Helena Bertinelli's True Fate SPOILERS

[AaronStC]

I can understand why fans are upset and honestly it would have been better if Levitz just left it alone but, seriously, it's not like Bertinelli was going to show back up regardless.

Also, a Helena Bertinelli died. There is no indication that she was ever Huntress (most likely she wasn't). Really, this is more of an homage to Bertinelli, "Damn shame to waste an interesting life." It's right there and it is a damn shame.

[minasithil]

.....As much as I adore Helena Bertinelli and was sad to see her go, I really like Helena Wayne as well and was moderately exited about the book in concept with two women leads, multi-world shenanigans and Helena being Robin, but any enthusiasm I had is being killed by a combination of things like this, the art, and Peej's costume. (I'm not against a redesign, I just think her new costume is kinda ugly.)

Seriously, I'm not as offended by the scene as some, but there were better ways to handle Bertinelli's character than have her just dismissed like that. Have Bertinelli alive but under a new identity because she's in hiding or took a new identity because of something relating to the mafia or something. Think of the story possibilities two Helenas leaves open. (Though they could always retcon this) Plus, it makes Wayne seem less of a jerk for stealing an identity of a dead girl, and causally casting it aside.

This leaves such a sour taste in my mouth, and once again it's destroying the legacy of the female Bat-characters. :/

[ffritts]

I was enjoying Birds of Prey and loving Starling, but if this is the kind of treatment a 20 year old character that was very popular gets, what chance does she have? Once BoP is cancelled she's as good as dead.

I honestly dont expect Damian to last much longer.

Helena B I figured would be around for a while. Starling well you better enjoy her now while you have her. DC is getting really shitty. Barbara could have been a fantastic Batgirl and look at her... she just sux. The Bait and switch with the huntress comic was wrong.

[bhandelman]

I loved the symbolism in having Helena Wayne burn up the Bertinelli I.D. Back in the day the only reason I bought Wonder Woman was for the Earth 2 Huntress back-up stories (Tangent: Although I was a HUGE fan of the Perez WW in the 80's) and I am so happy the original Huntress is BACK, just like my favorite Batgirl is finally BACK! My 2 favorite Bat-Characters have finally returned, retconned and full of new story possibilities and practically having that fresh new car smell!

It's a GREAT time to be a DC reader for this customer!! And from the preview I can see I'm going to be a big fan of Worlds' Finest!

I hope they would have that new car smell since they are completely different in every way from the way they were written in the 70s and 80s except in their names. At least going off the Huntress mini, written by the same author as World's Finest, this character is nothing like the Helena Wayne of before. I always see you going on and on about how great Batgirl was pre-Crisis and now she's BACK, now I wonder if you have actually read any comics pre-Flashpoint because she isn't written anything like the Batgirl comics I remember enjoying.

They aren't BACK in any meaningful way, unless you only care the characters are named Helena Wayne and Barbara Gordon.

[batGRRRl4ever]

They aren't BACK in any meaningful way, unless you only care the characters are named Helena Wayne and Barbara Gordon.

LOL, your regailing against the very NATURE of comics, that characters change with the times. What, are you expecting the hippie versions of Barbara Gordon or Diana Prince from the early 70's stories to reappear? Comics are an interesting mix in that they always go back to square #1 eventually in terms of reboots but they ALSO are about continuous change to reflect the times. I LIKE that about comics, it keeps the characters I enjoy reading about FRESH and interesting.

[shark]

I honestly dont expect Damian to last much longer.

Helena B I figured would be around for a while. Starling well you better enjoy her now while you have her. DC is getting really shitty. Barbara could have been a fantastic Batgirl and look at her... she just sux. The Bait and switch with the huntress comic was wrong.

Neither do I. I wouldn't be surprised if Morrison kills him at the end of Inc. The question is who will replace him? Will Dick be de-aged? I doubt it. Maybe Tim will go back to being Robin? That would be insane. A new Robin? Yes, let's add a new male character to the ever growing list of male Robins.

As for Starling, I'm about to start placing bets on how she'll die. Because there's no doubt in my mind that she won't last. So why should I bother getting attached?

[Ed Sizzers]

They aren't BACK in any meaningful way, unless you only care the characters are named Helena Wayne and Barbara Gordon.

