JSA Annual 1 2008

[aeka]

Power Girl returns to post-Crisis Earth-2, only to notice a few considerable differences. One them involves her long lost best friend, Helena Wayne/Huntress, who doesn't seem well...herself lately.

14 pages out of 40






Somewhere in between swinging on rooftops and finding her way back to JSI, Helena Wayne!Huntress runs into her old friend, Power Girl, who crash-lands back on Earth-2 after a fight with Gog on New Earth. Needless to say Huntress is both surprised, shocked, and happy to see that her best friend is Back.

While waiting on her friend who's being attended to at JSI headquarters, Huntress runs into Earth-2 Dick/Robin who sort of tells him what's on her mind.



Power Girl wakes up and gets reacquainted with post-Crisis Earth-2 JSA (which she finds out is now called JSI, a merger between JSA and Infinity, Inc). She's still, however, feeling rather disoriented by the turn of events and wishes to get back in touch with her JLA mates back on New Earth. She finds her old apartment just as it used to be, but can't seem to sleep. So she catches up with Huntress and have a bit of pep talk.













(Joker is a fan of WATCHMEN? I approve! ♥)

And of course, Helena and Joker's desire to kill one another is exclusively mutual. Maybe Wayne could learn a thing or two from Bertinelli on how to effectively kill someone...no need. Power Girl takes the blow for her.





More cozy d'awwww moments between Huntress and Power Girl. (Really shipping them here ♥).







And of course, this super d'awwww scene gets ruined by the presence of another Power Girl who recognises this version of the Huntress. Needless to say both Huntress and Power Girl 2 gang up on the original, but that's a story for another day.

Comments

[aaron_bourque]

Maaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaan. When they show the original Helena, it really paints how drastically different she is from the Post-Crisis Helena.

Aaron "The Mad Whitaker" Bourque; they're so different, I even pronounce their names differently. Helena Bertinelli is pronounced "Helen-ah" and Helena Wayne's name rhymes with her mom's.

[shanejayell]

Dawwww.

Good story.
(And likely to be retconned in the DCnU. DAMN YOU DC!!)

[aeka]

Ugh, don't remind me. Is it bad that I'm still hopeful for an eventual crossover between Earth-2!Huntress and the main continuity one? I've always wanted to see what Bertinelli's reaction would have been to find out her original counterpart was the daughter of Batman and Catwoman.

[shanejayell]

It'd make a good story. *nods* Especially considering Huntress' need for approval from Batman.

[starwolf_oakley]

Alex Luthor said in INFINITE CRISIS that if the first Crisis hadn't happened, Helena Bertinelli and Kyle Rayner would have been of Earth-8. Which means on that Earth, Kyle Rayner would have been Earth's first Green Lantern. Which is REALLY trippy. I have to wonder how Kyle's life as a hero would have been WITHOUT everyone in the JLA thinking about Hal Jordan.

[aeka]

Yeah seriously. Though one would think Bruce would have become a bit nicer to Bertinelli especially after learning from Earth-2 Superman that his daughter with Catwoman on that Earth was the original Huntress of the same name. Then again, New Earth!Bruce is still something of a dick to his fellow superheroes. :/

[aeka]

Alex Luthor said in INFINITE CRISIS that if the first Crisis hadn't happened, Helena Bertinelli and Kyle Rayner would have been of Earth-8.

Now you got me thinking if this means Selina's baby Helena from her solo series would have still become the Huntress if that were the case.

[kusonaga]

This story was good, but Huntress secretly being in love with her semi-brother? Ugh.

[shanejayell]

But does New Earth Bruce know? I don't think it's been addressed, anyway.... I'm not even sure if he knows about Earth 2, actually.

Here's looking at you, TheHefner!

[chocochuy]

Wait, Two-Face is Dead and the Joker wants somebody else to be his replacement on Earth 2?

Holy Contradictions, Batman! The Two-Face from Earth 2 was already cured of both his madness and scars when Batman (from Earth 2) was still alive (and single). It would be silly for the Joker to find a replacement for Two-Face decades later. I have always imagined Harvey Kent been some kind of mentor to Helena Wayne considering he had a second chance to be Batman's ally.

I suppose TheHefner would say what I just said on a better manner.

[shanejayell]

Eh, Uncle. MAYBE. I didn't read a lot of the classic JSA stuff, but Dick wasn't there much when Helena was growing up.

Re: Here's looking at you, TheHefner!

[shanejayell]

Well, Joker ain't exactly sane either. *lol*

[aeka]

He does know and even Selina confirms that.

Re: Here's looking at you, TheHefner!

[chocochuy]

Indeed, maybe he wanted a replacement for Two-Face because of how close is the Joker's death and he needed a to leave a "Legacy".

By the way, Is it just me or does this Joker look a lot like an amalgam of Jack Nicholson and Heath Ledger? It would be a neat way to pay tribute to 2 of the best actors that have played the Joker.

[shanejayell]

Huh! It's been a long time since I read Infinite Crisis, sorry.

Damn, you'd think he WOULD look at Helena in our world and think... 'what if?'

[aeka]

Or wonder the same about baby Helena and even question the kid's paternity. Not sure if Bruce told Selina about Helena Wayne before naming her kid that.

[chocochuy]

Funny, because once I read Crisis on Infinite Earths, I have loved the idea of shipping Dick Grayson (from Earth 2, of course) with Helena Wayne. It may seem "wrong" because Dick is Bruce's adopted son but he isn't related by blood to Helena. There is always a chance for them to be together considering that both of them have suffered their own tragedies and they helped each other once they realized they were apocryphal.



