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Birds of Prey (1999) (New Editions)
Birds of Prey, Vol. 1
Alone, they are driven vigilantes. Together they are a force to be reckoned with. Witness the beginnings of the Birds of Prey team, as Oracle (the former Batgirl, Barbara Gordon) teams up with ex-Justice Leaguer Black Canary and other female heroes of the DC Universe in globetrotting adventures in espionage. Black Canary goes undercover to expose the truth behind a corporate conspiracy. Oracle must send in reinforcements, but will this save Black Canary or doom her? Plus, the Birds of Prey invade Santa Prisca to stop a slavery ring while helping to overthrow the local government. Collected for the first time in chronological BLACK CANARY/ BIRDS OF PREY #1, SHOWCASE '96 #3, BIRDS OF MANHUNT #1-4, BIRDS OF REVOLUTION #1, BIRDS OF WOLVES #1 and BIRDS OF BATGIRL #1.
293 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 13, 2015
82 people are currently reading
441 people want to read
About the author
Chuck Dixon
3,426 books1,029 followersCharles "Chuck" Dixon is an American comic book writer, perhaps best-known for long runs on Batman titles in the 1990s.
His earliest comics work was writing Evangeline first for Comico Comics in 1984 (then later for First Comics, who published the on-going series), on which he worked with his then-wife, the artist Judith Hunt. His big break came one year later, when editor Larry Hama hired him to write back-up stories for Marvel Comics' The Savage Sword of Conan.
In 1986, he began working for Eclipse Comics, writing Airboy with artist Tim Truman. Continuing to write for both Marvel and (mainly) Eclipse on these titles, as well as launching Strike! with artist Tom Lyle in August 1987 and Valkyrie with artist Paul Gulacy in October 1987, he began work on Carl Potts' Alien Legion series for Marvel's Epic Comics imprint, under editor Archie Goodwin. He also produced a three-issue adaptation of J. R. R. Tolkien's The Hobbit for Eclipse with artist David Wenzel between 1989 and 1990, and began writing Marc Spector: Moon Knight in June 1989.
His Punisher OGN Kingdom Gone (August, 1990) led to him working on the monthly The Punisher War Journal (and later, more monthly and occasional Punisher titles), and also brought him to the attention of DC Comics editor Denny O'Neil, who asked him to produce a Robin mini-series. The mini proved popular enough to spawn two sequels - The Joker's Wild (1991) and Cry of the Huntress (1992) - which led to both an ongoing monthly series (which Dixon wrote for 100 issues before leaving to work with CrossGen Comics), and to Dixon working on Detective Comics from #644-738 through the major Batman stories KnightFall & KnightsEnd (for which he helped create the key character of Bane), DC One Million , Contagion , Legacy , Cataclysm and No Man's Land . Much of his run was illustrated by Graham Nolan.
He was DC's most prolific Batman-writer in the mid-1990s (rivalled perhaps in history by Bill Finger and Dennis O'Neil) - in addition to writing Detective Comics he pioneered the individual series for Robin , Nightwing (which he wrote for 70 issues, and returned to briefly with 2005's #101) and Batgirl , as well as creating the team and book Birds of Prey .
While writing multiple Punisher and Batman comics (and October 1994's Punisher/Batman crossover), he also found time to launch Team 7 for Jim Lee's WildStorm/Image and Prophet for Rob Liefeld's Extreme Studios. He also wrote many issues of Catwoman and Green Arrow , regularly having about seven titles out each and every month between the years 1993 and 1998.
In March, 2002, Dixon turned his attention to CrossGen's output, salthough he co-wrote with Scott Beatty the origin of Barbara Gordon's Batgirl in 2003's Batgirl: Year One. For CrossGen he took over some of the comics of the out-going Mark Waid, taking over Sigil from #21, and Crux with #13. He launched Way of the Rat in June 2002, Brath (March '03), The Silken Ghost (June '03) and the pirate comic El Cazador (Oct '03), as well as editing Robert Rodi's non-Sigilverse The Crossovers. He also wrote the Ruse spin-off Archard's Agents one-shots in January and November '03 and April '04, the last released shortly before CrossGen's complete collapse forced the cancellation of all of its comics, before which Dixon wrote a single issue of Sojourn (May '04). Dixon's Way of the Rat #24, Brath #14 and El Cazador #6 were among the last comics released from the then-bankrupt publisher.
On June 10, 2008, Dixon announced on his forum that he was no longer "employed by DC Comics in any capacity."
His earliest comics work was writing Evangeline first for Comico Comics in 1984 (then later for First Comics, who published the on-going series), on which he worked with his then-wife, the artist Judith Hunt. His big break came one year later, when editor Larry Hama hired him to write back-up stories for Marvel Comics' The Savage Sword of Conan.
In 1986, he began working for Eclipse Comics, writing Airboy with artist Tim Truman. Continuing to write for both Marvel and (mainly) Eclipse on these titles, as well as launching Strike! with artist Tom Lyle in August 1987 and Valkyrie with artist Paul Gulacy in October 1987, he began work on Carl Potts' Alien Legion series for Marvel's Epic Comics imprint, under editor Archie Goodwin. He also produced a three-issue adaptation of J. R. R. Tolkien's The Hobbit for Eclipse with artist David Wenzel between 1989 and 1990, and began writing Marc Spector: Moon Knight in June 1989.
