Birds of Prey #1 (DC Comics)
Writer: Duane Swierczynski; Artist: Jesus Saiz; Colorist: Nei Ruffino; Letterer: Carlos M. Mangual; Editor: Janelle Asselin
More of DC’s “New 52.”
In reference to the company-wide re-launch, for the continuity hounds, the unevenness of what is carried forward and what is not shows up here. Previously, the Birds had been led by Barbara Gordon as Oracle, originally partnered with Black Canary and then with Huntress (Helena Bertinelli) and Lady Blackhawk as the core team. Lady Blackhawk is out of sight (I don’t know if she’s part of the Blackhawk book, since I’m not reading that). Huntress is about to get her own mini-series (at least). Barbara Gordon disbanded the team in the old title. With the reboot, she has been cured of her paralysis and is back in action as Batgirl in her own book.
So, here, Dinah Lance has decided to put together a team. The way it is worded in the scene where Dinah talks with Barbara, it is ambiguous as to whether there was a Birds of Prey team before this moment. Dinah says “You know I’m still putting together that team.” Barbara’s response is to mention that Dinah is “wanted for murder.”
For longtime readers of BOP (which I am), at first glance this reads as a continuation of pre-relaunch continuity. The interaction between Barbara and Dinah sounds like they’d previoiusly been teammates. But a second read shows it can be taken as just a recruiting meeting, one which has Barbara turning down the partnership. The reference to Dinah being wanted for murder seems to be a hold-over from the previous series, which ended with Dinah still subject to a frame that implied she had murdered someone.
Way to have it both ways, DC. Just confuse things while you’re at it.
Anyway, this is a launch story for the new set-up, so the best way to do that is have a reporter investigate rumors of a dubious crimefighting team loose in Gotham. Because then you can put in reams of exposition. (*sigh*) And the reporter is in danger. And action happens when Dinah and her new partner Starling (totally new character) try to rescue the reporter.
As a story, it’s okay so far. Not wildly engaging. But there are a couple of story points that bugged me on the first read, details that took me out of the story. First, Starling crashes a vintage car into a church – unclear whether through the door or through the wall, although huge blocks of stone go flying. Now, who in their right mind does that? Drive through a window, sure. Even though this church is apparently abandoned, it’s still a rather solid building. But the crash seems to have no effect on the car. Its front end remains in pristine form. What is it? A tank? Give me a break. The second point is that at one moment a slim noose, like a garrote, goes round Black Canary’s neck and she is promptly dangling in the air, her full weight borne by the noose cutting into her neck. And it takes her a bit to cut the cord. So … is it a garrote (in which case, her own weight would have killed her) or just a rope? That second option would take a bit longer to asphyxiate her, if being suddenly lifted off her feet wouldn’t break her neck. What’s worse is that once she cuts herself free, she’s back in full action (including being able to use her “canary cry”).
Is it too much to ask for a touch of reality at these moments?
I could complain about Canary’s costume which is awful, but I’ll just comment on her footgear. What the heck are those things? They look like dancing shoes or Mary Janes with some sort of fancy leg florishes. Whatever they are, they don’t look substaintial enough for street fighting. What’s wrong with boots (not high heeled ones, but biker or cowboy boots even)?
As a long time Birds of Prey fan, I’m underwhelmed by this start. It isn’t that it’s bad. It isn’t particularly so. But it’s all flash and not a lot of substance about the characters that makes me care about them (just “information”). I’m not wild about the prospect of Poison Ivy joining the team, revamp of the character or not. This is a marginal title for me, which is a really disappointing thing to say. I love Black Canary, but the new costume is ugly and I’m not sure this take will be more than flash and bang.
