DCU Comic Book Reviews

BIRDS OF PREY #13

No Sentence Shall Be Commuted

August 2011

Written by Gail Simone

Pencils by Diego Olmos

Inks by Diego Olmos

Cover by Stanley "Artgerm" Lau

Synopsis

Helena Bertinelli (aka Huntress) warns Oracle that Dinah Lance (aka Black Canary) and Dawn Granger (aka Dove) are headed for trouble, as their undercover work will lead to Junior.  However, there is not much Oracle can do about it as the building where Alex Merkel (aka Junior) resides lacks internet connection for Oracle to do anything.  So, Huntress, along with Renee Montoya (aka The Question) decide they need stage a rescue.  Elsewhere, Black Canary and Dove are being attacked by Junior, who is easily winning the battle.  Junior manages to injure Dove, causing blood loss.  Black Canary attempts her Canary Cry, but it has little effect.  Meanwhile, Oracle contacts Catman to ask for help.  Catman tells her that Junior hates to be seen.  Inside, the lights suddenly go on, exposing Junior.  At that moment, Huntress arrives to knock Junior down.  Twenty-seven minutes later, the team is back together.  They know Junior is still out there and probably gunning for them.  But Oracle is going to make Junior pay for hurting them. 

Review by Binkley (e-mail)

I realize that it says part 2 of 2 on the title page, but this is not really the end to the story, especially based on what Oracle says at the end.  This is more of the first salvo, the beginning of what I am going to guess is going to be a long-running plot in this book.  Simone first created Junior in this issue of Secret Six, so I think she has a vested interest in making Junior into a viable villain.  So I think what we may get is Junior’s people battling against Oracle’s people, with the stakes escalating until we get Junior versus Oracle.  Mind you, I am not complaining, just observing that despite what the title page may be telling, this story doesn’t really conclude in anyway shape or form.

As for this issue, I liked the way it built and led up the end.  I liked the fact that Oracle was unable to help remotely, but still managed to find a way to help remotely (if that makes sense). I also liked the way Simone was able to maintain the threat of Junior, despite the fact that she was fighting against one of the greatest hand-to-hand fighters in the DC universe.  I actually though Junior’s effectiveness was very credible.  I mean, how can you really defend yourself against someone who doesn’t follow the basic rules of a fight.  Plus, the way Junior fought also said a lot of her as a character, her aggressiveness, her sadistic tendencies, and the sheer unpredictability. 

The panel of Catman cooking the egg is an echo back to the first panel of Villains United (also written by Simon) in which Catman and Deadshot argue over eggs.  I laughed out loud when I saw that panel.  I have to assume that Simon directed the artist to draw it that way. 

 

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Last updated: 08/06/11.