“Megadeath” – Part Five
Artist: Arist Deyn
Letterer: Clayton Cowles
Review by Fay Clark
The girls are fighting for their lives, the future, and for Themyscira. The last time we saw them, it was in one epic battle, after another epic battle. Canary really put together a team that can keep going, didn’t she? I knew these ladies could fight, but now it’s a test of endurance. How long do you think they can last, in Birds of Prey #5?
Sisters through Trauma
To create real bonds with people, they don’t need to be blood-related. Everyone knows that bonding through trauma can really make people family, meaning that the Birds of Prey are officially sisters. At this point, they’ve traveled together by shark, fought Diana, and are still alive, and even unleashed some form of angry mist god.
This latest chapter keeps telling us the story of how the team has bonded and yet can suddenly rely on a perfect stranger. If that isn’t trauma bonding, then I don’t know what is. Kelly Thompson has mastered the art of throwing these incredible women together with a big bad to fight against and watch them become a family.
The fact they’re all on Themyscira to save Canary’s sister hasn’t been lost on me. They’re now there to save their little sister, not just Dinah’s. Barda, the second eldest, has adopted their middle sister Cass at this point, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.
Harley’s the kooky younger sister that everyone loves but doesn’t want to admit to. Zealot’s the mysterious and cool older sister who everyone just lets do what she wants, because they trust her. Canary now feels like the second youngest, who was used to getting her way before Harley showed up. The best part? IT ALL FITS. The family dynamics of this group give me warm, fuzzy feelings. Thompson’s put a lot of thought into how she wants the group to feel, and I’m really getting it!
Well… that’s different
The second I opened Birds of Prey #5, my brain needed adjustment. This isn’t the style of art, or color that we’ve had over the previous four issues. At least for this chapter, we have a new artist by the name of Arist Deyn. The new style’s very cool, but I must say it took me a second to get used to! After a couple of pages, I was deep into both the story and artwork, and I didn’t even notice it that much. The new look’s much more angular and has more straight lines compared to the previous softer, rounder line work. The color difference was interesting also, it’s more vibrant and less sepia-toned. We get to see the ladies in full color. Getting to see colorful characters like Harley Quinn in vibrant colors did make for an interesting change.
Conclusion
Yet again, I have no idea what’s going to happen next in this incredible series, but I wouldn’t miss it for the world. Everything about this group so far makes me think this might be one of the best Birds of Prey teams we’ve had in a long time. Kelly Thompson’s smashing it out of the park with her writing, and all the artists who have worked on the series so far have added so much to the characters.
More, please.
Images Courtesy of DC Entertainment