Friday, July 30, 2010

Birds of Prey #3

Birds of Prey #3: Writer: Gail Simone. Pencils: Ed Benes & Adriana Melo.

Review: This issue gets underway with Penguin, delusional from blood-loss, fantasizing about getting some of Huntress, Black Canary and Lady Blackhawk in a particularly revolting scene. While Penguin is making out with nothing, Oracle alerts BC that Savant and Creote had been killed by the mystery attacker tormenting BC and the Birds. From there, the crooked Gotham City police break into Penguin's club where the Birds were hiding and try to kill them. Oracle tries to coordinate the escape effort, but all of the computer systems in the Batcave shut down much to Oracle's shock. While Oracle becomes frustrated by her inability to help her friends, she realizes that somebody else is in the Cave, and turns around to find Savant and Creote?! The Birds continue to battle through the crooked cops, and Hawk gets seriously injured by a poisoned knife throw by White Canary. Meanwhile, Savant and Creote kidnap Oracle from the Cave, while Babs thinks about how miserably she failed in the rehabilitation of Savant and Creote. BC realizes that the only way to end this is to face White Canary in one final showdown, possibly to the death. After saying her good-byes, the rest of the Birds carry Penguin and Hawk to safety and BC sneaks up to a nearby rooftop where White Canary was overlooking the action. BC decides to banter a bit with White Canary to see if she can discover her identity, and realizes that White Canary seems to hate BC's family, leading her to believe that WC couldn't be Lady Shiva or Cassandra Cain. The two women then fight, and BC realizes who White Canary must be since the whole situation seemed so personal to WC. BC threatens to hurt or cripple WC in order to make sure her friends would be safe from WC. This issue ends with WC telling BC that she needed money for her “operation”, and that everybody seemed to forget what a monster “he” could be, with the final scene in this issue being the Birds carrying a smiling Penguin to safety.

What I Thought: Hmm... So conventional wisdom says that White Canary is Black Canary's adopted daughter Sin, and that she has been in cahoots with Penguin the entire time. At least that's what makes the most sense right now. Could White Canary be somebody else? Well I guess Cheshire would make sense, but I don't think she's a good enough fighter. As for the mastermind, all signs now point to Penguin. Why would Penguin do these things? I'd guess to get as much information out of the now captive Oracle as he can about the super-human community. Oh, with all of the talk about this storyline, I forgot to mention, this comic was great! I really enjoyed it, and I CAN'T wait to find out how it ends next issue.

Score: 9 1/2 out of 10.Ugh, I think I feel sick...

10 comments:

  1. I think the important thing you're over-looking is the fact there's a Penguin party...in his pants. Also, Gail Simone is a damn genius because these issues have been phenomenal.

    And my money's on that being either A. the NEW Shiva, or B. Sin's birth mother, upset at Canary for "taking" her daughter. Also, Savant and Creote blew my friggin mind.

    By the way, how have we not predicted a a Sin/Damian relationship? Because shouldn't they both be master killers?

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  2. I don't know, when White Canary mentioned an "operation", that kind of makes me think that she is an artificially aged Sin. But since you've read the whole Birds series recently, you'd have the inside track on who WC is JT. You've gotta figure it's somebody from Gail's Birds run... Two quick questions JT; who is the new Shiva(there's a new Shiva?)and was Sin's birth mother ever even mentioned? I can't remember if she was...

    As for Savant and Creote, I am SO happy to see them alive and well! I really hope they end up being reoccurring villains in this series.

    Oh, and the less said about the contents of Penguin's pants, the better!!!

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  3. Good point X, but she kinda doesn't have a reason to be pissed at Dinah does she? And for your questions, they were training Sin as the new Shiva, so maybe this chick was next in line after Sin. Or she was the old woman that trained Sin, since you mentioned thaat operation. And nah, they never mentioned her but I'm grasping at straws.

    Same, I was extremely happy to see those two, I hated to see them turn evil but it's better than being dead.

    Lol you know that line MADE that comic. That was so great...

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  4. I LOVE BoP. This is easily my favorite comic right now, bumped Batgirl right out the way. Lol.

    And X, I'm so puzzled on who White Canary can be right now, it gives me a headache, lmao but I love the mystery. You wrinkled my brain, (lol JT), when you said Chesire. Then my mind got to thinking "Oh maybe it is!!" But then I remembered the many comics I've seen Chesire in, lol, she's far to thick in the hips to be White Canary. Lol.

    Gail is definitely a damn good writer pulling this stuff off. Lmao. I feel I should steal JT's older BoP issues and start reading so I can try and figure it out myself. Lol, I know where he keeps them in his room. Lol.

    BUT enough of my rambling, great review X. Also, Don't know if you heard, but Mr. Ed Benes isn't up to good standings, his health is keeping him down on penciling for BoP. :( I hope he gets better. He's made me a fan right when I first saw his work.

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  5. Ah, see, I didn't remember that Sin was being trained to be the "new" Shiva, JT. You know, if there's a "new" Shiva, does that mean the current Shiva is "old" Shiva? 'Cause if I was her, I'd be kind of pissed if people were calling me Old Shiva!

    Ugh, the only thing worse then Penguin, is Penguin talking dirty! >:-(

    Yeah, I doubt it's Cheshire Falisha, especially since she's a regular in Titans. But still, in my eyes, Cheshire makes the most sense! She REALLY hates Dinah.

    You should swipe those books Falisha! As a matter of fact, shouldn't JT have offered to let you read 'em already? :P

    No I didn't know that about Ed. I guess that's why he had help with this issue. Hopefully he gets better, 'cause he's def a great artist.

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  6. Lol good point, and yeah they were training her to be the next Shiva after I guess the current one dies? That's why Canary took Sin with her, so she wouldn't have that life.

    Lol she can take them, What's mine is hers. Quit trying to get me in trouble X :P

    I also didn't know about Ed until yesterday, and I wanna wish him well as well because he is super talented and a nice guy, as I've heard from Gail Simone interviews.

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  7. Lmao aww I don't think X would try to get you in trouble!!! Lol. BUT I will be getting them from you this week so, have them bad boys packed up real nice for me. :) Time to get my BoP on!!!

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  8. Hee-hee, that X sure is a jerk, isn't he? :P

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  9. I actually liked this particular scene with Penguin. I feel bad for him. Although I've always had a soft spot for him. I'd actually give him a chance if I was in that universe.

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