The Huntress, like most DC characters, has undergone several different incarnations over the years. Most of these heroes and villains experience tweaks in their origins or certain characteristics.
Huntress, however, has been through more radical changes than most characters. Now, we're taking a closer look at the many different versions of the Birds of Prey hero and occasional daughter of Bruce Wayne.
The original Huntress first appeared in Sensation Comics #68 by Mort Meskin. Paula Brooks was an aspiring young hero who trained herself in martial arts and picked up a cross-bow, becoming Tigress. As Tigress, Paula joined the Young All-Stars. Eventually, however, Tigress was killed, returning to life as a villain in All-Star Comics #41, by John Broome, Carmine Infantino, Alex Toth, Arthur F. Peddy and Irwin Hasen. Now the Huntress, Paula joined the Injustice Society and married Sportsmaster. In Injustice Inc. #34, by Roy Thomas, Dann Thomas and Todd McFarlane, Huntress' daughter, Artemis, first appeared. This version of the Huntress is quite unique since she was the first and only incarnation of the character that wasn't Helena Wayne or Helena Bertinelli.
The next take on the Huntress was introduced in All-Star Comics #69, by Paul Levitz and Joe Staton. Helena Wayne was the daughter of Batman and Catwoman of Earth-Two. After Catwoman died, Helena became the Huntress to clear her mother's name of a crime she didn't commit. Huntress would go on to partner with Dick Grayson and join the Justice Society of America. In Crisis on Infinite Earths #12, by Marv Wolfman and George Perez, Helena and Robin died protecting the multi-verse. This version of the Huntress did a lot to extend the legacy of the Golden Age Batman. As Bruce and Catwoman's daughter, Helena was also part of Batman's near-happy ending on Earth-Two. It's worth noting that another version of Helena Wayne was introduced as a possible future's Batwoman in Batman Annual #2, by Tom King, Lee Weeks and Michael Lark.
Post-Crisis, the Huntress made her debut in Huntress #1, by Joey Cavalieri and Joe Staton. Helena was born into the Bertinelli crime family. Helena was raised in Italy, where she was trained in hand-to-hand combat. Upon her return to Gotham, Helena was inspired by Batman to become a crime-fighter. In Batman: No Man's Land #1, by Bob Gale and Alex Maleev, Helena briefly became Batgirl in Batman's absence. Shortly into The Dark Knight's return, Helena was fired for her recklessness and brutality. Still, Batman vouched for Huntress during her tenure on the JLA. Huntress was also a major part of the Birds of Prey alongside Oracle and Black Canary. Helena Bertinelli was a sort of black sheep in the Bat-Family. The Huntress constantly struggled to prove herself to Batman, especially in light of her brutal tactics.
A new Helena Wayne made her first appearance in Huntress #1, by Paul Levitz and Marcus To. On this latest version of Earth-2, Helena was Robin to her father Batman. Bruce sacrificed himself against a group of parademons in Earth 2 #1, by James Robinson and Nicola Scott. Helena then escaped Earth-2 with Kara Zor-El, spending five years fighting crime in the Post-Flashpoint DCU as Huntress. Eventually, Huntress and Power Girl returned to Earth-2, where Helena worked alongside the new Batman, Thomas Wayne. After her grandfather died, Helena became the next Batman, with Dick Grayson's son as her Robin. This Huntress is similar to the original Helena Wayne, but she spent much more time becoming her own hero while on Prime Earth. By developing into the next Batman, Helena cemented her place in the Wayne family legacy.
The most recent Huntress debuted in Nightwing #30, by Tim Seeley, Tom King, Mikel Janin, Javier Garrón and Jorge Lucas. Helena's origins were quite similar to her Post-Crisis counterpart, except her parents were killed by the mob. After her training in Italy, Helena joined Spyral under the codename of Matron. This latest version of the Huntress spent much more time as a secret agent before adopting her costumed identity. When Dick Grayson joined Spyral, Helena became his mentor, and they developed a romantic relationship. Eventually, Helena left Spyral to become the Huntress and join the Birds of Prey, just like her Pre-Crisis counterpart.
With each new version of the Huntress, many different traits change. Over time, however, certain characteristics remain the same. Whether she's Batman's daughter, the daughter of a crime boss, or even simply wielding a crossbow, some things about the Huntress remain constant.
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