His Punisher OGN Kingdom Gone (August, 1990) led to him working on the monthly The Punisher War Journal (and later, more monthly and occasional Punisher titles), and also brought him to the attention of DC Comics editor Denny O'Neil, who asked him to produce a Robin mini-series. The mini proved popular enough to spawn two sequels - The Joker's Wild (1991) and Cry of the Huntress (1992) - which led to both an ongoing monthly series (which Dixon wrote for 100 issues before leaving to work with CrossGen Comics), and to Dixon working on Detective Comics from #644-738 through the major Batman stories KnightFall & KnightsEnd (for which he helped create the key character of Bane), DC One Million , Contagion , Legacy , Cataclysm and No Man's Land . Much of his run was illustrated by Graham Nolan.
He was DC's most prolific Batman-writer in the mid-1990s (rivalled perhaps in history by Bill Finger and Dennis O'Neil) - in addition to writing Detective Comics he pioneered the individual series for Robin , Nightwing (which he wrote for 70 issues, and returned to briefly with 2005's #101) and Batgirl , as well as creating the team and book Birds of Prey .
While writing multiple Punisher and Batman comics (and October 1994's Punisher/Batman crossover), he also found time to launch Team 7 for Jim Lee's WildStorm/Image and Prophet for Rob Liefeld's Extreme Studios. He also wrote many issues of Catwoman and Green Arrow , regularly having about seven titles out each and every month between the years 1993 and 1998.
In March, 2002, Dixon turned his attention to CrossGen's output, salthough he co-wrote with Scott Beatty the origin of Barbara Gordon's Batgirl in 2003's Batgirl: Year One. For CrossGen he took over some of the comics of the out-going Mark Waid, taking over Sigil from #21, and Crux with #13. He launched Way of the Rat in June 2002, Brath (March '03), The Silken Ghost (June '03) and the pirate comic El Cazador (Oct '03), as well as editing Robert Rodi's non-Sigilverse The Crossovers. He also wrote the Ruse spin-off Archard's Agents one-shots in January and November '03 and April '04, the last released shortly before CrossGen's complete collapse forced the cancellation of all of its comics, before which Dixon wrote a single issue of Sojourn (May '04). Dixon's Way of the Rat #24, Brath #14 and El Cazador #6 were among the last comics released from the then-bankrupt publisher.
On June 10, 2008, Dixon announced on his forum that he was no longer "employed by DC Comics in any capacity."
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 90 reviews
August 14, 2025
"We'll just use the vigilantes' entrance." -- Batgirl, opening the panel of a tower's skylight
"Works for me." -- Black Canary, descending with Batgirl into a super-villain's secret lair
I am used to Gail Simone, the super-scribe extraordinaire for female characters, being at the helm with the Birds of Prey series. She is missed here but, refreshingly, writer Chuck Dixon's efforts in this introductory volume (which consists of six separate 90's-era stories of various length) are a fair substitute. From the opening scene - in which Black Canary subdues an armed squad of would-be carjackers, resulting in teeth being spilled on the pavement - it sets the aggressive tone and style.
Though the cover art suggests the trio (Black Canary, Huntress, and Babs 'Oracle' Gordon) most associated with this team's line-up, they only actually appear together in a two-part tale in the middle of the book, which also features the welcome presence of Catwoman. The majority of the time it is simply Black Canary on the typically dangerous assignments with Oracle providing the Jiminy Cricket-like voice of reason and information. Though there were a few brief segments that will cause eye-rolling from the readers - the characters' discussions on ex-boyfriends/husbands, causing a Bechdel test failure - this was otherwise an uptempo volume of the usual vigilante action.
"Works for me." -- Black Canary, descending with Batgirl into a super-villain's secret lair
I am used to Gail Simone, the super-scribe extraordinaire for female characters, being at the helm with the Birds of Prey series. She is missed here but, refreshingly, writer Chuck Dixon's efforts in this introductory volume (which consists of six separate 90's-era stories of various length) are a fair substitute. From the opening scene - in which Black Canary subdues an armed squad of would-be carjackers, resulting in teeth being spilled on the pavement - it sets the aggressive tone and style.
Though the cover art suggests the trio (Black Canary, Huntress, and Babs 'Oracle' Gordon) most associated with this team's line-up, they only actually appear together in a two-part tale in the middle of the book, which also features the welcome presence of Catwoman. The majority of the time it is simply Black Canary on the typically dangerous assignments with Oracle providing the Jiminy Cricket-like voice of reason and information. Though there were a few brief segments that will cause eye-rolling from the readers - the characters' discussions on ex-boyfriends/husbands, causing a Bechdel test failure - this was otherwise an uptempo volume of the usual vigilante action.
March 4, 2019
Collects all of the Birds of Prey miniseries and one-shots from the 1990's before DC finally greenlit the first ongoing series. Black Canary signs on as Oracle's operative in the field. There's a lot of conflict between the two in these early missions as Canary is always going off half-cocked. The stories are very 90's but still fun.
There's some great artists here, Gary Frank, Matt Haley, Greg Land. I think this is my favorite costume of Black Canary's, especially once she gets the jacket and decides to put on pants. The fishnet stockings always looked ridiculous to me and the new haircut allows for a ton of movement to be portrayed.
There's some great artists here, Gary Frank, Matt Haley, Greg Land. I think this is my favorite costume of Black Canary's, especially once she gets the jacket and decides to put on pants. The fishnet stockings always looked ridiculous to me and the new haircut allows for a ton of movement to be portrayed.
