DCU Comic Book Reviews

BIRDS OF PREY #127

The End Of The Beginning

April 2009

Written by Tony Bedard

Pencils by Claude St. Abin

Inks by John Floyd

Cover by Stephane Roux

Synopsis

Using the technology of Kilg%re, Calculator has improved his abilities so that he can create a physical avatar, which he then unleashes on the Birds of Prey.  Barbara Gordon (aka Oracle) leads Calculator directly to Zinda, who uses a rocket launcher to destroy the avatar.  The Birds then leave their headquarters and Oracle literally blows it up.  The team then tracks down Calculator’s position and the team takes down the rest of the Silicon Syndicate.  The Calculator, however, is able to escape.  Later, Oracle decides to leave the team.   

Review by Binkley (e-mail)

The story about the Silicon Syndicate and Calculator comes to an end and this last part is not that bad, with the various team members getting a chance to shine (and who can’t smile when Charlie runs around screaming “Dark Vengeance”).  In some ways the story feels condensed, as if Bedard had more he could’ve done with the battle and the characters, but couldn’t due to space constraints.  Despite that, the story reads fluently and all of the major bets that Bedard needs to touch upon are, well touched upon (including Manhunter getting her revenge).  But as for an overall ending for the team and the book, this issue doesn’t quite work.  It peters out, kinda limping to an ending with finish that seemed forced as well as rushed.  In fact, I think if it weren’t for Oracle disbanding the team (and the back-up story), Bedard would’ve had those extra pages I think he wanted.  Regardless, the ending to this book doesn’t work.  I am not sure how much lead time Bedard had with this book, but I think he failed to build in a good ending.  This is nothing satisfactory about Oracle’s decision, especially when you realize the Birds (and above all Black Canary) were not involved.  Although, to be fair to Bedard, he was trying to set up the upcoming mini-series, so he was trying to serve two masters at once and unfortunately failed both.  It is not a good end to the book, but a decent end to the Silicon Syndicate story. 

Origins & Omens

Written by Kevin Vanhook

Art by Fernando Pasarin and Matt Ryan

Commentary

Now this is a true origin and I liked the way it worked both in terms of Oracle recalling her past life and how it fits into the feelings she has been having in the main story.  When I first heard of this series of back-up stories, this is kinda what I had envisioned and I think it s probably the only one like it, really.  As for the omen portion, that is a nice drawing of Canary’s ass.  Who is that supposed to be in the blood splattered room?  I hope that is not Charlie.