What do you think?
Rate this book
Huntress: Year One #1-6
Huntress: Year One
As the last survivor of a crime family eliminated by bloody rivalries among the mobs of Gotham City, the orphaned Helena Bertinelli grew into the mysterious vigilante known as the Huntress.
New writer Ivory Madison shines a light on the dark underbelly of the mob world spanning from Gotham to Sicily, exploring exactly what led Helena away from a life in the Cosa Nostra criminal society and set her on a path of vigilantism. Also, find out more about Batman's first meeting with the fledgling female crime-fighter and why, to this day, they struggle to see eye-to-eye.
New writer Ivory Madison shines a light on the dark underbelly of the mob world spanning from Gotham to Sicily, exploring exactly what led Helena away from a life in the Cosa Nostra criminal society and set her on a path of vigilantism. Also, find out more about Batman's first meeting with the fledgling female crime-fighter and why, to this day, they struggle to see eye-to-eye.
144 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2009
7 people are currently reading
728 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 75 reviews
January 6, 2023
A messy and overly bloated plot that never seems to find its footing. Like with seemingly every comicbook character origin story, it's a journey built on tragedy, only it doesn't create a hero this time, but a vengeful women set on retribution. The conflict, broken down to its simplest form is: men = bad. Every male character in this is an awful person, and Madison reminds the reader of this every chance they get. It gets to the point where I'm unsure as to what it's trying to promote and communicate to the reader. As for the saving graces, Helena herself is an interesting protagonist who gets to develop amongst a sea of one too many forgettable characters, and the cameos from the Batfam provide some good moments for general DC fans. Lacking in many areas, the best thing it does is invest the reader in a character that deserves better stories.
TRIGGERS: domestic violence, rape, child grooming
P.S shout out to other Molly for getting me to read all of the Huntress things. You know who you are 😌
TRIGGERS: domestic violence, rape, child grooming
P.S shout out to other Molly for getting me to read all of the Huntress things. You know who you are 😌
October 1, 2020
What comic book creators need to learn is the 'show don't tell' technique and apply it sometimes. Needlessly adding unnecessary or repititive monologues in every other panel doesn't make it immerse, but downright monotonous and boring.
The book is a messy, rushed plot with some decent artwork.
The book is a messy, rushed plot with some decent artwork.
May 29, 2024
“They say you should never leave the sin of your enemy alive because he’ll grow up to take revenge. They don’t say anything about daughters.”
“Sometimes, there really are good guys.”
“You settle for being good. I’m going to be the best.”
Helena Bertinelli my glorious queen 🙇🙇
The writing in this was just glorious, magnificent dialogue and character work!
“Love isn’t a feeling, it’s the choices you make. It’s sacrifice. It’s loyalty. If she believes god’s love can save the world, then I will die in service to her vision. That’s the choice I have made.”
Also this conversation between Helena and Bruce?!?!
“Your parents would be ashamed of what you’ve become.”
“You may not talk about them.”
“Fine. God is ashamed of you.”
“God is dead.”
And the last scene where she literally tears someone’s tongue out and then proceeds to baptize herself???
No ones doing it like her.
“Sometimes, there really are good guys.”
“You settle for being good. I’m going to be the best.”
Helena Bertinelli my glorious queen 🙇🙇
The writing in this was just glorious, magnificent dialogue and character work!
“Love isn’t a feeling, it’s the choices you make. It’s sacrifice. It’s loyalty. If she believes god’s love can save the world, then I will die in service to her vision. That’s the choice I have made.”
Also this conversation between Helena and Bruce?!?!
“Your parents would be ashamed of what you’ve become.”
“You may not talk about them.”
“Fine. God is ashamed of you.”
“God is dead.”
And the last scene where she literally tears someone’s tongue out and then proceeds to baptize herself???
No ones doing it like her.
June 10, 2016
Pleasantly surprised by this comic.
This was not the first Huntress comic I have read, but it is the best one. I didn't like Huntress: Crossbow at the Crossroads very well at all because it didn't really hit on anything important or unique about Helena. This Year One comic did just that. She stands out from Batman, Batgirl, and Catwoman in this. It highlights the key events in her life that turned her into the Huntress, as well as her independence from men and her strong Catholic beliefs.
The artwork was good and the dialogue flowed very well. I also really liked the Batman, Batgirl, and Catwoman cameos. It shows these characters from her perspective, which isn't necessarily positive.
I would definitely recommend this to fans of vigilantes, female DC character fans, and (of course) Huntress fans. I can definitely say that after reading this comic, I am a fan of Helena Bertinelli/the Huntress.
This was not the first Huntress comic I have read, but it is the best one. I didn't like Huntress: Crossbow at the Crossroads very well at all because it didn't really hit on anything important or unique about Helena. This Year One comic did just that. She stands out from Batman, Batgirl, and Catwoman in this. It highlights the key events in her life that turned her into the Huntress, as well as her independence from men and her strong Catholic beliefs.
The artwork was good and the dialogue flowed very well. I also really liked the Batman, Batgirl, and Catwoman cameos. It shows these characters from her perspective, which isn't necessarily positive.
I would definitely recommend this to fans of vigilantes, female DC character fans, and (of course) Huntress fans. I can definitely say that after reading this comic, I am a fan of Helena Bertinelli/the Huntress.
July 15, 2017
One of the darker but still entertaining and intelligently-written superhero comics I've read with a woman in the starring role, and one of the first that's an origin story. It's also my first mafia book.
'Huntress: Year One' is short but satisfying, even in a story involving the mafia where criminal organisations are cross-linked and spread throughout the world. And in a superhero origin book, there will be a few loose ends.
Huntress is a magnificently gritty, hard-as-nails heroine (though she prefers to be called hero) who takes shit from no one. She is as violent as I've seen her in Gail Simone's 'Birds of Prey' storylines, although there is less of her devil-may-care attitude in her 'Year One' introduction. Here, she takes things in her tragic life much more seriously.
Helena Bertinelli - mafia princess and lone survivor of a family assassination as a little girl - takes everything into consideration. She seeks revenge and retribution in a man's mob-infested world. Even when she falls in love with a man against her better judgement, she is still willing to kill him because he is as flawed as the rest in their connections to a mafia crime syndicate. Yes, Helena is a heroine who will torture and kill her enemies; though she uses fitting punishments more effectively than anything else at her disposal. All the while she carries a cross and a belief in God with her. This makes her ever the more complex and badass, and it's something rarely ever seen in a female lead in anything, much less a superhero comic book. Even at the age of eight, just before her family were massacred right in front of her, she prayed at the dinner table for her abusive father to be dead - outloud in his presence. Huntress's killing policy is one of the things that sets her miles apart from Gotham's more prestigious protector, Batman.
Misogyny is ripe in the story of Huntress. Men beware her crossbow. She will not let herself or other women suffer in the patriarchy like she always had.
Not all men are evil in 'Huntress: Year One', however, and Huntress isn't a heartless, stoic killer. Her relationship with her adoptive brother is wonderfully done; that along with her feelings over a doomed romance show her softer, more vulnerable side. Underneath the violence, Helena is a ball of pain and suffering. She is human.
Looking at some DC background information, I find it interesting that Huntress was once the daughter of Batman and Catwoman, named Helena Wayne, in Earth-2: until that universe was wiped out from continuity. DC - and Marvel as well - appear to be stubbornly against the idea of superheroes getting married and having children; as it shows their age, I presume. I would argue that any icon can be made timeless depending on good writing, which heroes with families have shown us in the past. Families offer a myriad of opportunities for limitless story and character possibilities - the opposite is not true at all! Still, Huntress must have been popular enough to be granted a revamped version in the Earth-1 continuity. Indeed she is one of the genuinely dynamic DC heroines out there worthy of her own title.
