DC's NEW 52-BIRDS OF PREY

BIRDS OF PREY has, since it's beginning, been one of my favorite DC Comics. What happens when you take a crippled Batgirl, turn her into a computer genius and let her lead a team of super heroines like Huntress and Black Canary, among others. And you let some of the most talented creative people work on it. Over the years, this has included such luminaries as Gail Simone, Chuck Dixon, terry Moore, Gilbert Hernandez, Greg Land, Butch Guice and Gary Frank. 

This book has always been a rip roaring adventure. Now DC has converted the team for their NEW 52. Does it work?
 

Well...
 

We start with a photographer by the name of Charles Keen getting attacked and rescued by two super heroines, Starling and Black Canary. Interesting since Keen apparently has been scoping out the Birds over the last few weeks. Through flashback, we learn of a meeting with a now mobile Barbara Gordon and Black Canary. Apparently, Canary is putting a team together and trying to recruit Gordon. Apparently, canary is also wanted for murder.back to the present and the battle continues. One of the assassins actually has the nerve to open mouth kiss canary. 

Well, the bad guys get defeated and, following a wild escape, they bring Keen to the airport to get him out of Gotham and into hiding. That doesn't go well as he begins to bleed from his eyes and then bursts into flame.
 

So, does this all work. not totally sure. I know some people who immediately;y after this issue came out told their local retailers to dump the book from their reserve lists. I don't feel that strongly negative about it. But I don't feel totally positive about it. Duane Swierczynski's plot isn't totally threadbare, but there are a decent amount of holes in it that will hopefully be filled in future issues. 

Also, where';s the rest of the team? The cover teases us with four members: Canary, Starling(who is this chick anyway?), Katana(referenced during the story) and...Poison Ivy? Now that's what I'm talking about! A team of super villains acting as heroes? What a concept...why didn't Marvel think of that? Oh yeah..they did. This would make this book a cross between BIRDS OF PREY and GOTHAM CITY SIRENS.
 

But there are some nice lines of dialogue. Gosh, I never thought I'd see a line like "who does a bitch have have to cut to get some service around here" in a mainstream DC book. I mean: this isn't my father's DC Comic. Jesus Saiz joins a long line of artists to put their stamp on this title. Nice work-nothing outstanding, but nice enough.
 

So the book sticks around with me for a few issues as the initial story arc shakes itself out and either gets better or worse. But I am willing to wait on it. It could be worse...it's not MISTER TERRIFIC!
 

BTW: the mysterious hooded woman is hiding in the shadows in front of a hotel Black Canary is entering in the second panel on page 8.