BIRDS OF PREY (2023) #1/ Script by KELLY THOMPSON/ Art by LEONARDO ROMERO/ Colors by JORDIE BELLAIRE/ Letters by CLAYTON COWLES/ Published by DC COMICS

Once upon a time, Dinah Lance found a sister – a girl named Sin who was meant to be the League of Assassins’ next ultimate warrior. While she tried to give Sin the home she’d never had, it proved too dangerous and Dinah gave her up so Sin could live a peaceful life. That was the hope, anyway.

Now, Sin has been captured, and her only hope of rescue lies with her sister.

Luckily, Dinah Lance is Black Canary, and knows everyone in the superhero community. Unluckily, her usual contacts and best buds are off the table, for cryptic reasons. Still, with Orphan, Zealot, Big Barda and Harley Quinn (wait, really?) along for the ride, Sin is as good as rescued. Right?

I had high hopes for the new Birds of Prey series. I’ve been a fan of Kelly Thompson’s work at Marvel and was curious what she would do given a chance to play in the DC Comics sandbox. Yet even I did not expect this issue to be as good as it is.

Admittedly, I may be biased, as the first page featured Green Arrow and Black Canary having an actual discussion as a couple instead of a screaming argument. This is shockingly rare among those writers who depict Ollie and Dinah as a couple. It is also a good example of the care Thompson shows in handling these characters and the craft with which she dives deeply into some relatively obscure continuity.

For instance, I had to look up Bloody Mary, the vampiric New God whose minions Big Barda and Orphan fight at one point. Thompson casually unfolds these characters’ histories with nary an exposition dump. I also love the character interactions, the humor, and the nods to the characters’ histories, such as the terse Orphan being a bad storyteller and the sixth member of the team who shows up on the final page.

The artwork is equally impressive. Leonardo Romero sports a smooth, streamlined style and is a tremendous visual storyteller, guiding the reader through some sizeable panels. Several of the close-ups of Big Barda evoke the spirit of Jack Kirby, in what I’m sure was an intentional homage. (And a good one at that!) The colors of Jordie Bellaire are perfectly chosen, as always. And Clayton Cowles’ lettering is crisp and clear.

I know some fans were nervous about this new Birds of Prey, given the absence of Barbara Gordon and Huntress. Trust me, however, when I say that this is explained as part of the story and there is a good, logical reason for their absence. This is, simply put, the best Birds of Prey has been since the days of Gail Simone and Nicola Scott. If you like comics, you will love this book.