Picture Problem

I'm not sure how, but a whole bunch of the images on this blog are now unavailable.  They can't be broken links, because 95% of the images I use are on my hard drive, and they're still there.  I don't know what the problem is, but I know it involves Google+.

I'll try and refresh/re-load the images as I get the chance.

From Justice Society of America (1991) #2, art by Grant Miehm.

The Heartbreaking Saga of BOP's Writer Evolution

A few days ago, Bleeding Cool ran an "article" spotlighting the creator/creative evolution of Birds of Prey this year.  At the end of 2012, it was announced that Duane Swierczysnki would be replaced by new writer Jim Zubkavich.  Of course, that didn't end up happening, but Jim "Zub" was working on BOP for a couple of months.  He made his pitch to DC, the hired him--contract and all--and he began writing scripts.

I had never read anything by Jim Zub--still haven't, as it turns out--but his statements in a Newsarama interview impressed me and genuinely excited me for his take on Black Canary and the Birds.

Here are a few bits from that interview:

Zub: Rather than pitching specific plot details or which villain the group would be going up against, I focused on creating a “character matrix” that focused on who the cast was, what they’ve been through and how they could grow and change as things progress. It was a character-first approach that could be adapted to the upcoming plot needs of the title, and I think it surprised editorial in a good way when they read it. That really got the conversation going and we started building storylines and antagonist options from there.
 

… 

Zub: For me, Birds of Prey is about gathering together a tight-knit team based on trust. Two to five people who have each other’s backs against the rest of the world. Friendship, conviction and sacrifice aren’t the traits of a “female” story. They’re universal.

…  

Zub: Dinah’s going to try stepping into a stronger leadership role, but with all of the difficulties she’s been facing that’s not going to be easy. Even still, one of Dinah’s most enduring traits is that she never gives up, so expect the stories ahead to really test that.

Barbara’s been splitting her time between solo adventures and her time with the Birds, but she needs to decide how much she can dedicate to the team and what that means to her. She wanted to prove she could be a crime fighter again, and she’s done that, so now she has to figure out where she’s meant to be.

Hmm… Sounds to me like Zub was going to write Batgirl out of the series, something I think has been needed for a while.  Beyond that, I loved Zub's plan to make BOP about characters and not the villain of the month.

I, along with many other fans of the Birds and of Jim Zubkavich, I'm sure, felt confident that the series was in good--even better--hands and the future looked bright.

But by the middle of January, DC told CBR that Christy Marx was taking over BOP instead of Zub.  Marx had been writing the "Amethyst" story for Sword of Sorcery.  From the interview with DC Editor-in-Chief, Bob Harras, it sounds like the company's priority was putting Marx on a book--any book--after Amethyst's cancellation.  Whether or not this was a decision by DC to maintain a certain number of female creators, I can't say.  What is clear is that Marx wasn't put on BOP because she had a winning pitch.

Harras: Jim had a great pitch for "Birds Of Prey," but as things came together in discussion and the creative churn, we all saw what Christy was doing on "Amethyst," and we were looking at "Birds Of Prey" and internally and editorially we were thinking of taking it in a different direction. The decision was made that we were going to go in a different direction than what Jim had originally envisioned. We definitely, definitely want to continue working with Jim, but at this moment, we wanted to go in a particular direction.

In her own interview with Newsarama the day after that, Marx sounded as surprised by the change as Zub was.

Marx: In general, it's too early for me to say anything more. I'm still absorbing a ton of previous material and doing my initial thinking about the direction.

It should be pointed out that the "particular direction" Harras claims they wanted the series to go in looks and sounds exactly like the previous one.

I have been pretty harsh on Marx's brief tenure on Birds of Prey thus far, alternating between criticizing her writing and assuming she's just adding words to the crappy plots forced on her by the editors.  Well, the latter seems more likely given what she told CBR last week.  And it makes her situation a lot more sympathetic.

While Marx's first storyline incorporated Batman villain Mister Freeze, according to the writer the decision to kick off her run with the coldest of Batman's rogues was less by choice and more by design -- literally, in this case. 

"When I agreed to start work on the book, the next two covers were already done with Mr. Freeze on them. You could say that I wrote to match the covers," Marx said. "In reality, the major direction of the storyline had been roughly worked out months in advance, which was a good thing because the first issue was due immediately. Beyond immediately. I had to hit the ground running."

There's a level of heartache this string of quotes incites in me that is hard to capture in words.  I should probably find one of those "face palm" images to insert here.

