What is this book about?

Featuring adventures surrounding Barbara Gordon (Batgirl, one of Batman’s most trusted allies), years after Gordon was paralyzed after being shot by the character the Joker. Unable to retire from fighting crime she attempted to create a new identity. Augmenting her detective skills with state-of-the-art-electronics she created a new alter ego as the ultimate information resource to the super-hero community. She now goes by the name, Oracle.

Oracle learned the ropes of espionage as an ally of the Suicide Squad, a covert black-ops government strike team, before starting her own international crimebusting operation called, The Birds of Prey. Her first agent Power Girl, left the team when a mission went awry and innocent people were killed–something that strains their relationship to this day. Oracle’s next agent was Black Canary, and the two slowly became the best of friends. Canary’s tour of duty defined the team and it’s methods of operation giving it the long-term credibility it would need to outlast her once she finally left the group.

No one operative could replace Canary, instead, Oracle now recruits allies largely on an as-needed basis–some regularly, others only when their specific skills are required. Among her core operatives: Big Barda, Manhunter, Lady Blackhawk, and Huntress.

Why should you read this book?

Solely because the title is the rarest of anomalies in the comic industry. Maybe it’s the creative team that makes this book such a gem and well-respected book among critics, maybe it’s these specific characters, maybe it’s writing for uniquely strong and well-rounded female personalities, or maybe it’s the assuredness of an editor who knows what this book should be. I have no idea. What IS important is that the Birds of prey book was one of the few books published by DC Comics that you could open each month and expect to find quality and entertaining stories starring strong women characters that embody so much of what the feminist ideal is. So given that concept, for this series to survive when the core audience of comic books, especially super-hero comics, are primarily young males is no small feat.

You can pretty much read any books from the Chuck Dixon’s run on the book, however, I’d like to recommend specifically issues 47-49.

Barbara Gordon makes plans to attend a scientific conference where Lex Luthor (who at the time was President of the United States of America, [not kidding]) claimed to have made a breakthrough that could stop cellular decay. Dr. Atticus Blackaver, the scientist? financier? demonstrated how to manipulate the so-called “chaotic code” that controls cellular decay. His demonstration included a teenage girl, who apparently can control the chaotic code. In order to prove his findings to be correct Blackaver healed a senator with a heart condition that was at the conference. Skeptical, Barbara Gordon asked incessant questions that annoyed Blackaver and had the teenage girl, Madison, touch her legs to heal them like she healed the senator. Much to Barbara’s surprise, she could now feel her legs. Before she could get up and walk around the convention was interrupted by terrorists out to kidnap Madison, the teenage miracle healer. Now without revealing too much of the actual story, I just have to take this time to tell you why exactly I’m reviewing and recommending this book to you.

Dinah Lance, Black Canary + Terry Moore (of Strangers in Paradise fame) + Amanda Conner + Ass kicking and witty banter from a hott woman in fishnets = Greatest story ever told. Also, the controversy surrounding Terry Moore and giving Barbara Gordon control over her legs again (albeit temporary) is another interesting reason to read this story.

If you would like to read this book, purchase from here.

How about that…no infamous NINTR introspective insight about about the book where I try and decipher the subversive message behind it all. Just a plain ‘olll fashioned book review.