Oracle and Black Canary: Birds of Prey

[katefan]

bop01.jpg
My look at this landmark comic.

[kjn]

Thanks!

One of the things that strikes me when reading the old Birds of Prey stories is that Chuck Dixon has very good storytelling instincts. He gets the interplay between characters; he groks that references to past stories are good and fun, but must have some form of meaning in the new story; and he makes a good balance between standalone stories and continuity.

At his top he was arguably one of the top craftsmen for writing comics.

[j9ac9k]

A partnership for the ages. I like Batgirl and everything, but it's too bad we can't get this dynamic again. (and I think Huntress was a good addition)

[caj]

Not trying to hijack your thread, but I just read a really good article about this book yesterday from Newsarama

https://www.newsarama.com/48700-the-...ra-gordon.html

Writer Chuck Dixon gave his editor all the credit for the idea of the book:

"Jordan Gorfinkel, my editor on Birds of Prey, was the real creator of the title. I was the writer he assigned to develop the title," Dixon said. "But it was all Gorf who saw a real chemistry between Oracle and Black Canary. The gimmick of Dinah working for an unknown handler was all his idea. And with the cancellation of Suicide Squad, Barbara was not regularly featured in any series beyond an occasional appearance in the Batman books."

"Gorf was convinced that the contrasts between Barbara and Dinah would make for an intriguing partnership. He was absolutely right," the writer continued. "Barbara’s insistence on preparation and having all the available intel to conserve risk was the polar opposite of Dinah’s ‘leap before you look’ attitude. It made for a fun combination when they worked together."

[katefan]

Not trying to hijack your thread, but I just read a really good article about this book yesterday from Newsarama

https://www.newsarama.com/48700-the-...ra-gordon.html

Writer Chuck Dixon gave his editor all the credit for the idea of the book:

"Jordan Gorfinkel, my editor on Birds of Prey, was the real creator of the title. I was the writer he assigned to develop the title," Dixon said. "But it was all Gorf who saw a real chemistry between Oracle and Black Canary. The gimmick of Dinah working for an unknown handler was all his idea. And with the cancellation of Suicide Squad, Barbara was not regularly featured in any series beyond an occasional appearance in the Batman books."

"Gorf was convinced that the contrasts between Barbara and Dinah would make for an intriguing partnership. He was absolutely right," the writer continued. "Barbara’s insistence on preparation and having all the available intel to conserve risk was the polar opposite of Dinah’s ‘leap before you look’ attitude. It made for a fun combination when they worked together."

Thanks for the link, I had no idea regarding the background. I give Chuck props for giving Gorfinkel credit like that. I think often people forget the importance of good editors.

[katefan]

A partnership for the ages. I like Batgirl and everything, but it's too bad we can't get this dynamic again. (and I think Huntress was a good addition)

I honestly feel at that time Batgirl was just a boring, forgettable character and Dixon did a magnificent job of resurrecting Barbara Gordon. Honestly I feel too in bringing back Barbara Gordon DC destroyed a role model for the physically challenged. It was an utterly moronic decision.

[HandofPrometheus]

I honestly feel at that time Batgirl was just a boring, forgettable character and Dixon did a magnificent job of resurrecting Barbara Gordon. Honestly I feel too in bringing back Barbara Gordon DC destroyed a role model for the physically challenged. It was an utterly moronic decision.

I give the credit to Kim Yale and John Ostrander for resurrecting Barbara since the Oracle idea came from them.

[kjn]

I give the credit to Kim Yale and John Ostrander for resurrecting Barbara since the Oracle idea came from them.

I think they all deserve credit for this, and I think it speaks for that there are different strengths for writers. Ostrander and Yale had the imagination to come up with the concept of Oracle and the moral indignation to rehabilitate Babs as a character, but the context of Suicide Squad meant that she was a supporting character. Dixon is a different type of writer, but he perfected Oracle's role and character by working through her relations with Black Canary and (partially) Nightwing, and made Babs into a true co-lead.

A lot of storytelling today is obsessed with the idea of being original or being edgy. Dixon struck me as as a writer who instead asked what was the best way to tell a particular story with some specific characters. And when he was given a concept that really was new, it was dynamite.

[docmidnite]

I honestly feel at that time Batgirl was just a boring, forgettable character and Dixon did a magnificent job of resurrecting Barbara Gordon. Honestly I feel too in bringing back Barbara Gordon DC destroyed a role model for the physically challenged. It was an utterly moronic decision.

Please refrain from speaking for all disabled people. I’m disabled and prefer her as Batgirl.

[katefan]

Please refrain from speaking for all disabled people. I’m disabled and prefer her as Batgirl.

And that's not what I said. If I had said something like "a role model for all disabled people" you might have a legitimate grievance. Please refrain from putting words in my mouth.

[katefan]

Thanks!

One of the things that strikes me when reading the old Birds of Prey stories is that Chuck Dixon has very good storytelling instincts. He gets the interplay between characters; he groks that references to past stories are good and fun, but must have some form of meaning in the new story; and he makes a good balance between standalone stories and continuity.

At his top he was arguably one of the top craftsmen for writing comics.

Indeed, Dixon was The Man.

[gregpersons]

Thanks!

One of the things that strikes me when reading the old Birds of Prey stories is that Chuck Dixon has very good storytelling instincts. He gets the interplay between characters; he groks that references to past stories are good and fun, but must have some form of meaning in the new story; and he makes a good balance between standalone stories and continuity.

At his top he was arguably one of the top craftsmen for writing comics.

I was just singing Dixon's praises on the Batman board in the Post-Crisis / Pre-52 Appreciation Thread and in fact I just read this comic too, I'm doing a read through of the BOP series now.

Dixon should be in the elite class of all-time Bat-Verse writers. I think he was best of his era.

[Gotham citizen]

I was just singing Dixon's praises on the Batman board in the Post-Crisis / Pre-52 Appreciation Thread and in fact I just read this comic too, I'm doing a read through of the BOP series now.

Dixon should be in the elite class of all-time Bat-Verse writers. I think he was best of his era.

Dixon is in that elite class, in fact the Dixon Dock was named after him (if I'm not wrong); like it happened for every great Batman creators.

What happened to Chuck Dixon? Did he burn out or did he leave DC Comics for another company? Haven't seen anything by him in awhile.

He started to work for the Italian publisher Sergio Bonelli Editore (I must buy that story) and he wrote the graphic novel: "The expendables go to hell" with Sylvester Stallone.

[kilderkin]

The oracle period of birds of prey is probably my favourite DC book in a tie with the JLI

Utterly brilliant