Black Canary, Volume 1: Kicking and Screaming

Black Canary (2015)

by Brenden Fletcher (Writer), Annie Wu (Illustrator), Pia Guerra (Illustrator)

Spinning out of the pages of BATGIRL, writer Brenden Fletcher (BATGIRL) and artists Annie Wu (Hawkeye) and Pia Guerra (Y: THE LAST MAN) present a fresh new take on one of DC Comics' fiercest female characters.

Former crime fighter Dinah Lance is tearing up the music scene fronting the recently rechristened four-piece band Black Canary. Now using the alias D.D., Dinah and her one-of-a-kind voice are rocketing the band to stardom. But Black Canary has somehow become a magnet for trouble-their shows ending in brawls more often than not. If the group can't shake the violence following them, their fame-and their lives-might be cut short.

To keep the band safe, the vigilante-turned-vocalist will have to face off against government agents, shadow-monsters, ninjas and one ticked off former lead singer!

Collects: Black Canary #1-7 and DC Sneak Peek: Black Canary #1.

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels, Dc Comics, Superheroes, Graphic Novels Comics, Fiction, Comic Book

168 pages, Paperback

First published March 8, 2016

About the author

Brenden Fletcher is a writer who's worked on DC Comics titles including the bestselling Batgirl of Burnside, Gotham Academy, and Black Canary.

He contributed the acclaimed Flash story to the Eisner and Harvey Award winning Wednesday Comics and has recently launched a Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Pink series for Boom! Studios.

Reviews

[Jayson · Rating 2 out of 5]

(C+) 67% | Almost Satisfactory
Notes: All punk and sneer, but mere veneer, it's so light beer, no edge, so thin it's sheer, and plot and purpose veers unclear.

[Sam Quixote · Rating 1 out of 5]

I looked forward to Gotham Academy mainly because I’m a Becky Cloonan fan who enjoyed her By Chance or Providence comics and her more recent series, Southern Cross; but I didn’t care for the series when I read the first volume. I was curious about the new Batgirl title because Cameron Stewart’s a fine artist and a decent storyteller (see Sin Titulo); but it was dreadful. The common thing tying the two titles together? The co-writer on both, Brenden Fletcher.

So I approached Black Canary with some wariness - was he the reason why those other books sucked? Seeing as he’s the only writer on this one, it would be the acid test. After reading this comic I can say most definitely OH HELL YES, Brenden Fletcher is the king of shite comics writing!

Black Canary has an amazing art team with both Annie Wu (Hawkeye) and Pia Guerra (Y: The Last Man) both drawing issues and the brilliant Lee Loughridge (Deadly Class) colouring; but Fletcher’s writing is so stupendously terrible, none of that matters - this was an utterly abysmal reading experience. The subtitle, Kicking and Screaming, describes what my brain was doing while I was enduring his Black Canary!

The word naff was invented for this comic - Naff Canary! So Black Canary is in a punk band called Black Canary because she wants to raise money or some stupid thing and they’re known as “the most dangerous band in America” apparently. Are everyone’s eyes still in their heads or have they rolled out? There’s no plot, it’s just nonsense from there on out. Something about a sound alien and nobody’s favourite character Amanda Waller shows up, blah blah blah.

I love comics but it’s not a medium that can do everything. One thing I’ve never seen it do well is convey music to the reader and music and sound are a huge part of this comic. Just watching Black Canary and the band posing and being told they’re playing amazing music continually underlines the limitations of comics in this area. And the faux music press write-ups were painful. “Burnside Tofu Exclusives” written by “Tantoo La Biche”. Christ, you can smell the PBR wafting off the page!

What else... the supporting cast are a forgettable group of loathsome hipsters including a child called Ditto - yes, they have a fucking child in this band! Dinah decides to teach these morons to shoot and one of them instantly becomes a deadshot because shooting guns is easy right? There’s a retarded rivalry set up between another hipster singer in a clumsy attempt to create tension, which it doesn’t do.