'Huntress: Year One' loses a point for its portrayal of Batgirl. I love Barbara Gordon, so to see her in this comic, where she fails in simple tasks and is scolded by Bruce Wayne like a child, really shook me the wrong way. She's a foil for Huntress, but she also seems to exist to make Huntress look more competent in comparison. I know Barbara is supposed to have only gotten started on her vigilante crusade here. However I was thrown from this perspective by how mature she looks in her civilian form, even being directly involved in police work. Batman being a big, brooding ass refusing to share crime fighting in Gotham doesn't help matters, even though it is for understandable reasons. 'Huntress: Year One' is about a woman's crusade to save other women from a corrupt man's world, and yet little love and respect is given to the women victims themselves; and nowhere is this more apparent than with Batgirl, and Batman's undermining of her. This is swept under the rug, obliterating any possibility for Huntress to perhaps talk to Batgirl about becoming her own individual and not letting a man from higher-ups get her down like dirt on his shoe. Feels like a missed opportunity to me.
So yeah, 'Huntress: Year One' does not do my Batgirl justice. However...
Catwoman, aka Selina Kyle, is great. I never cared much for her character before, but she is a hoot whenever she shows up in this. A self-confident thief, Catwoman gives Huntress advice and lets her in on Batman's weaknesses. Plus she smokes in her costume while up on roofs like no one's business. What a cool cat.
In a way, both Catwoman and Batman serve as parental figures for the orphan Huntress in her origin tale - perhaps a nod to them actually being her parents in her earlier incarnation.
In terms of how women other than Huntress herself are portrayed, Catwoman makes up for Batgirl's poor, wasted appearance.
To conclude, 'Huntress: Year One' is a fine stand-alone title comic, with sombre and meticulous artwork to accompany the mafia revenge plot. It does get confusing in places, as there is the skipping and jumping about in time and trying to keep up with the many bad guys' plans. But I rolled with it all and it turned out to be fairly simple to follow in retrospect.
Dark, sophisticated and horrific, starring an anti-heroine who doesn’t need superpowers to be awesome. She gets stuff done, and in a bloody and bizarrely biblical style.
Final Score: 4/5
'Huntress: Year One' is short but satisfying, even in a story involving the mafia where criminal organisations are cross-linked and spread throughout the world. And in a superhero origin book, there will be a few loose ends.
Huntress is a magnificently gritty, hard-as-nails heroine (though she prefers to be called hero) who takes shit from no one. She is as violent as I've seen her in Gail Simone's 'Birds of Prey' storylines, although there is less of her devil-may-care attitude in her 'Year One' introduction. Here, she takes things in her tragic life much more seriously.
Helena Bertinelli - mafia princess and lone survivor of a family assassination as a little girl - takes everything into consideration. She seeks revenge and retribution in a man's mob-infested world. Even when she falls in love with a man against her better judgement, she is still willing to kill him because he is as flawed as the rest in their connections to a mafia crime syndicate. Yes, Helena is a heroine who will torture and kill her enemies; though she uses fitting punishments more effectively than anything else at her disposal. All the while she carries a cross and a belief in God with her. This makes her ever the more complex and badass, and it's something rarely ever seen in a female lead in anything, much less a superhero comic book. Even at the age of eight, just before her family were massacred right in front of her, she prayed at the dinner table for her abusive father to be dead - outloud in his presence. Huntress's killing policy is one of the things that sets her miles apart from Gotham's more prestigious protector, Batman.
Misogyny is ripe in the story of Huntress. Men beware her crossbow. She will not let herself or other women suffer in the patriarchy like she always had.
Not all men are evil in 'Huntress: Year One', however, and Huntress isn't a heartless, stoic killer. Her relationship with her adoptive brother is wonderfully done; that along with her feelings over a doomed romance show her softer, more vulnerable side. Underneath the violence, Helena is a ball of pain and suffering. She is human.
Looking at some DC background information, I find it interesting that Huntress was once the daughter of Batman and Catwoman, named Helena Wayne, in Earth-2: until that universe was wiped out from continuity. DC - and Marvel as well - appear to be stubbornly against the idea of superheroes getting married and having children; as it shows their age, I presume. I would argue that any icon can be made timeless depending on good writing, which heroes with families have shown us in the past. Families offer a myriad of opportunities for limitless story and character possibilities - the opposite is not true at all! Still, Huntress must have been popular enough to be granted a revamped version in the Earth-1 continuity. Indeed she is one of the genuinely dynamic DC heroines out there worthy of her own title.
'Huntress: Year One' loses a point for its portrayal of Batgirl. I love Barbara Gordon, so to see her in this comic, where she fails in simple tasks and is scolded by Bruce Wayne like a child, really shook me the wrong way. She's a foil for Huntress, but she also seems to exist to make Huntress look more competent in comparison. I know Barbara is supposed to have only gotten started on her vigilante crusade here. However I was thrown from this perspective by how mature she looks in her civilian form, even being directly involved in police work. Batman being a big, brooding ass refusing to share crime fighting in Gotham doesn't help matters, even though it is for understandable reasons. 'Huntress: Year One' is about a woman's crusade to save other women from a corrupt man's world, and yet little love and respect is given to the women victims themselves; and nowhere is this more apparent than with Batgirl, and Batman's undermining of her. This is swept under the rug, obliterating any possibility for Huntress to perhaps talk to Batgirl about becoming her own individual and not letting a man from higher-ups get her down like dirt on his shoe. Feels like a missed opportunity to me.
So yeah, 'Huntress: Year One' does not do my Batgirl justice. However...
Catwoman, aka Selina Kyle, is great. I never cared much for her character before, but she is a hoot whenever she shows up in this. A self-confident thief, Catwoman gives Huntress advice and lets her in on Batman's weaknesses. Plus she smokes in her costume while up on roofs like no one's business. What a cool cat.
In a way, both Catwoman and Batman serve as parental figures for the orphan Huntress in her origin tale - perhaps a nod to them actually being her parents in her earlier incarnation.
In terms of how women other than Huntress herself are portrayed, Catwoman makes up for Batgirl's poor, wasted appearance.
To conclude, 'Huntress: Year One' is a fine stand-alone title comic, with sombre and meticulous artwork to accompany the mafia revenge plot. It does get confusing in places, as there is the skipping and jumping about in time and trying to keep up with the many bad guys' plans. But I rolled with it all and it turned out to be fairly simple to follow in retrospect.
Dark, sophisticated and horrific, starring an anti-heroine who doesn’t need superpowers to be awesome. She gets stuff done, and in a bloody and bizarrely biblical style.
Final Score: 4/5
August 3, 2017
The Huntress has come a long way from the Bronze-Age lovechild of Batman and Catwoman—to say nothing of her earliest appearance as a one-note villainess in 1947. In her current post-Crisis, pre-New 52 incarnation, the purple-clad heroine is a mafia princess orphaned as a little girl by the mob and now wages war against organized crime. In The Huntress: Year One, newcomer Ivory Madison tenders a six-issue miniseries detailing the origins and inaugural year of Helena Bertinelli’s alter ego, the Huntress, a deliciously badass character deserving of her own monthly title but, regrettably, still struggling to find her proper place within the DC Universe.
As the eight-year-old daughter of a Sicilian crime family, Helena Bertinelli was unaware of the dangerous life she lived—that is, until a masked assassin guns down her parents and older brother during a quiet pasta dinner, leaving her the only survivor. The silent panels sequencing her family’s annihilation are powerful and underscore the merciless violence. Rather than killing her, the hitman makes off with Helena’s crucifix as she cries alone amidst a splatter of bloodied corpses and spaghetti sauce. Fast-forward twelve years, on the eve of her twenty-first birthday, Helena, now the ward of the Asaro family, is about to receive a substantial inheritance. But the aging mafia dons have other plans for the Bertinelli fortune. Donning a sleek costume and a handy crossbow, the hunted has become the hunter, and like a wraith in the night Helena tracks both the man who ordered the hit on her family and the triggerman himself. An initially intriguing story takes a decisive nose-dive after a deadly confrontation with her family's killer during the Venetian Carnival leaves the fledgling heroine with no choice but to return to Gotham City, thereby ensuring a fateful rendezvous with Batman.
