Review: Birds of Prey Volume 2 - Your Kiss Might Kill

Having been infected with a toxin by Poison Ivy, the Birds of Prey are coerced into helping her in her campaign to rid the world of the most dangerous threats to the environment. There’s just one problem – Black Canary and the others aren’t willing to sacrifice the lives of innocent humans who will be caught in the crosshairs of Ivy’s crusade.

Birds of Prey Volume 2: Your Kiss Might Kill collects Birds of Prey #8-13 and #0, written by Duane Swiercynski and illustrated by Jesus Saiz and Travel Foreman.

After an explosive opening arc, Swiercynski finally reveals Poison Ivy’s motivations for her joining the Birds of Prey. She needs their help in bringing down corporations that are poisoning the Earth as she cannot do so on her own. It’s an interesting plot as it forces the team to confront the moral implications of their actions and tests their unity as a group. It’s evident that none of them trust Ivy, but there’s a spectrum on which each of them falls. Batgirl appears to be the least trusting and instead wishes to get Batman involved, while Katana sits on the other end clearly willing to go with whatever is expected of her. These dynamics are fascinating, but sadly Swiercynski only touches upon them superficially. He doesn’t dig deep enough with these characters and their feelings. In fact, he appears to have a difficult time giving each member of the cast equal focus. Black Canary is clearly the star and Poison Ivy obviously has quite a bit to do, but Batgirl, Katana, and Starling seem to be mere accessories to the narrative.

There’s an overall sense with Your Kiss Might Kill that Swiercynski was rushed or distracted while penning this batch of issues of Birds of Prey. It begins with an insular story that deals with the aftermath of the first arc, which ends on a shocking cliffhanger regarding something that happened in Black Canary’s past. The following issue is a tie-in for Night of the Owls, which derails the entire plot and flow of this collection. It feels unnecessary and disposable. The only decent thing about it is Black Canary’s antagonistic attitude towards Batman the following issue. We get to the meat of the story with the four-part Poison Ivy arc. While still an interesting storyline, it feels like a diversion from what Swiercynski should be dealing with – the truth about and circumstances around Black Canary’s past. It’s aided very little by Travel Foreman’s art, which is ill-suited to the overall aesthetic of this series. Sadly, even the origin issue that closes this collection fails to excite or offer much insight into these characters. In it, we learn that the Birds of Prey were formed while Canary and Starling were working as enforcers for the Penguin and joined forces with Batgirl to take down an operation by Basilisk. The problem is that the issue is too brief and doesn’t dig deep into the characters’ motivations or personalities.

There are indeed aspects of Your Kiss Might Kill that I enjoy. Starling is a standout and her dialogue is consistently witty and on point. The action sequences are also all top notch, particularly in issue #8 as illustrated by the incomparable Jesus Saiz. Even still, I’m uncertain this is enough to really get readers engaged in this title. Overall, I’m left with the feeling of wanting more. I want more character development and for the characters’ personalities to shine as brightly as Starling’s. I want more substance to the stories and more attention paid to resolving dangling plot threads. As it stands, Your Kiss Might Kill reads like a middling and confused entry into the Birds’ New 52 history.

RATING: C+

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-

Top 10: Comic Book Friendships

Whoever said that women can't get along in fiction clearly has never opened up a comic book. Over the years, the big two companies (DC Comics and Marvel, for comic virgins) have written some of the most fascinating and relatable friendships. Some the longest lasting of these partnerships have been between women. Forged in the middle of the battlefield, these heroines have bonded over their shared love of justice and penchant for tights. To celebrate these gal pals, here is a list of the top ten comic book friendships.

10. Batgirl and Supergirl

As one of the earliest female partnerships, Batgirl and Supergirl's friendship dates back to the 1960s when the pair teamed up to bust an all-female organization of thieves. In this Pre-Crisis continuity, Barbara Gordon and Kara Zor-El would band together several times until Kara's death in Crisis on Infinite Earths. Years later, Stephanie Brown fostered a friendship with Supergirl while she was using the Batgirl title, thereby keeping the legacy of girl power alive and well.

