Helena Wayne
Helena Wayne is a female comic superhero who features in DC Comics.
Contents |
Biography
Origin
Helena Wayne was a female human who was the daughter of Bruce Wayne and Selina Kyle of Earth-2 in the Multiverse. Her mother had been the costumed thief Catwoman who clashed with the vigilante Batman in Gotham City. This was until she reformed and surrendered herself to the Gotham police where she served a sentence in the Gotham Penitentiary. After paying for her crimes, she was released and found Bruce Wayne waiting for her where the two fell in love. The pair later married in the summer and two years later Selina gave birth to the couple's child who they named Helena Wayne. (DC Super-Stars v1 #17)
When Helena was 19 years old, a tragic mishap claimed the life of her mother. Due to the efforts of a former henchman named "Silky" Cernak, a photograph emerged revealing Selina Kyle murdering a police officer during her Catwoman days. Anguished by this stain to her mother's memory, Helena adopted a costume in honor of both her parents and became the Huntress. She tracked down "Silky" Cernak and arrested him, leaving his unconscious body bound in a net outside of Police Headquarters. She learned that the photograph that Silky had in his possession was doctored and that her mother never actually killed anyone. With her mother's honor restored, Helena continued to fight crime as the Huntress. (DC Super-Stars v1 #17)
The Huntress witnessed the fight between the Justice Society of America and five of their teammates that broke out after her father, who was being controlled by the Psycho-Pirate, ordered to arrest the JSA. Helena went to visit Power Girl, who was gravely injured by some police officers during the hunt for the Justice Society. (All-Star Comics v1 #69)
Post-Crisis
Following the Crisis on Infinite Earths, a new version of reality was created with a different history of events. Helena Wayne
In the restored Multiverse, the citizens remember having been the only Earth in existence following the Crisis. The Huntress re-initiates Power Girl into the Justice Society where she brought her up to speed on her life. Following the death of Alfred, the Huntress had become more estranged from her friends with Robin serving in the Batman's place as a global protector, while the Huntress protects the streets of Gotham. As all her father's rogues gallery have begun to die, an aged Joker makes plans to recreate Two-Face by scarring acid on the Huntress' would-be fiancée, D.A. Harry Sims. The Huntress attempts to kill him, and is stopped by Power Girl; the Joker's plan to take the Huntress out with him backfires, and he dies of old age and prolonged exposure to his own chemicals. However, the Huntress confesses to Power Girl that it is Robin she truly loves, but Sims' injuries leave her feeling obligated to remain with him as he suffered his burns after he had proposed to her, but before she had the chance to say "No". (Justice Society of America Annual v3 #1)
Post-Flashpoint
Following the Flashpoint, a new version of reality was created with a different history of events. Helena Wayne
The Wonders of the World were the greatest heroes of Earth-2. Captained by the core Ternion of Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman, they were joined by Robin, Catwoman, Supergirl, Mr. 8 and two others. Darkseid invaded Earth 2, plunging the world into war, and the Wonders fought him, his general Steppenwolf and his armies of Parademons across the globe, but the raging conflict dragged on without either side gaining a clear advantage until Darkseid used his Rapture Generator to subvert the wills of the entire populations of Italy, Brazil, South Africa and Pakistan using the anti-life equation. Now servants of Darkseid, he planned to use them as cannon fodder for Steppenwolf. Mr. 8 built a machine to pierce other dimensions in hopes of finding Apokolips and bringing the fight to Darkseid’s world. He didn’t succeed in that task, but uncovered numerous parallel Earths, and saw many of them that were similar to Earth 2. In some the Wonders won, in others they lost, and after observing numerous possible future outcomes Mr. 8 resolved to find a way to avoid the future Earth 2 was headed for. Mr. 8 and the Ternion attacked Darkseid’s base housing the Rapture Generator, and after a fierce fight Mr. 8 told his teammates he was about to attach a module that would override it, but instead unleashed synthesized opal kryptonite of his own invention on Superman, driving him mad, and causing him to attack Wonder Woman. Mr. 8 explained to Batman that what he was going to do would seem insane and monstrously evil, but had to be done to assure victory. 8’s module, once attached to the generator, blew up the countries subjugated by the anti-life equation, killing millions. Mr. 8 said that if the Wonders had done the “right thing” and fought to save them they would have lost the war against Darkseid. The opal kryptonite’s effect’s wore off, giving the Ternion time to flee as Mr. 8 set his device to destroy Darkseid’s base, saving himself by fleeing into the ninth dimension. Mr. 8 knew his former teammates would pursue him, but hoped one day the world would remember him as a hero and not a villain. (Earth 2 v1 #0)