In the course of the story, Helena reveals both her resourcefulness and ruthlessness. As a woman of principle and faith, she is demonstrably more violent than most heroes—a vigilante in the truest sense. Helena is a survivor, a fierce warrior whose beginnings greatly echo those of Bruce Wayne; though in Helena’s case, witnessing the deaths of her beloved kin has instilled in her a righteous anger that fuels Helena’s penchant for bloodshed, as evidenced in a literal cat-got-your-tongue moment near the end of the book. Helena’s wrathful vengeance is a stark contrast to Batman’s cool restraint.
The second half of the book features cameos from the Bat-Family, though it seems like Madison went out of her way to cram every familiar character—Bruce Wayne/Batman, Catwoman, Batgirl, Alfred, stop me if I’m forgetting anyone!—into a rather rushed finale. Despite the occasionally campy dialogue, Madison makes superb use of present-day Helena’s narrative captions, particularly during flashback sequences, thus giving readers a real sense of the character's complexity. What's more, her Italian-American ethnicity and Catholic faith distinguishes her from most other mainstay superheroes.
Artistically speaking, Year One is a success. Jason Wright's colors are vibrant and hold true to the book’s pervasive moodiness and noir-ish milieu; and the crisp, shadow-tinged art of Cliff Richards is more than capable of telling a story, even one that does little to redefine the character. The Huntress’ roots were previously explored in Greg Rucka’s superior miniseries, Batman/Huntress: Cry for Blood (2000), which begs the question as to the purpose of this latter-day origin tale outside of its showing readers how Helena acquired her costume and how the Huntress moniker carries certain sentimental value. Madison’s vision of the Huntress’ backstory is intelligent and for the most part coherent, though largely uninspired.
As the eight-year-old daughter of a Sicilian crime family, Helena Bertinelli was unaware of the dangerous life she lived—that is, until a masked assassin guns down her parents and older brother during a quiet pasta dinner, leaving her the only survivor. The silent panels sequencing her family’s annihilation are powerful and underscore the merciless violence. Rather than killing her, the hitman makes off with Helena’s crucifix as she cries alone amidst a splatter of bloodied corpses and spaghetti sauce. Fast-forward twelve years, on the eve of her twenty-first birthday, Helena, now the ward of the Asaro family, is about to receive a substantial inheritance. But the aging mafia dons have other plans for the Bertinelli fortune. Donning a sleek costume and a handy crossbow, the hunted has become the hunter, and like a wraith in the night Helena tracks both the man who ordered the hit on her family and the triggerman himself. An initially intriguing story takes a decisive nose-dive after a deadly confrontation with her family's killer during the Venetian Carnival leaves the fledgling heroine with no choice but to return to Gotham City, thereby ensuring a fateful rendezvous with Batman.
In the course of the story, Helena reveals both her resourcefulness and ruthlessness. As a woman of principle and faith, she is demonstrably more violent than most heroes—a vigilante in the truest sense. Helena is a survivor, a fierce warrior whose beginnings greatly echo those of Bruce Wayne; though in Helena’s case, witnessing the deaths of her beloved kin has instilled in her a righteous anger that fuels Helena’s penchant for bloodshed, as evidenced in a literal cat-got-your-tongue moment near the end of the book. Helena’s wrathful vengeance is a stark contrast to Batman’s cool restraint.
The second half of the book features cameos from the Bat-Family, though it seems like Madison went out of her way to cram every familiar character—Bruce Wayne/Batman, Catwoman, Batgirl, Alfred, stop me if I’m forgetting anyone!—into a rather rushed finale. Despite the occasionally campy dialogue, Madison makes superb use of present-day Helena’s narrative captions, particularly during flashback sequences, thus giving readers a real sense of the character's complexity. What's more, her Italian-American ethnicity and Catholic faith distinguishes her from most other mainstay superheroes.
Artistically speaking, Year One is a success. Jason Wright's colors are vibrant and hold true to the book’s pervasive moodiness and noir-ish milieu; and the crisp, shadow-tinged art of Cliff Richards is more than capable of telling a story, even one that does little to redefine the character. The Huntress’ roots were previously explored in Greg Rucka’s superior miniseries, Batman/Huntress: Cry for Blood (2000), which begs the question as to the purpose of this latter-day origin tale outside of its showing readers how Helena acquired her costume and how the Huntress moniker carries certain sentimental value. Madison’s vision of the Huntress’ backstory is intelligent and for the most part coherent, though largely uninspired.
February 7, 2022
The plot is incomprehensible. Helena Bertinelli is trying to get revenge on the mafia members who killed her family. Helena several times early on in her crusade makes a very public display of what she intends to do and yet the people who witness this decide they're more scared of this 18-year-old nobody than the entire Italian Mafia and choose to say nothing. It's totally absurd.
There's a huge feminist angle but falls flat on its face. Why is it a laughable attempt at feminism? Let's start with the incredibly skin-tight costume that has seemingly no armor and giant heels. From there we can move to how Helena falls in love with a guy she'll be the first to admit that she knows nothing about other than he's hot, spoiled, uncontrolled, ignorant and his dad is a rapist. Now I'm not saying uncontrolled means the son is definitely a rapist like his father, just you would think all that would give her pause, but no, she's head over heels. And lastly, we get to the terrible scene where Helena is explaining in Italian how the words for actress and heroine in Italian are sexist. The scene ends with her friend who she's debating calling her the greatest hunter ever. She corrects him by saying she's a huntress. Is it supposed to be funny that she doesn’t care about feminism and it’s just a prop to her?
I could continue ranting about all the nonsense that happens in this story but there'd be no point.
The art also sucks. Many times characters will look like caricatures of themselves that a boardwalk artist has drawn.
There's a huge feminist angle but falls flat on its face. Why is it a laughable attempt at feminism? Let's start with the incredibly skin-tight costume that has seemingly no armor and giant heels. From there we can move to how Helena falls in love with a guy she'll be the first to admit that she knows nothing about other than he's hot, spoiled, uncontrolled, ignorant and his dad is a rapist. Now I'm not saying uncontrolled means the son is definitely a rapist like his father, just you would think all that would give her pause, but no, she's head over heels. And lastly, we get to the terrible scene where Helena is explaining in Italian how the words for actress and heroine in Italian are sexist. The scene ends with her friend who she's debating calling her the greatest hunter ever. She corrects him by saying she's a huntress. Is it supposed to be funny that she doesn’t care about feminism and it’s just a prop to her?
I could continue ranting about all the nonsense that happens in this story but there'd be no point.
The art also sucks. Many times characters will look like caricatures of themselves that a boardwalk artist has drawn.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 16, 2015
I LOVE this Huntress origin story. My first encounter with the Huntress was "Huntress: Crossbow at the Crossroads" by Paul Levitz, where Helena sorely lacks personality. But when I read Gail Simone's version of her in "Birds of Prey", I fell in love with her. Now, after "Huntress: Year One", I'm loving her even more. She's darker and bloodier than her other versions, and I like it. There are parts in the story where I literally holler because of how satisfyingly bad-ass Huntress is being. She's a woman growing up in a highly patriarchal society who won't take shit from anyone. The telling of her backstory is great, and her journey to becoming The Huntress is riveting.