09. Marvel Divas

In 2009, Marvel published a four-part mini-series titled Marvel Divas hoping to draw in a larger female audience. This series was a play off of Sex and the City and featured the romantic misadventures of D-list heroines Firestar, Black Cat, Hellcat, and Monica Rambeau. While it failed to garner major critical acclaim, Marvel Divas emphasized the importance of female friendship and demonstrated just how far women will go for each other. The series itself is a must-read for any female readers.

08. Fire and Ice

The late-1980s saw the introduction of what is known as the Justice League International era. Largely spearheaded by J.M. DeMatteis and Keith Giffen, the JLI was a more light-hearted approach to superhero comics. At the centre of these books was the friendship between the heroes. One of the most notable was that of Fire and Ice. As complete opposites, the sassy Fire and the sensitive Ice were the epitome of what it meant to be girlfriends.

07. Stephanie Brown and Cassandra Cain

Much like Fire and Ice, Stephanie Brown and Cassandra Cain were polar opposites. The pair met back when Stephanie was Spoiler and Cassandra was Batgirl. These two became fast friends and would see each other through thick and thin. When Cassandra grew weary of being Batgirl, it was Stephanie who took up the mantle and continued her legacy. Truthfully, these two illustrated how teenage girls should treat each other -- with love and respect.

06. Jessica Drew and Carol Danvers

When Carol Danvers was brutally attacked by the mutant Rogue, it was Jessica Drew who saved her after she was tossed off the Golden Gate Bridge. This was the beginning of a friendship that would span decades. The pair have been on the Avengers together as Spider-Woman and Ms. Marvel and Jessica has made appearances in a supporting capacity in both Ms. Marvel and Captain Marvel.

05. Starfire and Donna Troy

While the cartoon may have made people think that the gal pals of the Teen Titans are Starfire and Raven, the reality is that it's Starfire and Donna Troy's friendship that has stood the test of time. When Starfire first came to Earth, Donna opened her doors to the alien and helped her adjust to life in New York City. She helped her get a job as a model and used her as her muse for many successful campaigns. Beyond that, Starfire and Donna would hold friendly competitions with one another in order to hone their skills. Their friendship was so strong that Starfire was one of Donna's bridesmaids at her wedding to Terry Long.

04. Huntress and Power Girl

Likely inspired by the partnership between Supergirl and Batgirl, the parallel Earth heroes Power Girl and Huntress became the best of friends in the pages of All-Star Comics. This friendship is one of the earliest examples of a permanent partnership between women in comics and would last until the events of Crisis on Infinite Earths. Over 30 years later, their friendship has been revisited in the pages of Power Girl/Huntress: Worlds' Finest in DC Comics' New 52 line. This title places their friendship at the forefront and makes it one of the only female-centric buddy comics in publication.

03. Storm and Jean Grey

Female empowerment and solidarity has long been a recurring theme with the X-Men. There are many notable female friendships which have occurred over the years, but none is as memorable or as touching as that of Storm and Jean Grey. The pair met for the first time when Storm and other new recruits rescued the original X-Men from the menace of the living island of Krakoa. After these events, Jean helped Ororo to adjust to life in America and this would blossom into a friendship that would outlast Jean's various resurrections.

02. Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy

As the only villains on this list, Poison Ivy and Harley Quinn prove that even bad girls can get along. Their friendship dates back to Batman: The Animated Series, where they teamed up after the Joker kicked Harley to the curb as his gun moll. Ivy subsequently took her under her wing and the pair became an unstoppable criminal duo. This was later brought over to the comics and their friendship has since become the subject of speculation that the two may be lovers. The important thing to take from these two is the need for love and support between women (even the bad ones).

01. Birds of Prey

When it comes to girlfriends, no comic book has ever done so much for female friendship as Birds of Prey has. The original series centred around the partnership between Oracle and Black Canary, but evolved to include the vigilante Huntress. Birds of Prey focused on the healing powers of friendship and the importance of companionship. Under the careful pen of Chuck Dixon and later Gail Simone, these ladies proved that when sisters do it for themselves they can accomplish a whole lot. This series has managed to be so influential that it has been cited as a gateway comic for many readers and has been the subject of many adaptations. If you haven't read Birds of Prey, I'd say it's about time to start!