Coming out of Crisis on Infinite Earths over twenty years ago, there were no more two mixed up characters than Power Girl and the Huntress.  Power Girl was originally a Kryptonian but afterwards that was no longer the case and her powers became based on magic instead.  Huntress herself disappeared for a short while and then reappeared with a completely different origin story from her previous one where she was the daughter of the golden age versions of Batman and Catwoman.  Of course though writers are always ready to make a reference to the older version even when it doesn’t apply – Batman was ascribed father figure status in one miniseries, Helena was the name given to Selina’s baby during One Year Later and in the first Catwoman monthly series there was a brief story arc involving the former mother and daughter.   

That is to say some examples are explicit, others not so much.  So in reading the most recent issue of the Huntress miniseries in the new 52 (issue 3 specifically) I came across the above panel.  It could be taken at face value, or it could be taken to mean something more.   I guess in the end though only the writer knows for sure. 

I know too.

@RazzaTazz: I won't tell

This is, I believe a tease about where this series fits into continuity. Is it Earth-1 or Earth-2? If it's Earth-2, she's the daughter of Bruce and Selina. Of course then I have to ask why the hell she doesn't like Ace.

That was the first thing that came to mind as well and I just about squeed when I read that.

It also reminded me of Helena's team-up with Selina in Manhunt where Selina left Helena to be chased by security dogs while she broke into a money launderer's home. I honestly can't blame her for hating dogs after that, lol.

I've got to say that the Huntress mini has been one of my favorite books of the relaunch....the art is just plain beautiful and I always did have a soft spot for Huntress

I think there's some red herrings being thrown around in this, just to keep people on their toes.

Isn't she referred to as Helena Bertinelli at one point? If so, wouldn't that stand to reason that she's not the daughter of Selina and Bruce?

On the other hand, you have the DC Nation things in the back of the comics with the interviews and such, aligning this with Mr. Terrific and the other Earth 2 books. In addition to that, you have little things like that panel you pointed out above.

I'm at the point where I could see it going either way and where I'd honestly be okay with it going either way.

@The Dark Huntress: I'm glad I'm not the only one feeling this way.

I can understand people not wanting to lose Helena Bertinelli, and others desperately wanting to see Helena Wayne again. But I think it's a bad idea to be jumping to conclusions this early in the game with the very little information that's provided. The fact that DC has done a fine job at blurring the line between the two incarnations is more than a good enough reason to keep an open mind and remember that this isn't still the post-Crisis continuity. It could still turn out to be Bertinelli, or it could really be Wayne operating under a different alias.

Either way I'm excited to see what DC has in store for the character in the newer universe. I'll be super excited if she does turn out to be Helena Wayne since I'll finally be able to enjoy more modern stories with her that are actually written in my lifetime, but I'll also be cool with keeping Helena Bertinelli since she's a great character too.

@RazzaTazz: I wasn't saying you in particular were drawing any conclusions. I was merely commenting on the handful of people who have been jumping to all kinds of conclusions ever since DC announced the Earth-2 connection to the Huntress mini back in October. Sorry for the confusion!

@RazzaTazz: I don't think your post is redundant at all. I actually thought it was a relief to read a post that actually commented on the character's history as opposed to the constant "No! It's Helena Wayne! No! It's Bertinelli!" debate I've been seeing on various forums since October.

It's Bertinelli.

@entropy_aegis said:

It's Bertinelli.

Its confirmed to be her by the writer and by DC

She IS a woman.

I honestly think it was just coincidence rather than something intended.

@RazzaTazz: Granted it very well could have been a call back to her Pre-Crisis origin, but outside of that it doesn't really mean anything I believe in terms of her current origin. In the discussion of events that have not been affected by the reboot, the Batman story line is among those that have been the least affected. In Huntress Year One, Catwoman helped to defend Helena from Batman and since Helena's Italian roots seem to still be in tact everything seems to point that her post-crisis story lines have not changed.. It's no lie that Helena has a very special relation to Catwoman, but in regards of her preference to dogs or cats it has never been really stated. Of course her preference in the animals could have been due to creators taking a tongue-in-cheek approach, but she could have just as well as picked dogs over cats. That particular scene was rather pointless though, because the issue could have just as well done without it. It was more so coincidence that the creators decided to make this addition, instead of planning it out.

@RazzaTazz: I suppose that could be true.

@Delphic said:

@RazzaTazz: Granted it very well could have been a call back to her Pre-Crisis origin, but outside of that it doesn't really mean anything I believe in terms of her current origin. In the discussion of events that have not been affected by the reboot, the Batman story line is among those that have been the least affected. In Huntress Year One, Catwoman helped to defend Helena from Batman and since Helena's Italian roots seem to still be in tact everything seems to point that her post-crisis story lines have not changed.. It's no lie that Helena has a very special relation to Catwoman, but in regards of her preference to dogs or cats it has never been really stated. Of course her preference in the animals could have been due to creators taking a tongue-in-cheek approach, but she could have just as well as picked dogs over cats. That particular scene was rather pointless though, because the issue could have just as well done without it. It was more so coincidence that the creators decided to make this addition, instead of planning it out.

So True

@Delphic: No one knows what her current origin is in the new universe, mate. So it's hard to say how much of her post-Crisis origin is still in continuity and how much of it has changed.

Maybe this is a nod to her original origin.

I think it's the reference to her past connection to Catwoman.

In Birds of Prey Huntress was the daughter of Batman and Catwoman