What keeps this from being a five-star book is Batman/Bruce Wayne and Batgirl/Barbara Gordon. Normally I love both those characters, but they annoy me here. Bruce snaps at Batgirl, acts like a brat who doesn't want to share the playground, and takes himself way too seriously. My problem with Batgirl isn't as big - just that Helena seems to beat her up far too easily (I know Batgirl's still new to the job here, but come on). Catwoman, on the other hand, is a delight.
The art isn't anything exceptional - just the usual comic book art style. It's decent. The cover makes Helena look sour, so just ignore it.
I highly recommend this to anyone interested in Huntress/Helena Bertinelli, and who doesn't mind some bloodshed. This is a darker story where the protagonist DOES kill, but to me, it's refreshing.
What keeps this from being a five-star book is Batman/Bruce Wayne and Batgirl/Barbara Gordon. Normally I love both those characters, but they annoy me here. Bruce snaps at Batgirl, acts like a brat who doesn't want to share the playground, and takes himself way too seriously. My problem with Batgirl isn't as big - just that Helena seems to beat her up far too easily (I know Batgirl's still new to the job here, but come on). Catwoman, on the other hand, is a delight.
The art isn't anything exceptional - just the usual comic book art style. It's decent. The cover makes Helena look sour, so just ignore it.
I highly recommend this to anyone interested in Huntress/Helena Bertinelli, and who doesn't mind some bloodshed. This is a darker story where the protagonist DOES kill, but to me, it's refreshing.
August 27, 2023
Let women have hobbies, Bruce.
March 10, 2009
The Huntress is one of my favourite characters out of the er, "very extended" Bat family. She's evolved very much since her first appearance on Earth-2 as Bruce Wayne and Selina Kyle's daughter. Sometimes I find that regrettable, as I like Helena Wayne too.
Now the only living member of the Bertinelli family, Helena witnessed the cold-blooded slaughter of her parents and brother by a hitman when she was a child, and she has been burning to avenge their deaths ever since.
I thought Cry for Blood was excellent in giving us a brief background into Helena's origins in the underworld, but Madison's take on it is perhaps grittier and more energetic. Certainly she makes Helena's mafia connections complex and explores the internal struggle for familial loyalty and personal aspirations.
Huntress' first encounter with Batman is a turning point in the narrative. Clearly there is a great deal of antagonism between the two vigilantes, both with their own agenda in serving justice. Batgirl and Catwoman also make appearances, the latter especially acting as a kind of buffer between Huntress and Batman.
Now the only living member of the Bertinelli family, Helena witnessed the cold-blooded slaughter of her parents and brother by a hitman when she was a child, and she has been burning to avenge their deaths ever since.
I thought Cry for Blood was excellent in giving us a brief background into Helena's origins in the underworld, but Madison's take on it is perhaps grittier and more energetic. Certainly she makes Helena's mafia connections complex and explores the internal struggle for familial loyalty and personal aspirations.
Huntress' first encounter with Batman is a turning point in the narrative. Clearly there is a great deal of antagonism between the two vigilantes, both with their own agenda in serving justice. Batgirl and Catwoman also make appearances, the latter especially acting as a kind of buffer between Huntress and Batman.
February 4, 2014
If you are a girl(or boy, don't want to discriminate) that doesn't think they could ever enjoy a superhero comic this is the one for you. I can honestly say this is the only comic I have ever been able to relate too. It has the perfect balance of action, backstory, star-crossed loving and revenge a person could ever want in my opinion. The storyline is very relatable and give solid food for thought like on page 32 where Hel's uncle says "We all think we're the good guys". He's trying to explain that her foster brother Sal, the person she adores and idolizes, did what he did because he thought it was right, that does not make it okay. I personally agree with that statement, it also sets up a little bit about what ends up happening to Sal towards the end of the comic.
I don't want to give away too much, but I'm sure of you're a fan of D.C. Comics, BA hero girls, or mob related revenge, this comic is made for you.
I don't want to give away too much, but I'm sure of you're a fan of D.C. Comics, BA hero girls, or mob related revenge, this comic is made for you.
November 7, 2023
kinda loved it, kinda hated it.
confusing but powerful,
weird but lovely.
yeah. huntress.
confusing but powerful,
weird but lovely.
yeah. huntress.
May 10, 2009
This miniseries starts out as a retread of the flashback scenes in Batman / Huntress - Cry for Blood: Helena, who was sent off to Sicily after her immediate family is murdered, is still there and now dealing with the loss of her second family, this time to prison in a crackdown on mob hitmen. Aside from an amusing moment where Barbara Gordon is in town for a "Mafia Continuing Education Training" with a bunch of government lawyers and legal librarians, the first two-thirds of the book are Helena creating herself as Huntress against the Sicilian organized crime families. It's not about Batman, although it is about Gotham -- people keep blaming her Gotham upbringing every time she does something unladylike, and when she first puts on her newly commissioned uniform the man she confronts smirks and says, "You must be an American...we don't have capes in Sicily." So that's pretty awesome, and the art is nice: it's decent for DC standards these days, and I really like how everything in the entire book is dark (I don't think there's anything brighter than twilight through the whole thing, and most of it's at night and/or underground).
And then Helena chases the mob back to Gotham, runs smack up against Batman and Batgirl, and the whole thing goes a little crazy.
Here's an example of Bruce Wayne's dialogue, addressing Batgirl after she breaks in to rescue him (in civilian guise) from Huntress: "You're fired."
Batgirl: "What?"
Bruce: "Damn it, you almost blew my cover -- did you think I couldn't handle it? Are you crazy? Are you crazy?"
So, yeah. Crazy. Barbara's mostly in this to give Helena a foil, which means that she gets beat up a lot and accomplishes nothing of any use.
(Although she does get one actual good exchange with Bruce:
Batman, meeting up with Batgirl on top of a building: "Bruce had a body bug on Nino, and that's how we were going to find out where the hard evidence is, but now Nino's dead. What's the look on your face for?
Batgirl: "I think it's funny how you talk about 'Bruce' as if he isn't you."
Batman: "It's not funny."
Batgirl: "Okay, it's not funny.")
Now, Selena is actually interesting. She drops in to partially break up a fight between Huntress and Batman and gives Huntress of page's worth of really good advice on fighting Batman, and then finishes her speech off with: "Now run. You can't beat him. Trust me." Then she leads Huntress away and gives her another speech about how she wants to see more strong women who answer to no one in Gotham.
Then there's a lot of violence and the story ends with a whole bunch of unanswered questions about the mob families back in Sicily.
On a side note, an odd continuity question: There's no mention of Robin, and at one point a mob boss needles Bruce about marrying his date (Selina Kyle) and having kids -- which is a funny dig at Earth-2 Huntress, who's Bruce and Selina's daughter -- although it could be explained by having a ward not considered a proper heir. (It also explicitly breaks continuity with Batman/Huntress: Cry for Blood in that Helena never sees Batman until she's already Huntress, but I like that change even though in general I think that Cry for Blood is a better story.)
The one thing I really liked about this miniseries was how it used Helena's origin story to inform so much of her vigilante style. Of the assassin who killed her family when she was eight she says: "The man stood in the doorway. In hindsight, there was a moment when I could have done something. I don't let that moment pass anymore. These days, I tend to pistol-whip first, ask questions later. Call me crazy, but...no one...will ever...do that to me. Never, ever again."
And then Helena chases the mob back to Gotham, runs smack up against Batman and Batgirl, and the whole thing goes a little crazy.
Here's an example of Bruce Wayne's dialogue, addressing Batgirl after she breaks in to rescue him (in civilian guise) from Huntress: "You're fired."
Batgirl: "What?"
Bruce: "Damn it, you almost blew my cover -- did you think I couldn't handle it? Are you crazy? Are you crazy?"
So, yeah. Crazy. Barbara's mostly in this to give Helena a foil, which means that she gets beat up a lot and accomplishes nothing of any use.