June 22, 2020
I haven't read a comic in months and this was the ideal choice to get back into them. That this took me so long to read (11 days) is reflection of an unexpectedly busy week, not the quality of the book.
What little I've read of Batgirl has made her one of my favourite DC characters, so it was really interesting to see more of her now that she is Oracle. The little Batgirl toy she had on her desk was a nice, bittersweet touch that I appreciated. Black Canary is another that I've enjoyed before but never read anything where she was the main heroine - she was usually playing a supporting role to Green Arrow- - I really liked her. Huntress was fun and dynamic too. I have to say I think Catwoman stole every panel that she featured in, though of course that could be some personal bias coming through since she is another favourite of mine.
The various stories featuring Oracle and Black Canary were a lot fun to read. I have the next two volumes and am looking forward to seeing where this goes!
What little I've read of Batgirl has made her one of my favourite DC characters, so it was really interesting to see more of her now that she is Oracle. The little Batgirl toy she had on her desk was a nice, bittersweet touch that I appreciated. Black Canary is another that I've enjoyed before but never read anything where she was the main heroine - she was usually playing a supporting role to Green Arrow- - I really liked her. Huntress was fun and dynamic too. I have to say I think Catwoman stole every panel that she featured in, though of course that could be some personal bias coming through since she is another favourite of mine.
The various stories featuring Oracle and Black Canary were a lot fun to read. I have the next two volumes and am looking forward to seeing where this goes!
May 17, 2021
Chuck Dixon in his 90s heyday had the excellent idea to incorporate the character Black Canary (powerless at the time, just a martial artist) into his more grounded Gotham Bat-family world.
The results were excellent. Batgirl became hacker extraordinaire Oracle which suited the character very well, and she sent Black Canary on spy-esque missions. Then there were the teamups with other female heroes and villains: Huntress and Catwoman among others.
Dixon was such a great storyteller then, I liken these issues to quality action movies, and though he isn't what he once was it's always good to revisit this era. Good for DC starting this franchise that had a more feminine touch, something different than the usual muscle-bound super boys punching each other. Yes, Gail Simone later took it even further. But nice to see where it all started...
The results were excellent. Batgirl became hacker extraordinaire Oracle which suited the character very well, and she sent Black Canary on spy-esque missions. Then there were the teamups with other female heroes and villains: Huntress and Catwoman among others.
Dixon was such a great storyteller then, I liken these issues to quality action movies, and though he isn't what he once was it's always good to revisit this era. Good for DC starting this franchise that had a more feminine touch, something different than the usual muscle-bound super boys punching each other. Yes, Gail Simone later took it even further. But nice to see where it all started...
August 3, 2018
Short reviews for next few days. At comic con!
So this was pretty eh...some fun moments in a otherwise dull storyline. I enjoy dixon work on batman and nightwing but he came kind of flat here. I thought his dialog for the characters weren't very realistic or interesting. The art would range from ok to good. So overall ehhhh a 2 or 2.5 out of 5.
So this was pretty eh...some fun moments in a otherwise dull storyline. I enjoy dixon work on batman and nightwing but he came kind of flat here. I thought his dialog for the characters weren't very realistic or interesting. The art would range from ok to good. So overall ehhhh a 2 or 2.5 out of 5.
March 31, 2022
#ThrowbackThursday - Back in the '90s, I used to write comic book reviews for the website of a now-defunct comic book retailer called Rockem Sockem Comics. (Collect them all!)
From the November 1998 edition with a theme of "Women in the Comics":
INTRODUCTION
This month's column reflects on the depiction of women in the comics. From the selections below, you'd have to generalize that women are either whup-ass, big-breasted superheroes and villains or confused bisexuals.
Yeah.
I'm sure these stereotypes are going to bring in that mainstream female audience the comics industry has always wanted . . .
But, hey, I review what is produced, not what should exist. And some of these comics ain't half bad.
WORDS OF PRAISE: FAINT
BLACK CANARY/ORACLE: BIRDS OF PREY #1 (DC Comics)
BIRDS OF PREY: MANHUNT #1-4 (DC Comics)
BIRDS OF PREY: REVOLUTION #1 (DC Comics)
BIRDS OF PREY: WOLVES #1 (DC Comics)
BIRDS OF PREY: BATGIRL #1 (DC Comics)
BIRDS OF PREY: THE RAVENS #1 (DC Comics)
One's brains. One's brawn. Together, they fight crime.
That's a pretty generic premise for a pretty generic series about pretty women.
The Birds of Prey are Oracle and Black Canary.
Oracle is Barbara Gordon, adopted daughter of BATMAN's Police Commissioner James Gordon. Oracle once fought crime as Batgirl, but she was paralyzed from the waist down by a bullet fired by the Joker. Now she has gone cyber, surfing and spying on the Information Superhighway from the solitude of her wheelchair to provide crucial intelligence and technological support to the heroes of the DC Universe. She's even a member of the JLA. Her injury in the line of duty, though, has made her more conservative, withdrawn, and cynical.
Black Canary is Dinah Lance II, a second generation superheroine and world class martial artist. She has spent most of her life in the shadows of others. She assumed the mantle of the Black Canary from her mother. She was the token female in the first incarnation of the JLA. She spent years appearing in a supporting role as the lover of Green Arrow, Oliver Queen. Green Arrow's death a few years back, however, has left her adrift and made her reckless.
