Birds of Prey by Azzarello and Lupachino starting this October

[Hilden B. Lade]

Yes, you read that right, BoP is getting a new book but Brian Azzarello is writing it and it'll be using the movie line-up with no Barbara Gordon in sight.

Harley Quinn isn’t just teaming up with the Birds of Prey in next year’s big-screen Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn) — she’s going to be joining the comic book incarnation of the team as well, with DC unveiling a new ongoing Birds of Prey comic book series to launch this fall.

The series will feature the upcoming movie lineup of the team — Black Canary, Huntress and Harley Quinn — with Renee Montoya, Gotham City detective and occasional vigilante, along for the ride. If that combination sounds unlikely, that’s kind of the point, according to writer Brian Azzarello.

“Having Harley involved screws with the new BOP dynamic — hell, with every dynamic,” he said in a statement about the series. “She’s chaos, but she might be the most together member of the team. Canary, Huntress and Montoya have a lot of damaged baggage. Ema and I are gonna unpack it.”

“Ema” is artist Emanuela Lupacchino, who’ll be working with inker Ray McCarthy and color artist Trish Mulvihill to bring the book’s visuals to life.

“The Birds are a super-team I’ve never worked on before but that I‘ve always loved,” she added. “This will be a lovely opportunity to bring these women to life and let the reader feel their emotions. I’ll give them their energy and power.”

The new series will present Harley with a new life, post-Suicide Squad — the group’s series ended in January, and they haven’t been seen since — offering the opportunity for her to get mixed up in a collision between Black Canary, out to help an old flame, and her former teammate, the Huntress, who’s been sent up against a threat known as "Las Esposas de la Muerte" at the bidding of Detective Montoya.

Promising that the series will surprise readers, Azzarello said, “Ema and I are pushing the envelope, both character-wise and plot-wise, with equal parts estrogen and adrenaline. Our BOP will be the must-read title every month. Ambitious? Sure. That’s why it’s worth doing.”

Some B&W preview art here.

[Arsenal]

If it's using the movie line up, shouldn't Cass be in this? Or is she not in the movie anymore?

[OpaqueGiraffe17]

It’s odd that they changed Helena’s race for the new 52, but in the movie they decided to keep her white and race swap Dinah instead.

If it's using the movie line up, shouldn't Cass be in this? Or is she not in the movie anymore?

She’s in the Outsiders comic

[Green Goblin of Sector 2814]

Can we get Helena's classic costume back, already?

[Starter Set]

Fair enough, a movie's on the way, they are making a book.

Black Canary, Azzarello, Huntress...gotta buy this one.

[Tzigone]

“She’s chaos, but she might be the most together member of the team. Canary, Huntress and Montoya have a lot of damaged baggage. " - Oh, heck no.

[j9ac9k]

Can we get Helena's classic costume back, already?

It's funny what people think of as "classic." That's my favorite look for her (much better than Lee's "cut-out tummy window/boy shorts" costume, but when I think "classic" I think:
imageproxy.jpg

What's more interesting is that it seems if they're following the movie, and it's unlikely Rosie Perez, who's in her fifties will be The Question, that in this series Montoya is referred to as "Detective" rather than "The Question."

[Koriand'r]

It's funny what people think of as "classic." That's my favorite look for her (much better than Lee's "cut-out tummy window/boy shorts" costume, but when I think "classic" I think:
imageproxy.jpg

It's so weird how a tiny cross on Helena Bertinelli's costume grew and morphed into so much white trim her costume became completely divorced from Huntress' original Bat and Cat roots. The feel and even the color scheme is entirely different, they started going down the wrong track when they added the white. Though despite how much it's maligned and the lack of sense it made, when you do a google image search for Huntress it becomes clear the bare midriff look is the Internet's favorite version.

[Robanker]

Can we get Helena's classic costume back, already?

Rather not. I think the current one is the best she's ever had.

That said, Azz and Harley? Ugh. I'll give it an issue but I'm already prepared for garbage. How can you have Birds of Prey without Oracle? That's a fundamental aspect of the team. Get out with this Harley pandering nonsense.

[Ulysses]

Hoo boy! Sign me up!

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This comment has been screencapped and archived on my hard drive.

[Green Goblin of Sector 2814]

Rather not. I think the current one is the best she's ever had.

Nope. Sorry, I can’t agree. I think the new one looks generic as hell. It’s not a bad design. It just doesn’t capture the essence of Huntress to me. They should at least ditch the hood and give her back her classic domino mask. It was something that really made her look unique in terms of hero costumes.