(Although she does get one actual good exchange with Bruce:
Batman, meeting up with Batgirl on top of a building: "Bruce had a body bug on Nino, and that's how we were going to find out where the hard evidence is, but now Nino's dead. What's the look on your face for?
Batgirl: "I think it's funny how you talk about 'Bruce' as if he isn't you."
Batman: "It's not funny."
Batgirl: "Okay, it's not funny.")
Now, Selena is actually interesting. She drops in to partially break up a fight between Huntress and Batman and gives Huntress of page's worth of really good advice on fighting Batman, and then finishes her speech off with: "Now run. You can't beat him. Trust me." Then she leads Huntress away and gives her another speech about how she wants to see more strong women who answer to no one in Gotham.
Then there's a lot of violence and the story ends with a whole bunch of unanswered questions about the mob families back in Sicily.
On a side note, an odd continuity question: There's no mention of Robin, and at one point a mob boss needles Bruce about marrying his date (Selina Kyle) and having kids -- which is a funny dig at Earth-2 Huntress, who's Bruce and Selina's daughter -- although it could be explained by having a ward not considered a proper heir. (It also explicitly breaks continuity with Batman/Huntress: Cry for Blood in that Helena never sees Batman until she's already Huntress, but I like that change even though in general I think that Cry for Blood is a better story.)
The one thing I really liked about this miniseries was how it used Helena's origin story to inform so much of her vigilante style. Of the assassin who killed her family when she was eight she says: "The man stood in the doorway. In hindsight, there was a moment when I could have done something. I don't let that moment pass anymore. These days, I tend to pistol-whip first, ask questions later. Call me crazy, but...no one...will ever...do that to me. Never, ever again."
March 12, 2012
I couldn't decide between two or three stars at first. It had its good moments- the religious themes were interesting and the Huntress' journey of vengeance was not a bad read. But then there are moments where she expresses repetitive feminist sentiments to the point of sounding like a broken record. There's also an out-of-place romance thrown into mix and a muddled web of mafia nonsense.
July 15, 2018
Every character in this book is an unlikeable, annoying, hypocritical idiot that I didn't care about at all, the story doesn't try very hard to make sense and the art is unimpressive to say the least. There is absolutely nothing I liked about this comicbook.
June 9, 2015
Very well done. Nice art, good story. 3.5 stars.
July 5, 2017
-Dug Helena, even though I'm not altogether down with how Ivory Madison handled her reinvention. She was BADASS, though, nonetheless.
-Art was *squeals* AMAZING. Cliff Richards is a DC fanboy and it shows.
Review to come.
-Art was *squeals* AMAZING. Cliff Richards is a DC fanboy and it shows.
Review to come.
February 13, 2020
I just found this to be messy and all over the place.
August 30, 2025
🅡🅔🅥🅘🅔🅦
Huntress: Year One
2008
GN
Rating: 4/5
Huntress: Year One is an engaging and emotional dive into the origin of Helena Bertinelli, a character whose journey from a grieving daughter to a fierce vigilante is compelling and ultimately tragic. Ivory Madison does an excellent job in fleshing out Helena’s backstory, capturing the pain of losing her family and the internal struggle she faces. The writing is sharp, and offers a fresh perspective on the Huntress as a complex character.
The artwork adds an additional layer to this gripping story. The blend of detailed work and colour choices creates a moody, noir-inspired atmosphere that perfectly suits Helena’s dark, troubled past. Each panel is filled with emotion, and the action scenes are intense and well-executed. The artists do a great job of portraying the external battles and the internal conflict that defines Helena.
The stand out is the way the story handles Helena’s moral dilemma. Madison explores themes of justice, vengeance, and redemption in a way that’s realistic. Helena’s relationship with her mentor, as well as her interactions with Gotham’s criminal underworld, add depth to her character and provide a sense of personal stakes. It’s a journey of growth and self-discovery, as she learns what it truly means to be a hero.
Huntress: Year One is a standout story for gritty vigilante heroes. It’s an emotionally charged and thoughtful origin tale that will appeal to long-time fans and newcomers to her world. There’s strong writing from Madison and excellent artwork, the comic is a must-read for anyone who appreciates complex characters and dark, gritty storytelling. My only complaint is the Batman connection, which feels more like a part II introduction for the characters.
#huntress#2008#comics#comicbooks#comicbookcommunity#comicbooklover#booklover#bookworm#comicbookreview#comicbookcollection#comicbookcollector#comicbookcollecting#dupreewenttothemovies#books#bookrecommendations#readingtime#readingaddict#readingcommunity#readinglist#readingbooks#readingisfun#alwaysreading#ilovereading#lovereading#readreadread#readersgonnaread#ivorymadison#book#dc#graphicnovel
Huntress: Year One
2008
GN
Rating: 4/5
Huntress: Year One is an engaging and emotional dive into the origin of Helena Bertinelli, a character whose journey from a grieving daughter to a fierce vigilante is compelling and ultimately tragic. Ivory Madison does an excellent job in fleshing out Helena’s backstory, capturing the pain of losing her family and the internal struggle she faces. The writing is sharp, and offers a fresh perspective on the Huntress as a complex character.
The artwork adds an additional layer to this gripping story. The blend of detailed work and colour choices creates a moody, noir-inspired atmosphere that perfectly suits Helena’s dark, troubled past. Each panel is filled with emotion, and the action scenes are intense and well-executed. The artists do a great job of portraying the external battles and the internal conflict that defines Helena.
The stand out is the way the story handles Helena’s moral dilemma. Madison explores themes of justice, vengeance, and redemption in a way that’s realistic. Helena’s relationship with her mentor, as well as her interactions with Gotham’s criminal underworld, add depth to her character and provide a sense of personal stakes. It’s a journey of growth and self-discovery, as she learns what it truly means to be a hero.
Huntress: Year One is a standout story for gritty vigilante heroes. It’s an emotionally charged and thoughtful origin tale that will appeal to long-time fans and newcomers to her world. There’s strong writing from Madison and excellent artwork, the comic is a must-read for anyone who appreciates complex characters and dark, gritty storytelling. My only complaint is the Batman connection, which feels more like a part II introduction for the characters.
#huntress#2008#comics#comicbooks#comicbookcommunity#comicbooklover#booklover#bookworm#comicbookreview#comicbookcollection#comicbookcollector#comicbookcollecting#dupreewenttothemovies#books#bookrecommendations#readingtime#readingaddict#readingcommunity#readinglist#readingbooks#readingisfun#alwaysreading#ilovereading#lovereading#readreadread#readersgonnaread#ivorymadison#book#dc#graphicnovel
February 11, 2017
Wow this was bad at least now I know why Huntress doesn't have many solo adventures.
June 13, 2014
I have to admit to being skeptical when I picked this one up. I love Huntress, she is one of my favorites. The fact that she is the offspring of Catwoman (who is my number 1 favorite) and Batman has always been a great back story, in my humble opinion. Hearing that Huntress was getting a revamping of her backstory worried me a bit. She is no longer of the Kyle/Wayne clan but is now the daugter of the mob. Her family is killed in front of her at a young age (sound familiar?) and she is sent to live with a family of assassins who raise her as their own. From this a need for vengence forms. I was pleasantly surprised at the new life that has been breathed into the character without changing any of the attributes that I love. Huntress remains one of my favorites.
November 19, 2011
Ivory Madison takes on the diffuclt task of exploring the early years of the Huntress's career. Focusing on Helena Betinelli's family of Italian gangsters, the tale twists through a secret society and a troubled fried before tossing her into a bout with both Batman and Catwoman. As much as I enjoy Huntress, this volume left me slightly cold. The complexities of the Catholic killer are sidetracked for extra appearances by the Dark Knight, Barbara Gordon, and Gotham City. I'll stick with the DCnU version hitting stands now, for a clearer picture of the Huntress.
