Black Canary Timeline
This timeline is designed to detail the exploits of Black Canary (Dinah Drake) throughout different eras of comic book history. These summaries are here to help make reading about Black Canary easier. For more information regarding our timeline project, see our about page here.
This timeline is heavily based on our “Black Canary Reading Order“. Non-indented sections correspond with Black Canary’s “Essential” storyline while indented sections correspond with Black Canary’s “Extra” storyline. Make sure to check out our reading order here for more information.
New 52
With the beginning of the New 52, the DC Universe’s continuity was restarted. Most of Black Canary’s past is wiped out and her history is relatively open. She starts the New 52 by founding the Birds of Prey and her adventures continue from there.
Also be sure to view the New 52 era of our “Black Canary Reading Order“.
Trouble in Mind
This storyline details how Black Canary created the Birds of Prey. This superhero team is formed by Black Canary and Starling, who both have their fair share of trouble with the law. The two then begin an investigation into a criminal organization that uses assassins and can trigger explosions in normal people. Along the way, Katana, Poison Ivy, and Batgirl join the team, though everyone is wary about Poison Ivy’s criminal history.
They discover that the assassins are normal people who are being controlled by someone named Choke. They get a friend, named Trevor, to help them cure the people who have been controlled by Choke. They also get close to stopping him a few times but he is able to alter their memories and mess with their minds. Eventually, they realize Trevor is Choke and Katana cuts his head off before he can destroy them with his mind powers. However, Katana reveals that her husband (whose spirit lives in her sword) has told her that Trevor might not be the real Choke. Along the way, readers also learn that Black Canary killed her husband.
This storyline extends through issues #1-7 of Birds of Prey Vol. 3. These issues are collected in Birds of Prey Vol. 1: Trouble in Mind (Review).
Your Kiss Might Kill
This storyline starts off with the Birds of Prey fighting agents from Black Canary’s past. Though they are able to defeat them, their presence brings up old memories for Black Canary, specifically the incident with her husband. The situation gets made worse when the Birds of Prey face off against one of the Court of Owls’ Talons. Poison Ivy is able to defeat the monster but had to sacrifice herself in the process.
In an attempt to revive Ivy, the Birds take her body to a jungle in Colombia. There, they are attacked by plant creatures until Ivy is revived, at which point she commands the creatures to stop. She then reveals that this all has been an elaborate ruse designed to get the Birds working for her. The plant creatures infected each member of the team with a deadly virus, which only Ivy has the antidote to. The Birds work for Ivy for a while but stop once Batgirl is able to get her own version of the antidote made. Ivy is left in critical condition and the team is filled with distrust.
This storyline extends through issues #8-12 of Birds of Prey Vol. 3. These issues are collected in Birds of Prey Vol. 2: Your Kiss Might Kill (Review).
First Flight
Years before Black Canary created the Birds of Prey, she began working undercover in Penguin’s casino. While there, she met Starling, who didn’t care for her job. Eventually, Black Canary tracked down a bomb sale that was set to take place at the casino. However, right before the sale took place, Batgirl burst in to stop it. Black Canary fought her for a moment before convincing her they were on the same team. The duo took out the criminals and even got Starling on their side.
This storyline ends with a glimpse back into the present. It shows that Starling is secretly working for Amanda Waller, who has Black Canary’s husband in some secret chamber.
This story is told in issue #0 of Birds of Prey Vol. 3. This issue is collected in Birds of Prey Vol. 2: Your Kiss Might Kill (Review).
A Clash of Daggers
The Birds of Prey are still recovering from Poison Ivy’s toxin when Katana has her sword stolen from her by a group called the Daggers. The search for her sword leads the Birds to Japan, where they discover that the sword was stolen from the Daggers by a hero, named Condor. He discovered that the Daggers are a suicide cult who plan on setting off a huge bomb. The Birds reluctantly team up with Condor and are able to destroy the Daggers, though Black Canary experiences some trouble with her powers along the way. With the Daggers taken care of, Katana decides to stay in Japan to take care of other criminals.
