Femme Fatale in BoP

[mohammedali]

This thread is about the OYL Bird of Prey comic coming out. Below is a page that I found quite interesting. The part I'm interested in is who the female assasign is at the end of the page.

http://www.newsarama.com/dcnew/OYLpreviews/BOP92p07.jpg

Now, at first I though it might be Talia, but I think she's a little too high profile for this sort of work. For some reason, I'm feeling it's a good guy turned bad. Not only that, I'm thinking it's Cassie Cain. After the way her series ended, it makes sence. The other theory I have is that it's Ravager (Deathstrokes daughter), but with her I think she'll become less evil rather than more (esp. given what happened recently in Nightwing). These are just theories though, so I'm keen to hear what others might think, and who they think it may be.

Mohammed Ali

[Brack360]

I have a feeling that the character is Lady Shiva. Previous statements and interviews with Gail Simone and Joan Hilty have suggested that one "villain" will join the series OYL, and I immediately thought either Shiva or Cheshire. Shiva seems the more likely candidate of those two, as Cheshire is clearly evil and wouldn't really work in a super-hero team dynamic. I also remember reading that Gail once proposed a Shiva miniseries but was rejected by DC; this suggests that she likes the character and might want to feature her more in Birds of Prey.

[Mia]

Now, at first I though it might be Talia, but I think she's a little too high profile for this sort of work.

OMG!!!!!!!!!

If that was the case I'd buy 10 issues a month! I love Talia!

But I suspect you're right and it's Shiva.

[Maleficentogre]

It's either shiva or cain. how many people would he be honored to be killed by? shiva's a renowed assassin and probably isn't dead, and cassie is her daughter and could easily take on the family trade. that being the case she'd also be very much respected since she "killed" shiva. so yeah

[fuaak]

It's either shiva or cain. how many people would he be honored to be killed by? shiva's a renowed assassin and probably isn't dead, and cassie is her daughter and could easily take on the family trade. that being the case she'd also be very much respected since she "killed" shiva. so yeah
Yeah, there aren't a whole lot of women anybody would be honored to get killed by. Ravager? Nonsense. Cheshire? Please. Neither Talia nor Nyssa would do that sort of work by themselves, and besides, they aren't exactly physically formidable - below Huntress grade, both of them. Besides, the mystery madam talks to Crime Doctor as if she's never met him.

So it's 95% certain to be either Cass or Shiva. There's a couple problems though. Cass wouldn't be a hit(wo)man for the Society, except to turn against them - the whole in-story reason of her turning semi-evil at the end of BG #73 is that after what happened to Bludhaven, she could no longer go easy on the Society. Conversely, I find it real unlikely that Shiva would be alive again and doing the same thing she used to, because that would make the ending of BG #73 utterly pointless.

Remember Shiva's massive thuggee cult? Those people already lived in mortal fear and almost religious reverence of Cassandra after she just defeated Shiva back in BG #25 (see BG #26 and BG Secret Files). Now that she's a) actually gone and killed her, and b) her only living heir, she could take control of them whenever she liked. She knows where to find them.

Optimally, this could mean that it's Cass, but playing her own game rather than Society's or anyone else's.

Other options: Dinah, who has turned evil in a M. Shyamalan twist. Black Canary is apparently missing in that ish (at least Oracle's words hint at something like that), and Gail toyed with the idea of Dinah becoming a notorious killer a couple years back - that could have theoretically happened within the missing year (don't ask why).

[mohammedali]

Actually, Dinah also makes sense I guess. I mean, the OYL BoP issue mentions Canary, so it would be fitting if she shows up in it as a villain if that's her new role. I think whoever this is going to be, it will be a shocker.

Mohammed Ali

[Maleficentogre]

Maybe it's speedy. or slade's daughter who got over her man crush with nightwing and is fighting the good fight as an assassin.

[Alpha to Omega]

If it's Batgirl, what would be the point of the upcoming issue of Robin that’s supposed to reveal her fate?