May 20, 2010
Gives the origin story of the Huntress as reimagined after the big DC continuity cut. Instead of being the daughter of Bruce and Selina Kyle she is the last remaining member of the Bertinelli mob family. I liked the story and it was neat to see Batman and Cat Woman pulling at Helena to be a certain way and she still decided to be her own person. Her story is sad and it's made her tough. I see how she became what she is.
January 24, 2012
I love Huntress from Birds of Prey and the new 52, but I couldn't even finish this book.
August 9, 2018
Wow. This was terrible, every other page is written with feminist diatribes. F
September 1, 2021
What a great introduction to Helena Bertinelli— the Huntress! Once a mafia princess, Helena became the sole survivor of a hit by a rival family that left the remaining members of the Bertinelli family dead. When we meet Helena, she is focused, a little surly, and lacks direction in life. She’s stagnating and suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. She has shades of T2’s Sarah Connor or Halloween 2018’s Laurie Strode in how she carries herself, always on guard and unable to feel “safe.”
Really surprised the see the mixed reception to this book online. I found the writing to be excellent. Helena’s character is well defined. She’s full of anger. She doesn’t know what to do with herself and finally snaps, decides she has to take agency in her own life, and strikes out as the Huntress. Then she decides to do something about it. She’s written as sympathetic, even as her vengeance leads her to murder.
Helena does express a handful of times how she “hates dresses.” This is often a lazy way for an author to show their character is “not like the other girls”, but the narrative doesn’t treat other, more feminine women, as lesser in comparison. It also strongly makes sense of Helena. She saw women in her family expected to be beautiful and obedient. When they weren’t, they were punished. Helena tells the man she loves that she doesn’t want to die like her mother did. She offers to teach a younger cousin how to defend herself after she is assaulted. She constantly pushes for the women around her to empower themselves and fight against the system which oppresses them.
There are some strong feminist themes depicted (makes me wonder if some of the one stars don’t like that. Just gonna sip my tea over here…) It’s not just Helena’s actions but also the way other women are depicted. The mafia world is violently patriarchal, and Helena’s existence upsets that balance. Powerful men treating women as disposable is a major theme throughout the book, and the third act, when Helena returns to Gotham, explores women’s rage and the different ways it manifests. Helena’s rage leads her to violence. She wants to hurt the people who hurt her. Barbara’s rage leads her to heroism. She wants to protect the people who can’t protect themselves but refuses to cross a line. Selina’s rage leads her to hedonism. She takes what she wants and lives how she chooses, no matter what anyone may think of her.
Let’s talk about those other ladies for a moment, shall we? Barbara Gordon and Selina Kyle feature prominently in the last act, and the author shows a solid grasp not only on their personalities, but also where they should be in their character arcs at this point in the nebulous DC timeline. Barbara is working as Bruce’s main partner (Dick is assumedly Robin, leading the Teen Titans). She’s competent and enthusiastic, but still a rookie. In many ways, she’s a mirror of Helena. Both are around the same age, donned a costume to fight crime, and believe strongly in their ideologies. Except Helena is pursuing a vendetta, and Barbara believes she has the moral right.
You can see the stirrings of their eventual relationship in Birds of Prey. I love it.
Selina is in that “not a villain, not yet a anti-hero” phase. She basically does whatever she wants in the story, and though it’s never outright stated, Batman clearly lets her. Their relationship isn’t a major focus, but there is a really great moment where Catwoman helps Huntress evade Batman. When they reach a certain rooftop, Catwoman tells Huntress that Batman never chases her any farther. It’s an interesting moment that sheds some light on Batman and Catwoman’s odd relationship.
Batman tries to be the angel on Helena’s shoulder, while Catwoman is delighted to be the devil. She has an instant interest in Helena, drawn to the idea of an independent, morally ambiguous woman in Gotham. The two strike an almost, but not quite, friendship which was fun to see. Even when in conflict, there’s surprising moments of women supporting women, and a lot of conversations where women are discussing things with one another with no relation to men. The Bechdel Test was broken in the best way, multiple times.
The story is compelling and kept me glued to the page. Ivory Madison really knew what she was doing here and had a deft hand. I am extremely disappointed that she hasn’t done more, because I think she has a wonderful narrative voice.
Aiding the story is gorgeous artwork with wonderful coloring. This was a real treat after the last book I read left an unpleasant visual aftertaste, with ugly line work and gratuitous cheesecake. The art here was made to match the story and tone. It was extremely refreshing to enjoy a story with three gorgeous women in major roles, all drawn powerfully, and placed with great cinematic thought into their panels but without cheapening them by focusing on their T + A.
Just a totally great read all around. Highly recommend.
Really surprised the see the mixed reception to this book online. I found the writing to be excellent. Helena’s character is well defined. She’s full of anger. She doesn’t know what to do with herself and finally snaps, decides she has to take agency in her own life, and strikes out as the Huntress. Then she decides to do something about it. She’s written as sympathetic, even as her vengeance leads her to murder.
Helena does express a handful of times how she “hates dresses.” This is often a lazy way for an author to show their character is “not like the other girls”, but the narrative doesn’t treat other, more feminine women, as lesser in comparison. It also strongly makes sense of Helena. She saw women in her family expected to be beautiful and obedient. When they weren’t, they were punished. Helena tells the man she loves that she doesn’t want to die like her mother did. She offers to teach a younger cousin how to defend herself after she is assaulted. She constantly pushes for the women around her to empower themselves and fight against the system which oppresses them.
There are some strong feminist themes depicted (makes me wonder if some of the one stars don’t like that. Just gonna sip my tea over here…) It’s not just Helena’s actions but also the way other women are depicted. The mafia world is violently patriarchal, and Helena’s existence upsets that balance. Powerful men treating women as disposable is a major theme throughout the book, and the third act, when Helena returns to Gotham, explores women’s rage and the different ways it manifests. Helena’s rage leads her to violence. She wants to hurt the people who hurt her. Barbara’s rage leads her to heroism. She wants to protect the people who can’t protect themselves but refuses to cross a line. Selina’s rage leads her to hedonism. She takes what she wants and lives how she chooses, no matter what anyone may think of her.
Let’s talk about those other ladies for a moment, shall we? Barbara Gordon and Selina Kyle feature prominently in the last act, and the author shows a solid grasp not only on their personalities, but also where they should be in their character arcs at this point in the nebulous DC timeline. Barbara is working as Bruce’s main partner (Dick is assumedly Robin, leading the Teen Titans). She’s competent and enthusiastic, but still a rookie. In many ways, she’s a mirror of Helena. Both are around the same age, donned a costume to fight crime, and believe strongly in their ideologies. Except Helena is pursuing a vendetta, and Barbara believes she has the moral right.
You can see the stirrings of their eventual relationship in Birds of Prey. I love it.
Selina is in that “not a villain, not yet a anti-hero” phase. She basically does whatever she wants in the story, and though it’s never outright stated, Batman clearly lets her. Their relationship isn’t a major focus, but there is a really great moment where Catwoman helps Huntress evade Batman. When they reach a certain rooftop, Catwoman tells Huntress that Batman never chases her any farther. It’s an interesting moment that sheds some light on Batman and Catwoman’s odd relationship.
Batman tries to be the angel on Helena’s shoulder, while Catwoman is delighted to be the devil. She has an instant interest in Helena, drawn to the idea of an independent, morally ambiguous woman in Gotham. The two strike an almost, but not quite, friendship which was fun to see. Even when in conflict, there’s surprising moments of women supporting women, and a lot of conversations where women are discussing things with one another with no relation to men. The Bechdel Test was broken in the best way, multiple times.
The story is compelling and kept me glued to the page. Ivory Madison really knew what she was doing here and had a deft hand. I am extremely disappointed that she hasn’t done more, because I think she has a wonderful narrative voice.
