Spoilers ahead for Batman Secret Files: The Huntress #1!
Huntress, from the Birds of Prey, has a new superpower thanks to Vile—DC’s version of Venom. In Batman Secret Files: The Huntress #1, on sale now in print and digital, the Huntress discovers her previous encounter with Vile has given her a superpower—her first, and she will need it to stop Vile’s reign of terror.
Vile is one of Gotham’s newest villains, having first appeared earlier this year in Detective Comics #1034. Inside of Vile lives a parasite, one capable of infecting other people and forcing them to do Vile’s bidding; in many ways, Vile’s parasites mimic the actions of a Venom symbiote. The Huntress had been tracking the villain, hoping to stop his reign of terror; instead, she became infected herself. She was cured of the parasite, but now readers learn there are some lingering effects in Batman Secret Files: The Huntress #1, written by Mariko Tamaki, with art by David Lapham, colors by Trish Mulvihill, and letters by Rob Leigh.
The issue opens with the Huntress still in the hospital. There are no signs of any after-effects from Vile’s attack, so she slips away and back to her apartment. As she tries to unwind and relax, she is confronted with an intense vision of a man running for his life. She tries to dismiss the vision as some form of trauma, but they continue. Huntress realizes the man is being chased by another of Vile’s victims, and that she can somehow sense the actions of the parasites. The Huntress races off to find the guy and save him and is drawn to the docks of Gotham City. Sure enough, the man is being attacked by an infected person. The Huntress is able to save him, but the infected man makes his way to a drive-in theater, ready to spread the parasite around. The Huntress intercepts him and manages to keep the infection from spreading.
Like many members of the Bat-Family, the Huntress has no superpowers and relies on gadgets and hand-to-hand combat to fight crime. Yet now, thanks to the villainous Vile, the Huntress has her first superpower, and she immediately puts it to good use, saving an innocent man from a horrific fate. The Huntress’ new power allows her to tap into a hive-mind, or some form of collective, that exists among Vile’s victims. How long will the Huntress keep this new ability? Will she be able to stop Vile and keep him from spreading his evil any further? The Huntress’ ability to tap into the hive mind of Vile’s parasites further strengthens the connection between Vile and Venom; Venom’s symbiotes function as a hive as well.
The Birds of Prey's Huntress, for the first time in her 40+ year history, has superpowers, and it is all thanks to the disgusting Vile—DC’s version of Venom.