Back in America, Batgirl tells the team that she has befriended Strix, a former Talon for the Court of Owls, and wants her to join the team. Unfortunately, Condor also shows up and a fight erupts from misunderstanding. The confusion is quickly resolved and both Strix and Condor join the Birds of Prey.
Immediately afterwards, they go on to stop a weapons sale. They stop the deal from occurring but Black Canary’s power malfunctions are becoming more pronounced, enough that both Starling and Talon have now noticed. She explains that her powers used to become stronger when she was around her husband but cannot explain why they are acting so strange recently. Black Canary and Condor also begin a flirtatious relationship.
This storyline extends through Annual #1 of Batgirl Vol. 3 and issues #13-17 of Birds of Prey Vol. 3. These issues are collected in Birds of Prey Vol. 3: A Clash of Daggers (Review).
Throne of Atlantis
At some point during her adventures with the Birds of Prey, Black Canary is contacted by the Justice League for help. She helps fend off the forces of Atlantis when they attack the surface world. Though her role here is small, it marks her first interaction with the Justice League.
Black Canary’s involvement in this storyline is told in Justice League #17. This issue is collected in Justice League Vol. 3: Throne of Atlantis (Review), Aquaman Vol. 3: Throne of Atlantis (Review), or the Aquaman by Geoff Johns Omnibus.
The Grid
After helping the Justice League fend off Atlantis, Black Canary is chosen as a potential candidate for Justice League membership. Though she doesn’t join the League, this marks her second interaction with them.
Black Canary’s involvement in this storyline is told in Justice League #18. This issue is collected in Justice League Vol. 4: The Grid (Review).
The Cruelest Cut
The Birds of Prey are training together when Mr. Freeze bursts into the room and demands that they hand over Strix. He has been on a warpath against the Court of Owls ever since the Court stole his cryogenic technology. The Birds fight him off but he kidnaps Starling on his way out. He demands that the Birds meet him at the place where Strix was revived by the Court. However, when the go to meet him there, they realize he was tracking them to find another one of the Court’s labs. They fight him and Starling double-crosses the team, revealing that she owes Freeze and was actually working with him from the very start. Freeze and Starling aren’t able to kill Strix but are able to escape.
In the aftermath of the fight, the Birds split up into two groups. Batgirl and Strix have a run in with an assassin, from the Court of Owls, who has been assigned to kill Strix. Condor reveals that he was hurt before but he wants to be close to Black Canary. The two then kiss.
This storyline extends through issue #9 of Talon Vol. 1 and issues #18-21 of Birds of Prey Vol. 3. These issues are collected in Birds of Prey Vol. 4: The Cruelest Cut (Review).
Team 7
Years before her adventures with the Birds of Prey, Black Canary was one of the original members of Team 7, a group of extraordinary individuals gathered together to provide a check against the rising power of superhumans. Their first missions involved working to stop agents from Gamora, who were trying to unleash the mystical power of the Black Diamond. Team 7 almost fell victim to the Black Diamond’s mind control but were able to, eventually, trap its power away.
A short while later, most of the team has gained some sort of superpowers due to their leader’s experimental gene therapy. They were sent in to the island nation of Gamora to stop the leader, Kaizen, from opening Pandora’s Box. One of the team members completely destroyed the island and nearly opened Pandora’s Box on his own. However, with help from her husband Kurt, Black Canary was able to use her Canary Cry to subdue the rogue hero and finalize the destruction of the island. Only a portion of the team was able to escape the island’s final destruction; Lynch, Higgens, and Black Canary’s husband Lance were all unaccounted for.
This storyline extends through issues #0-8 of Team 7 Vol. 2. These issues are collected in Team 7 Vol. 1: Fight Fire With Fire (Review).
Operation Kaizen
The Birds of Prey regroup with Strix, who has taken care of her problem with the Court of Owls. Now the team seeks refuge at Condor’s place, since it is the only location that Starling didn’t know about. Black Canary tells Condor she isn’t ready for a relationship, she still has feelings for her husband. Suddenly, the group is attacked by superhuman from Basilisk, a terrorist organization that Condor used to be a member of. The villains are able to capture Black Canary and Condor, while Batgirl and Strix break free. Luckily, Batgirl and Strix receive help from a mysterious benefactor who supplies them with the means to track down their friends.