Aiding the story is gorgeous artwork with wonderful coloring. This was a real treat after the last book I read left an unpleasant visual aftertaste, with ugly line work and gratuitous cheesecake. The art here was made to match the story and tone. It was extremely refreshing to enjoy a story with three gorgeous women in major roles, all drawn powerfully, and placed with great cinematic thought into their panels but without cheapening them by focusing on their T + A.
Just a totally great read all around. Highly recommend.
October 10, 2024
I’m a sucker for these ‘Year One’ stories. This is another one!
Rather unusual is the introduction by Paul Levitz that freely admits that this story is a change from original of the Huntress being Batman’s daughter (on Earth 2).
The first story is just a retelling of her new crime family inspired origin. Similar to Batman’s. A crime family murders her whole crime family but leaves her alive.
It could be a lesson about letting go of the past. Or it could be propaganda… conditioning women to obey, without question, the men dragging them around.
The art is uniformly good.
When you’re twenty, you have the happy ending all figured out.
”In all the operas, women only matter if they are young, innocent, and die.”
A friend introduced me to the phrase ‘insta-love’ and it applies here as well. Suddenly out of nowhere, she meets a guy, but has to give him up because he is committed to his family and she doesn’t want that kind of life.
”Women are like bugs. Bugs who ask annoying questions.
It gets a little muddy after that…
I suppose ‘Year One’ for Huntress has to include her origin story.
I’m not sure what I expected of this book, but honestly it’s not what it is. It’s Huntress doing a lot of fighting and some killing, even fighting Bruce Wayne, but to not much purpose.
But finally this story gets interesting (I’d tell you which one but they don’t say). Huntress is attacked by Batman because he thinks she’s an assassin. But Catwoman comes in to distract him and let Huntress get away because Catwoman realizes that Huntress is clueless about how to work in Gotham.
But Catwoman takes a shine to her and helps her out. ”We need more strong women in Gotham.”
Huntress interferes with Batman trying to make a sting on the mob. Batgirl tires to help out and gets chewed out for it.
Huntress suspects that Bruce Wayne is either a patsy or trying to create a disaster for Gotham to hurt all lower-income people so that will become a ‘white city’.
The last story wraps it up pretty nicely and was definitely the best of all the stories. It gives the Huntress clear motivation and cements her relationship with Batman in a much cooler way than it is usually portrayed.
I think most of the book is pretty weak in leading up to the end however. I can see what it wants to do, but I don’t think it does it very well.
At the end of the day the last story made up for how unfocused the previous stories were.
I’m giving this 3 stars, the last story is 4 stars and the rest of the stories are 2 stars.
I’ll give it because it does seem a cool milestone in the Huntress saga.
There’s still no explanation for why she wears ‘Bat-ears’ however.
December 27, 2023
(Zero spoiler review) 2.5/.5
The Year One thing was done to death by the time this came out, and this is fifteen years old. That wouldn't phase me in the slightest, seeing as how Huntress is not only one of my favourite members of the Gotham gallery, but one of my favourite characters period. What does bother me however, is the fact that this is so painfully, painfully average. The poster child of a weightless, instantly forgettable comic book story. Bearing all the hallmarks of a nothing arc within a soon to be cancelled series. Not the supposed origin story of a Gotham regular.
The art is fine, the odd disappointing facial model aside. Even if I would have preferred a more antiquated look to the colouring. No, it is the writing that truly lets this down. From the often cringeworthy narration and dialogue, to the plot, which has more holes in it than your average mob-hit victim. Not to mention the rampant progressive themes that would make a modern comic blush. There is nothing remotely noteworthy about this story, other than how instantly forgettable it is. Quite how you take a street level mob story spanning Sicily and Gotham and turn it into this dreck is beyond me.
I get writing Huntress isn't one of DC's most prolific figures, but shuffling here off with such middling quality, and allowing this as her origin story smacks of an editorial staff asleep at the wheel. This is absolutely and unequivocally not good enough. Huntress, my dear, you deserved so much better. Now, to forget this ever existed. 2.5/5
OmniBen.
The Year One thing was done to death by the time this came out, and this is fifteen years old. That wouldn't phase me in the slightest, seeing as how Huntress is not only one of my favourite members of the Gotham gallery, but one of my favourite characters period. What does bother me however, is the fact that this is so painfully, painfully average. The poster child of a weightless, instantly forgettable comic book story. Bearing all the hallmarks of a nothing arc within a soon to be cancelled series. Not the supposed origin story of a Gotham regular.
The art is fine, the odd disappointing facial model aside. Even if I would have preferred a more antiquated look to the colouring. No, it is the writing that truly lets this down. From the often cringeworthy narration and dialogue, to the plot, which has more holes in it than your average mob-hit victim. Not to mention the rampant progressive themes that would make a modern comic blush. There is nothing remotely noteworthy about this story, other than how instantly forgettable it is. Quite how you take a street level mob story spanning Sicily and Gotham and turn it into this dreck is beyond me.
I get writing Huntress isn't one of DC's most prolific figures, but shuffling here off with such middling quality, and allowing this as her origin story smacks of an editorial staff asleep at the wheel. This is absolutely and unequivocally not good enough. Huntress, my dear, you deserved so much better. Now, to forget this ever existed. 2.5/5
OmniBen.
January 9, 2016
An interesting origin story. For a series that appears to have died before it started. As far as I can tell. At least a series based on this origin story. As far as I can tell, there's been at least four or more origin stories.
It's interesting in how the origin stories have such similarities. All of them that have a Helena Rosa Bertinelli as a real person instead of a persona for Helena Wayne, have her be a daughter of a prominent mafia family in Gotham. Two have Bertinelli witness her family be killed when she is between the ages of 6-8. The third has her witness her family be killed when she is 19 (though she did have a traumatic experience at 6, when she was kidnapped and raped - that's the original origin story from 1989). Two of the three have her be trained by a "Sal", Huntress: Year One, and the original origin story from 1989.
Other than a few miniseries, this version of the Huntress, or this version of Helena Rosa Bertinelli mostly only appears in other people's comic series. Or in group series like Birds of Prey.
At the time of that "New 52", Helena no longer existed as a separate person, but as one of Helena Wayne's personas (it gets confusing, of course, because Wayne's using the name of "someone else", supposedly dead, not that the name is just a fictional persona of Waynes). Helena Wayne was both Robin and Huntress. Helena Rosa Bertinelli was both Huntress, and for a brief period, Batgirl.
Ok. All that was me trying to figure out how to interrupt this here graphic novel. Which basically boiled down to: in terms of canon/continuity, this story is off by itself. It's not the basis for anything else, nor is it built on anything else (as in its a new origin story, not as in the story is a brand new concept based on nothing). So . . . . All that just makes me sad. Because I rather liked this Huntress. And wish I could see more of this version.
It's too bad DC Comics feel/felt the need to constantly restart series. Wonder what might have happened if they had just started Helena Rosa Bertinelli as written in 1989. If it failed, it failed. All the other origin stories could have been for other people. As it stands, the whole bloody thing is a mess. As in, I see, have seen, and will continue to see the Huntress pop up in things I read. Current things, or graphic novels from the past. And I won't have a bloody clue which version I'm watching. Because everything is messed up, character wise.
I mean, Helena got started in 1989, rebooted in 2000, then rebooted again in 2008. Then taken over by Helena Wayne in . . . 2010? When the New 52 started. That might look like bad writing on my part. You might think I meant Huntress was taken over by Helena Wayne. And that is true, Huntress was taken over by Helena Wayne, but the persona of Helena Rosa Bertinelli was also taken over by Helena Wayne.
