Review: Birds of Prey Volume 1 - Trouble In Mind

Having uncovered a secret web of sleeper agents under the control of a man known only as Choke, Black Canary assembles an elite special ops team to free them from his command. Her ragtag group of would-be heroines must overcome internal strife in order to defeat this unseen menace.

Birds of Prey Volume 1: Trouble In Mind collects Birds of Prey issues 1-7, written by Duane Swierczynski and illustrated by Jesus Saiz.

Out of all the launch titles from DC Comics’ New 52 relaunch, Birds of Prey was one of the riskiest and most unique. Following on the heels of Gail Simone’s short-lived return to the team Post-Brightest Day, writer Swiercynski did everything right in his reinvention of the Birds. Rather than use the same cast from Simone’s fan-favourite runs on the group, he opted for a far more unusual roster consisting of Black Canary (a must for any Birds team), the sword-swinging Katana, new heroine Starling, and villainess Poison Ivy. These four have an electric chemistry and aesthetic that pops off the page, which is largely due to Swiercynski’s memorable dialogue and Saiz’s gorgeous artwork.

One of the most interesting aspects to Swiercynski’s Birds is the shift in the dynamic of the concept of the team when Oracle is removed from the equation. Without the computer savvy hacker backing them, the Birds become more active protagonists who are constantly thinking and reacting. Black Canary is now the de facto leader and, as such, does a whole lot more detective work than the Pre-Flashpoint character had done while working with Oracle. In other words, she’s not just the muscle anymore – she’s the brains of the operation. The other characters on the team similarly fill distinctive roles. Starling is the fast-talking, impulsive sharpshooter, Katana is the silent warrior, and Poison Ivy is the not to be trusted wild card. These character types work incredibly well together, particularly when tossed into the high stakes world of espionage and anti-terrorism. The tension is heightened and it allows you to become more invested in the story because the characters are so layered.

Of all the characters present in this collection, none stands out quite as much as Starling. She’s an absolute riot as the edgy gun-slinging Rockabilly badass of the group. Her quippy dialogue peppers the story quite well, particularly due to her penchant for mocking Poison Ivy and sarcasm towards Katana talking to her sword. Beyond the humour, there’s also a really beautiful friendship between her and Black Canary that ultimately becomes the nucleus around which everything else builds upon. This is extremely important as Birds of Prey, above all else, has always been about the importance of friendship. Canary and Starling’s friendship fills this niche rather well, which thankfully shows Swiercynski’s understanding of what makes Birds of Prey such a fan-favourite concept.

Jesus Saiz’s art is a major draw for this title. His illustrations paired with Swiercynski’s dialogue are a match made in heaven. I absolutely loved Saiz’s art on the acclaimed Manhunter series written by Marc Andreyko and I love it just as much in this collection. It’s sharp, it’s colourful and it’s stylish. He draws each character so distinctively, perhaps moreso than he’d done in Manhunter. His Canary is absolutely gorgeous and his Starling always appears super sassy, but it’s his Poison Ivy that leaps off the page. He draws her New 52 look like a master, making her appear as this vaguely otherworldly creature. Additionally, his action and splash pages are something to behold. For example, the opening scene from the first issue where Starling crashes through a church is forever seared in my mind. He really knows how to stage and choreograph a fight on a page, allowing the characters just the right amount of space in a panel and draws it in a way that is pure, unfiltered storytelling. Of course, it certainly helps that Swiercynski’s minimalist writing style (i.e. not cluttering pages with verbose dialogue and narrative) gives him the room to really tell the story visually.

At its core, Birds of Prey Volume 1: Trouble In Mind is a riotous wild ride. The titular team must stop Choke from activating his unwitting suicide bombers, while learning to trust one another in the process. This book features amazing dialogue and stunning artwork, perhaps some of the best from DC Comics’ New 52. For fans of action, espionage and/or female-led comics, this is a must-read trade. It’s exciting, engrossing and features some of the most distinctive characters circa 2011.

RATING: A-