Black Canary Appreciation Thread 2020

[Ascended]

Oh, totally random thought.

I've been thinking about superhumans and how a body must have to evolve to adapt to someone's powers, and how that would impact Dinah. And I think there might be some things she should have that, as far as I know, she never has.

Enhanced hearing. Dinah can make sounds beyond the range of human hearing, so doesn't it make sense that she should be able to hear that? Not a "Superman" level of enhanced hearing, but still a wider range than a baseline human.

And shouldn't Dinah be a bit more durable against blunt force? Sure, she can direct and aim her sonics but her body would still need to be durable enough that she doesn't rip her lungs and throat apart with her own powers. Again, nothing like a Superman level of durability, not even close to bulletproof, but able to take, I dunno, a baseball bat blow easier than someone her size should be able to.

[kjn]

Ascended's post made me think of one possible use of the canary cry: as a sonar, to navigate in the dark, discover invisible objects, or use as a diagnostic tool like an ultrasound imager.

Having a sensory superpower would make her a lot more versatile, both as an individual superhero and in groups.

[Frontier]

I am not sure of Canary's current backstory in terms of her training, but whether she was trained by the JSA or was a government agent, it's important that she's a good fighter. But as much as I love her as a character, she was given a sonic cry because fighting is not her main thing. It's not intrinsic to her character the way it is with characters who's identity is all about their martial arts. I'd stick her in top 10, and I'd definitely rank her above Catwoman or The Question or Green Arrow, I wouldn't place her above Deathstroke, Wonder Woman or Bonze Tiger.

Honestly I think the martial arts/fighting skills has become as much a part of Dinah's identity as the Canary Cry is.

[j9ac9k]

Can anyone tell me what her currently established canonical background/training is? I honestly lost track of her after the Nu52 reboot.

[Frontier]

Can anyone tell me what her currently established canonical background/training is? I honestly lost track of her after the Nu52 reboot.

I think she was raised in a dojo during her formative years after being stuck in an orphanage before working for the government/Argus on...Team Six? Then she became a vigilante after that torpedoed.

[Artemisfanboy]

I think she was raised in a dojo during her formative years after being stuck in an orphanage before working for the government/Argus on...Team Six? Then she became a vigilante after that torpedoed.

Following the JSA's restoration, her post-crisis/pre-flashpoint history has been restored. The 5G timeline previewed had Dinah Drake as the golden age black canary, and Dinah Lance as her successor.

[Tzigone]

I've been thinking about superhumans and how a body must have to evolve to adapt to someone's powers, and how that would impact Dinah. And I think there might be some things she should have that, as far as I know, she never has.

I don't want more powers for her. I'm really not fond of increasing power-ups for characters. There are several I wish had the lesser powers they used to have. As a general rule, I prefer no more power creep for anyone, please.

Honestly I think the martial arts/fighting skills has become as much a part of Dinah's identity as the Canary Cry is.

Has become? Her fighting skills not only predate the Canary Cry, but have been far more consistently present and used. Unless you mean from her own perspective?

Following the JSA's restoration, her post-crisis/pre-flashpoint history has been restored. The 5G timeline previewed had Dinah Drake as the golden age black canary, and Dinah Lance as her successor.

I saw that in 5G, but most of 5G hasn't been put into action yet, and we've heard rumors it is in flux and will not be fully into action. So I'm not sure what's what, there.

[Stromberg]

I am not sure of Canary's current backstory in terms of her training, but whether she was trained by the JSA or was a government agent, it's important that she's a good fighter. But as much as I love her as a character, she was given a sonic cry because fighting is not her main thing. It's not intrinsic to her character the way it is with characters who's identity is all about their martial arts. I'd stick her in top 10, and I'd definitely rank her above Catwoman or The Question or Green Arrow, I wouldn't place her above Deathstroke, Wonder Woman or Bonze Tiger.

It's not always depicted this way, but it has been stated many times that Dinah's Canary Cry is a last resort. She doesn't typically need it, and doesn't like to use it unless necessary because she's so skilled at martial arts.

[kjn]

I don't want more powers for her. I'm really not fond of increasing power-ups for characters. There are several I wish had the lesser powers they used to have. As a general rule, I prefer no more power creep for anyone, please.

While I definitely agree that power creep and power inflation is a very real problem in superhero comics, I think one should judge each idea on new uses of old powers very carefully. New and creative uses of old powers is fun, and something I think DC does too little of.

