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| "Joe Staton's Huntress" from The Huntress vol.1 #1 (DC, 1989) by Joey Cavalieri, Joe Staton, Bruce Patterson and Dick Giordano |
After the Huntress couldn't be the Batman's daughter anymore, I thought they did a good job of salvaging the character by giving her a new life as the daughter of a murdered mobster. Mafia princess becomes vigilante preying on her own kind, sort of thing. I wouldn't call myself a particular fan of Joe Staton's art, but the shading in this series makes it my favorite of all his works. Under-appreciated, the book was cancelled after 19 issues, its dangling plot threads addressed in a JLI Special. From the Frank Miller-inspired mini-series that came a few years later, it was clear that DC thought the original book had failed because Huntress wasn't sexy or violent enough, but I think comics fans could do worse that rediscover the Cavalieri/Staton stuff.
I actually rather love Joe Staton. He can be a bit on the cartoony side...but on the other hand, he is also capable of drawing more than one face...for men AND women, and he also is pretty good at doing different body types as well.
ReplyDeleteHuntress actually has...hips!
I remember this fine series very well indeed. Huntress was far better served here in this book and I loved reading it. Pity it got bogged down in a terrible controversy over how unattractive Helena Bertinelli was alleged to have been - I vividly recall all the letters pages of that time being flooded, nay, inundated by politically correct pro and anti rants over her lack of beauty and if this was a factor in the book not being that popular. Instead of discussing the plots, it brought the comic down as I remember and quickened its demise, much the same way the Black Canary book was a couple of years later.
ReplyDeleteI thought this was a deliciously gloomy and visceral book for its time [I think it was one of the early 'Mature Readers' label]. There was a hint of sexual violence when young Helena was kidnapped which was never seen in a comic before, and later a sadistic little serial killer who iirc killed two cops [or crims] without even leaving his cell - creepy!We also learnt a curious fact; some fissionable material gets sent by road in ummarked vans rather than highly secure containers, as theres would be less visible to any group trying to steal it. Apparently this actually happens more often in real life than you think!
This was a great series, pulled down by unnecessary arguments over the attractiveness of its lead character.