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With BoP ready to relaunch, here's a look at the one-shot by Chuck Dixon called "Black Canary/Oracle - Birds of Prey" from 1996 that launched the team and the title.

At the back of this 54 page issue there are two pages (these are not in the trade) introducing the characters. It makes for interesting reading. I thought these lines summed up the situation of the book's two leads well:
"For a while, Black Canary and Oracle have been meandering about the DC Universe, helping out the super-hero community on occasion and otherwise doing their own thing. The time has finally come for them to shed the label of "supporting character" and strike out on their own, together. Given a chance they'll shine."

First issues of any book offer a variety of difficulties for a writer. But firsts with well-known characters are particularly tricky. The writer must give the readers who know the characters their due but not at the expense of new readers. And here part of the book's value is that they are legacy characters, so how much history do you show?

Interestingly, Dixon actually gives Canary very little history. Oracle, on the other hand, gets Bats logos on her wheelchair and practices throwing ninja blades at a picture of the Joker. She also gets a full page flash back that includes her time as Batgirl and the events of the Killing Joke (but no flying coffee cup).

So on to the book. The first few pages introduce the plot which I will be covering very little of here. It’s decent enough, though. There’s a third-word country and a rich tycoon who wants to modernize it and potentially evil eco-terrorists who oppose it.

After this intro, you get a cold opening introducing the reader to Canary. I think Dixon did a great job on setting her story up in about 6 pages, edited for your enjoyment here:

What an efficient opening. Despite the lack of any narration you find out a lot about Dinah very quickly. She's in debt, a tough ass and her life is clearly in need of change. Even if you knew nothing else about her life as Black Canary, this is an interesting person.

And now her other half. Here we find out a few things about Babs. On a page not shown here there is tiny Batgirl toy to tip her former identity. But if you didn't catch that her Dad provides some quick identification. But no time to talk. Her ~~date~~, operative is arriving.

Dinah has certainly had some low fashion moments but even the jumpsuit and headband can't top her walking through an airport dressed in fishnets, cowboy boots and a fringed leather jacket.

Want to bet Babs sent the flowers? She knows how to treat her ~~dates~~ operatives right.

"A ladies' man kind of lady" Oh, Babs. But Dinah let's hear a little bit more why you have been selected by this mysterious voice in your ear. This person who knows everything about you including what size clothes you wear. Who passes judgment on your life and clothing choices. Yet, Dinah is so bored, unhappy and unsatisfied with her life that she's not the least bit skeeved out by this.

And that's how Dinah stopped having to drag that wig around with her everywhere.

Nice. But within minutes Nick's enemies attack the party and Dinah swings into action.

I love that panel. Dixon could have her fighting in her evening gown. He could have had her start off in the gown and and then had it ripped in the fight. But no as soon as she senses trouble she just tears the bottom of that sucker right off. A nice piece of business that gives the reader more insight into Dinah.
She checks-in with Babs on the way back to the hotel.

Oh Babs, jealous already? One thing to note is that while today we're used to seeing Oracle working at her computer panel after panel early on they really tried to mix it up. Babs is seen speaking to Dinah from a pool swimming, while toweling off (as seen above) and in the gym lifting weights. We also begin to see some good chemistry.

Dinah is suiting up there into her new costume. More chemistry here and Babs is collaborating with Dinah here a bit more. And while Dinah is technically an operative you can see again that she's not content to let Oracle manage her every move. We'll see more of that in a bit.

And there she is the new Black Canary II in her Babs' designed costume.
Protective leg covering would have been nice. But really with Canary the ship sailed on that issue a long time ago. And I'm sure Babs just wanted Dinah to feel comfortable in a costume similar to her previous one, right?
As Dinah investigates the case she gets in fight with the Nick’s other bodyguard, Lynx. And that leads to Babs and Dinah's first fight.

Heh. Love that look on Babs’s face. Wonder what's she thinking?
Alas, Lynx gets the better of Dinah and we see this interesting page.

Now, BoP history states that Dinah does not officially find out out who Oracle is until issue 21. But you can see in their very first appearance Babs outs herself. Did Dinah not make the connection? Did she ignore it or not hear it clearly? Or did editorial just decide to forget it?

So that's a glimpse at the first BoP story. The book ends with the duo planning their next adventure. This issue came out in March of 1996. Birds of Prey would return towards the end of the year with a mini called "Revolution". The first official issue of BoP appeared in 1999.

Tags:
char: batgirl/oracle/barbara gordon, char: black canary/dinah lance, creator: chuck dixon, title: birds of prey