I suppose I should try to be a little objective - the art team deserve some praise here. Annie Wu and Pia Guerra produce fine work and I liked seeing Dinah fighting the sound alien where their battle scene was depicted to look like musical notes on song-paper. Loughridge’s colours are awesome too - definitely has that Deadly Class feel.

This Black Canary really wants to be fun, inventive, and exciting like Scott Pilgrim and it’s the polar opposite. All Brenden Fletcher does is show how talented Bryan Lee O’Malley is and how clueless he is in comparison. Do yourselves a favour and avoid anything with this Fletcher guy’s name on the cover. Paste Magazine called this the “Best Comic of the Year”? Fucking hell Paste Magazine, I hope the payola was worth it!

Clearly Black Canary is for some people – if you enjoyed Gotham Academy and the Batgirl of Burnside comics, this is more of the same – but all I know is I hated it and will never read another comic written by Brenden Fletcher again.

[CS · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bullet Review

I want SO BADLY to rate this higher but I can't.

Girl band saves the universe from an incomprehensible Not-Thing. Cue girl clashes.

I like Black Canary and all (and the art covers are awesome), but the entire time I read this I kept hearing the Jem and the Holograms theme song.

Note to comic writers: this is a VISUAL medium not AUDIO. If you feature a band, some of your story will get "lost in translation".

[Chad · Rating 1 out of 5]

I've read Gotham Academy, Batgirl and now Black Canary and I've determined Brendan Fletcher is a crap writer. He really wants to write Scott Pilgrim or some other Oni book, which is fine, but these books are still supposed to be part of the DCU and they just don't fit. This book is really dumb. Black Canary is suddenly a rocker? Surrounded by a generic cast of hipsters and a kid. Because yeah, sure you can bring an 8-year old, non-verbal kid on tour. And then out of nowhere it turns out the kid is made of pure sound! What? That is just asinine! No one's been able to make Black Canary work in the new 52. But you know what did work, Gail Simone's run on Birds of Prey. It ran for over 100 issues for a reason.

Annie Wu's art belongs in a crummy indie book. Her art is awful. She couldn't draw an action scene to save herself. I couldn't tell what was even going on in the action scenes she drew. Pia Guerra's art was much better. She actually knows how to draw comics. While I love Lee Loughridge's colors on Deadly Class, they don't work at all in this book. His muted colors just add to the muddiness of the art and then I had to shield my eyes when the pages would change to day-glo colors.

Received an advance copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Danielle The Book Huntress · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dinah Lance Drake is traveling on the road as a rock star. She uses her remarkable voice to belt out songs accompanied by the music of her band. Their band has a bad reputation for trashing venues and causing trouble. It's not their fault. It's the fact that someone wants their bass player bad. Because she has an incredible ability. Dinah aka DD is going to have to get back in the superhero business.

I thought this was fun book. Pretty weird, but interesting ideas. I dearly loved the artwork. The line drawings were excellent and the colors were bright, almost neon. Dinah is dressed like a full on rockstar and I loved it. Nicely multicultural as well. This Dinah has no relationship with Green Arrow. Not sure if this is pre-Oliver Queen or what. While I like them as a couple, it was cool to see this show all about her and not her in the periphery of the Green Arrow.

It's kind of different from what you get of Black Canary in the other books, but it's refreshingly different. And if you like rock stars, Rockstar Black Canary is not to be missed.

[Anna Kay · Rating 2 out of 5]

So, I knew in advance that this was going to be a bust for me personally. I appreciate the newer art style DC has appropriated for their "Young DC" stuff, although it isn't my cup of tea. That is the only reason I'm giving it two stars, as I think the "story" in this is a garbage fire of epic proportions. I also hate the Young DC update for Batgirl (except for her costume redesign) and think it's an abomination. But I figured I'd give this a chance, even though it's a spin-off from that series. The way Dinah's character has been changed is disappointing & stupid. It's like the current Disney Channel black hole, where they seem to think that for a character to connect with a younger audience they must be a pop/reality/movie/TV star -- or an aspiring entertainer. They also must be substantially dumbed down. Not for me at all & I definitely wouldn't recommend it.