At Basilisk’s headquarters, Black Canary discovers her husband, Kurt, has been an unconscious prisoner under Basilisk’s control. Black Canary also learns that Basilisk is now run by her former Team 7 teammate, Higgins, who fused bodies with the previous leader when the island of Gamora was destroyed. She fights Higgins while the rest of the Birds fight the other members of Basilisk. During the fight, she is able to wake her husband, which has the unintended effect of causing all the superpowered individuals nearby to lose control of their powers. Black Canary uses the burst of energy to defeat Higgins but nearly destroys the building with her amplified powers. Luckily, Batgirl arrives to knock Black Canary unconscious and put Kurt back to sleep. While all of this was happening, Black Canary also learned that Amanda Waller was the one who retrieved Kurt’s body and put him in a coma.
This storyline extends through issues #22-24 and #26 of Birds of Prey Vol. 3. These issues are collected in Birds of Prey Vol. 4: The Cruelest Cut (Review).
Zero Year
In her youth, Black Canary was homeless and was taken in by the owner of a local Dojo. For years, he trained her and served as a surrogate father, until he passed away. When he died, he left the dojo under Dinah’s control.
When a major power outage struck Gotham, Dinah helps numerous people. Her actions impress a woman going by the name “Mother” and a man in charge of a government team. When the dojo is burned down during the power outage, the man offers Dinah a spot on his team, which she accepts.
This story is told in issue #25 of Birds of Prey Vol. 3. This issue is collected in Birds of Prey Vol. 5: Soul Crisis (Review).
Soul Crisis
The Birds of Prey meet Mother Eve, the mysterious benefactor who helped them defeat Basilisk. She explains that she is an immortal human who has been battling Ra’s al Ghul, and other forces of evil, for thousands of years. She has reached out to the Birds of Prey because she must recharge her powers soon, which will leave her temporarily vulnerable to an attack from Ra’s. She hopes that the Birds will help protect her in this time. During this time, Condor also tells the Birds about his past with Basilisk; he worked for them until he discovered how evil they were, at which point he quit.
While awaiting an attack from Ra’s al Ghul, the Birds become involved in the Gothtopia event. Ra’s breaks Black Canary out of the illusion and makes her an offer. He claims that he will heal her husband, who is still in a coma, if she helps him kill Mother Eve. He also makes Condor an offer, stating that he will kill Kurt (Condor’s competition for Dinah’s affection) if Condor helps him kill Mother Eve. When Ra’s finally attacks Mother Eve, both heroes consider his offer but end up working against him. Mother Eve’s powers recharge and she thanks the heroes for protecting her.
This storyline extends through issues #27-30 of Birds of Prey Vol. 3. These issues are collected in Birds of Prey Vol. 5: Soul Crisis (Review).
Things Fall Apart
The Birds of Prey are still working with Mother Eve. With her intel, they go on a quick mission to help the Gotham Police stop a killer. While helping, Batgirl almost kills the killer, because her father’s life was in danger. Black Canary also learns that her husband has lost all of his memories and no longer remembers their life together.
Afterwords, the Birds go on a mission to rescue one of Mother Eve’s associates. While on the job, they are ambushed by the Suicide Squad. It quickly becomes apparent that the Suicide Squad is only there because Black Canary betrayed them and secretly let Amanda Waller know where they were. She did this so that she could talk with Waller. Waller explains that, after Team 7 split up, she found Kurt and brought him back from the brink of death. However, she didn’t tell Dinah because Dinah’s powers were too dangerous when she was around Kurt. She also tells her that Kurt only married Dinah because he knew their final mission was essentially a suicide mission. All of this information crushes Black Canary but the talk allows the confrontation to end.
All of the characters regroup at Mother Eve’s base. Kurt agrees to go with Amanda Waller because he doesn’t remember, or care for, Dinah at all. Batgirl also declares an end to the Birds of Prey, since she can no longer trust Black Canary. Mother Eve offers to care for Strix, which Strix accepts. The Birds of Prey part ways on rough terms.
