This article is part of the DC Database Recommended Reading project, a series of articles written by our editors. They are meant as a guide to help both new and old readers, either getting into comics for the first time or looking to read more on their favorites. These should not be taken as a definitive guide; obviously you can start wherever and with whatever you want, but they're some general suggestions that we think you might find useful and enjoyable.
"I hope there's enough *Action* here for all my fans to enjoy" - Black Canary.
The Black Canary is easily one of the greatest martial artists in the DC Universe and possibly its second most prominent female hero. Although often relegated to co-staring in Green Arrow or team books such as Justice League, Justice Society and Birds of Prey (of which she is the co-,leader) Canary always holds her own and often makes the biggest impact whenever she appears.
New readers[]
- Black Canary: Kicking and Screaming: After a fresh start thanks to the New 52 reboot, writer Brenden Fletcher and artist Annie Wu reintroduce Black Canary as an ex-black ops agent turned martial arts teacher who find her life in disarray as she takes a gig as the lead singer to a rock band, to pay the bills rebuilding her dojo after an accidental fire destroys everything she owns. Battle of the bands takes a whole new meaning when this butt kicking punk rock adventures kicks into high gear.
- Black Canary: New Killer Star: Fletcher and Wu continuing where the previous volume left off, pit Black Canary and her band mates against a cult of demon worshiping ninjas, team up with fellow hero Vixen and learn about Dinah's past in this stellar finale to one a unique superhero book.
- Birds of Prey Vol. 1: The start of one of the most important friendships in DC Comics, Chuck Dixon writes these series of one-shots and mini-series that establish the Black Canary/Oracle team-up that lasts in one form or another till this day. Black Canary is called upon by retired Batgirl Barbara Gordon, now calling herself Oracle, to take on various stealth missions that bring her to the farthest reaches of the Earth and back battling smugglers, drug cartels and hunting down evil ex-boyfriends along the way meeting up with Catwoman and future Bird of Prey Huntress.
- Birds of Prey Vol. 2: The start of Dixon's Birds of Prey series proper, we are greeted with a series that has Canary and Oracle at odds with a kidnapping ring and a group of terrorist for hire called the Ravens who are led by Canary's martial arts rival Cheshire, a deadly mistress of poisons and nearly her equal in hand to hand combat.
- Black Canary and Zatanna: Bloodspell a graphic novel that details the life and careers of two heroes who couldn't have come from different backgrounds yet both are tied together by their parents legacy and their own duty to doing what's right. Shown through a series of events tied to Black Canary's Justice League co-member Zatanna from their first meeting as youths training to be heroes to the present day as they unravel a decades-long mystery involving a curse, action, explosions and plenty of humor.
Further reading[]
- Birds of Prey: Of Like Minds: The start of the now famous comic run by Gail Simone who would become the predominant voice for Black Canary and the other Birds for nearly eight years.
- Birds of Prey: Sensei and Student a major turning point in the life of Black Canary as she and Lady Shiva, the world's most deadly assassin trade places, each putting the other in their shoes with Black Canary training under Lady Shiva's old master while Shiva becomes the Jade Canary and works with the Birds of Prey.
- Birds of Prey: Between Dark & Dawn
- Birds of Prey: The Battle Within
- Birds of Prey: Perfect Pitch
- Birds of Prey: Blood and Circuits
- Birds of Prey: Dead of Winter
- Birds of Prey: Club Kids
- Birds of Prey: Metropolis or Dust
- Birds of Prey: Platinum Flats
- Birds of Prey: Endrun
- Birds of Prey: The Death of Oracle
- Birds of Prey: Trouble in Mind
- Birds of Prey: Your Kiss Might Kill
- Birds of Prey: A Clash of Daggers
- Birds of Prey: The Cruelest Cut
- Birds of Prey: Soul Crisis
- The Black Canary Archives Vol. 1: a collection of all of Black Canary's solo Golden and Silver Age adventures from her first appearance in Flash Comics (Volume 1) to her short-lived appearances as a feature in titles such as Adventure Comics (Volume 1) and The Brave and the Bold (Volume 1).
- Green Lantern/Green Arrow (Volume 1)
- Green Arrow and Black Canary's Wedding
- Green Arrow and Black Canary (Volume 1)
- Green Arrow: The Death & Life of Oliver Queen
- Green Arrow: Island of Scars
- Wonder Woman: Birds of Paradise