On the other hand, the CBR interview with Marx gives me some reason to hope for the book's future.  With the forced Freeze storyline over and Marx having a better grasp of the characters, the series might find a new direction and its own identity.

Here's hoping!

Happy Fourth of July from Alex Ross and the JLA

Satellite Era League by Jerry Ordway

BIRDS OF PREY #3 (New 52)

Previously…

David Finch provides the above cover for Birds of Prey #3, "You Might Think".  At first, I thought it was an artist variant of the cover to issue #1, because it depicts the same four women in front of what might be the same amorphous-looking tree and a similar kind of reddish-pink background.  Except for the inclusion of Poison Ivy, the same could be said about the cover to issue #2, as well.  What the hell, DC?  It's almost as if the cover is trying to capture the total lack of background, characterization, or substance of the stories within.

The third issue sees the series' third colorist.  This time June Chung provides colors for Jesus Saiz's art and Duane Swierczynski's script.  The story pics up where we left off, with Starling and Katana learning that Black Canary invited notorious eco-terrorist and Batman rogue Poison Ivy to join their superhero group.

Dinah's explanation confuses me.  First: I thought she was already putting her team together before she got involved in this current mystery with the faux-invisible bandits who killed Charlie Keen via text.  When did she decide to recruit Ivy?  Second: What is Ivy's "different and much needed skill set"?  I can think of a number of talents Ivy has that the other three don't, but other than the immunity to toxins, I'm not sure which one might be "much needed".  It could come up later in the issue, but it would be nice if it was clarified here so it doesn't pull me out of the story.

Anyway, Starling and Katana drawn their weapons on Ivy, forcing her to defend herself in the team's first intra-squad fracas.

Immunity from swords? Is that the valuable skill set they needed?

Ivy disarms her opponents, but Starling threatens to blow Ivy up with some plastic explosives she just happened to drop between the other's feet.  Ivy lets her go, laughing, saying she likes Starling's style.  So, was this a test?  Because that doesn't seem like it would end the tension between them.

Moving on… Ivy uses her powers to seduce/interrogate/brainwash one of the bad guys…  And by now I hate calling them "bad guys" but there is no other term I can think of because we don't know who they are.  We don't know if they're hired killers or mercenaries or someone's private security or special forces trying to capture the fugitive Black Canary.

After revealing the location of a safehouse, the bad guy recites a nursery rhyme.  Hearing it, Dinah gets a bad headache like she felt right before Charlie exploded.

The next day…or that morning, I guess, Dinah, Starling and Katana check out the safehouse.  There, Starling sees two names on a piece of paper and speculates that they're the next targets.

This scene is baffling to me.  There is no in-story reason for Starling to see two names and assume they're the same type of "walking bombs".  They shouldn't have any idea what they're even looking for, since the actual questions of this mystery have yet to be asked by the characters or the writer.  I would say this is the dumbest, laziest writing ever but Swierczynski beats me to the punch by pointing out that Starling should not reasonably jump to the conclusions she does.  It reads like he acknowledges the problem that this part of the script doesn't make sense but asks us to just go with it.  I'm not sure if his hands were tied by editorial interference, or if he really was just that lazy-but-honest-about-it.

Later, all four women board a train looking for their two targets.  Dinah and Starling move separately into position to drug the men so they can't blow up when given a verbal command like Charlie and the bad guy did.  Poison Ivy goes to incapacitate the engineer while Katana searches the train for bad guys, who, again, are supposed to be invisible.

And there Katana finds one…while the invisible suit has camouflaged him to look like an old woman!

So we're clear: the villains in this story have advanced suits giving them chameleonic powers to turn invisible or change their outer appearances to look like other people.  This is serious, heavy technology with crazy implications and story potential.  A small personal army with the capacity to be anywhere and look like anyone.  Marvel did a whole event based on that!  But in Swierczynski's scripts the bad guys have never gotten the jump on anyone!

Poison Ivy is ambushed in the train's engine room, but not because the baddies are invisible; they just sneak up behind her while she's gloating.  Dinah is about to move in on one of the targets when she is engaged telepathically by a mystery voice that convinces her she has the genetic code in her to be a suicide bomber.

Dinah runs off, ordering her partners to abort the mission.  The issue ends on a cliffhanger with the mystery voice about to recite a nursery rhyme.

The Characters

Last issue introduced us to the New 52 Katana.  This one is Poison Ivy's coming out party.  We see her use her powers to control a man, and her other powers to telekinetically manipulate plant life.  Starling calls her a killer, and while Pam denies it, the newspaper headlines support Starling's assessment of Ivy.