This storyline extends through issues #31-34 of Birds of Prey Vol. 3. These issues are collected in Birds of Prey Vol. 5: Soul Crisis (Review).
Futures End
In a potential future, Black Canary has taken over Ra’s al Ghul’s League of Assassins. She now uses the organization as a way to free victims of human trafficking, offering the people she saves membership in her League. Her League has found a prominent human trafficker and plans on bringing him to justice. After a short misunderstanding with Batgirl, who now goes by the name Bete Noire, the League storms the human trafficker’s compound. However, he has already killed himself. Black Canary decides to move on to another city, where she can help a new group of people.
This story is told in issue #1 of Birds of Prey: Futures End. This issue is collected in Birds of Prey Vol. 5: Soul Crisis (Review).
Batgirl of Burnside
Sometime after the Birds of Prey split up, Black Canary reaches out to her old friend Batgirl. She explains that a fire burned down her dojo and all of her possessions. Batgirl quickly realizes that the fire is her fault, since she stored an incendiary device at Black Canary’s place a while ago. To make up for her mistake, Batgirl lets Black Canary stay at her place for a while.
While staying with Batgirl, Black Canary helps her with civilian life and superhero adventures. She also becomes involved in the music scene and even starts singing in a band. Eventually, she moves out because a record company offered her a contract. She and Batgirl part ways as friends.
Black Canary’s involvement in this storyline is told in issues #35-40 of Batgirl Vol. 4. These issues are collected in Batgirl Vol. 1: Batgirl of Burnside (Review).
Kicking and Screaming
Black Canary replaces Bo Maeve as lead singer of a moderately popular band, whose name is then changed to “Black Canary”. The band then begins a cross-country tour financed by a mysterious record label. While on this tour, one of their band members, Ditto, becomes the target of government agents and strange monsters. One of these government agents turns out to be Black Canary’s ex-husband, Kurt Lance.
Kurt explains that Ditto is an alien with mysterious sound powers. The government used Ditto in experimental projects in the past, one of which gave Black Canary her powers. Overhearing this conversation, Bo Maeve attempts to turn Ditto in to the government. In response the government gives Bo powers similar to Black Canary’s. She uses these powers to face off against Black Canary in a battle of the bands. However, when the two singer’s screams meet, it creates a temporal rift which absorbs Ditto and Kurt.
After this happens, the band goes to the record label for some answers. There, the band is greeted by Ditto and an older version of Kurt Lance. Kurt explains that the two were hurled backwards in time, where Kurt had the opportunity to manipulate events to their advantage. He brought the band together because they are the only ones capable of stopping the Quietus, a being of destruction attempting to find Ditto. The entire band, and Bo Maeve, combine to destroy the Quietus and save the world. However, in the confusion of the battle, Dinah is stolen by a mysterious ninja in white robes.
This storyline extends through DC Sneak Peek: Black Canary #1 and issues #1-7 of Black Canary Vol. 4. These issues are collected in Black Canary Vol. 1: Kicking and Screaming (Review).
New Killer Star
Black Canary is now the prisoner of a mysterious ninja cult. They want to use her to discover a powerful technique that her mother once knew. However, Vixen, who is also a prisoner there, convinces Dinah to escape with her. Once free, Dinah begins investigating her mother’s connection to this cult. She learns that the cult leader is a demon, whose personality was shattered when her mother used the Five Heavens Palm technique on it. The demon is now luring Black Canary back to it by holding her former bandmates hostage.
Black Canary arrives to save her bandmates but is stabbed by the demon. While losing blood, she hallucinates a future where she dedicates her life to music instead of being a hero. Realizing she cannot let this future happen, she removes the sword from her body (thanks to Ditto’s healing power) and begins fighting the demon. She uses the Five Heavens Palm on it and shatters its presence through the multiverse. The storyline ends with Black Canary quitting her old band, though she remains friends with her bandmates. Readers also discover that Kurt Lance died while Dinah was captured.
This storyline extends through issues #8-12 of Black Canary Vol. 4. These issues are collected in Black Canary Vol. 2: New Killer Star (Review).
Rebirth
Coming Soon