Birds of Prey #6 – Review

By Gail Simone (writer), Alvin Lee and Adriana Melo (pencils), Jack Purcell and JP Mayer (inks), Nei Ruffino (letters)

The Story: Black Canary is forced to issue a challenge to Shiva, a fight Dinah is almost certain she won’t be able to survive. This crisis is replaced by another equally vexing one when Huntress steps in and makes the challenge in her stead.

What’s Good: First, let me say how refreshing it is to have a small, two-issue arc like this. Not that epic five and six issue arcs are bad, but it seems like every book I read lately is going that route, so a nice, simple short story (albeit one that I’m sure leads into bigger things) is very much appreciated.

I really enjoyed the way Simone handled Huntress in this issue. The way she sees herself vs. Black Canary is unexpectedly moving (although I really wish they had used a line other than the overly blatant, “you have people who love and need you…I don’t.” Wee bit oversimplified and emotionally manipulative for my taste), and it also nails Huntress’ protective and impulsive nature very well.

The climactic fight between Huntress and Shiva is quite good and very well scripted; it’s a great example of a comic book fight scene done right. Simone and Lee/Melo make sure that the reader knows where all participants are at all times, and that each panel flows logically from one to the next. That’s starting to feel like a lost art, and I’m glad to see it well executed here. Clearly, Simone and her art team are on the same page.

Birds of Prey #5 – Review

By Gail Simone (writer), Alvin Lee and Adriana Melo (pencils), Jack Purell and J.P. Mayer (inks) Nei Ruffino (colors) and Steve Wands (letters)

The Story: The story picks up exactly where the last storyline left off, and so we find Oracle still dealing with Savant and Creole, Black Canary taking care of the aftermath of her battle with White Canary, and Huntress trying to decide whether or not to let the Penguin live. All is not as benign as it seems, however, as Black Canary sets off on her own, apparently abandoning the rest of the BoP.

What’s Good: While the first storyline was decent enough, this issue (finally!) feels like things are moving on to the next level. The prologue is over, and the real story is about to begin. Watching the Birds work as a team while simultaneously dealing with the personal issues and rivalries between them is interesting, and the twist at the end definitely makes me want to buy the next issue to see how things play out.

The artwork is doing its job; there’s nothing particularly outstanding, but it certainly isn’t bad. The panels are well laid out and do a good job of telling the story and helping the reader keep track of the characters and action. (Sadly, this level of competence isn’t something you can always take for granted in this day and age.)