Favorite Black Canary Story?

[Gail Simone]

That is, favorite story that she appears in and is the focus, so it doesn't necessarily have to be from Bop or her various minis. Any story from the Golden Age to Present, and a little bit about WHY it's your fave, if you don't mind!

Thanks!

Gail

[blackcanary_416]

Thats a tough one, I have three, but dating from a long time ago...

The first appearance of the Golden Age Black Canary because that story made her a celebrity, Johnny the own star of his book looked up to her and went head over heels and she was like the female Batman with her gadget choker.

I don't recall the name of the story but the one where she teaches that self defense class and takes all those goons out and still manages to smile and annoy Catwoman.

Present...

Sensei and Student because of the contrast between her and Shiva and the whole Hong Kong setting made it have a cinema feeling. Plus you can't beat that motorcycle "screw em" rampage at the end.

[shrike]

Can't do just one story, sorry.

I loved her appearances in JLA back in the day, but there really wasn't a lot of real focus on her minus her updated origin.

That said...

Shadow of the Bat 36 is a great BC story. It shows her going to her Gotham roots, its a somewhat personal story. Not only does she kick major ass, she shows that, unlike most, she's not afraid of the big bad Bat.

Green Arrow 59 and 60 show BC taking on a sexual predator. One of the things that I have loved about BC is that she is often shown taking on personal crusades more than merely colorful villains. Whatever anyone may say about Grell's work with Black Canary, overall he gave her a lot of personality and a lot of depth.

To round this out, BoP's Sensei and Student arc. Really, its just THE definitive Canary story of this decade. One would be hard pressed to argue with it. Whatever came before, or whatever has happened since, it just captured everything that makes the character of Black Canary wonderful.

There are other great BC stories... the Adventure 2-parter, I like BC's role in JLA vs. the Secret Society of Supervillains in the JLA/JSA team up, Green Arrow 31 and 32, most of Gail's BoP run, even Dixon's first Birds of Prey one shot and the first two arcs of the ongoing.

I'm going to throw in something, though, regarding Canary. A lot of people hated Grell's work regarding BC, most notably because of her treatment in Longbow Hunters. I'm not going to argue with anyone that it served primarily as a plot device for Ollie's character. What I _did_ respect was that, afterwards, it wasn't thrown away like a _cheap_ plot device.

Dinah was not instantly better. She just didn't dust herself off the next issue, and Grell didn't just sweep it under the rug. Her commitment to continue the good fight took steps. Granted, it wasn't the forefront of the Green Arrow series, but it was present for the first year of the ongoing. It was a subject that was actually tackled. I myself had went through issues around that time in my life where I understood what happened to the character, and understood what it was like to get better from something that made you feel like a victim.

[ElvisGuy]

I LOVED the Black Canary solo stories that were in Worlds Finest Comics in the late 70s !! I especially love the one with the Were-Wolf creature that Mike Nasser did the art for..it totally scared me when I was a kid !

[ChthonicSpirit]

Sensei & Student.

Good plot, Great interaction between her and Shiva, entertaining villains. On the character development front, I loved her logic when she rejected Shiva's offer. Shame it didn't last.

[JKCarrier]

That two-parter by Denny O'Neil and Alex Toth in ADVENTURE #418-419. Dynamite artwork, and a fun, action-packed story.

[DungeonmasterJim]

I've only read BoP and I can't say I have a favorite story. What I can say is that I've been enjoying pretty much all of the stories and the writing has yet to get dull for me - just constant quality as far as I'm concerned.

There are two things that I've really enjoyed throughout the series though. I like Canary's comraderie (sic - I know, but my old "New Expanded Webster's Dictionary doesn't have the word in it!) with the other heroes. I also like that serious injuries are usually portrayed lasting a couple of issues. It gets a little annoying when someone breaks an arm or something and next issue there's virtually no mention of the injury.

DM Jim

[TCJohnson]

NONE oF THE ONES YOU WROTE!


Can I get banned now?

[Gail Simone]

NONE oF THE ONES YOU WROTE!


Can I get banned now?


Nope! I almost said "excluding mine!" like i usually do, but not this time!

YOU'RE NOT BANNED! Hahahahahahaha!

