Here is some welcome news for those who have been lost without their Birds of Prey action – the series is returning in the Spring. And to answer the question that is ready to burst from your mouth, yes, Gail Simone will be writing. Join Simone will be Ed Benes, and all I can say is, “hubba-hubba”.
“I am really excited and I missed those characters terribly. I miss almost every book I’ve ever written, but the Birds have a special place in my heart and brain,” said Simone.
Check out the promo bit that DC released on their website. The comic book publishers have been blacking out a lot of characters on covers for 2010 as part of the buildup, and the two masked out above should get a lot of you guessing.
According to Simone, the new series will be a little tougher and a little naughtier than the original run. And if you are looking for a sneak of what to expect, Simone said, “Someone wants the band back together, and it’s NOT the Birds. Zinda gets a date. A long-promised headquarters is built. Black Canary kicks ass. Huntress thinks a certain big league bat villain should be left to die. A bird is charged with murder. Another might be working for the other side. And Catman leaves a naughty phone message for the wrong person.”
How many people just went, “SQUEE!”
30 Comments
Yeeesssss!!!
AWESOME!
This is EASILY the best comic news I’ve read in a long time.
I didn’t read the last series, but this seems like an excellent time to jump on.
Benes is pretty solid, and you can’t go wrong with Gail Simone. DC has really be snagging me lately after years of paying it no mind.
For me, it is the second best news I’ve heard this year but it is good news indeed.
Simone is the perfect writer for the series and Benes’s art for females (and in general) is always gorgeous. This will be a great series.
Gail Simone could write an ongoing about fake cheese and it would be awesome!
So who wants to play the “shadow game” again. Batgirl obviously and…Bain?
I can understand why people are excited about this news, but I have to admit I’ve never been wowed by Simone’s writing. From Agent X/Deadpool, Superman, Birds of Prey to Wonder Woman, I haven’t been hooked by her work.
To be fair, I did enjoy reading Gus Beezer and Welcome To Tranquiliy.
Lord knows I have tried checking out multiple collections from the library hoping to find the storyarc that would give me that “a-ha! Now I get it” moment, but each time I end up not finishing it.
Perhaps someone could provide some guidance and help me understand what I am missing.
Or possibly it might be that you’re just ‘not that into her’. Like, it’s perfectly okay to find yourself underawed by something. :) Just look at my reactions to almost everything g-mo does! :) I _want_ to like it, I _want_ to see his “genius” as it is described by others, but I end up feeling like I just took a really hot girl out to dinner and got nothing in return but the honor of picking up the check. So you’re allowed to “not get” Gail Simone, even though I think she’s probably the best thing to hit my comic collection since… um.. since ever. :D Your Mileage May Vary.
Sounds good. Good art, good writer, solid action and characters and more leg than a bucket of KFC.
And as a person with a younger “mobility impaired” family member, I’m glad to see that they haven’t made the stretch to take Babs Gordon from her wheelchair. Making a “handicap” a non-issue to her character was one of the best things I’ve seen in a DC character in a long time.
I’m looking forward to this starting up again. I’ve been catching up on the trades from the previous series and love Simone’s writing. Secret Six is one of the best series out there.
Great news – loved the old series and love Gail Simone’s writing!
looks like the blacked-out character would be Batgirl for the one in the air (makes sense seeing as Barbara seems to be mentoring stephenie in the batgirl series)
As for the male looking one – I seem to recall Catman and Huntress having a bit of a romance in the first run of BoP while Simone was writing – so might make sense that she would bring him in..
Alternatively, the car they’re leaning on reminds me of Tim Drake’s old ‘Robin-mobile’ which is making me think it may be Red Robin?
@Greg A
Pick up Secret Six and you will have your AHA! moment.
The mini-series or the regular title? I read the original Villains United pre-Infinite Crisis tie-in and I think maybe half of the second mini-series. I can’t remember why I stopped reading the second mini, I suspect I thought I would wait for a trade.
I might have to see if I can get the first trade through the good ol’ interlibrary loan system.
You totally should. SS showcases what Simone does best which is balancing drama, humour and straight up horribleness. Its one of those books which are fun(YES fun not phun) to read even when it goes all gritty. And the characters..oh such good balance and distinct voices. Great character work and minimal continuity.. Its..Well its just a straight up enjoyable book.
OH and I call the 2nd Blanked out character to be Jason Todd as the Red Hood.
Seems like they’re leaning on the latest iteration of the batmobile… my guess is that it’s Batgirl in the air and my hope is that it’s Red Robin on the ground.
I’m looking forward to this book!
I just wondered if this means Simone will be leaving a title she’s already writing–Wonder Woman or Secret Six. I know Grant Morrison has voiced an interest in writing Wonder Woman, does this new BOP title lead the way to this occurring?
Also, what about the Gotham Sirens title which was supposed to be taking the place of BOP? Has that been cancelled?
Benes doesn’t give all of the women the same giant breast size or demean the characters, and that’s why his art really rocks it for women.
I really hope that the male-ish character isn’t Red Robin. I really enjoy him being all badass in his own series.
Batgirl will be interesting since Stephanie Brown was tentatively on the team in the previous series.
By the way, does anyone else find it interesting that there are 4 blimps heading two or from the main (Wayne?) tower in the image? Possible hint at the first story?
My eyebrows went straight up when I saw this “headline” and they STILL HAVEN’T COME DOWN!!! ^_^!!!! Oh em goodgollymissgail~~~~!!! I’m gonna go squee inna corner so nobody’s ears get hurt.
Yes! I’ve been hoping this day would come!
The Red bat/bird like symbol on the car? Red Robin foreshadowing or does the BoP use that logo? Can’t remember…
Still have bad memories from “Platinum Flats”, horrible last arc for an awesome series. I really hope we get to see more Lady Shiva/Black canary stories, those were always the best.
Batgirl would make sense…but I would love to see them get Batwoman involved….
I’m glad to see that Canary has not been killed off, now that she’s been booted from the JLA and from HER OWN BOOK!!!!!
Now the question should by why the hell did they stop anyway with the first series? I love the birds, but DC stop yanking my chain.
First I saw the headline and went “OMG! BoP is back!”. Then I saw the picture and it was the WHOLE team in GOTHAM CITY. Then I read that Gail Simone was writing it again. Wow, did I rub a genie’s lamp and use up all three wishes or something?
Didn’t see this coming at all. Way to go, DC!
I would like Batwoman or Batgirl, but they already have their own series and wouldn’t provide much visual diversity (another blonde/redhead). I’m hoping for both Cassandra Cain and Misfit to come back to this title. Didio said they have plans for Cass in 2010, maybe this is it?
Oh, and that looks like the Batmobile to me. Probably just there for the whole “We’re back in Gotham!” thing. The male(?) figure confuses me. I knoe BOP is not officially all-girl, but it pretty much is and should stay that way. Plus the only character that I can think of that looks like that is Darkseid! Who could it be? Big Barda?
Oh, and Manhunter must come back as well, especially now that her back-up is being cancelled. Would be a shame to throw in someone who already has their own title (Batgirl, -woman) in place of characters with no steady appearances.
There are 3 shadows if you look right. And has everybody forgotten Misfit or did something happen that I’m not aware of?
I remember Misfit. :) I’m one of the few who actually hoped she’d get the Batgirl book, so if Charlie’s back with Babs’ Angels I’m quite fine with that. :D DAAAAAAAAAAAAARRK VENGEANCE!! (I think that was her battlecry, though I’m too lazy to actually check my ‘facts’. Let’s just pretend we all know what I meant. ^_^)
Hawk and Dove are the shadows