The return of Earth-2's Power Girl and the Huntress is some of the best pop culture news I've heard in a long time. The first four issues of JSA: Classified in 2005 explored the questions of Power Girl's true origin. This story arc, wonderfully executed by Geoff Johns, Amanda Connner, and Jimmy Palmiotti, served as prelude to the events of Infinite Crisis which began that same year. It was later revealed, in the final issue of 52, that the crisis had indeed led to the birth of a new multiverse.
In Infinite Crisis, also penned by Johns, we learned that Power Girl was the lone survivor of the former multivere's Earth-Two, not to mention the last daughter of that universe's Krypton. Having been best friends with Earth-Two's Huntress, Helena Wayne, Power Girl's suppressed memories leads her to seek out the post-crisis (on infinite Earths) Huntress, Helena Bertinelli, who provides no answers regarding Power Girl's origin.
In Justice Society of America, volume 3, Annual 1, Power Girl goes to Earth-2 where she unites with the Huntress of that world (Helena Wayne). But in this post-Infinite Crisis, Post-52 world, another Power Girl already exists on Earth-2, leaving our Power Girl again displaced.
Well now the DC universe has experienced yet another reboot resulting from Flashpoint. In this altered reality both Power Girl and the Huntress (Helena Wayne) have always been residents of Earth-2, but they are now stranded on DC's mainline earth (whether that be New Earth, Earth-1, or whatever they're calling it these days). While in this predicament, the duo's adventures will now be told in a new volume of Worlds' Finest, slated to appear in May. Notice the apostrophe after the "s" likely in acknowledgment of the Multiverse. The writer of this series is Paul Levitz, creator of the Huntress for the JSA revival in All-Star Comics back in the late 70s.
Huntress was originally the daughter of Earth-2's Batman and Catwoman, but the post-crisis Huntress was Helena Bertinelli, daughter of an Italian mob boss. The post-Flashpoint, new 52 universe combines the best of both worlds for the Huntress. Bertinelli is an alias of Helena Wayne. The Italian mob connection is present in Levitz's current Huntress limited series where she is in Italy under the assumed name of Bertinelli. She fights those who traffic in weapons and human beings. A couple of occasions revealed her fondness for cats, perhaps a nod to her being the Earth-2 Catwoman's daughter.
The Huntress, whether in the Wayne or Bertinelli incarnations, has always been firmly situated in the Batman family as either daughter or crime fighting protege. So it's fitting that this Batman family member will be paired with Superman family member, Power Girl, in the upcoming Worlds' Finest. The original World's Finest Comics regularly teamed Superman with Batman.
Adding to the excitement is another comic called Earth-2, also premiering in May and starring a rebooted Justice Society. Also, I hear that Grant Morrison will be writing a future series called Multiversity. I've been waiting over 20 years for Earth-2 to once again play a major part in DC comics. I'm excited.
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