Gail

[90'sCartoonMan]

I'll add my vote for Sensei and Student.

I also liked her in JLA: Year One, but that may be because it was my first exposure to Black Canary. I like how she was the youngest on the team and the only woman and yet she was still really assertive because of how much time she's spent with the JSA. Plus she also had problems with her mother, something we can all relate to.

[Zeb Oswalt]

The one ware the JLI move into their new Head quarters. I became a fan of hers from there. It made me annoyed at The Long Bow hunter, thought she was taken down to easy there. But, I was fan boying there. And there was no Huntress at the time. Haylana Wayne had been removed by the actions in Crissis. I didn't like Black Cannery in her Serials. Oddly I didn't like the Fish nets. She was also good in the redone Oragan of the JLA. Which doesn't count any more. Guess it's an else ware story. Still a good book. Liked her in BOP. Just when Huntress came back. I quickly went Black Cannery who? Still to me I liked her best in JLI. There were descent story parts for her well Diahn in G.A.L.B.H. But, nothing much as Black Canery.mShe had been injured by a crazed psycho in that one. Though Mr. Grail had made a very good hard edge story for a super hero in a close facsimile to the real world. As powers weren't used in that book much. It and Vigilante had a great Nard edge almost noir style to them. Still though she was gone from JLI after here limited series started. And fire became the focus.

I like Fire in that book. Oh and Huntress came to join the JLI. Still, to me Cannery was at her best in the JLI. Liked her in Ms.Gail's story about Savant.

[d newton]

Birds of Prey 13 - Catwoman's line about how she got free was hilarious:
"I had an escape clause." "Get it? Escape claws." *dodges rotten vegetables*

[BlackCanaryGuy]

I also love the two-parter from Adventure comics. Why? Well, I love Toth's art, and it was a 70s story with vivacious and fancy-free Dinah that DIDN'T revolve around her comforting Green Arrow or filling in the background shots in an issue of the JLA.

As for modern stories, I'll toss in another vote for Sensei and Student. It was a great moment of crystallization for the modern version of the character.

[BlackCanaryGuy]

Shadow of the Bat 36 is a great BC story. It shows her going to her Gotham roots, its a somewhat personal story. Not only does she kick major ass, she shows that, unlike most, she's not afraid of the big bad Bat.


That *was* a great issue, wasn't it?


I'm going to throw in something, though, regarding Canary. A lot of people hated Grell's work regarding BC, most notably because of her treatment in Longbow Hunters. I'm not going to argue with anyone that it served primarily as a plot device for Ollie's character. What I _did_ respect was that, afterwards, it wasn't thrown away like a _cheap_ plot device.

I have to agree. I think reagrdless of how one feels about it in the limited context of TLH, in the long term it wasn't merely a Green Arrow plot device. For better or worse, there were some long-term ramifications for Dinah's character. I would even go so far as to say that that particular character development is a constitutive part of the modern BC's journey.

It may not sit well with me, but it is part of what makes Dinah who she is today.

[Sabrinaset]

I like the one ... geez, it's totally my favorite ... it starts out with Canary in Europe and she's being chased around by some girl who speaks 357 languages and is always pouring whipped cream into Canary's hair, but she keeps changing her wig and it throws the woman off, but she gets kidnapped by a diabolical pair of women, one of which looks like a school teacher, and the other one like an evil pharmacist, and they kidnap Canary to Australia and these two other people experiment on her, I think one of them drinks beer all the time and the other one sens a bunch of teeny heroes out to get Canary. Meanwhile, some guy gets shot, an Irish virgin gets thrown inaplane and never seen again, and some guy with an Adrian Paul fixation gets mowed down by a guy in a blue penguin outfit. It was the best BoP issue EVER written, full of drama, pathos, humor, and intrigue!

I think it was BoP 91.

[El Santo]

That is, favorite story that she appears in and is the focus, so it doesn't necessarily have to be from Bop or her various minis. Any story from the Golden Age to Present, and a little bit about WHY it's your fave, if you don't mind!

Thanks!

Gail
I actually wasn't that familiar with her prior to BOP, so my favorite story is the arc where she learns that she has a sensei in common with Shiva, and they go looking for the people responsible for his death.