Last issue, I said that Katana's redesign was one of the few I enjoy looking at.  Poison Ivy's is not.  I am pleased beyond words that her skin is back to being a regular flesh tone instead of green.  What I don't care for is the black that covers the part of her body not covered by leaves.  Poison Ivy does not need to be almost naked all the time--although, being honest, Alex Ross' almost naked Ivy is my favorite version--but she does need to be sexy!  She needs to look irresistible, and exotic, and taboo.  This look doesn't capture those ideas.  Her eyes, her weird face tattoos, and the vines that appear to grow out of her chest are not seductive at all.  They make her look alien.


Impressions/Questions

Dinah says that Ivy is vital to the team, but why?  Did the Birds just need somebody who can extract information from men?  There have to be some candidates in the talent pool who aren't recent escapees from Arkham Asylum.  In her explanation to Starling and Katana, Dinah says this:

Disagree with her methods?  She kills people!  And not having a clean soul--is that how she justifies partnering with a wanted criminal?  I mean, I guess Dinah is a wanted criminal in this continuity, so maybe it doesn't bother her at all!  And that just leads to more questions about who this Black Canary is and why is she doing any of this?

We're three issues into the series and I don't know why this team exists.  Swierczynski dropped us into the middle of a story with a mystery investigation with what seems like personal consequences for Dinah and her friends, but we can't understand those consequences because we don't know what the stakes are.  This Birds of Prey has never had a status quo.  There is no "normal day in the life of" issue or element.  Dinah was building her team before this mystery started, but why?  Were they supposed to be a street level superhero version of the Justice League?  Are they private investigators?  Bounty hunters?  Globe-hopping super-spies?  How were they going to operate and/or fight crime?  Going on patrol?  Taking an ad out in the paper?  Who are the bad guys?  What do they want?  Why were they targeting Black Canary?  What is she looking for?  Why does anyone do anything?

On a personal note, this is where I originally dropped this series.  I only went back and collected all the issues after I started this Black Canary fan blog, when I knew I was going to end up reviewing the issues eventually.  This was the point in the series when I lost faith that the writer/editors had any sense of direction or understanding of the characters.  But I'll keep coming back every week to review the next issue.

Birds of Prey #3: "You Might Think" has some interesting moments, including more of Saiz's terrific art, but the compounding questions and plot holes make it impossible to recommend this book.

Grade: D+

Black Canary by Cliff Chiang 2

Tomorrow, I'll post my review of the New 52: Birds of Prey #3.  Until then, enjoy another wonderful Black Canary sketch by Cliff Chiang!

Cliff Chiang drew Black Canary for the first story arc of her post-wedding Green Arrow/Black Canary title and continued to do covers for that series for the first year.  He also drew one of my favorite issues of The Brave and the Bold (2007), the "Ladies Night" team-up of Wonder Woman, Zatanna and Batgirl in issue #33.

Currently, Cliff Chiang is one of the artists on DC's Wonder Woman in the New 52.

LongBox Loot: Black Canary from '93 and The Ray from '94

Just got back from vacation, and during my travels, I was fortunate enough to pilfer the Black Canary collections of two different local comic stores.  I got the four-issue "New Wings" mini from 1991/92 by Sarah Byam, Trevor Von Eeden and Dick Giordano.  I posted a pick of that collection last week.

I also snagged most of the ongoing series that followed.  Dinah's only regular series lasted a mere twelve issues, and I was able to pick up all but #9 and #10, which I should track down next week.

Almost as exciting as the Black Canary series, I managed to grab most of her appearances in The Ray from 1994.

The only Ray comic I've ever read was the Zero Hour tie-in.  I enjoyed that issue and I thought the character looked cool--I'm also a fan of Christopher Priest's writing, as if I needed more incentive--so I'm really looking forward to cracking this series open when I get the chance.

Birds of Prey: Manhunt #4 (Dec 1996)

Review: Birds of Prey: Manhunt #1.

Review: Birds of Prey: Manhunt #2.

Review: Birds of Prey: Manhunt #3.

What Happened Before…

• Black Canary was captured by master criminal Archer Braun and taken to his base of operations in Kazakstan.
• Canary's partner, Oracle, enlists the help of Huntress and Catwoman, both of whom were looking for Braun for their own reasons.
• Braun's base is a haven for terrorists, criminals, and assassins, including possibly the deadliest woman alive: Lady Shiva!

