Greg Rucka introduced Salvatore Asaro to readers in “Batman/Huntress: Cry for Blood” miniseries. Sal wasn’t a major player in the story, only appearing in a dozen or so pages, told as flashbacks. He would be the Huntress’ first teacher. While he’s been relatively out of the picture, he’d shape Helena into the woman and crime-fighter she would later become.

Not only did ”Cry for Blood” read like a love letter from its author to its protagonist, it produced one of most endearing and moving relationships in comicsville, in as few pages as posssible. Now that took skill! Their relationship, surprisingly, no other writer followed up before Ivory Madison came along with “Huntress Year One”.

Ivory Madison, did change some key elements to the Huntress mythos that existed in “Cry For Blood”. It’s up to readers to determine for themselves if they were necessary changes, if they added a level of depthness.  However, she did maintained Sal’s vital role in Helena’s upbring; going further than anyone has to expound on their special bond. For that I’m grateful. It was one of the reading gems in Huntress Year One.