[comicfreak]

"I'm almost honoured they sent her to kill me."
I remember one of Gails early BoP issues were Shiva were guest. It was said there that for some families it was an honour, that she killed a family member. When I read the sentence of Doctor Crime I had to think immediatley of Lady Shiva. Which would be great IMHO.

[mohammedali]

Perhaps it is indeed an allusion to what Shiva represented, but I wouldn't be suprised if Cas Cain is taking over her mothers role. After all, she's now been 'inspired' to kill etc.

Mohammed Ali

[Forsaken_One]

If it is Shiva/Cass who's to say they're following the society? It might be that they're after him because he, you know, is an an evil SOB who tortures people. They might not know that they're in line with the Society (if that's who's attacking him) or, alternatively, might not care.

You know, a kinda uncomprimising "evil is evil" thought line that doesn't allow for nifty exceptions like "they could be useful against the other evil SOBs."

Just a thought. I can't see Shiva wearing a cape. :p

[mohammedali]

She's from the Society because that's what's implied in the comic book. The society was the one that sent her to kill.

Mohammed Ali

[fuaak]

She's from the Society because that's what's implied in the comic book. The society was the one that sent her to kill.
At least, that's what the good doctor assumes. He may not have all the facts; perhaps the Scarface-Croc-Clayface troupe is all that was sent after him.

[fuaak]

I can't see Shiva wearing a cape. :p
Idunno, looks more like a long coat to me.

[Brack360]

Since we know that Cassandra will be appearing in Robin and that her "final fate" is supposed to be revealed in Robin #150, I'm thinking that Shiva is the more likely candidate here.

[fuaak]

Since we know that Cassandra will be appearing in Robin and that her "final fate" is supposed to be revealed in Robin #150, I'm thinking that Shiva is the more likely candidate here.
Like I said, with Shiva there's the problem that her being alive again and doing the exact same thing she used to, for the same people she used to, would basically undo the final issue of Batgirl - only, what, two months (real time) after it happened? I'd think even DC would wait longer than that to backpedal.

[Forsaken_One]

At least, that's what the good doctor assumes. He may not have all the facts; perhaps the Scarface-Croc-Clayface troupe is all that was sent after him.
Exactly, what one character says isn't the way it is. And I can easily see the panel after that be a big reveal with her (whoever "her" is) saying that no one sent her.

Idunno, looks more like a long coat to me.

The way the right part of the... um, flowing thingy... attaches to the shoulder makes me think cape. Could be a coat if that's the arm out though, hadn't thought of that.

[mohammedali]

At least, that's what the good doctor assumes. He may not have all the facts; perhaps the Scarface-Croc-Clayface troupe is all that was sent after him.
The Doc clearly knows of her, and her credability. And being a part of the Society meant he must of been aware if she was a member or not. If she had never been sent by the society to his knowledge, he wouldn't assume she was sent by the society at all. Her reputation would have been built up outside the society making it pointless to assume she works for them.
He would be more like "What the hell is she doing here? I mean, I guess it's an honour, but I'm sure the society couldn't have sent her. She never worked for them/us...".

Mohammed Ali

[Brack360]

Like I said, with Shiva there's the problem that her being alive again and doing the exact same thing she used to, for the same people she used to, would basically undo the final issue of Batgirl - only, what, two months (real time) after it happened? I'd think even DC would wait longer than that to backpedal.

But I'm thinking that Shiva is working for Oracle. We know that the Birds of Prey team will be getting a few new members OYL, and I remember reading in an interview (I believe it was Gail Simone or Joan Hilty's interview at Newsarama) that one of the new members will be a "villain." Shiva immediately came to mind when I read that. Plus, if you read the full 7-page preview for that issue, Oracle tells Huntress that Canary no longer works her but she is sending another operative, who is likely the shadowy figure on that page.

[GeorgeG]

I don't think it would be Shiva because it would completely negate what just happened to her.

As for a former villain joining up, Ravager would be a likely choice on account of her connection w/ Nightwing.