A little backstory before my review. It turns out, my last review of Birds of Prey was the last of the original run! After the Platinum Flats arc, it was cancelled!! I know, I’m outraged too!!! I will have to do more digging and see what happened. The good news is, they rebooted it for a short while after the Brightest Day event, with Gail Simone returning as writer. There isn’t much of this run before the New 52, but I’m addicted and need my fix!

The Birds have disbanded. In the aftermath of the Brightest Day event, they are back again… because someone wants them to be. A masked woman dressed all in white is threatening to kill one of the Birds every hour – unless Black Canary agrees to go with her. Of course, Dinah is not going without a fight, and the rest of the Birds will fight tooth and nail to keep her by their side, even after their separation. They’re going to need a little help though, from the resurrected Hawk and his partner, Dove. The bond of the Birds is about to be tested like never before. Will they hold strong together, or crumble once again?

The Birds are truly at their best while under Simone’s wing. They are more than a team, they’re a family. The love and respect these women have for each other, and that Simone has for these characters, is palpable in every page. Hawk and Dove made a fun addition, especially the war-mongering Hawk, who added a wild card element to the already fast-paced mix. Ed Benes has been a favorite artist of mine throughout this title, for the emotive qualities he brings to the heroines. Though I wouldn’t recommend it for first-time readers of this title – too many past events are referenced – it’s one of the best examples of the title there is.

– Kathleen

Simone, Gail, Ed Benes, Adriana Melo, and Alvin Lee. Birds of Prey (II, Vol. 1): End Run. 2011.