Birds of Prey Timeline
This timeline is designed to detail the exploits of the Birds of Prey throughout different eras of comic book history. These summaries are here to help make reading about the Birds of Prey easier. For more information regarding our timeline project, see our about page here.
This timeline is heavily based on our “Birds of Prey Reading Order“. Non-indented sections correspond with the Birds of Prey’s “Essential” storyline while indented sections correspond with the Birds of Prey’s “Extra” storyline. Make sure to check out our reading order here for more information.
New 52
With the start of the New 52, previous incarnations of the Birds of Prey were wiped from continuity and a new team was formed. This era of comic books sees the Birds of Prey take on a number of threats. Their roster constantly changes but Black Canary and Batgirl serve as members of the team from the beginning to the end. This timeline follows their adventures from when the team formed to when the team eventually broke up.
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).
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. However, he hates the Court as much as she does and decides to fake her death instead. Meanwhile, Black Canary and Condor open up to each other about their pasts. 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).
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 a 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).
Rebirth
Coming Soon.