Birds of Prey #1 // Review
Dinah has a list. Oliver has seen the list. He's impressed. It's an impressive list of people. The problem is that he's not altogether certain that Dinah's got her back covered. She needs one more person she can trust. She's going to find that person in Birds of Prey #1. Writer Kelly Thompson opens up a whole new Birds of Prey team title with artist Leonardo Romero and colorist Jordie Bellaire. Thompson's distinctive wit and pacing build a very entertaining opening issue for a potentially spectacular series. It may feel a bit tedious "getting the team together," but Thompson makes it feel relatively fresh.
Dinah can trust Cass. She's not all that certain that Cass is going to be willing to help her. She's trying to get her sister out of trouble. Cass is onboard right away. No questions asked. Nothing is more important than a sister. (Dinah has been busy. Hasn't been following developments in Cass' life with the rest of the Batgirls. A sister has become very important to Cass.) The thing is, Dinah's going to war, and she's going to need much more than one person. She's going to need a small army. She's got some powerful friends...and they all have powerful enemies...
Thompson does a really good job at the characterization. All too often, a group of superheroes falls into a way sort of a generic set of archetypes. Thompson has a really good handle on each of the characters and what makes them unique. She throws them at each other in a way that respects each of their strengths and weaknesses. The gradual build-up in the mystery of the assembly hits with a powerful end moment that serves as one hell of a cliffhanger once all of the cards have been placed on the table.
Romero has a beautiful sense of perspective. There are some very powerful moments in the action, which are given that much more intensity due to Ramero's grasp of dramatic perspective. The lack of detail and some of the sketchiness of the actual rendering can feel a bit awkward in places. However, the overall thrust of the mood is maintained throughout with some rather clever coloring by Bellaire. The colorist has a brilliant sense of mood that works with Romero's rendering in a way that enhances dramatic tension throughout the book. Above all, Ramiro maintains a distinct personality for every character on the team, which interacts with every other character on the team in ways that feel beautifully expressive.
Thompson has done a good job of slowly adding layers to the first chapter of the story. She gives away just enough added depth and detail with each scene. The mystery of what it is that's going on is slowly revealed until the big final reveal at the end of the issue. At that stage, there are so many more questions that are brought up that make the second issue feel that much more impressive. It's going to be a fun ride with Thompson.