Oracle recruits Black Canary to do the legwork on cases Oracle scopes out through her computer connections. In BLACK CANARY/ORACLE: BIRDS OF PREY, for instance, Oracle needs someone to get close to an international financier to find out why terrorists keep destroying his good works. Black Canary is handy at the time, and the Birds of Prey partnership begins. Thanks to a hidden microphone and earring receivers, Oracle is able to feed Black Canary information, and the pair can carry on a continuous dialogue . . . until the moment Black Canary decides to chuck Oracle's advice and speaker-phone earrings and Just Do It.
The adventures chronicled in the various BIRDS OF PREY specials and the limited series are wholly unremarkable. They generally involve an exotic international locale, some run-of-the-mill terrorists, a love interest, a love break-up, and action sequences galore. After wading through all the action, each issue provides one or two good pages of Oracle and Black Canary developing their partnership and coming to terms with their opposite personalities and styles.
The main reason I keep buying this humdrum book is the juicy tidbits sparingly doled out about how Oracle is dealing with her handicap. Going from roof-hopping superheroine to wheelchair-bound paraplegic is one of the most traumatic occurrences possible. As the tragic accident that struck Christopher Reeve caught the attention of people worldwide, DC has the opportunity in Oracle to explore a rarely-visited corner of superheroics: the consequences. While she was a superhero in the guise of Batgirl, Barbara Gordon's most heroic feat is in putting her life back together and finding a new purpose.
Unfortunately, writer Chuck Dixon feels the need to keep the book interesting to younger readers by heaping on the gunfire and explosions. I hope the more open format of the new BIRDS OF PREY ongoing series allows him to slow down the pace a bit and explore his characters some more.
Let's do a rundown of the art (penciller and inker) and quick story synopses for the BIRDS OF PREY specials.
BLACK CANARY/ORACLE: BIRDS OF PREY Gary Frank and John Dell set the bar high in the debut issue. Gorgeous packaging for a nothing story set in the Asian (?) country of Rheelasia.
BIRDS OF PREY: MANHUNT #1-4 Matt Haley and inkers Wade von Grawbadger, Lowe, and Cam Smith turn in a fine job, with a last second assist from Sal Buscema on the layouts for #4. The story is a stupid "women scorned" riff as Black Canary and guest stars Huntress and Catwoman all hunt down the same guy who has burned them all either romantically or financially. Lots of stuff blows up as the women go deep into the heart of Russia.
BIRDS OF PREY: REVOLUTION #1 Stefano Raffaele and Bob McLeod take the largest departure from the mainstream style found in most of the titles, but it's not large enough to be more interesting than the rest. Black Canary and Oracle track a white slavery ring to a Caribbean island run by a military strongman. Why, this oppressed country is just ripe for revolution! Yes, my friends, it's revolting. Revoltingly mundane.
BIRDS OF PREY: WOLVES #1 Dick Giordano and Wayne Faucher provide serviceable art with little distinction. Oracle and Black Canary, in parallel stories, each get involved in a new relationship with men you know aren't going to be around in the next issue. Oracle demonstrates that a woman in a wheelchair is far from defenseless against a gang of thugs.
BIRDS OF PREY: BATGIRL #1 Greg Land and Drew Geraci come the closest to matching the standard set by Frank and Dell. Extremely beautiful artwork here. A nifty little tale finds Barbara Gordon back in her Batgirl suit in peak physical condition chasing down the Mad Hatter. But isn't she supposed to be paralyzed? A clever things-are-not-as-they-seem yarn.
BIRDS OF PREY: THE RAVENS #1 Nelson Decastro and Drew Geraci provide some nice linework. The story is a pointless, running battle scene that serves only to introduce a group of villainesses, The Ravens, which will be going up against the Birds of Prey at some point in the future. The adventure takes us back to the wonderful land of Rheelasia. Whoopee.
You won't be bored as you read any of the BIRDS OF PREY books, but I guarantee you'll be hard pressed to remember any of the main plots in a week's time. Oracle, though, will stay with you. Here's hoping Dixon's storytelling rises to the challenge this character presents.
Grade: C
From the November 1998 edition with a theme of "Women in the Comics":
INTRODUCTION
This month's column reflects on the depiction of women in the comics. From the selections below, you'd have to generalize that women are either whup-ass, big-breasted superheroes and villains or confused bisexuals.
Yeah.
I'm sure these stereotypes are going to bring in that mainstream female audience the comics industry has always wanted . . .
But, hey, I review what is produced, not what should exist. And some of these comics ain't half bad.
WORDS OF PRAISE: FAINT
BLACK CANARY/ORACLE: BIRDS OF PREY #1 (DC Comics)
BIRDS OF PREY: MANHUNT #1-4 (DC Comics)
BIRDS OF PREY: REVOLUTION #1 (DC Comics)
BIRDS OF PREY: WOLVES #1 (DC Comics)
BIRDS OF PREY: BATGIRL #1 (DC Comics)
BIRDS OF PREY: THE RAVENS #1 (DC Comics)
One's brains. One's brawn. Together, they fight crime.
That's a pretty generic premise for a pretty generic series about pretty women.
The Birds of Prey are Oracle and Black Canary.
