Birds of Prey # 100

Black Canary may have departed but this issue introduces a new team of "Birds," on their first mission, busting some mob daughter out of a Mexican prison. It is a fun story, combining a "caper" with a hard-edged action tale. Some of the story's gimmicks are really poured on thick almost on the verge of turning the adventure into a parody but the swift pacing and light-touch of the storytelling make these outrageous aspects easier to swallow. This main story is followed by a back-up where the Black Canary recounts her origins and her relationship with Green Arrow, in a talk with her adopted daughter. Frankly, I don't think Oliver Queen's private life is suitable for children and the format of this walk down memory lane seems a bit forced. The art isn't bad but it fails to show off the Birds very well. They don't look too impressive and come off as just another bunch of girls in costumes. This issue also introduces a new Spy Smasher-- the grand-daughter of the original, as a potential antagonist for the Birds. The new Spy Smasher does look impressive, especially in the over-the-top sequence where she flashes her multiple ID cards. But her character appears to be just another one of the overbearing, 'national-security' types that are proliferating at DC. Between SHADE, Checkmate and Sarge Steel's group, how many spy agencies does America have in the DC universe anyway?

Birds of Prey #99