[Shannon · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.25

Man, so many people hated this one! I thought it was ok, kind of a nice style difference from everything else I've been reading. It might help that Black Canary isn't anywhere near my top favorite characters so I didn't mind the changes to her story. At least it was something different and slightly unique.

[Chris Haught · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received a preview eARC of this title from the publisher through NetGalley.

I'll start this by stating that my only experience with Black Canary is the version of the character we get on CW's Arrow universe.



So going in there, this is definitely all new. But that's okay, as it's Volume 1, right? Pretty much.

I did feel lost at times, as the story jumped around abruptly quite often. However, it came together fairly well by the end (except the very end, mind you) and made for a pretty enjoyable story. I had to pretty much throw out that idea of Canary I had going in, but that's alright.

I was intrigued by "DD", as we're introduced to Dinah. Turns out Black Canary is the band. So if we think Blondie Black Canary is a character, we'll have to remember that it's a group with Deborah Harry Dinah Lance as the lead singer. I really enjoyed the other band members too, and would like to read more just to get to know them a bit better. Lord Byron, Paloma, and Ditto were interesting. So was the manager, Heathcliff. I'd read more about these folks.

[Maria Kramer · Rating 2 out of 5]

When will writers learn that graphic novels about music are really damn hard to pull off? I think The Wicked and the Divine works because they don't spend a lot of time on the gods' "performing", and I'm not even certain what they do is really music. Whereas, this volume is all about concerts, gigs, band rivalries, etc. - it's hard to pull off with no ACTUAL MUSIC. I can see why the author wanted to get Dinah Lance into a band - thematically, it makes sense. But when she talks about fighting alongside Wonder Woman...and now she's in a really low-profile band...like, how do you get there from here? And, for that matter, why? She doesn't convey a real love of music. If she's trying to hide from a shadowy past, why is she a performer? It just doesn't make sense. Still, giving this two stars for energetic artwork and good action sequences.

[Scott · Rating 3 out of 5]

As someone who has looked forward to Black Canary's appearances in the recent Rebirth titles like Justice League of America and Green Arrow (she stole the show in Vol. 2 - Island of Scars) I was hoping this edition would be just what I needed.

Well, it was. And it wasn't. But because it's 'BC' in a starring role I can't completely bash it . . .

The artwork starts out pretty rough but improves throughout the collection. The storyline (she fronts a hastily-assembled rookie rock band on tour; there's something strange about one of the members; things happen) never really generated more than a mild interest. But it was the little things - like a 'battle of the bands' that really was about stage combat; postured B-movie dialogue like "Tune up, ladies. Let's make some noise" - that kept things humming along. I would read the second volume out of curiosity, but I'm not sure I'd recommend this one.

[Cassandra Rose · Rating 4 out of 5]

ORIGINALLY POSTED: http://bibliomantics.com/2016/01/31/m...

What if Black Canary used her vocal prowess to be the lead singer of a rock band? This is the exact premise of the new Black Canary series, which draws influences from Hedwig and the Angry Inch and David Bowie's Ziggy Stardust days. While I didn't exactly fall in love with the plot, the premise, the artwork and the coloring definitely won me over.

[Cale · Rating 2 out of 5]

A good concept fails without good execution. The idea of Black Canary leading a punk band is a good concept - it fits the character well. But the execution... I'll echo comments of it feeling like Scott Pilgrim, albeit a much more joyless version. And the music quickly becomes secondary to the team forming and the 'mystery' of Ditto, which, when revealed, gets a big eye roll (as does the entire climactic issue). There's some decent art work done here, and there are brief bright moments, but overall it was a discordant read, trying to play multiple melodies at once and never getting them to harmonize. Concept - good. Execution - poor.

