DCU Comic Book Reviews

BIRDS OF PREY #115

Underneath The Skin

April 2008

Written by Sean McKeever

Pencils by Nicola Scott

Inks by Doug Hazelwood

Cover by Stephane Roux

Synopsis

Over the Pacific Ocean, Huntress and Zinda Blake search for Killer Shark.  As they approach his location, missiles are fired at their plane, forcing Zinda to land in the water.  In Metropolis, Black Alice stands before the destruction site and determines magic was involved.  Much to the displeasure of Misfit, Oracle asks Black Alice for more help.  Meanwhile, Huntress and Zinda escape the sinking plane and make it to safety, only to encounter Killer Shark, who is able to inject Zinda with drugs.  Meanwhile, Black Alice is close to learning the magical source when Misfit interferes.  Misfit and Alice argue when suddenly Alice steals Misfit’s powers.  Meanwhile, Huntress confronts Killer Shark, but is then attacked by his Queen:  Zinda Blake.

Review by Binkley (e-mail)

Don’t get me wrong, I still really like what McKeever is doing with this book, but I think I liked it better when there was only one story in the book.  The back and forth between the two stories was frustrating, mostly because I was enjoying both.  Just as I was getting into the story, it would abruptly switch to the other story.  It is annoying to get suddenly cut off from a story that you are enjoying immensely.  It is an embarrassment of riches to have two good stories in each issue.  I suppose that if I had problems with a book, this is the type of problem to have. 

I have not read the Golden Age stories, so I can’t say for sure how lame or great the character of Killer Shark.  But I am guessing that given the morals of the time period, Killer Shark was pretty lame.  After all, he would mind control Zinda to make her his Queen, but I doubt the stories ever showed what someone would really do in that position.  McKeever manages to hint at what Killer Shark would have done, making him appear more sinister that my first impression of him. 

Why is Misfit in her underwear at the end?  I didn’t think that when Alice stole someone powers, she literally tore the clothes off the person she stole them from.  She does rearrange her own clothing to create a goth-like version of the costume she stole the powers from, but not literally the clothes of her back.