[SteelChrysanthemum]

Sensei and Student. This was also the first time I found a story where Black Canary interested me. I was really not a fan of the Giffin JLI.

[Cam63]

That is, favorite story that she appears in and is the focus, so it doesn't necessarily have to be from Bop or her various minis. Any story from the Golden Age to Present, and a little bit about WHY it's your fave, if you don't mind!

Thanks!

Gail

I like the '70s stuff and the work being produced by some sheila barber.

As for why, she's always been an interesting character and I love her sense of humour and honour.

Also, she's one of the sexiest heroes ever put down on paper.

[Sokkratez]

Sensei & Student.

[estee]

Longbow Hunters...she was very good in that mini.

Of course all of Gail's stories.

[Dr Ray Palmer]

I have two favorites that I love for different reasons.

"Of Like Minds" is my sentimental favorite because it was the first time in ... hmm, probably 20 years of being a Black Canary fan that I finally felt that someone was writing her who got her, or at least was writing her the way I'd always hoped someone would. A writer who saw the potential in the character I'd always seen. By the time Dinah gets out of Fisher's car in the opening scene of #56, I had a little bit of a lump in my throat because I was just so damn happy with what this "Gail Simone" person was doing with her. (I'd read some of Gail's YABS columns but BoP #56 was my first Gail comic.) Dinah's smart, she's funny, she's sexy, she's principled, she's got a heart, she's flawed, and she's a total badass.

I got slightly nervous when the story appeared to be turning into "Black Canary The Hostage, Part 9,302", but of course we all know how it turns out. And that's a big part of what makes that story so genius: it plays with what was unfortunately one of Black Canary's most recognizable roles for many years (victim/hostage), turns it on its head, and has her come out and kick everybody's ass in a five-mile radius. I love Dinah's line as she kicks the crap out of Savant (with two broken legs!): "Pardon me, Savant, but you've obviously mistaken me for Black Canary the hostage." I seem to recall at that point in the story, I had to put the comic down and swoon for a few minutes because damn, that was the Black Canary scene I'd been hoping for since about 1980.

So that's why I love "Of Like Minds" -- I felt like someone had finally justified my Black Canary love, and it was extremely rewarding to feel like Dinah finally had a writer who loved her as much as I did, and I was excited to see what would happen next.

What would happen next is my other favorite BC story, "Sensei & Student," which I love for all the reasons everybody else has given. That one's without a doubt the best-written Black Canary story I've ever read (and I've read a lot of them). The characterization is really just perfect -- it's smart and it's funny, there's tons of action, we see several aspects of Dinah's past come together, we see her hold her own against Cheshire and Shiva, and, well, she punches Cheshire out of a moving helicopter. What's not to love?

[Corrina]

I always loved the character but I never felt like she was given many shining moments.

I adored the opening of the very first Birds of Prey story, where Dinah stops the car jackers. Dialogue by Dixon, art by Gary Frank. That still qualifies as one of the best Black Canary scenes ever. The story itself is pretty good, and ends with Dinah back on her feet after drifting for too long following Ollie's death.

Though I liked the character in the 70s JLA she never got to do much. It's pretty indicative of the way she was handled that when the GL/GA books merged, they got co-billing. But Dinah, also a member of the JLA, never got the same. No Green Arrow/Black Canary comic. And that's the best symbol I know for how the character was handled too.

So, I have to say "Sensei and Student." The definitive Black Canary, as far as I'm concerned.

And if Meltzer messes her up in JLA....after she's been written so well under Gail....

[Lester C.]

My fav story so far was the one where she slept with Super Sonic but it turned out to be a Martian.:)

[Gail Simone]

I like the one ... geez, it's totally my favorite ... it starts out with Canary in Europe and she's being chased around by some girl who speaks 357 languages and is always pouring whipped cream into Canary's hair, but she keeps changing her wig and it throws the woman off, but she gets kidnapped by a diabolical pair of women, one of which looks like a school teacher, and the other one like an evil pharmacist, and they kidnap Canary to Australia and these two other people experiment on her, I think one of them drinks beer all the time and the other one sens a bunch of teeny heroes out to get Canary. Meanwhile, some guy gets shot, an Irish virgin gets thrown inaplane and never seen again, and some guy with an Adrian Paul fixation gets mowed down by a guy in a blue penguin outfit. It was the best BoP issue EVER written, full of drama, pathos, humor, and intrigue!

