Birds Of Prey (1999 series) #110

Writer Tony Bedard tackles the unenviable task of picking up this title after Gail Simone’s impressive run, and gets off to a solid start. Sadly, we’ve also had to say goodbye to Black Canary along with Simone, which really makes Bedard’s job a lot harder. The Birds are down to Oracle and Huntress, which is oddly reminiscent of the short-lived TV show, but fortunately, handled much more skillfully than the show ever was.

This issue recaps the Birds’ history using the framing device of Huntress conducting a high-speed chase while talking to Oracle. We learn a bit about some failed Birds, including Catwoman, Phantom Lady, and Black Orchid, which actually leave me wanting to know more about their brief stints with the team. Huntress is compared and contrasted with each, leading to somewhat surprising conclusions.

While the case itself is strictly background, it does provide an interesting contrast to normal comic book storytelling – no supervillains this time around. It’s actually refreshing to see superheroes handle some more ‘normal’ crime, instead of always having a metahuman involved somehow. But the real story is the interaction between Barbara and Helena, and frankly, that’s how it should be. At heart, Birds of Prey was always a “buddy” comic, and Bedard does a good job of reestablishing that dynamic.