Are you curious about Huntress, one of the characters in the film Birds of Prey? perhaps you’re already familiar with her from comics or from her TV appearances, like on Arrow. then again, you may not understand her at all. Whatever the case, discover out who Huntress is in our history.
Golden Age Huntress: The very first Version
as well as BY A WOMAN! (image via DC)
As it sometimes chooses comic book characters, the extremely very first iteration of Huntress is not the exact same character we understand today. In 1947, a character called Huntress made her very first appearance in feeling Comics #68. A writer whose name has been lost to time produced the character as well as artist Mort Meskin produced her image.
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This character, a villain, would stay Huntress up until the dilemma on unlimited Earths storyline. Pre-Crisis, she stole Plymouth rock as well as dealt with off with one more Huntress, Helena Wayne. After the Crisis, stories about this character focused more on her pre-Huntress life. In the young All-Stars series, for example, this character, Paula Brooks, appeared as her younger persona, Tigress. Although Paula Brooks continues to appear in comic books as well as in other media, she usually doesn’t do so as Huntress.
Huntress In The Bronze Age: Helena Wayne
picture via DC
The next Huntress in our history made her debut during the Bronze Age of comic books. In the early 60s, during the Silver Age, DC writers invented Earth-Two, an alternating universe, as an explanation for character changes. The earlier golden Age stories, per explanation, took location in that universe. (These multi earths, of course, would later be cratered into one with the dilemma on unlimited Earths storyline as well as ultimately, the finale.)
So in Earth-Two, Batman as well as Catwoman had a daughter, Helena Wayne. Paul Levitz, Joe Staton, as well as Paul Layton produced the character, who made her debut in 1977’s All star Comics #69 (nice) as well as DC super stars #17. (Both comics came out the exact same day.) After–spoiler alert–Catwoman dies, her child chooses to avenge her death. She brings the celebration accountable to justice, as well as since it goes so well, she chooses to continue fighting criminal offense as the Huntress.
This storyline continued up until 1985’s dilemma on unlimited Earths, when Helena died. The character went into chilly storage up until DC relaunched its storylines in 2011 with The new 52. In the revamp, her story is rather similar to her last, in that she’s Selina Kyle’s child as well as a resident of Earth-Two.
Helena Bertinelli: Huntress history Rewritten
Before The new 52 reestablished Helena Wayne in the canon, DC produced one more Huntress. Joey Cavalieri composed as well as Joe Staton drew 1989’s Huntress, the debut series for the new character Helena Bertinelli. in spite of having the exact same very first name as well as a similar origin story, this is not a variation on Helena Wayne. Instead, Helena Bertinelli is the child of a powerful Gotham City mob boss. Trained in self-defense, she becomes a vigilante when the mob kills her entire family. This origin story would be somewhat modified in the 2000 series Batman/Cry for Blood. This time, although she believes she’s Franco Bertinelli’s daughter, she discovers out that she’s really the child of one more mob boss.
Although Helena Bertinelli briefly serves a stint as Batgirl during the “No Man’s Land” storyline, the character clashed as well much with Batman for it to fit. So she went back to being Huntress, the personality she presumed full-time, like in Huntress: Year One, up until The new 52. In addition, beginning in 2003, she ended up being one of the Birds of Prey. Her stint as a member of the woman squad likewise lasted up until The new 52.
With the reboot, the Helena Bertinelli Huntress was killed off, as well as Helena Wayne ended up being Huntress again. This, of course, didn’t stop DC from dropping the Bertinelli-focused Huntress later that year, since it’s comics as well as continuity is just a construct. as well as on that note, Helena Bertinelli would then ended up being Matron, the director of spy org Spyral up until 2016. That’s the year of the DC Rebirth, at which point Bertinelli ended up being Huntress. Again. (Please change your evidence walls accordingly.)
Huntress On TV
Ashley Scott on Birds of Prey; picture via Warner siblings Television
Although she’s never had her own show, Huntress has appeared in a number of TV shows, both in animated as well as live-action form. On the animated front, the Helena Bertinelli version of the Huntress, voiced by Amy Acker, was a character on the aughts series Justice league Unlimited, part of the DC animated universe. The Bertinelli Huntress, voiced by Tara Strong, was likewise a character on Batman: The take onas well as the Bold, although her costume style was more similar to Helena Wayne.
In live-action television, Huntress (played by Barbara Joyce) as well as Black Canary were the only female superheroes to appear on Legends of the Superheroes, a 1979 NBC two-part special. This was the very first appearance of Huntress on television; she would not appear on TV once again in a live-action type up until Birds of Prey.
The short-lived series aired on The WB over the latter part of 2002 as well as the very first two months of 2003. Ashley Scott played the role, who was the Helena Wayne version of the character. (They called her Helena Kyle on the show, though.) Scott later reprised her function for The CW’s dilemma on unlimited Earths crossover event.
Meanwhile, Jessica De Gouw played Helena Bertinelli on The CW’s Arrow series. Although the character has not been on the show since the second season, her cousin Jerry (Louis Ferreira) discussed her in season 6. The implication, of course, was that the character was still to life as well as out there. Still, the character did not return for Arrow‘s series finale.
Finally, while she was never on the show in the flesh, sharp-eyed viewers discovered the name “Helena Bertinelli” on a map of “No Man’s Land” shown on Gotham.
Huntress film History
picture via Warner siblings photos as well as DC
Until 2020’s Birds of Prey, Huntress’s only movie function was a blink-and-you’ll-miss-her cameo in the 2010 animated function Justice League: dilemma on two Earths. Mary Elizabeth Winstead’s portrayal of her in Birds of Prey, therefore, is not only the very first live-action appearance of the character, however likewise the very first genuine movie appearance for her. Unfortunately, if the Birds of Prey box office doesn’t tick up, it may be her last.
We obviously don’t want to provide away spoilers. however since the credit ratings expense her as such, it should be okay to tell y’all that Winstead is playing the Helena Bertinelli version. beyond that, our lips are sealed.
Outside of film as well as TV, Huntress continues to appear in video games as well as comics, of course. As always, be sure to inspect her official page for the most recent issues.
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And that’s the history of Huntress. Is Huntress one of your preferred characters? Are you psyched to see her on the huge screen? let us understand your thoughts in the comments below or on social media.
featured picture a composite of pictures via DC as well as Warner siblings Pictures