Birds of Prey: Manhunt #4 - "Ladies' Choice" was written by Chuck Dixon, but the art team changes yet again for this final issue.  This time, series penciller Matt Haley draws over Sal Buscema's layouts and Wade Von Grawbadger, the inker for issue #1, is back.  I don't know why Buscema was brought in but his inclusion isn't that noticeable.  This still looks and feels like Matt Haley's book.

We open with Dinah and Archer Braun being held at gunpoint by a group of mercenaries and thugs.  Apparently, Braun doesn't run the show at Katchik 9-9 as much as last issue suggested; the real power here seems to be a big man named Serge.  Serge is angry with Braun for failing to deliver a large score of American money in exchange for a percentage of Serge's Afghan heroin operation.

I don't know where any of this is coming from.  Serge here has never been mentioned before this scene.  We know that Braun did pull off a large robbery score, because that's what sent Black Canary and Huntress and Catwoman all after him in the first place.  We've never heard any clues about a bigger plan Braun might have.  Chuck Dixon's failure to establish Braun as a fully realized villain in the first three issues is put on display in this final chapter.  This opening scene sounds like it was written for a different series as what precious little we know of the villain seems completely flipped around.  What's more confounding is none of this is going to matter, because Serge, his plans, and everything he and Braun discuss in the first few pages is dropped and never again referred to later in the chapter.

The only part of the issue that is relevant is Lady Shiva.  She vetoes Serge's kill order, claiming she wants Black Canary alive.  To test her.  Braun intervenes, so Lady Shiva strikes, but her attack is easily deflected.  Braun's defense is beyond impressive--it's astonishing.  Oracle, who has been eavesdropping on Dinah's captivity, suspects that Braun may have a metahuman ability they didn't know about and does some digging online.

On the road leading to Katchik 9-9, Huntress and Catwoman's car breaks down.  Years ago, the city was exposed to a man-made virus that devours plastics, making the place uninhabitable to all but the most desperate and infamous of supercriminals (a "wretched hive of scum and villainy" basically).  The virus eats the ladies' engine, forcing them to proceed with their rescue on foot.

Back in the city, Dinah is taken to her holding cell in what passes for the local jail.  She rebuffs his advances, so he hits her, displaying an ability to predict not only her moves but her thoughts and words, as well.

Huntress and Catwoman have arrived and begin making their way across the rooftops.  Oracle gives them as much direction as she can based on the sounds she's overheard from Dinah's transmitter.  She also fills them in on the missing part of Braun's history, that he was subjected to KGB experiments and granted precognitive abilities which make him an expert combatant.

Huntress and Catwoman make it to Dinah's cell, but by then, Dinah has already freed herself and fled the jail.  The ladies aren't left alone, though, as Braun and Lady Shiva arrive at that moment.  As match ups go, our ladies are severely outmatched.

Catwoman has zero chance against Lady Shiva, and they both know it, but Selina Kyle may be the universe's ultimate opportunist.  She takes the fight outside where distance and environment may give her some leverage.

Huntress is left to fight Braun in the holding cell, which is now burning thanks to Catwoman's whip toppling over a kerosine lamp.  This is the fight Huntress--and we readers--have been waiting for, as once, long ago, Braun broke Helena's heart by being a lying douche bag.  It would be cathartic to get her revenge by pummeling him into unconsciousness.  The problem is, Braun's psychic ability makes him the superior fighter.

In the streets outside the jail, Lady Shiva stands ready to kill Catwoman when Black Canary returns.

Back in the blazing Bastille, Huntress is getting her ass handed to her by Braun.  Oracle tells Huntress that she cannot beat him because his precognition allows him to anticipate her attacks before she moves.  To overcome this, Huntress clears her mind and instinctively responds to Oracle's attack commands--in a sense, Oracle fights Braun using Huntress as a physical surrogate, negating his powers.

Okay, this does look like Sal Buscema.

As Huntress defeats Braun, the fire burns away enough of the building that it collapses.  Oracle orders her to save Braun, telling him that no matter what he has done, she cannot simply leave him to die.  But that's what happens.  Could Huntress have saved him?  The art makes it a little ambiguous, but it seems like she doesn't make the best effort to pull him out of the fire.

Huntress is a different type of vigilante thanOracle.  She doesn't have the same philosophy of crime fighting that Batman's family has, and that difference will continue to divide them for years to come.

As the jail burns, Dinah and Catwoman fight Lady Shiva to a standstill.  Even though it looked like there were dozens, if not hundreds, of mercenaries and killers in Katchik 9-9, they are nowhere to be found when things get hot.  Seriously, where is Serge?  Where is everybody?