Yeah, it does come across as though there's no genuine affection for either character, but rather just the 'idea' of them. I guess for some fans, it doesn't matter how a character is written, as long she has a certain name. If she doesn't, the door is closed. If she does, then she's cool.

[bhandelman]

Well, I actually was a Helena Bertinelli fan, so this is a bit of a disappointment. Now I'll just have to pretend Huntress assumed not just her civilian identity but took the Huntress identity as well to carry it on or something so I can still pretend Huntress Year One is in continuity. Here's hoping I can keep that fantasy up for a while.

Also, I think a lot of people here are overestimating Helena Bertinelli's popularity. If there wasn't much of a backlash over Wally West, I doubt many will even notice the switch. This preview article didn't even mention it, and even the comments there don't seem to have noticed. It sucks for me as a fan of the character and what was done with her, but I don't expect DC will even notice or care.

[The Lucky One]

Probably reading too much into it, but the exact wording of the line "after she... well... died" strikes me as being intended to leave the door just slightly ajar. Fairly definitive, but just vague enough that it conveys the feeling of, "Well, we're considering Bertinelli dead for now, but if a writer wants to bring her back a few years down the line, then it turns out her 'death' was actually witness protection."

That's just me, obviously. But usually if a character is dead, they just say she's dead. It's not like Karen knew Bertinelli, that Helena would have to soft-sell the death.

-D

[Ed Sizzers]

Probably reading too much into it, but the exact wording of the line "after she... well... died" strikes me as being intended to leave the door just slightly ajar. Fairly definitive, but just vague enough that it conveys the feeling of, "Well, we're considering Bertinelli dead for now, but if a writer wants to bring her back a few years down the line, then it turns out her 'death' was actually witness protection."

That's just me, obviously. But usually if a character is dead, they just say she's dead. It's not like Karen knew Bertinelli, that Helena would have to soft-sell the death.

No, it's not just you. I considered that possibilty too, and then also wondered if I was overanalysing it. On the one hand, yep, Karen didn't know 'our' Helena and so the pause to maybe soften the statement seems a bit unneccesary and weird. But, on the other hand, it could have just been Helena not wanting to seem dismissive of Helen B's fate.

Well, apart from (sort of) burning her image at a dinner table, which is always a show of great respect.

[CMBMOOL]

I'm just saying that this was the writer who gave the former Huntress a purpose and a more in-depth Personality. However, now thanks to the reboot, we got no Oracle, at least one with less of an impact in the DCU and a reborn Batgirl in Barbabra Gordon.

Also we got the originally Daughter of the Batman from Earth-2 again, but we lost the old Huntress that replace her.

Seriously, where is Simone in on this speaking out about it since most of her success and work from DC came from these two characters and Black Canary of Birds of Prey.

[shark]

Currently writing a non crippled Babs in Batgirl. Doing the best she can I'm sure, but is not like she can change, Didio, Lee and editors' minds.

Gail Simone is very open with her fans, but she is not a magician. I think people should stop expecting her to fix everything that's wrong with female characters in DC.

[Ziggy Stardust]

I so get the impression Gail is not happy with how things are going, but is keeping quiet so as to keep working.

[Ed Sizzers]

I'm just saying that this was the writer who gave the former Huntress a purpose and a more in-depth Personality. However, now thanks to the reboot, we got no Oracle, at least one with less of an impact in the DCU and a reborn Batgirl in Barbabra Gordon.

Also we got the originally Daughter of the Batman from Earth-2 again, but we lost the old Huntress that replace her.

Seriously, where is Simone in on this speaking out about it since most of her success and work from DC came from these two characters and Black Canary of Birds of Prey.

Well, I think it's safe to say that Gail doesn't have a problem with the Oracle situation, given her current gig.

As for Helena B, your best bet is probably to ask Gail herself on her tumblr or twitter and see if she responds there.

[CMBMOOL]

Well, I think it's safe to say that Gail doesn't have a problem with the Oracle situation, given her current gig.

As for Helena B, your best bet is probably to ask Gail herself on her tumblr or twitter and see if she responds there.

Oh, as I can recall in some interviews Simone did have a few problems with working on the New Batgirl series.