Batman met with Wonder Woman and Superman, telling them he’d come up with a way to repel Darkseid’s invasion. Batman had figured out that the beacon towers set up by Darkseid powered the Parademons and gave them marching orders, but each time the Wonders of the World managed to destroy a tower its transmissions simply rolled over to other towers, and any destroyed towers were quickly replaced by new ones sent in via boom tube. Batman developed a chip with a virus program that would shut down a tower, and when it’s transmission rolled over the virus would spread to all the other beacon towers. The Wonders went to work, with Batman making his way to a tower while Superman and Wonder Woman held off the armies of Parademons guarding it. Robin provided air support, and Supergirl accompanied a squadron of U.S. soldiers standing by with nuclear weapons ready to deploy against the towers in case Batman failed. Steppenwolf got the drop on Wonder Woman, stabbing her in the back, killing her. Parademons swarmed Superman, attaching an explosive device to the back of his head, killing him. Batman managed load the virus into the beacon tower, then warned Robi n to fly away from the area, because he knew the tower’s self-defense system would cause it to explode. She wanted to save him, but he told her he had no choice but to sacrifice himself. A boom tube opened up, and Batgirl and Supergirl flew through it, ending up on Prime Earth. The war was over, and Darkseid was forced to withdraw. (Earth 2 v1 #1)
Overview
Personality and attributes
Upon becoming a costumed vigilante, she came to take the name Huntress for herself. (DC Super-Stars v1 #17)
It was said that she had been blessed with her mother's beauty. (DC Super-Stars v1 #17)
Helena was said to had inherited both her parents sharp mind. (DC Super-Stars v1 #17)
After the death of her mother, she swore to dedicate her life and inheritance to bringing her killer to justice and to fight all criminals. (DC Super-Stars v1 #17)
She was the daughter of millionaire Bruce Wayne and Selina Wayne who was formerly the criminal Catwoman. (DC Super-Stars v1 #17)
One incarnation of her was noted to have had her world's Superman as her godfather. (Worlds' Finest v1 #20)
Powers and abilities
Helena Wayne was a female human being with no special powers. However, as the daughter of the Darknight Detective, she came to be trained in all his arts. (DC Super-Stars v1 #17)
Her weapon of choice was a unique collapsible crossbow that was kept in a special holster built into her boot. (DC Super-Stars v1 #17)
Notes
- The Helena Wayne Huntress was created by Paul Levitz, Joe Staton, Joe Orlando and Bob Layton where she made her first appearance in DC Super Stars v1 #17 (November/December, 1977).
- In Back Issue! v1 #38, Penciller Joe Staton recounted, "After Paul [Levitz, All Star Comics writer] had described the origin to me, I worked up sketches combining elements of Catwoman and Batman, and went in see Joe [Orlando, editor]. The short version is that Joe and I had a fine meeting, featuring Vinnie Colletta in his role as art director snoring away at full volume on the couch in the back of the room. Joe touched up the bat-elements in my original sketch, particularly the cape, giving it the scallops, and he made the belt emblem a bit more bat-like. Joe opened up his sketchpad and used my sketch as the main element in the cover design for DC Super-Stars, and I went home to pencil the final cover."
- For the DC Animated Universe, Bruce Timm in an interview spoke about how he considered having Helena Wayne being introduced into the Batman Beyond world.
Alternate Versions
- In Catwoman v3 #53 (2006), an alternate version of the character appeared on the mainstream Earth where she was named Helena Kyle with her being the daughter of Selina Kyle and Slam Bradley Junior.
- In Batman Annual v3 #2 (2018), an alternate version of the character named Helena Alfreda Wayne appeared in the possible future of Last Rites.
In other media
Television
- In Birds of Prey, Helena Kyle featured in the live-action television series where she was portrayed by actress Ashley Scott. She was the daughter of Batman and Catwoman where she inherited Metahuman abilities from her mother with her having enhanced agility, strength, healing along with a sixth sense for danger. Strong emotions triggered her change making her eyes have a more feline quality with Helena gaining enhanced night vision. She was raised by her mother without ever knowing her father until Catwoman was killed by the assassin Clayface who was hired by Joker. Helena was then taken in by Barbara Gordon who raised and trained her.
Appearances
- DC Super Stars v1: (1977)
- Justice Society of America Annual v3:
- Earth-2 v1:
External Links
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