Society Infinity. In Justice Society of America: Annual #1, Power Girl of New Earth is sent to this world by Gog. Power Girl encounters this world Helena, who's has the same origin as the Silver Age Helena.

Other Media

Television

Legends Of The Superheroes (1979)

Huntress appeared in the NBC TV specials as part of the Super-Friends. She was portrayed by Barbara Joyce

Birds Of Prey (2002)

Helena Wayne (alternatively named Helena Kyle) appears in the short lived Birds Of Prey series. She is the daughter of Batman and Catwoman. She worked with Oracle and Black Canary to fight crime in Gotham City as the Birds of Prey. However, this version possessed low-level superpowers, including enhanced strength and agility.