Helena Bertinelli, a.k.a. the Huntress, joins the DC Cover Girls line, as designed by Eisner-nominated artist and writer Joëlle Jones. Armed with her crossbow and ready for anything that comes her way, this polyresin piece features the Huntress in her Rebirth-inspired suit.
Sculpted by Jack Mathews
Limited Edition of 5,000
Measures Approximately 9″ Tall
$125.00 US • On Sale December 2019 from DC Collectibles
First Impression
Let’s face it, the collectible market is lousy with Batman, Joker, and Harley Quinn. So when I put this gorgeous Huntress on display everybody walking into my house took notice. Everyone remarked on how they associated the character with Jim Lee’s costume design (which was also made famous by Bruce Timm in Justice League: Unlimited), which had the exposed midriff and thigh-high boots… but they all agreed that this new, far less sexualized, look was a whole lot more practical while still being easily recognizable as Huntress. The Rebirth look proved to be a crowd-pleaser. And we all loved her stance as well. Helena looks both formidable and feminine as she’s stalking some goons from the shadows.
Lastly, I had more than one guest proclaim that they would buy all of Joëlle’s Birds of Prey statues so the whole crew could be displayed together. So, yeah, Huntress made a terrific first impression.
Scrutinized
Like other statues from the long-running DC Cover Girls line of superheroes and villains, Huntress comes in a sleek white box featuring promotional images and ad copy (the same ad copy we posted in italics at the top of this article). Huntress’ statue is comprised of an easy-to-assemble body and base that are packed separately in (appropriately enough) two-piece Styrofoam. Metal pins in the vigilante’s foot slide into pre-drilled holes in the weighted, disc-shaped foundation for maximum stability. This surprisingly hefty base is supported by felt feet to prevent scratches from occurring on the surface of your table, desk, or display shelf. The circular base also sports a recessed outer groove and an engraved signature that has become a trademark of Joëlle Jones’ statues. And like the others we’ve seen so far, the carvings are filled in with paint that not only pops against the matte black finish, but matches the overall tone of the character’s outfit. It’s stylish yet not overstated, so your focus stays on the craftsmanship of Huntress herself. Altogether, the base and figure stand 9.5 inches (24.1 centimeters) tall, which is comparable to what we’ve seen from the similar DC Designer Series line of statues. And like those statues, you’ll find hand-numbering on the bottom, letting you know where your piece fits in the limited run of 5,000 statues made.
The most notable flaw of the Huntress statue is a glaringly obvious one, but it’s mercifully easy to rectify. As you see in the photo above, the polyresin sculpture holds a plastic bow with wire “string” and a thin plastic arrow. The phrase “straight as an arrow,” however, does not apply here. The crooked projectile is unfortunate and quite distracting, but after massaging the slender plastic with your fingertips you’ll find that it’s perfectly malleable. It took about a minute of heat and pressure to set my Huntress’ arrow in working order and it hasn’t curved back since.
Other than that easy-to-hurdle obstacle, I think that you’ll be quite satisfied. Of course, if you hate that the mask no longer peaks in bat ear-like points or you are all too attached to Jim Lee’s take on the uniform, this statue won’t entice you. But for anyone else that is a fan the Rebirth costume or Jones’ artwork in general, the latest DC Cover Girl is a smash hit. Her pose is cool and confident, and the cloak gives her an air of mystery.
I for one love the hood and the way her hair has been sculpted to flow out of it in delicate curls, and I think that the overall paint job employed here is deceptively simple. There’s a nice variety of purples used from the jacket to the armor to the lips and the mask. And the selective use of shading made for a cleaner, more iconic presentation. Take careful note of how the face has no shading or highlights whatsoever (other than the trim around the eyes of the mask). The same goes for Helena’s arms, gloves, and her boots. No flecks, distressing, lowlights, etc. Just clean paint. And sure, that kind of application should be boring, but DC Collectibles contrasts the smooth, uninterrupted color of the skin, gloves, and boots with a darker tone that’s been brushed over the creases and wrinkles of the jacket and pants. Had the same technique been used on the boots, flesh, and gloves, I think it would have looked excessive and maybe even gross. The more diverse approach strikes a nice balance between lifelike and iconic.
I also appreciate how the arrow tips sculpted into a small quiver in her gauntlet actually feature minute details and aren’t merely little triangles. However, the silver paint that was used for those tips doesn’t quite hit the metallic tone they needed to look convincing.
Overall
You’ll likely need to straighten the plastic arrow in her bow, but that’s an easy fix. Other than that minor inconvenience, I can’t see how any fan of Jones’ artwork or Huntress’ Rebirth design could be disappointed with this piece. It’s a must-own for anybody that loves Huntress.
Disclaimer: Batman News received this statue from the manufacturer for the purpose of this review.
The DC Cover Girls Huntress statue will be released in Jan. 2020 and is available for order.
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