Huntress reunites with Catwoman and Dinah, who recommends they make use of the destruction to escape without prolonging the fight with Lady Shiva.

The three women mount horses and ride off.  Dinah is finally verbally reunited with Oracle, who asks if this entire adventure was worth the pain and expense.  Dinah doesn't even have to think about it.

As a concluding chapter, this issue does a decent job of drawing the characters back together and bringing the action.  It's not perfect.  The threat of Lady Shiva is never fully realized, in part because she was introduced too late into the story, and in part because her status is quickly undercut by Braun's metahuman defense technique.  The obligatory conflict established in issue #1 is Huntress and Braun, and their fight is a satisfying climax.  Huntress relying on Oracle to command her end of the fight like a marionette in the hands of a puppeteer is exciting and smart.  It reminds me of the Star Wars novel The Last Command, where a blinded Mara Jade is mentally guided by Leia Organa-Solo during a lightsaber duel.

Overall, Birds of Prey: Manhunt was a superficial adventure story.  The plot was laughably thin from the onset--Dinah and Huntress are both gunning for a man who romantically toyed with them and sort of casually happened to be a criminal.  Archer Braun seems to get more dangerous with each chapter, but the mounting threats never feel organic, never feel like layers of his character are being pulled away.  Instead, it feels like Dixon is just throwing stuff at him, making it up on the fly as the situation calls for it.

What works in the series is the women, who all look good, talk tough, and act authentic, insofar as they stay true to their character established in previous stories.  But I don't believe anything was really achieved by this story.  I don't know that this event has built upon the Black Canary, Oracle, Huntress and Catwoman we've known before.  Despite getting top billing, Dinah and Oracle are limited for good chunks of time.  Dinah's a hostage for an issue and a half, and Oracle talks to nobody for about as long.  Huntress and Catwoman take most of the spotlight and the series feels crowded.  I think either one of them could have been cut from the story and it would have felt tighter, more personal, and more significant.

If this title is about Black Canary and Oracle, I'm not sure they're in any different place emotionally or personally than they were at the end of the Birds of Prey one-shot that brought them together.  But… as I said, though the story may not be deep or meaningful, it's a fun ride and any fan of Dinah or the Birds of Prey should give it a read!

Out of Context #20: "Make it Quick"

From Identity Crisis #1, art by Rags Morales.

Every Thursday, Flowers & Fishnets provide a panel that--when taken out of context from the rest of the page--may be funny, suggestive, or just dumb.

DON'T Buy TALON #9 This Week!

This month's issue of Talon boasted a "guest starring" appearance of the Birds of Prey on its cover.  Well, sometimes advertisements lie and you can't judge a book by its cover, because no such thing happens in the book.

The Birds' resident Talon, Strix, is in the first page of Talon #9.  Batgirl is in the first panel, being kicked off a roof by the Talon Calvin Rose, which is kind of referencing events from BOP #21, but not really because that didn't happen like that.  Black Canary only appears on this issue's cover, not in the book.  None of them have any dialogue.  None of them are mentioned by name.  In fact, the characters are never mentioned directly or obliquely.  This is a regular issue of Talon--I'm assuming--with Batgirl and Black Canary put on the cover in a shameless effort to attract readers.  I wish it hadn't worked on me, but it did.

…

From Justice League of America #5, art by Brett Booth.

Where Black Canary does appear, however, is in Justice League of America #5.  It's a tiny cameo; in fact, it's only a picture of her, but Dinah is mentioned by Amanda Waller as a possible replacement member for the Justice League of America.

I would love to see Black Canary become a regular member of one of the Justice League teams.  She could use the exposure that a high profile, high-selling title would provide, and she damn well deserves it!  But if Geoff Johns didn't add her to the League during its post-Throne of Atlantis recruiting drive (see Justice League #18), I don't see her upgrading teams anytime soon.

If Dinah did join one of these teams, though, I think she'd be a better fit for the New 52 Justice League of America.  She already has a connection to Amanda Waller from her time with Team 7.  Steve Trevor's unit feels more tactical and militaristic than the larger-than-life icons that comprise the satellite-based League.  For better or worse, Dinah fits into the former category in this continuity.  She would also be an interesting matchup for Batman--better than Catwoman or Green Arrow, I think.  And it might give her a chance to meet Green Arrow, which I don't think has happened yet in the New 52.

… 

Anyway, I just wanted to plug Dinah's cameo appearance in this week's JLofA and warn potential buyers to not waste money on Talon if they're expecting an actual crossover with Birds of Prey.

