Ryan Daly reviews Black Canary #12, the final issue of her 2015 series by writer Brenden Fletcher and artists Annie Wu and Sandy Jarrell. Plus, a review of EP 1, the official music of Black Canary.
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Music: “Old World", "Fish Out Of Water", "The Man With the X-Ray Eyes" by Black Canary.
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I could hear you getting a bit emotional on this one Ryan.
No, that was probably static or a problem with the English translation.
Come in here big fella, let it all out.
I’ll be honest, I thought this was a dumb idea at first. At least set in any kind of DC continuity, such as it is. But this podcast (and it’s predecessor) made me think differently, and this last issue sounds like the type of finale fans of any series, be it comic, TV, novel or movie, dream of. The shot of all the Canaries totally sells me on it, and fits in with DC’s apparent change in policy that “everything happened, and everything matters”.
The “jazzercise” Canary outfit is colored in that way, but it kind of looks like the Dixon-era BOP outfit in style. Maybe it’s meant to be both?
Great episode Ryan. You did a bang up job covering this unique series. The only other time I can think of DC taking a left-field chance with one of their name characters was The Sword of the Atom. And I really liked that too…and then they brought him back to straight super heroics, and it was just dull, despite having Roger Stern at the helm. Let’s hope Canary fares better.
Chris
I really enjoyed hearing you go through the story and outline it in detail, Ryan – I must admit, that after a few pages, when the conceit became apparent, I rather raced through, waiting for Diana to de-Black Mercy or whatever. I’m sure I’ve mentioned that the music setting has been my least favourite part of this series – a pretty massive least favourite part – so going through the decades with Dinah and Vampire Iggy Bowie wasn’t an enticing prospect. I did enjoy the revelation of the Five Heavens Palm, and appreciate that Brendan Fletcher and co worked really hard to give Dinah a pithy pay off, but I just don’t like spending time with her bandmates. Ditto is the only one I can recognise, and she’s immensely annoying with her silent Magical Child schtick. I don’t think I’d actually noticed that Lord Byron was female until you mentioned it recently.
So, this series hasn’t been for me but I’m hugely glad that Dinah did have a creative team who cared so much for her.
I thought this was an ambitious series and a crazy finale. But I liked the book and I’m glad I got it.
For one,I think the idea of a visual book to be built so much on audio – music, solid sound, screams – must have been challenging and yet it was pulled off.
Two, the art ( specifically Wu) and the colors by Loughridge were phenomenal. This as visually one of the more stunning books on the shelves each month.
As for this ending, you knew where it was going. But as someone who has seen rock stars be cutting edge, then switch to pop, then try to get the gang back together, I thought the narrative was fun. And that’s without mentioning the demons and apocalypse!
Hope you touch on the Canary in GA. So far, she’s kicked all sorts of butt.
A grand finale indeed, Ryan. Thanks for convincing me to get this book.
Hi Ryan,
Finally home after two weeks away. One week for work and one week for vacation. On my first day back, it was catch-up time on Power of Fishnets Episodes 9 and 10.
I’ll be honest, I never warmed up to this Black Canary series the way you did, but as a testament to what a great job you do on your podcasts, I still looked forward to every episode and you brought out the best parts of each issue making me rethink my opinion at times.
Your coverage of the EP was even more interesting and while I’m online I’m going to consider getting it.
I’m definitely looking forward to what comes next for Black Canary and I’m happy you’ll be there to cover it!
Darrin
Ok, not only am I buying “EP 1” but “Fish Out of Water” has just shot up towards the top of my list of songs to use for future performance numbers. And for some reason the fact that I already have almost everything I’d need to do a Black Canary cosplay and have to do so has only now just hit me. Complete head smack moment.
Also, does the opening riff on “Old World” remind anybody else of “Don’t Fear the Reaper?”
I have not read a single issue of this book, and it doesn’t look promising in the future, either. I still like the idea of Dinah Lance fronting a post-punk rock band and being drawn by Annie Wu. I’m not into the actual members of the band (especially Ditto) or the warping of the space-time-vibrational continuum to tell quite so gonzo a collection of tales, especially this last It’s A Behind The Music Life finale. I think it was good that this offbeat book existed and the sales were decent enough that we shouldn’t have to wait another twenty years for a shot at a solo Black Canary series. That said, this was a pleasant diversion, not a template for the next attempt (although the best bits should inform it.) I think this Pretty Bird came out of the resounding failure of the DC You initiative better than anyone else, especially any fellow founding members of the Justice League who also hadn’t had an ongoing series since the one from the ’90s.