If I had a lot of money then I would ask George Pérez (or Jerry Ordway) to draw this particular couple.

[aeka]

I don't think I've seen this one. What story is this scan from?

[freezer]

I doubt I'm alone, but I found Kara's "you pathetic clown" expression highly satisfying.

[chocochuy]

That scan was taken from Crisis on Infinite Earths # 11 and it was done by George Pérez. It's supposed to represent that Helena Wayne and Dick Grayson (from Earth 2) are not longer part of the DC Universe because they have been replaced by other characters and their existence is now apocryphal.

[red_menace]

"That's the worst part. It hurts to laugh."

I'm honestly not sure if this line makes me pity the Joker, or if it makes me want to laugh myself.

[aeka]

I see. I should make it a point to read Crisis on Infinite Earths sometime. All I knew is that they were both killed and erased from continuity; I didn't realise there was as scene where both Dick and Helena acknowledged their status of being apocryphal. Wow, that just makes things that much more sad and tragic. :(

[darkblade]

He then looks over at Damian and thinks "Never Again."

[darkblade]

I'm going with both.

[chocochuy]

I know he died of an electric overdose but I wonder if the Joker's laughter as he held Power Girl's hand was responsible of his demise. That would be kinda poetic because the killing joke was on the Joker.

Re: Here's looking at you, TheHefner!

[btravage]

This isn't exactly Earth-2 as we know (well, knew) it. This is the version of Earth-2 created after Infinite Crisis, so it's more like Earth-2.5, and as such, there are some minor differences that can easily cover up sloppy writing.

Re: Here's looking at you, TheHefner!

[chocochuy]

Poor Harvey Kent. He already had a second chance for happiness and lost it because of some sloppy writing.

[chocochuy]

I also find such expression very satisfying. I know it may sound weird but it would be good if Helena said "A fitting end for his kind" (Those were the same words the Golden Age Batman said after killing the main villain on his first appearance and Helena is that Batman's daughter) once the Joker was already dead.

[icon_uk]

E-2 Dick also mentions earlier in the issue that he's done some research and found that Dick Grayson is 20 years old and living in Manhattan, so whilst Helena Wayne doesn't exist, Dick Grayson does, but not as him... I wonder which is the more unsettling.

[icon_uk]

AFAIK they always considered themselves brother and sister, as Bruce effectively raised them both, though there was the obvious age gap

[icon_uk]

As Kyle says to Guy in Morrisons JLA run, when Guy makes some corny crack about the JLA needing "a real Green Lantern": "I AM the real Green Lantern. You save the world a few times, you'd be amazed how quickly people come to realise that".

[darkknightjrk]

Why would he? Just because she shares a first name doesn't mean she's magically a daughter he never had. If anything, it would make him look at Selina in a different way.

[darkknightjrk]

"(And likely to be retconned in the DCnU. DAMN YOU DC!!)"

It has a shot--note the writer of this annual.

Re: Here's looking at you, TheHefner!

[darkknightjrk]

Wait, so in Earth 2, Two-Face was known as Harvey KENT?

...

Any trippy cross-overs with Superman, then? If not, that's one HELL of a missed opportunity.

[darkknightjrk]

That could be possible--those zapper things usually just zap the person who Joker's shaking, right? So either it was defective, or Joker died from his laughter.

[darkknightjrk]

So THAT'S where they got Joker's look from in B:B&TB's "Knights of Tomorrow" episode.

Re: Here's looking at you, TheHefner!

[pyrotwilight]

I believe it's been posted before on this comm at some point. Had some funny shenanigans with Superman and Harvey Kent who was related to his parents somehow. They met in the same story that I believe had Kent cured for good.

[tacobob]

I really like this art. Jerry keeps getting better and better. :)

Re: Here's looking at you, TheHefner!

[chocochuy]

Aye, the original Two-Face was named Harvey Kent and he did have a meeting with Clark Kent.

Here is their fated encounter (Kudos to TheHefner for been the Original Poster).



Good times.

[shanejayell]

So far, no JSA at all in DcnU. I ain't holding my breath.

Joker's Last Laugh

[chocochuy]

There is also the chance that the Joy Buzzer was meant to kill him if we consider the idea of him trying to die along Helena Wayne (thus killing Batman's legacy while leaving the world to be consumed by chaos) but I don't really buy that idea because it would ignore the fact that Dick would stay alive.

[q99]

Earth 8 would be an interesting place.

Hm, someone should do an elseworld...

[thatnickguy]

"You're against the Springer generation, man." =D

[eyz]

It's fun how these last years they've tried having this old school PG & Huntress duo back. Be it in this annual or that Superman/Batman filler arc.

[rordulum]

Sooo, 5th panel of the 6th page.... Oh look, it appears to be Power Girl's naked ass. Very pert.

So Helena is in love with her adopted brother? And not even his ridiculously dorky Earth-2 Robin outfit has swayed her otherwise? Poor girl.

I can honestly never remember if Earth-2 still exists or not. Infinite Crisis merged them all into one Earth, but did something not come along and reverse that? Ah, I guess it won't matter in a couple of months anyway.

Reading for subtext: it's never just you

[keeva]

It's only Power Girl who guesses "It's Dick, right?"

Helena is too nervous still to confirm that she's in love with Karen.

[maxisanacorn]

I'd imagine a "New" Earth 2 exists they just haven't done anything with the new multiverse that was created at the end of 52.

Re: Here's looking at you, TheHefner!

[bariman]

I think this came out before "The Dark Knight," so the Heath Ledger aspects are coincidental.