[Naima · Rating 3 out of 5]

*shakes hand back and forth*

This volume had a lot of promise and, while they did literally mash two different characters together (Dinah Lance and Dinah Drake), it was still a decent characterization for Dinah Lance. The issue lies in the fact that, while there's not much to complain about, there isn't much to praise either. At the very least, it definitely didn't push the characters of color to the backseat like Burnside (and Dinah isn't the ooc coined Mega Bitch™ she was in Burnside), but I feel like we never actually got any emotional investment in any character. The most detailed backstory goes to Maeve, who we spend hating for almost the entire volume because she's a Really Ambiguous Villain (I mean, c'mon guys, she did literally kidnap a child).

The ending was really, really rushed, too, and I don't know if it was smart to go the 'alien invasion' route (not a spoiler- established in 1st/2nd issue) for the beginning of this title. And, a lot of the times, it didn't make a lot of sense- like Ditto disappearing with Kurt for decades and bringing him through the 'sound' or whatever. Confusing.

But the art was nice and the writing wasn't too bad, so I give it a 3/5 stars.

[Hailee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Honestly, I was expecting more from this. It seems like all of the stakes were thrown into the last issue instead of building from the first issue. The issues prior were more focused on the band aspect than the main problem they were supposed to be facing. All of a sudden we have a giant alien invading.

What??

I'm also tired of Kurt and Dinah reuniting only to face some perilous circumstances that cause them to separate like two issues later. This happened in Birds of Prey and then again here. I wasn't a fan of Maeve. Ditto was cute but I'm not super attached to her after seven issues. It was a meh beginning for Black Canary, which is disappointing because she's such a kickass character. I'll still read it purely for Dinah. Also, the artwork is GORGEOUS, especially in the last issue. It's lovely to look at.

[Cat · Rating 4 out of 5]

this has such a cool vibe! I loved the story and the art, both absolutely enjoyable and beautiful. although, I can't help but feel tired over the crazy amount of text in this book! maybe I'm not used to a most novelistic approach in a graphic novel but it definitely made a bit uncomfortable while reading

full review here: https://catshelf.wordpress.com/2016/0...

[Ivy · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars

Not bad. Good story. Liked the artwork. Cool that Black Canary got to be part of a band. Other band members were cool too. Hope to see more of Black Canary.

Can't wait to read New Killer Star!!!!

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I absolutely love the art style and colouring of this comic! It had an 80's punk vibe that was so fun with lots of hot pink, black, and lime. The story was great with a focus on the band and their shows but with lots of fighting too. I was not expecting the resolution with Maeve but it was everything I could hope for. This is my first introduction to this character and I feel like I've missed out on some backstory but it was enjoyable nonetheless!

[Kendra · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love everyone in this bar <3

[Miranda · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm torn on what rating I should give this. On one hand, I actually did enjoy this more than I expected to, especially the great art. On the other... it doesn't really feel like a Black Canary story? It's the same problem I had with Batgirl of Burnside; a good story with great art, but it's not a story I recognize as belonging to Batgirl.

So, for now, a conflicted 3. I'll likely read the second volume.

[José Vitor - zetalendo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nunca tinha lido nada da Canário Negro, por isso, esperava que fosse igual a série "Arrow", mas me surpreendi. A arte é maravilhosa, as cores, tudo. Apaixonado por essa HQ. Única coisa que me deixou incomodado é o fato de ela ter uma banda com o nome de "Black Canary", e não ela se chamar assim. (E ela não está com o Oliver!)

[Ayre · Rating 3 out of 5]

You know how comic books are all about writing and images coming together to create a unique method of storytelling by complementing and enhancing each other? Well, Black Canary is the first book in my (short) career of a comic book reader where writing is clearly inferior to the art. I find this fact extremely disappointing since Annie Wu’s style and amazing ability to propel the story without relying on weak dialogue is truly admirable (check out, for example, almost seven pages at the end, where the weird sonic alien consumed all sound and all the action is completely silent). Without it, this would be a two-star rating.

The character design is also interesting. Dinah looks glorious and is only rivalled by the intriguing Bo Maeve. Some characters’ appearances, namely Lord Byron’s and Ditto’s, puzzled me until the latter parts of the story, because I wasn’t able to tell whether they were male or female. Pretty confusing, but I guess real life can be confusing as well. Turned out they were all women (including the bus driver!) It should be mentioned that there is a different artist taking over a couple of issues in the middle of the book, which I found slightly off-putting. It just seemed a bit too clean after the edginess and rawness of Annie Wu’s artwork.