Oracle is Barbara Gordon, adopted daughter of BATMAN's Police Commissioner James Gordon. Oracle once fought crime as Batgirl, but she was paralyzed from the waist down by a bullet fired by the Joker. Now she has gone cyber, surfing and spying on the Information Superhighway from the solitude of her wheelchair to provide crucial intelligence and technological support to the heroes of the DC Universe. She's even a member of the JLA. Her injury in the line of duty, though, has made her more conservative, withdrawn, and cynical.
Black Canary is Dinah Lance II, a second generation superheroine and world class martial artist. She has spent most of her life in the shadows of others. She assumed the mantle of the Black Canary from her mother. She was the token female in the first incarnation of the JLA. She spent years appearing in a supporting role as the lover of Green Arrow, Oliver Queen. Green Arrow's death a few years back, however, has left her adrift and made her reckless.
Oracle recruits Black Canary to do the legwork on cases Oracle scopes out through her computer connections. In BLACK CANARY/ORACLE: BIRDS OF PREY, for instance, Oracle needs someone to get close to an international financier to find out why terrorists keep destroying his good works. Black Canary is handy at the time, and the Birds of Prey partnership begins. Thanks to a hidden microphone and earring receivers, Oracle is able to feed Black Canary information, and the pair can carry on a continuous dialogue . . . until the moment Black Canary decides to chuck Oracle's advice and speaker-phone earrings and Just Do It.
The adventures chronicled in the various BIRDS OF PREY specials and the limited series are wholly unremarkable. They generally involve an exotic international locale, some run-of-the-mill terrorists, a love interest, a love break-up, and action sequences galore. After wading through all the action, each issue provides one or two good pages of Oracle and Black Canary developing their partnership and coming to terms with their opposite personalities and styles.
The main reason I keep buying this humdrum book is the juicy tidbits sparingly doled out about how Oracle is dealing with her handicap. Going from roof-hopping superheroine to wheelchair-bound paraplegic is one of the most traumatic occurrences possible. As the tragic accident that struck Christopher Reeve caught the attention of people worldwide, DC has the opportunity in Oracle to explore a rarely-visited corner of superheroics: the consequences. While she was a superhero in the guise of Batgirl, Barbara Gordon's most heroic feat is in putting her life back together and finding a new purpose.
Unfortunately, writer Chuck Dixon feels the need to keep the book interesting to younger readers by heaping on the gunfire and explosions. I hope the more open format of the new BIRDS OF PREY ongoing series allows him to slow down the pace a bit and explore his characters some more.
Let's do a rundown of the art (penciller and inker) and quick story synopses for the BIRDS OF PREY specials.
BLACK CANARY/ORACLE: BIRDS OF PREY Gary Frank and John Dell set the bar high in the debut issue. Gorgeous packaging for a nothing story set in the Asian (?) country of Rheelasia.
BIRDS OF PREY: MANHUNT #1-4 Matt Haley and inkers Wade von Grawbadger, Lowe, and Cam Smith turn in a fine job, with a last second assist from Sal Buscema on the layouts for #4. The story is a stupid "women scorned" riff as Black Canary and guest stars Huntress and Catwoman all hunt down the same guy who has burned them all either romantically or financially. Lots of stuff blows up as the women go deep into the heart of Russia.
BIRDS OF PREY: REVOLUTION #1 Stefano Raffaele and Bob McLeod take the largest departure from the mainstream style found in most of the titles, but it's not large enough to be more interesting than the rest. Black Canary and Oracle track a white slavery ring to a Caribbean island run by a military strongman. Why, this oppressed country is just ripe for revolution! Yes, my friends, it's revolting. Revoltingly mundane.
BIRDS OF PREY: WOLVES #1 Dick Giordano and Wayne Faucher provide serviceable art with little distinction. Oracle and Black Canary, in parallel stories, each get involved in a new relationship with men you know aren't going to be around in the next issue. Oracle demonstrates that a woman in a wheelchair is far from defenseless against a gang of thugs.
BIRDS OF PREY: BATGIRL #1 Greg Land and Drew Geraci come the closest to matching the standard set by Frank and Dell. Extremely beautiful artwork here. A nifty little tale finds Barbara Gordon back in her Batgirl suit in peak physical condition chasing down the Mad Hatter. But isn't she supposed to be paralyzed? A clever things-are-not-as-they-seem yarn.
BIRDS OF PREY: THE RAVENS #1 Nelson Decastro and Drew Geraci provide some nice linework. The story is a pointless, running battle scene that serves only to introduce a group of villainesses, The Ravens, which will be going up against the Birds of Prey at some point in the future. The adventure takes us back to the wonderful land of Rheelasia. Whoopee.
You won't be bored as you read any of the BIRDS OF PREY books, but I guarantee you'll be hard pressed to remember any of the main plots in a week's time. Oracle, though, will stay with you. Here's hoping Dixon's storytelling rises to the challenge this character presents.
Grade: C
March 26, 2018
Sexist. Piece. Of. Crap. The characters' main motivation are waaaay too often related to a man. There's literally a story where two superheroines go after a villain because each of them had a date with the guy but he never called back. Wait, it gets "better". He wears a mask but they know it's him... because they recognize his butt. Give me a break!
Not too mention all the completely unnecessary boob and butt shots, and the abundance of sexist stereotypes all over this volume. I read the whole thing wanting to believe that it would improve at some point. It didn't.
Not too mention all the completely unnecessary boob and butt shots, and the abundance of sexist stereotypes all over this volume. I read the whole thing wanting to believe that it would improve at some point. It didn't.