Black Canary & Zatanna Get Starro'd

Recently, while doing a Google Images search for Starro, I came across this lovely piece of fan art by Kelly Everaert.

Thanks to The Happy Sorceress' tumblr page for hosting the image!

BIRDS OF PREY #2 (New 52)

Previously in Birds of Prey…

Dinah Lance, the costumed adventurer known as Black Canary, is wanted for a murder she may or may not have committed, but that won't stop her from putting together a team of crime-fighting super heroines.  Backed by her partner, Ev Crawford--alias Starling--Black Canary saves the life of Gotham Gazette reporter Charlie Keen from a team of hit men wearing suits that make them vaguely opaque-ish.  Black Canary and Starling escort Charlie safely to Gotham International Airport where he suffers a fatal case of exploding.

And now…

Bids of Prey #2: "Trouble in Mind" is written by Duane Swierczynski with art by Jesus Saiz.  This time the colors are provided by Allen Passalaqua.  They're much more muted colors, less of the subtle, multi-layered affect that Nei Ruffino gave to the candlelight in the church or the highlights of skin tone and hair color in issue #1.  The color along with Saiz's heavier looking inks make this issue look darker than the last.

This may be shocking to someone who has never read a comic before, but the action depicted on the cover does not appear in the actual comic.  I mean, I guess Katana does strike, but not against Black Canary and Starling.  But we'll get to that later.

"We're Going to Have to Get Used to Each Other's Quirks"

This issue opens in Japan, where Tatsu Yamashiro, better known as Katana, has made short work of a handful of Yakuza assassins sent to kill her.  Surveying the carnage of the room, Tatsu converses with her sword as though it were a person--an intimate acquaintance from her use of "my love"--but perhaps more important than that is she responds to the sword as though she can hear it talking to her.

Back at Gotham International Airport, the fiery blast that started with Charlie Keen throws Dinah and Ev across the terminal.  They wake amidst the chaos and confusion, unable to comprehend how, in the absence of an explosive device, Charlie could simply blow up.  Homeland Security arrives at the scene; the ladies have to get away, but Dinah refuses to leave without gathering some evidence of what might have killed Charlie.  Ev creates a distraction for the uniform guards, which is, apparently, a specialty of hers.

Dinah collects a busted cell phone and a piece of bloody tissue that had, just a few hours ago, been a reporter trying to expose her.  Ev, meanwhile, steals the keys to the security guards' cart and speeds away at a brisk seven miles per hour.  Ev picks up Dinah and they smash through the airport window as though it were a church wall.

Unseen by either woman, is one of the mysterious hit men from last issue, who refers to Charlie as the "carrier" and the explosion as a "test".  Then the man vanishes with his invisibility suit.

Three days later, Ev meets Charlie's widow at the funeral.  The paper's position was that Charlie was depressed and killed himself; the widow doesn't buy it.  Later, Dinah and Ev, dressed in Black Canary and Starling garb, skulk about a dark warehouse in a seedy part of town.  This is one of Starling's many safe houses, apparently, and the two argue the pros and cons of a permanent base of operations.  They also discuss the mode of Charlie's death.  The forensics report found three curious trace elements in his system, two of them explosives; the third is being tested.

Here they meet Katana, who Black Canary invited to join their "thing" (Starling's word).  Katana says she was not interested at first, but changed her mind at the behest of her husband.  The problem is Katana's husband is dead.  This, understandably, troubles Starling, but not nearly as much as it would if she knew what Black Canary knows--that Katana believes her husband's soul embodies her sword.

Dinah meets one of Ev's countless contacts in every kind of professional field.  This one, Dr. Trevor Cahill, is a neurochemical researcher… who happens to be attractive and single.  Dinah mentally scolds Ev for trying to play match-maker and refrains from flirting.  Cahill reveals that one of the elements in Charlie's body was an experimental drug that… Know what? I'mma let him tell it.

Cahill says four of the five labs that carry this experimental drug have had break-ins of late.  He gives Dinah the address of the fifth lab, because what's suspicious about that?

Back in costume, Black Canary, Starling and Katana check out the "lab", which looks a lot like another warehouse.  While looking around for… I don't know what they're hoping to find because I really don't understand the mystery of this book.  Anyway, Black Canary spots one of the invisible bad guys, and I cannot stress how horribly ineffective this technology is within the universe they've created.

Not-invisible soldiers descend on the ladies.  Black Canary fights them with her superior martial arts skills.  Katana slices through their ranks with her husband/sword, the Soultaker.  And Starling just shoots 'em.  When things get heavy, Black Canary brings out her super power.