And now, for a less positive part of the review: the story. The premise seems to be very fascinating indeed: a superhero in a rock band – that’s double ass-kicking! And it is, but only when there are actual gigs or fights involved (again, credit to the artist). Other than that, the plot is quite shallow and very unbalanced. Several first issues are mainly spent with the band members exploring their relationships. This is of course not a bad thing, what with them learning to be a family, but the plot doesn’t really move forward here. Also, everyone keeps talking about everyone’s secret past and none of it is actually shown or explained. Only Bo receives a flashback at some point, and it really helps for figuring her out. Dinah’s story, however, remains rather vague, especially since I am not at all familiar with this character from other comics. Why did she decide to join the band in the first place, if she wasn’t into music in the first place? I wish Brenden Fletcher spent a bit more time working out that motivation.

The actual plot kicks off when the child-guitarist of the band is assaulted by some gooey creatures, and up until the last issue we keep being told that she is somehow very important and has to be protected at all costs, even though nobody really knows why and from what. Instead of untangling the mystery gradually, the reveal (a very choppy one) together with the big final battle are put off until the last issue, where it is nearly impossible to follow the curvatures of the plot. We are presented with a very psychedelic page full of narration and disparate images, and suddenly time travel and interdimensional monsters are introduced, although previously everything pointed to shady government business being the problem. I have nothing against time travel and multiple dimensions (normally I am very fond of both), but here it felt like a local explosion of weirdness in an otherwise fairly level-headed story. Basically, up until the very end the reader has no idea what the heroes fight against, which makes it difficult to connect with them or their actions. But hey, the art is still spectacular.

[Alexander Peterhans · Rating 1 out of 5]

Oof. This book is bad. One of the main themes seems to be the importance of music in our lives, that music is literally something to fight for and over, and then we have a main character who doesn't really care much about music. She basically signs up to be in a band because.. money, or something? If the main character can't even be bothered with the story, why should the reader be.



Holy gobsmacking irony, Batman..!

[Danielle · Rating 2 out of 5]

This had a fun premise, but it was all over the place execution-wise. I really wish there was as much effort put into the plot as there was into the fun facts about the band at the end. I will be picking up the next volume to see where this goes, but I can kind of see why Fletcher didn't have a long run here. The story is messy and moves too quickly for you to really get a feel for the characters.

[Sina]

I know it's DC and people in that universe deal with way weirder shit but Black Canary's label being like this weird child who doesn't speak is your new drummer and it's not an odd thing to any of the other band members until their concerts start being busted by aliens is very funny to me.

[Kai Charles(Fiction State Of Mind) · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is an interesting take of Black Canary. I got some strong Jem and the Holograms vibes and I loved the art, but I wont be moving forward with the series.

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bro I am obsessed with this art style and the concept was pretty cool ; also nostalgic for me as I was a huge Black Canary fan in my youth lol

[Hayley · Rating 3 out of 5]

If I close my eyes I can pretend it's an Envy Adams spinoff

[Hollie · Rating 3 out of 5]

It felt a little slow in the beginning but when the story got going it was enjoyable.

[Leensey · Rating 2 out of 5]

The art and colors are so unique, vibrant, and stylish- the perfect way to deliver a story concept that was equally unique.

The story plot itself, however, did not really sell to me. The ending issues felt rushed and cramming too many supernatural/scifi elements to explain the deal with Ditto, Kurt, and the "Quietus". I didn't much care for Maeve either, and the attempt to make her endearing with her backstory and how she dealt with Ditto doesn't erase the fact that she is a crappy, selfish person.

Considering there's a second part, I hope they will be able to explain the really confusing plot points. But all in all, a great visual experience, which is what earns most weight for my review of this volume.

[•° Whimsy Fairy °• · Rating 3 out of 5]

DNF 40%