This is why I skipped, for the most part, reading DC Comics until 2010 when it got its New 52 reboot. Because it's a bloody mess. There's something like five different Batgirls (heck, and I just remembered that Harleen Quinn also was once Batgirl when she was trying to see if she could move to superhero status - didn't work). An unknown number of Robins. More than one Batman (on occasion Dick Grayson has "played the role" while Bruce was elsewhere; sometimes a villian assumed the role). Story-lines where Alfred's dead, where he's alive, where he's . . well, that's the only two things I recall. It's a bloody mess.
And it doesn't help that the person with the name Helena Rosa Bertinelli isn't actually dead, nor actually only a persona of Helena Waynes. Noo, confusing matters, Bertinelli actually is still a separate person in the New 52 world. Working for some spy organization called Spyral. While Helena Wayne runs around pretending to be Huntress and using the Bertinelli name. Bloody mess on top of bloody mess.
None of which has anything to do with this graphic novel, except in how each graphic novel has to be taken by themselves. Unless there is some way to link specific volumes together. Which is why it is important to note that this specific origin story has no real connection with anything else. It appeared in 2008. New 52 occurred in 2010. There might be something that occurred in that year or two between, but I don't see anything. So, as I said, this has to be taken as it is, by itself. Which is how I try to read every graphic novel. Which is actually, most of the time, impossible when reading Marvel or DC Comics. Because they tend to be filled with fuzzy links, or story lines, interconnecting to other series. And you can end up with a volume, a single volume, with 12 different stories starting, sputtering, forgetting to be concluded before another story springs up.
At least in this case, this specific graphic novel, despite being by itself, and despite not being able to continue to follow this specific character as presented by this volume, despite all that, it is a coherent whole. There might be whispers, fuzzy links, something connecting it to others, but those links, if they exist, don't overwhelm the story, don't kill the ongoing story, don't . . mess everything up.
This is one solid enjoyable series of individual comics collected in one volume. Quite interesting. Quite entertaining. And all the rest I've written in this tiny "what did I think?" pane, is just my little frustration on how this story appears to be saying "here I am, now watch further adventures of me coming later." There was no later.
So, if you read this book, just know that. A lot of times I just pick these up and see them as glimpses into alternate realities. If they actually do end up connecting to other things, and/or the specific character continues in more volumes, as written in whatever volume I read, well then, that just adds to the pleasure. But it's not expected. Hell. Some volumes have the character change from one issue to another. Expecting one character to be the same from one volume to another is insanity. At least in DC Comics. And so, while I recommend this volume, I do so with the note that reading this will not help you understand anything else in the DC Comics universe.
It's interesting in how the origin stories have such similarities. All of them that have a Helena Rosa Bertinelli as a real person instead of a persona for Helena Wayne, have her be a daughter of a prominent mafia family in Gotham. Two have Bertinelli witness her family be killed when she is between the ages of 6-8. The third has her witness her family be killed when she is 19 (though she did have a traumatic experience at 6, when she was kidnapped and raped - that's the original origin story from 1989). Two of the three have her be trained by a "Sal", Huntress: Year One, and the original origin story from 1989.
Other than a few miniseries, this version of the Huntress, or this version of Helena Rosa Bertinelli mostly only appears in other people's comic series. Or in group series like Birds of Prey.
At the time of that "New 52", Helena no longer existed as a separate person, but as one of Helena Wayne's personas (it gets confusing, of course, because Wayne's using the name of "someone else", supposedly dead, not that the name is just a fictional persona of Waynes). Helena Wayne was both Robin and Huntress. Helena Rosa Bertinelli was both Huntress, and for a brief period, Batgirl.
Ok. All that was me trying to figure out how to interrupt this here graphic novel. Which basically boiled down to: in terms of canon/continuity, this story is off by itself. It's not the basis for anything else, nor is it built on anything else (as in its a new origin story, not as in the story is a brand new concept based on nothing). So . . . . All that just makes me sad. Because I rather liked this Huntress. And wish I could see more of this version.
It's too bad DC Comics feel/felt the need to constantly restart series. Wonder what might have happened if they had just started Helena Rosa Bertinelli as written in 1989. If it failed, it failed. All the other origin stories could have been for other people. As it stands, the whole bloody thing is a mess. As in, I see, have seen, and will continue to see the Huntress pop up in things I read. Current things, or graphic novels from the past. And I won't have a bloody clue which version I'm watching. Because everything is messed up, character wise.
I mean, Helena got started in 1989, rebooted in 2000, then rebooted again in 2008. Then taken over by Helena Wayne in . . . 2010? When the New 52 started. That might look like bad writing on my part. You might think I meant Huntress was taken over by Helena Wayne. And that is true, Huntress was taken over by Helena Wayne, but the persona of Helena Rosa Bertinelli was also taken over by Helena Wayne.
This is why I skipped, for the most part, reading DC Comics until 2010 when it got its New 52 reboot. Because it's a bloody mess. There's something like five different Batgirls (heck, and I just remembered that Harleen Quinn also was once Batgirl when she was trying to see if she could move to superhero status - didn't work). An unknown number of Robins. More than one Batman (on occasion Dick Grayson has "played the role" while Bruce was elsewhere; sometimes a villian assumed the role). Story-lines where Alfred's dead, where he's alive, where he's . . well, that's the only two things I recall. It's a bloody mess.
And it doesn't help that the person with the name Helena Rosa Bertinelli isn't actually dead, nor actually only a persona of Helena Waynes. Noo, confusing matters, Bertinelli actually is still a separate person in the New 52 world. Working for some spy organization called Spyral. While Helena Wayne runs around pretending to be Huntress and using the Bertinelli name. Bloody mess on top of bloody mess.
None of which has anything to do with this graphic novel, except in how each graphic novel has to be taken by themselves. Unless there is some way to link specific volumes together. Which is why it is important to note that this specific origin story has no real connection with anything else. It appeared in 2008. New 52 occurred in 2010. There might be something that occurred in that year or two between, but I don't see anything. So, as I said, this has to be taken as it is, by itself. Which is how I try to read every graphic novel. Which is actually, most of the time, impossible when reading Marvel or DC Comics. Because they tend to be filled with fuzzy links, or story lines, interconnecting to other series. And you can end up with a volume, a single volume, with 12 different stories starting, sputtering, forgetting to be concluded before another story springs up.
At least in this case, this specific graphic novel, despite being by itself, and despite not being able to continue to follow this specific character as presented by this volume, despite all that, it is a coherent whole. There might be whispers, fuzzy links, something connecting it to others, but those links, if they exist, don't overwhelm the story, don't kill the ongoing story, don't . . mess everything up.
This is one solid enjoyable series of individual comics collected in one volume. Quite interesting. Quite entertaining. And all the rest I've written in this tiny "what did I think?" pane, is just my little frustration on how this story appears to be saying "here I am, now watch further adventures of me coming later." There was no later.
So, if you read this book, just know that. A lot of times I just pick these up and see them as glimpses into alternate realities. If they actually do end up connecting to other things, and/or the specific character continues in more volumes, as written in whatever volume I read, well then, that just adds to the pleasure. But it's not expected. Hell. Some volumes have the character change from one issue to another. Expecting one character to be the same from one volume to another is insanity. At least in DC Comics. And so, while I recommend this volume, I do so with the note that reading this will not help you understand anything else in the DC Comics universe.
November 8, 2020
I love Huntress so much, this was a great modern retelling of her origin. One of things I love about Huntress is her origin, she’s a mob princess who’s family was murdered by other members of the mob so she becomes the Huntress to take revenge. I really enjoyed the author really exploring her Italian roots aside from the Mob like showing us more of her time in Sicily (I’m Italian so I liked seeing this). The art was also really good and was perfect for the tone of this story. There are also some subtle nods to Helena Wayne (the first Huntress from earth 2) it’s nice fan service for that character. I wish DC would make more comics featuring Helena because this was amazing and I crave more of it.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 75 reviews