Starling takes one of their attackers alive for interrogation, but as they leave, the lab becomes overrun by grass, trees, and other flora.  And at the heart of this new vegetation is the beautiful-but-deadly eco-terrorist, Poison Ivy.

Starling prepares to fight the Batman rogue, but Black Canary stops her.  Dinah invited Ivy--she's part of their "thing."

The Characters

This issue introduces us to the other two members of Black Canary's team, but Poison Ivy's appearance is little more than a cameo.  Katana, on the other hand, gets plenty of page space, from the prelude to her first in-story meeting with Dinah and Starling.  I can't say if Tatsu is different from the pre-New 52 Katana because I think I've only read, like, three comics featuring Katana where she was anything more than a background character.  She is essentially a blank slate in this series.

So was she good?  Yeah, I like Katana in this issue.  I love how she speaks to her husband through the sword, and how off-putting that is to other people.  It's endearing, and also provides some opportunities for humor.

I also like her look, which makes her one of the precious few whose New 52 redesigns I like better than her old costume.  It's simple, elegant and striking as her Soultaker.  It also reminds me of the character Fuji from classic pre-Warren Ellis Stormwatch.

We get a few more details of Starling this issue.  Dinah calls her a "master strategist" who can "drive, shoot and talk her way out of practically anything."  She also admits to being on multiple government watch lists, and says she likes smashing stuff.  At some point, she also received some CIA interrogation training.

Does any of this make her more likable than last issue?  No.  It reinforces my fear that she's a Mary-Sue created by Swierczynski to recapture the best (or at least the loudest) qualities of Oracle, Huntress and Misfit from pre-New 52 Birds of Prey.

What about Dinah?  Despite her narrating the story, we don't get much more insight into her character.  I'm glad that she doesn't go gaga over Dr. Cahill.  I like that she tries to think strategically, but I think the flaws in the story's internal logic and mystery don't help her look any smarter than the others.

When Dinah and Starling are arguing about establishing a permanent base, Dinah says, "I bet Batman has a base."  This line hurt to read.  In this continuity, Dinah doesn't know Batman.  She's not a heavy hitter, not a significant player in the hero community--if she's even considered a hero, which isn't clear.

Impressions/Questions

I liked this issue more than the first one, mostly because of the inclusion of Katana.  I never had any use for her before this, but after this issue, I want to see more of her.  Less of Starling, though.

Where the series is lacking, though, is in purpose and mission.  Black Canary's crew--we'll call them the Birds from now on--Starling calls them a "thing", which suggests something amorphous between team and partnership.  Anyway, the Birds are investigating this mystery surrounding Charlie Keen's murder, but Dinah was recruiting women before she knew about Keen.  What is her goal?  Are the Birds meant to be a street-level vigilante version of the Justice League?  Are they private investigators?  And why is Dinah still wanted for murder?

There are some pros to Birds of Prey #2, but there are still too many questions.  The mystery they're chasing seems paper thin, to the point of non-existent, at times.  Jesus Saiz's art, though, continues to please me.

Grade: B-

Out This Week: TALON #9

DC continues to try and shore up sales for Birds of Prey by tying it to the Batman universe through peripheral Batman characters like Batgirl, Poison Ivy, Mister Freeze and the Court of Owls.  Seemingly everyone but Batman.  And now BOP is crossing over with Talon.

Cover by Sepulveda

TALON #9

In the aftermath of his encounter with Strix and the Birds of Prey (continuing from this month's BIRDS OF PREY #21), Calvin is sent on his deadliest mission yet: Retrieve one man from the deadliest island on Earth, Santa Prisca, the home of Bane!

Written by James Tynion IV
Art and cover by Miguel A. Sepulveda
On sale June 26
32 Pages
U.S. Price: 2.99

From the solicit, the Birds might only appear in two pages of this issue of Talon.  However, I'm looking forward to it more than any issue of the New 52 Birds of Prey, if only because I like Tynion's writing more than that of Swierczynski or Marx.

UPDATE:  I just read the issue and… I was wrong.  The Birds of Prey appear in less than two pages.  Black Canary only appears on the cover.  Batgirl appears in one panel falling off a building.  None of them have any dialogue, nor are any of them referred to specifically or even obliquely in the script.

I'm pissed off that I paid for this $#@%!

Birds of Prey: Manhunt #3 (Nov 1996)

Review of Birds of Prey: Manhunt #1.

Review of Birds of Prey: Manhunt #2.

