Birds of Prey

Batgirl and the Birds of Prey #2

/ / Comics

Batgirl and the Birds of Prey #2The new threesome of Batgirl, Black Canary, and the Huntress put aside their differences and work together to learn more about the new hacker who has adopted Babs’ old moniker of Oracle. For Batgirl this means a lecture from her father (who in new DCU following DC Rebith apparently doesn’t know the identity of the young redhead under the cowl).

After getting Huntress to put aside her more murderous tendencies the group begins to work fairly well together. Saving a member of the local mafia at least gives the woman a place to start, but it looks like it will be quite some time before they uncover just who the new Oracle is and what they want.

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Batgirl and the Birds of Prey #1

/ / Comics

Batgirl and the Birds of Prey #1Following the events of Batgirl and the Birds of Prey: Rebirth #1, Batgirl and Black Canary chase down Huntress whose vengeance over mobsters has criss-crossed their search into the new criminal Oracle. The comic’s events turn the adversaries into reluctant partners in the search for both Oracle and Fenice (whose snake soldiers are likely to give the gals trouble over the next few issues).

I really wanted to like this issue but there’s simply too much that doesn’t work for me starting with the art of Claire Roe and ending with the implausibly quick turnaround for Babs and Dinah to align themselves with a murderer. Throw in the fact that apparently none of their secret identities is actually secret and the comic’s lead arc is off to a very shaky start.

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Batgirl and the Birds of Prey: Rebirth #1

/ / Comics

Batgirl and the Birds of Prey: Rebirth #1Setting up the upcoming Batgirl and the Birds of Prey series, Batgirl and the Birds of Prey: Rebirth #1 introduces to the three key characters of the team while explaining the past relationships of Batgirl and Black Canary. Barbara’s time as Oracle stays in the continuity as does her former partnership with Black Canary. Wiped from continuity is any official Birds of Prey team featuring other members (Huntress, Zinda Blake, and others).

Batgirl and the Birds of Prey: Rebirth #1 works to get everyone up to speed on where these characters are now, with most of the focus on Batgirl. I didn’t like Dinah as much here as the version of the character we’re seeing in Green Arrow and we see so little of the new Huntress it’s too early for me to make a judgement on her quite yet. And, for me, the comic could use a firecracker like Lady Blackhawk to liven things up.

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Birds of Prey #4

/ / Comics

birds-of-prey-new-52-4-coverIt takes more than half the issue but Batgirl finally joins the team. The addition of Batgil may mean good things for the future of the comic but it doesn’t do much to help out here as the story is still stuck in neutral with invisible ninja assassins and super-secret scientists planting bombs in peoples heads.

Birds of Prey is a comic I want to like but now for four months it’s given me little reason to do so. The addition of Batgirl isn’t the only change that needs to be made on this title. We still know next to nothing about Starling, Katana remains a one-note character, and I don’t see how Babs sticks around for a team that includes Poison Ivy as one of its members.

The good news is Batgirl works well here, especially with Black Canary. It’s good to see the Babs/Dinah team back together. Now if we can just figure out a way to get Zinda Blake and the Huntress to replace Poison Ivy and Katana we might, might have something. Hit-and-Miss.

[DC, $2.99]

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Birds of Prey #3

/ / Comics

birds-of-prey-new-52-3-coverThe entire team is assembled (well, almost, but we’ll get to that in a minute). Black Canary‘s worst fears are realized as Starling and Kantana are less than thrilled with the fact that Poison Ivy has joined the team. To tell the truth, I’m with them.

Because this is DC’s reboot it wouldn’t be complete without a complete character redesign for Poison Ivy. Although it is a shock that the character is one of the few female DC’s characters that got less sexualized as part of the New 52.

The issue itself, once Starling and Katana stop trying to kill their new partner, isn’t great but it works well enough to keep my interest (even if the art looks extremely rushed). The issue ends with a cliffhanger as Black Canary learns she’s a ticking timebomb set at the mercy of whoever is in charge of this legion of invisible assassins.

The real interesting tidbit is the news that Batgirl won’t just be guest-starring over the next couple of issues but will become a permanent member of the team beginning next issue. Babs inclusion could be just what this book needs. Hit-and-Miss.

[DC, $2.99]

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