I think it was BoP 91.


You should SO get your ass kicked. ;)

Gail

[Lester C.]

You should SO get your ass kicked. ;)

Gail
I second that!:mad:

[Young Avenger]

For me it's the "Cat and the Canary" episode from JLU. She kicked so much ass in that episode.

[The Beast Of Yucca Flats]

Some of my faves:

Wolves
Of Like Minds
Sensei & Student

[blackcanary_416]

For me it's the "Cat and the Canary" episode from JLU. She kicked so much ass in that episode.

I agree and in the Battle Within story arc (I forgot to mention that in my earlier post) I love to see Dinah beat mobsters and assassins up :)

[blackcanary_416]

I like the one ... geez, it's totally my favorite ... it starts out with Canary in Europe and she's being chased around by some girl who speaks 357 languages and is always pouring whipped cream into Canary's hair, but she keeps changing her wig and it throws the woman off, but she gets kidnapped by a diabolical pair of women, one of which looks like a school teacher, and the other one like an evil pharmacist, and they kidnap Canary to Australia and these two other people experiment on her, I think one of them drinks beer all the time and the other one sens a bunch of teeny heroes out to get Canary. Meanwhile, some guy gets shot, an Irish virgin gets thrown inaplane and never seen again, and some guy with an Adrian Paul fixation gets mowed down by a guy in a blue penguin outfit. It was the best BoP issue EVER written, full of drama, pathos, humor, and intrigue!

I think it was BoP 91.

I loved that story line. I wonder if it will be collected in trade format :p

[heystacy]

I liked Canary in JLI, Sensei & Student, and BoP #90 (I think that's the issue number) where she pops Deathstroke in the Eye. he may have hurt Carnary, but she still proved to be formidable.

[ChthonicSpirit]

I liked Canary in JLI, Sensei & Student, and BoP #90 (I think that's the issue number) where she pops Deathstroke in the Eye. he may have hurt Carnary, but she still probed to be formidable.

She . . . probed him? :eek:

Probably a typo, but still, pass the brain-bleach.

[heystacy]

She . . . probed him? :eek:

Probably a typo, but still, pass the brain-bleach.


OMG I am so laughing at that typo. It should have read "proved to be formidable." Not probed. :cool:

[Lester C.]

OMG I am so laughing at that typo. It should have read "proved to be formidable." Not probed. :cool:
Do you see now what I was saying about typos and credibility with readers?

[heystacy]

Do you see now what I was saying about typos and credibility with readers?


I see your point. I was being hasty, and I think it would have gone pass spell check.

When I write for papers, and projects, I print out the material, and go thorugh it with my highlighters and pens for corrections.

[Lester C.]

I see your point. I was being hasty, and I think it would have gone pass spell check.

When I write for papers, and projects, I print out the material, and go thorugh it with my highlighters and pens for corrections.
I do that, but I also read the material out loud. In addition to catching more mistakes, reading out loud is a good way to gage whether or not your stuff exciting or boring.

[heystacy]

I do that, but I also read the material out loud. In addition to catching more mistakes, reading out loud is a good way to gage whether or not your stuff exciting or boring.


I have used that technique. Speaking dialogue out loud helps a whole lot. If I hear a sentence that doesn't ring true I change it.

I did that with an art history paper once.

[stealthwise]

I just LOVE that story, what was it called? It had Green Arrow, and Mike Grell did it. Anyways, yeah, it had Canary dressed in a really bad 80's costume, and she more or less got herself kidnapped like any silly old woman, and was them beaten and tortured and most likely raped. Oh yeah, the Shortbow Hunters, and Green Arrow then went out to avenge her, HARDCORE STYLE.



No wait, wait, I got part of that wrong.

I HATED that story.

[ChthonicSpirit]

Hmmm. This thread has made me think a lot about old Black Canary stories.

Anyone remember the one where she (for no identifiable reason) loses all her self-respect despite being a kickass heroine? Then, because Babs and Helena were mean to her, she randomly goes and gives herself to a lecherous parking attendant.

Awful lot of character development resulted from that story, didn't it?