Birds of Prey by Gail Simone Omnibus Vol. 1

by Gail Simone, Ed Benes (Illustrator)

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels, Dc Comics

968 pages, Hardcover

Published October 14, 2025

About the author

Gail Simone is a comic book writer well-known for her work on Birds of Prey (DC), Wonder Woman (DC), and Deadpool (Marvel), among others, and has also written humorous and critical commentary on comics and the comics industry such as the original "Women in Refrigerators" website and a regular column called "You'll All Be Sorry".

Reviews

[Lukáš Kudela · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really like Gail Simone’s work. It’s usually funny, action-packed, character-driven, and just the right amount of spicy. And her Birds of Prey is no exception — it checks all of those boxes perfectly. Her run is widely considered one of her best works and overall a definitive take on these characters. And rightfully so.

We follow Barbara Gordon as Oracle, Black Canary, and Huntress. This is the core team everything revolves around. I personally enjoyed Huntress the most, especially her ties to the mafia. I always like it when Helena shows up in a comic. Simone handles the team dynamics brilliantly and isn’t afraid to pit the characters against each other or confront uncomfortable truths. After all, it’s an all-female team, and anyone who has ever worked in a predominantly female environment knows that sparks can fly, and often do. Simone isn’t afraid to lean into that reality, and I appreciate that.

Later on, Lady Blackhawk joins the team, and I have to say, I absolutely love this old-school Lady! Overall, the characters are written excellently, and each of them gets enough room to truly shine. Whether it’s Canary and her relationship with Shiva, or Huntress and her family ties and violent tendencies. Maybe Lady Blackhawk could have had a bit more space, but I expect she’ll get more focus in the next volume.

In terms of DC continuity, this takes place shortly before Infinite Crisis, which in my opinion was the best era of modern DC Comics, truly one of my all-time favorites. I’m just glad DC is releasing omnibuses from this period.

Overall, I rate the first Simone Birds of Prey volume very positively and would recommend it to anyone who enjoys a solid superhero team book focused on characters and their dynamics. It’s packed with strong action, humor, and yes, a bit of spice. I’m honestly really looking forward to the next volume.

[Riley Pilgrim · Rating 4 out of 5]

This has become one of my favorite DC books I've read. Gail Simone's run on Birds of Prey is nothing short of amazing. She breaths fresh life into these characters, and is one of few writers who is amazing at juggling a cast of characters. My favorite character is probably Barbara, but Dinah and Huntress are amazing in this book too. Gail writes all of them with such ease, and while Lady Blackhawk didn't get as much page time I look forward to more of her in the next volume. Gail also writes probably the best Shiva too. The story with her and Dinah is amazing. I loved seeing how Shiva eventually became her mentor as well. The best thing about this book is Gail's amazing character writing. You get the sense that all these gals are close friends, and nothing comes off forced either.

Now while I did enjoy pretty much all the stories here.... some of them weren't the strongest, and there were a couple I sort of slogged through. The characters were really why I kept reading. All the interpersonal dynamics is what makes team books so good, and the main reason why this Birds of Prey run is so beloved. The art is also consistently great in this run too, and while I think Ed Benes was the best one, everyone here did a great job. Some of the later artists struggled a bit with the action chorography, but overall good stuff here.

I highly recommend people check this one out, and I'm definitely gonna pick up volume two when that comes out.

[Steve Peifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gail Simone is the greatest comic writer of our generation, and this is the best example of how spectacular a comic book can be.

Consider how she adds layers to Shiva, who had been a one dimensional villain. The way she shows her vulnerability regarding her mentor is a masterclass in good writing.

Simone is so excellent with dialogue that you marvel at character interaction and realize that they sound like real people.

I haven’t even mentioned how groundbreaking her work in creating three dimensional super heroines. She changed the way we looked at them.

Besides the great writing, the art by Ed Benes is next level.

If you have been away from comics, this is the best reason to come back home.

[Niko Dasilva · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

[Esmee · Rating 5 out of 5]

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