August 13, 2025
A fun introduction to Birds of Prey that is compiled of 'formative stories' that 'chronicle the beginnings' of the team. It is definitely Oracle and Black Canary focused, however, there are sprinkles of Huntress and Catwoman, both of whom are later affiliated with the titular crew. None of the shorts are mind-blowing comic material, but Dixon creates a very solid foundation that has been built upon and expanded into its own, well deserved phenomenon.
actual rating 3.5 stars
actual rating 3.5 stars
March 21, 2016
A decent start to the Birds of Prey series. The Birds are my favourite team in all the superhero universes, so naturally I had to read their beginning. It's not as bad as I feared! It's also not spectacular, but it certainly is enjoyable enough to read. There's a noticeable improvement in writing and characterization as Dixon gets comfortable with who these women are, and as their relationships with each other develop, so do their conversations and banter. This isn't anything close to how well Gail Simone writes the ladies when she gets her hands on them, but hey, it's a start. I'll be picking up the next trade.
November 27, 2018
This is one of those comics I've wanted to read for a while but never got around to it. Got this in Cyber Monday and delved right in. I was hoping for a classic series or at least something groundbreaking, but I didn't get that. The artwork here is pretty decent but some of the stories here are just okay. The whole thing isn't terrible, but it's the kind of stuff you read and then quickly forget about which is sad given the premise. This is a team of female superheroes, but the end results are often just okay and one story featuring Catwoman and Huntress is a pure head scratcher because it's just so ridiculous. Birds Of Prey could have been so much better. The first volume is worth checking out, but you may not stick around to see if it improves. I think it's certainly good in parts, but over time it starts to wear thin. The writing here is the main culprit, These characters are interesting on their own so you would think together they would achieve something phenomenal, but it rarely achieves that and just becomes silly at times. So it's not terrible but it could have been so much better.
October 18, 2024
This one is an incredibly hard one to rate. My nostalgia goggles want me to put it at five stars, but my mood reading it this go around says three. It was among my absolute favorites twenty-five years ago. Maybe my tastes have just changed enough that it doesn't have what I'm looking for, anymore.
May 23, 2017
Batgirl may not be able to go out and fight crime herself, but as Oracle she can certainly lead others into battle. She recruits Dinah Lance - the Black Canary - to research a multi-millionaire who appears to be trying to make third world countries more self-sufficient but is suffering from a rash of eco-terrorist attacks. It doesn't take Canary long to figure out what's going on and to save the day. While Canary and Oracle work well together, for the most part, their relationship can be a little rocky. Especially when Canary goes off on her own without asking for help or listening to advice. In one such adventure, Canary is looking to save people being sold into slavery just to almost end up a slave herself. Then she teams up with Huntress and Catwoman to bring down a major tool only to end up his captive and requiring Huntress and Catwoman's help (with a little assistance from Oracle). All told, this volume contains some kickass adventures featuring some seriously kickass ladies.
I was a little confused about the timeline of this comic at first because it said it was published in 2015, but the artwork was strictly 90s. Turns out it was just compiled in 2015 from a bunch of comics written in the late 90s. I felt much better once I knew that. It also explained the rampant over sexualization of the female characters (though technically that's been prevalent since comic books were created up to now). Black Canary spent more time in fishnets and low-cut leotards than any adult woman would ever wear. It didn't make her kick any less ass, it just made it look particularly uncomfortable for her.
Though I watch a lot of DC adaptations, I admit I don't know as much about these characters as I do their Marvel counterparts. I knew Oracle used to be Batgirl, but I wasn't as sure what that meant in the comic cannon. It certainly sheds some new light on the new Batgirl series. That one has Barbara Gordon out of the chair and back in her old costume. However, the new series shows Barbara as a college student, while this volume portrays her as a more mature woman. She seems to be in her 30s, which would mean the new series basically threw out a lot of the old storyline. This is what makes reading comic books so frustrating for me. I can never tell what's supposed to be cannon and what's supposed to be thrown out. Frankly, while I prefer the new Batgirl costume, I prefer this characterization of Barbara Gordon. She is vulnerable, but she doesn't let her physical limitations take away from her mental strengths. She even kicks some physical ass on her own during the short story where she and Canary temporarily go radio-silent.
Overall, I really like this volume. I'd like to know more about this version of the Black Canary and Oracle. I'd also like to say that after reading this book I now realize why the TV show had such a short run. There was so much wrong with the way they changed the characters to make the show 'edgy' for its new audience it couldn't help but anger the fans. Then again, I'm sure the show was trying to launch itself off the success from Smallville, which also wildly strayed from its source but still found commercial success (for 10 years). Either way, I had to watch the series again after reading this volume ;)
I was a little confused about the timeline of this comic at first because it said it was published in 2015, but the artwork was strictly 90s. Turns out it was just compiled in 2015 from a bunch of comics written in the late 90s. I felt much better once I knew that. It also explained the rampant over sexualization of the female characters (though technically that's been prevalent since comic books were created up to now). Black Canary spent more time in fishnets and low-cut leotards than any adult woman would ever wear. It didn't make her kick any less ass, it just made it look particularly uncomfortable for her.