What Happened Before…

• Black Canary and Huntress are separately but simultaneously looking for a criminal named Archer Braun.  They tracked him to his hotel in Gotham City.
• Braun fled, but the timely intervention of Catwoman helped the ladies track their quarry to an airfield.
• Black Canary was captured by Braun and taken away on his plane.
• Huntress and Catwoman go to the estate of a criminal fence named Cadiz to find out where Braun was going, but they're each cornered by Cadiz' bodyguards…

Birds of Prey: Manhunt #3 - "The Man That Got Away" was written by Chuck Dixon, drawn by Matt Haley, and inked by Cam Smith, the series' third inker in as many issues.  At the start of the issue, Black Canary is being taken to an undisclosed location by her captor, Archer Braun.  Oracle is able to listen in on their conversation, but it's only a one-way transmission; Dinah can't hear Oracle because she took off her earring transceivers, and Oracle has no way of knowing if Dinah is even aware she's still broadcasting.

In Cadiz' mansion, Catwoman is fighting the old man's nurse bodyguard, while Huntress eludes the armed security forces by sicking their own attack dogs on them.  Catwoman fights off the nurse and gets the location of Braun's secret rendezvous from Cadiz.  Then she bails out Huntress, in the process revealing that she's still a thief and can only be trusted so far.

With assistance from Batman and Robin, Oracle is tracking Braun's plane when it conspicuously drops off radar for half a minute.  Braun has used a decoy plane to take his place mid-flight and carry on with the original flight plan while he sneaks off for parts unknown.  Batman asks if Oracle can handle this on her own.  She says yes, and Batman…backs off, trusting her to complete the job and save her field operative without him.  Both Oracle and Robin are impressed by this show of faith.

In Huntress' Lamborghini, Catwoman reveals what she learned from Cadiz--that Braun is running to a hideout somewhere in the former Soviet Union.  Huntress points out that the region isn't exactly small, but before she drops too many hints about her academic day job, the women are alerted to an annoying set of beeps coming from somewhere in the car.  Catwoman digs out Black Canary's earrings, given to her in the moments before her capture, and hears Oracle's voice trying to make contact.

Half a world away, Braun's plane lands in Kazakstan, where he is greeted by this guy:

No, Braun and Dinah are greeted by a team of mercenaries on horseback.  Braun tells her the horses are necessary for their final destination, a hidden city called Katchik 9-9.

Braun explains to Dinah that the city was the site of numerous genetic weapons tests the Soviets used during the Cold War.  One of the weapons was a virus that devours plastics and synthetic fibers; it got loose in the city, stripping the physical infrastructure.  Katchik 9-9 was abruptly abandoned, making it an ideal base for terrorists, mobsters on the lamb, and supercriminals.

Oracle calls Catwoman and Huntress to tell them where Black Canary is being held, leading to some "catty" remarks by both Catwoman and Oracle.  Catwoman is resolute about chasing Braun to the ends of the Earth, not for Dinah, but to get her money.  Huntress wants to rescue Dinah and take Braun down for generally being a womanizing scumbag.  Catwoman makes their travel arrangements while Huntress calls the school where she works to get a few days off.

Back in Katchik, Braun shows Dinah the local entertainment--a pit fight between a large bruiser of a man and mysterious hooded woman.  The fight ends quickly as the woman delivers a dreaded strike called the Leopard Blow.  Dinah recognizes the style and knows only one warrior who uses it.

This series didn't have enough formidable women headlining yet, so Dixon added Lady Shiva!

The third issue of Manhunt is a slight step up from the earlier installments, I think.  The focus of the heroes is now "rescue Dinah" instead of "make that man pay for cheating on us".  It makes Braun a more worthwhile adversary and gives the plot some actual legs to stand on.  Black Canary's role is severely diminished for this chapter, but Oracle takes a much more active role, which is a nice consolation.

The new setting of Katchik 9-9 is terrific and full of possibility.  (Will it be fulfilled?  Find out next week… but probably not.)  And the introduction of Lady Shiva in the final page filled me with all kinds of joy, knowing how her character will develop over the years, and how her relationship with Black Canary specifically will change both their lives much later in the ongoing series.

My favorite part of the issue, though, is when Dinah is feeding intel to Oracle about the layout and local flavor of Katchik, having no clue if it's being picked up or not.

"I miss you," she whispers, so softly Barbara almost doesn't catch it.

They're just coworkers at this point in their history: field operator and tech support.  Dinah doesn't even know who she's talking to, but it's one of--if not the--most important relationship she has right now.  And this is only the beginning…