I did something for the first time this week, I went to the local comic book shop (convieniently called The Comic Shoppe) and picked up a comic to which I have subscribed.
I felt like a member of the other half.
And what was that comic that made me plunk down a deposit, you ask?
That’s my girl!
Yup, the first issue of the new Black Canary series. This series sees Canary as the lead singer of a rock band. The famous fishnets? Are part of her onstage outfit, as are the kit boots. There is even a scene where she switches from her daily combat boots to the black heels.
I am going to stop here and say SPOILERS. Because I will be discussing the issue. So stop now if you want to read the issue before you read my thoughts about it.
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Black Canary is the name of the band. Our heroine is known as “DD”, so it appears that writer Benden Fletcher is calling back to the Dinah Drake name of Black Canary I. The discription on the DC website calls DD, Dinah Lance and there appears to be a link for the Dinah of the new 52, the spy and vigilante. So maybe DD has taken on the Drake name to hide. Within the comic, there are references a marriage and the Justice League, but the real tip off to DD’s back story are the repeated attack by badguys, from gun-totting musicians to ninjas. The band is having trouble getting paid given that their venues keep getting trashed.
It all comes to a head one night when DD spotes some strange things in the audience, which turn out to be aliences. Using her mike as a weapon, she takes them out. As the leader of the alliens fades away, it indicates that they were not here for DD, but for the band’s teenage guitarist, Ditto. Who doesn’t speak, but appears to be able to manipulate sound. There is a heated discussion about keeping the band together, and when her bandmates refuse to abandon Ditto and DD to fate, DD announces that hand to hand training will commence in the morning.
And that ends the first issue. Some interesting set-up. DC has rated this title as teen, seemingly going after the same market as Miss Marvel. Which is wierd, because by seemingly linking DD to the New 52 history, she is not a teen. We’ll see if that holds. Maybe the focus will become Ditto. Art by Anni Wu is what I call messy modern, which fits the story/setting of this comic. I will definately be picking up the next issue. Heck, it’s Canary, I will be in for the whole thing.