Though I watch a lot of DC adaptations, I admit I don't know as much about these characters as I do their Marvel counterparts. I knew Oracle used to be Batgirl, but I wasn't as sure what that meant in the comic cannon. It certainly sheds some new light on the new Batgirl series. That one has Barbara Gordon out of the chair and back in her old costume. However, the new series shows Barbara as a college student, while this volume portrays her as a more mature woman. She seems to be in her 30s, which would mean the new series basically threw out a lot of the old storyline. This is what makes reading comic books so frustrating for me. I can never tell what's supposed to be cannon and what's supposed to be thrown out. Frankly, while I prefer the new Batgirl costume, I prefer this characterization of Barbara Gordon. She is vulnerable, but she doesn't let her physical limitations take away from her mental strengths. She even kicks some physical ass on her own during the short story where she and Canary temporarily go radio-silent.
Overall, I really like this volume. I'd like to know more about this version of the Black Canary and Oracle. I'd also like to say that after reading this book I now realize why the TV show had such a short run. There was so much wrong with the way they changed the characters to make the show 'edgy' for its new audience it couldn't help but anger the fans. Then again, I'm sure the show was trying to launch itself off the success from Smallville, which also wildly strayed from its source but still found commercial success (for 10 years). Either way, I had to watch the series again after reading this volume ;)
June 21, 2016
Always enjoy Dixon's writing of the Bat Family. Nice to see the interplay between Oracle and Black Canary.
It was nice to see Dick Giordano's pencils, but either the inker or the new fangled coloring is at fault for making it difficult even to see that this is Giordano. Except for a few faces/head shots, I'd never have guessed.
It was nice to see Dick Giordano's pencils, but either the inker or the new fangled coloring is at fault for making it difficult even to see that this is Giordano. Except for a few faces/head shots, I'd never have guessed.
April 12, 2020
3.5/5
Want to read
February 7, 2020I just want to skip straight ahead to Gail Simone’s issues. Is that bad? Wait- can I actually do that? And if so, will the story make any coherent sense?
March 1, 2020
Very solid start with plenty of buttkicking action and stylish moments, these superladies sure do make a great team despite their different ways of crimefighting. B+ (83%/Very Good)
February 8, 2021
5 🌟
The Birds of Prey stop various crimes.
The Birds of Prey stop various crimes.
June 13, 2022
I fucking love Barbara; she's such an important character because of the representation she gives to the disabled community. As someone who's disabled, it's great to see a main character who deals with the realities of ableism but also shines as a badass superhero.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 11, 2025
Birds of Prey Vol. 1 collects DC Comics issues Black Canary/Oracle: Birds of Prey 1, Showcase ‘96 3, Birds of Prey: Manhunt 1-4, Birds of Prey: Revolution 1, Birds of Prey: Wolves 1, and Birds of Prey: Batgirl 1 written by Chuck Dixon and Jordan B. Gorfinkel with art by Gary Frank, Jennifer Graves, Matt Haley, Sal Buscema, Stefani Raffaele, Dick Giordano, and Greg Land.
The first adventures and team up Black Canary and Oracle. There are some team ups with Huntress and Catwoman also included.
These first issues typically revolve around Oracle coming up with a plan and strong-headed Black Canary not listening, often getting herself into trouble that she then has to navigate out of. They are all pretty standard 90s fare with Canary often infiltrating oppressive military controlled states or millionaire’s penthouses. Hopefully we get a little more substance in the next volume which collects the first couple arcs of the ongoing series.
The first adventures and team up Black Canary and Oracle. There are some team ups with Huntress and Catwoman also included.
These first issues typically revolve around Oracle coming up with a plan and strong-headed Black Canary not listening, often getting herself into trouble that she then has to navigate out of. They are all pretty standard 90s fare with Canary often infiltrating oppressive military controlled states or millionaire’s penthouses. Hopefully we get a little more substance in the next volume which collects the first couple arcs of the ongoing series.
March 26, 2025
3.5 stars
Birds of Prey Vol. 1 was a fun action-filled romp. Its two leads Dinah Lance as Black Canary and Barbara Gordon as Oracle were dynamic and well written. I especially appreciated the way the story unpacked Barbara’s newfound strength, not despite her disability but because of her determination and capability. Dinah’s brash attitude and cavalier perspective on risk made her a great foil to Barbara’s more serious demeanour. Their growing trust and friendship was fun to see develop.
The stories themselves were fun if not the most unique I’ve ever seen. The premise of the comic is watching Black Canary go on international adventures to foil the plots of greedy businessmen and corrupt governments with Oracle as her remote guide. There was a tinge of white saviourism to these stories because more often than not Dinah went into “third world” countries to save helpless brown people. The constant framing of the global south as corrupt and filled with poverty was grating. I also wasn’t particularly fond of the multiple antagonists that blatantly fell into the "Dragon Lady" stereotype.
Despite this, the action was still pretty fun overall. Some of my favourite issues in the collection were the various team-ups Dinah is thrown into. Her madcap escapades with Huntress and Catwoman were tones of fun and her team up with Lois Lane was too.
This comic’s downfall however was its inconsistent art style. While some of the art was decent the quality vacillated pretty frequently across 9 issues and the reading experience was jarring because of it. I also wasn’t fond of the carousel of shitty romantic objects for Dinah and Barbara were thrown throughout. In my opinion, if all the men in the comic were going to suck they didn’t need to be there at all.
I'm definitely going to be picking up more of this series. This fun action-adventure was great to dip into despite some of its flaws.
