Reviewing Black Canary #1 (2015), the brand new comic that puts Dinah on stage with the most popular and targeted rock 'n' roll band in America!
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Sample pages from Black Canary #1, art by Annie Wu.
Music this episode:
"Gold Dust Woman"
Halestorm
Atlantic Records, 2013.
"New York Minute"
Don Henley
Geffen Records, 1990.
"Rock 'N' Roll Star"
Oasis
Creation Records, 1994.
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Glad to see the podcast come back and was eager to see your thoughts on the issue.
ReplyDeleteAs you say, this is a different sort of book. I didn't know much of the Canary's New 52 history and as a result I had to keep telling myself to simply ignore continuity as I read this. I just kept thinking 'how can she be undercover as a singer when she is famous as Black Canary'. But then I said for all I know she isn't famous.
So having Dinah strike out in a sort of oddball super-hero/rock star/horror tangent might be the best way to put the stink of the New 52 behind her. I don't know if I would call it fun. But I will call it engaging.
The art work has a scratchy, grungy feel which is perfect for the tone and style of the book. So I think the art is perfect for the book.
I'm in as long as it grabs me.
Having listened to the Leylands discuss it on "Hey Kids, Comics", I have to wonder if this isn't slightly inspired by Scott Pilgrim. A rock band that engages in super heroic fights seems similar to that.
ReplyDeleteA few years back I would have called this nuts and written it off as DC losing their minds. But that DC is dead and buried, and their "continuity" is a total wreck. Compared to the travesties they are inflicting upon Superman, this looks like a breath of fresh air. I'm glad you liked it Ryan. I may give it a shot.
Chris
Really appreciate your enthusiastic take on Josie and the -- I mean Black Canary! This fresh take on the Pretty Bird seems to have a lot going for it. Reviews like this are wearing me down to the point that I'll be giving this a shot!
ReplyDeleteThanks everybody for your comments! If you do check out the new Black Canary book, I hope you enjoy it!
ReplyDeleteI bought Black Canary #1 digitally from DC's website and quite enjoyed it. I wasn't a fan of the free preview that had been released previously but this was quite fun. The villains and supporting cast are interesting though it seems like the series is ignoring a fair bit of Dinah's continuity. From what I gather, Black Canary has made some appearances in the current Batgirl title but I haven't been reading it (though I do have the most recent trade on order from Amazon so I'll check it out). Between this, the new Doctor Fate series, Bryan Hitch's Justice League of America and the announced mini-series' for Firestorm and Metamorpho it looks like I'll finally be reading some DC books again.
ReplyDeleteThis new Black Canary monthly invigorated Dinah Drake Lance as a character. She was too vanilla during her New 52 BoP days. I feel like the "Batgirling" of Canary injected new life on her character. Gone were the days of the heartbroken soldier wife. This fresh take on D, while not groundbreaking, fits her very well. Love the first two issues thus far.
ReplyDeleteForgot to address these comments in the latest episode, but I'll respond to them in Episode 15.
ReplyDeleteI’m with your other listeners in knowing I would have scoffed at Black Canary as a touring band member pre-Flashpoint and in outside media, but in the New 52 I’m much more open to bold reinterpretations with some novelty and half a brain. With her looks and power set, Black Canary works better as a rocking front woman than pretty much any other role on earth she could play, including super-hero. I honestly think it improves the concept, and I’m glad to hear the book is entertaining (even at 16 pages, and I will have to start doing my own counting on Martian Manhunter.)
ReplyDeleteSo, a Dazzler reference right from #1?
"Gold Dust Woman" = Hole> Halestorm> Fleetway Mac