In this case, superior hearing or use of the canary cry as a sensor device would be firmly connected with her main power, and it would mainly be usable outside of combat or action sequences. That'd make at least me give a tentative thumbs up for it.

Note also that this process should primarily be open to the low- and mid-power-level characters. Characters like Wonder Woman, Superman, and Flash already have too many powers that the writers forget half or more of them all the time.

[LordAllMIghty]

Enhanced hearing. Dinah can make sounds beyond the range of human hearing, so doesn't it make sense that she should be able to hear that? Not a "Superman" level of enhanced hearing, but still a wider range than a baseline human.

And shouldn't Dinah be a bit more durable against blunt force? Sure, she can direct and aim her sonics but her body would still need to be durable enough that she doesn't rip her lungs and throat apart with her own powers. Again, nothing like a Superman level of durability, not even close to bulletproof, but able to take, I dunno, a baseball bat blow easier than someone her size should be able to.

I would assume these two powers are a sure thing, she definitely has some enhanced physical abilities.

Ascended's post made me think of one possible use of the canary cry: as a sonar, to navigate in the dark, discover invisible objects, or use as a diagnostic tool like an ultrasound imager.

Having a sensory superpower would make her a lot more versatile, both as an individual superhero and in groups.

I would be to learn she never used her powers that way.

[Tzigone]

Note also that this process should primarily be open to the low- and mid-power-level characters.

And then we'd have no low and mid-tier power characters (at least none that stay that way) because the lows would become middles and the middles become highs.

[Artemisfanboy]

I saw that in 5G, but most of 5G hasn't been put into action yet, and we've heard rumors it is in flux and will not be fully into action. So I'm not sure what's what, there.

Well, I don't see a good reason why Black Canary's history wouldn't or shouldn't be restored in some fashion. I can see adding a generation or two and making the the current Dinah the granddaughter or great granddaughter of the original if we want to address the aging issue. But I don't like the radically altered New 52's "composite character Drake-Lance with no legacy" backstory as much as Dinah Lance's post crisis origin or the original Dinah Drake's origin. And I don't want to retroactively strip members away from the JSA's history. So I hope the Black Canary legacy has or will be restored.

[OBrianTallent]

According to GCD:

Black Canary - 4776 appearances, of which include:

Justice League of America (1156)
Birds of Prey (498)
Green Arrow (487)
Black Canary (271)
Justice Society of America (267)
Justice League (155)
Batman (116)
Green Lantern (107)
Green Arrow and Black Canary (107)
DC Nation (92)

Zatanna - 2260 appearances, of which include:

Justice League of America (434)
Zatanna (292)
Justice League Dark (261)
Justice League (118)
Batman (87)
Channel 52 (58)
Superman (55)
Wonder Woman (48)
JLA (40)
DC Comics Bombshells (40)

Where or rather how did they get those numbers? Birds of Prey collectively has only had 212 issues, Black Canary has only had 34 issues plus her golden age archives and her OGN with Zatanna. Are they counting every page appearance?

[Tzigone]

Well, I don't see a good reason why Black Canary's history wouldn't or shouldn't be restored in some fashion. I can see adding a generation or two and making the the current Dinah the granddaughter or great granddaughter of the original if we want to address the aging issue. But I don't like the radically altered New 52's "composite character Drake-Lance with no legacy" backstory as much as Dinah Lance's post crisis origin or the original Dinah Drake's origin. And I don't want to retroactively strip members away from the JSA's history. So I hope the Black Canary legacy has or will be restored.

Different folks, different strokes. I've never been a fan of Dinah as the daughter, and more generations would have to keep being added as time passes if they stay to WWII (first grand daughter or great grand daughter, as you said, then great great and so forth). It was only ever kicking the can down the road as far "fixing" the timing. I don't much care for the New 52 history, but I'd still take it over the daughter history. I liked the original best.

I also don't like the JSA on the main earth for various reasons I've discussed in relevant threads. I know I'm not going to get my way, but that's my feeling on the matter. Actually, I'm not generally fond of legacies, but I'm in the minority there, too, and Dinah is a non-legacy legacy, anyway, given her origin of being the same person to start with.

[Electricmastro]

Where or rather how did they get those numbers? Birds of Prey collectively has only had 212 issues, Black Canary has only had 34 issues plus her golden age archives and her OGN with Zatanna. Are they counting every page appearance?

https://www.comics.org/searchNew/?q=...ds%20of%20Prey