Birds of Prey Vol. 1 was a fun action-filled romp. Its two leads Dinah Lance as Black Canary and Barbara Gordon as Oracle were dynamic and well written. I especially appreciated the way the story unpacked Barbara’s newfound strength, not despite her disability but because of her determination and capability. Dinah’s brash attitude and cavalier perspective on risk made her a great foil to Barbara’s more serious demeanour. Their growing trust and friendship was fun to see develop.
The stories themselves were fun if not the most unique I’ve ever seen. The premise of the comic is watching Black Canary go on international adventures to foil the plots of greedy businessmen and corrupt governments with Oracle as her remote guide. There was a tinge of white saviourism to these stories because more often than not Dinah went into “third world” countries to save helpless brown people. The constant framing of the global south as corrupt and filled with poverty was grating. I also wasn’t particularly fond of the multiple antagonists that blatantly fell into the "Dragon Lady" stereotype.
Despite this, the action was still pretty fun overall. Some of my favourite issues in the collection were the various team-ups Dinah is thrown into. Her madcap escapades with Huntress and Catwoman were tones of fun and her team up with Lois Lane was too.
This comic’s downfall however was its inconsistent art style. While some of the art was decent the quality vacillated pretty frequently across 9 issues and the reading experience was jarring because of it. I also wasn’t fond of the carousel of shitty romantic objects for Dinah and Barbara were thrown throughout. In my opinion, if all the men in the comic were going to suck they didn’t need to be there at all.
I'm definitely going to be picking up more of this series. This fun action-adventure was great to dip into despite some of its flaws.
May 18, 2020
The dialogue in this was a total cringe fest. All the stories revolved around new boyfriends- there was way too much focus on their love lives and the art for the exception of the last chapter (which was quite nice) was that typical 90s style that I am not a fan of at all. Will definitely be skipping the rest of Dixons Birds of Prey stuff.
June 18, 2019
I had great fun revisiting the earliest adventures of the Birds of Prey! Black Canary is especially likable here, though I'm not a fan of her costume change. Ok, so the earrings and pendant connecting her to Oracle are cool... but I miss the classic fishnets and her canary cry, which is also missing for some reason. Speaking of Oracle, what a unique, fresh, smart, empowering character Barbara Gordon became during this time period. The budding friendship between the two women is as enjoyable as the catty barbs (2 puns intended) tossed back and forth with Catwoman and Huntress when they get mixed up in things too. One of my favorite chapters is a team up between Canary and Lois Lane which I had never read before. (So nice this standalone Showcase tale was included!) There's a great sisterhood between all of the women, even when they're meeting for the first time. I'd say the only downside to these stories is how much men factor into the Birds' motivations... but then these stories were written by a man, once upon a time. And Chuck Dixon does do a great job making his female leads strong, smart, capable, and complicated. They rescue themselves, bust the bad guys, and drive off into the sunset in the cool cars. Sometimes with a broken heart. But at least they get the cool cars. Bring on volume 2.
November 16, 2025
The stories were fine to see how the team started out, nothing too special I'd be eager to reread. I think Oracle's written well as a disabled superhero and the sort of people she has to deal with, but there was way too much focus on romance for all the female main characters. I did enjoy the early story with both Huntress and Catwoman (in her 90s outfit and hairstyle) who'll later become more permanent allies, but the plot was contrived and weird.
March 20, 2019
Awesome story. I love the chemistry between Oracle and Black Canary. That would have made it worth reading even if it didn't have some interesting storylines. I almost hate that Huntress showed up so little, but I think that helped highlight the relationship between Oracle and Black Canary. I'm anxious to read more.
December 8, 2017
I found it much more enjoyable than the last male superheroes series I read. I also read some dark comics, even horror, during the past weeks and de Birds of Prey brightened things up a bit. Action, female heroes, humour, ... I liked it a lot.
March 9, 2019
Apart from one bad story (the second one), this was a literally kickass collection, maybe a step below Danger Girls, but nothing beats that.
Comics are rarely this good.
Comics are rarely this good.
August 19, 2023
Ignoring cringe dialog, this had fun moments.
August 20, 2025
First time ever reading a DC Comic Book and it was so fun!
Birds of Prey was definitely a great read into the DC world! Highly recommended!
Birds of Prey was definitely a great read into the DC world! Highly recommended!
September 11, 2025
This was just sheer fun and enjoyment. A rip roaring adventure!
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February 11, 2020Publishing-wise, Birds of Prey started off messy. This book collects their first appearances from the 90’s, consisting of a Showcase issue, four one-shots, and a miniseries. It took four years for a Birds of Prey ongoing to happen (collected in following volumes). None of this affects the stories here, which are entertaining enough. The first one sees Oracle recruiting Black Canary to infiltrate an international terrorist operation by getting close to its suave leader. From there, we get similar stories of espionage and quippy superheroics, with Huntress, Catwoman, and even Lois Lane joining the party. These stories aren't exactly deep and even kind of shallow, but I had fun with them. They’re very Black Canary-centric, which is fine, but I was hoping for more Oracle if I’m honest. She’s my favorite character of the two. Still, they work well together and Dixon makes them as natural a fit as possible (extra weight is given to Babs and Dinah’s relationship in Dixon’s excellent Batgirl: Year One, published later). As for the art, there's a gang of great artists here, including Greg Land, Gary Frank, and Dick Giordano. This is men drawing women in the 90’s, so it’s porny at times, but otherwise accomplished.
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