“Yesterday’s” Trade> Huntress: Crossbow At The Crossroads

“Next time I make sure my gas tank is full before a major concert.”

Huntress: Crossbow At The Crossroads

DC Comics (2012)

(originally released as a six-issue miniseries)

She thought she was in Italy to stop a shipment of guns being smuggled into Gotham. But when she arrives at the dock, Huntress finds they’re also smuggling kidnapped Arab women as part of a sex trade ring. Aided by two reporters tired of corruption in Italy, Huntress goes after the leader of the ring and his supplier, a corrupt Arab leader who is pretending to advocate the throne to avoid the UN. Instead, Huntress takes them both out and warns the Arab’s son that if he follows in his father’s footsteps when it comes to the girls he’ll be next. With a price on her head thanks to the son, it’s up to Power Girl to get her safely out of the country, leading into Worlds’ Finest.

What they got right: While I don’t usually go for superheroes who kill, Huntress only kills when she has to and the ringleader is actually killed by the women he enslaved while she only kills the Arab leader because as he admits he will escape justice and continue abusing, murdering, and selling young girls into sex slavery. Most of the underlings are taken out without killing so I’m satisfied with the results. The are is also really good even through the various teams. If only Worlds’ Finest had been that lucky.

What they got wrong: If Italy is as corrupt as the two reporters keep claiming it is this is the first I’ve heard of it. To hear them talk the whole country is one big Gotham City, just with more sunlight getting through. That seems insulting to the whole country.

Recommendation: This is the rare case of a darker story I can support and needed to be so to properly tell it. It’s worth a read at least.