DC is assembling an all-new version of the Birds of Prey, as Black Canary puts together one of the most impressive teams in the franchise’s history. To begin with, Dinah Lance hits Gotham, calling on a hero who she claims “can fight any single person on Earth to a standstill” and is the fighter she’d bet on “anywhere, against anyone.”
That fighter is of course Cassie Cain’s Batgirl, who proves Black Canary’s point by taking out a ninja army (and not for the first time.) Despite Dinah being cagey about the mission ahead, Batgirl accepts a place on the new team, trusting her superhero ally. The preview shows a hero outside the Bat-Family clearly laying out what every Cassandra Cain fan already knows – when it comes to fighting skill in the DC Universe, Batgirl stands head and shoulders above the rest. Birds of Prey #1 comes from Kelly Thompson, Leonardo Romero, Jordie Bellaire, and Clayton Cowles.
Cassandra Cain’s Batgirl Is DC’s Ultimate Fighter
The child of assassin David Cain and the world’s (second) greatest martial artist Lady Shiva, Cassie Cain was raised from birth to become the ultimate warrior. Eventually, however, she escaped her father and joined the Bat-Family, becoming their go-to muscle against impossible odds. Many people have vouched for Batgirl’s unsurpassable skill. Longtime Batman writer Tom King placed her at the top of his ranking of the Bat-Family’s combat skill, Nightwing has called out Cassie as the team’s most dangerous fighter, and – when asked what would happen if he faced her in a straight fight in Detective Comics #951 – even Batman honored Batgirl’s skill with two words: “I’d lose.”
Batgirl Joins the Birds of Prey
Now, Cassie Cain is lending her skills to the new Birds of Prey roster, where she’ll be joined by Harley Quinn, Zealot, Big Barda, and Black Canary. The team will need Batgirl by their side, as one of their first opponents will be Wonder Woman – a rival whose skill and godlike might make her the main contender for Cassandra Cain’s greatest fighter crown. Lately, Batgirl has been training alongside Stephanie Brown, as Barbara Gordon hones them into the next generation of Batgirl. It seems the bond that the two have formed has left Cassandra open to Black Canary’s plea for help, though clearly she’s also kept her edge as a fighter.
Long underrated even by DC itself – which briefly stripped her of her Batgirl rank, turning her into the Orphan – Cassie Cain’s Batgirl is a fan-favorite hero who has always deserved a bigger spotlight. Now, she’s getting it, as the Birds of Prey take flight, with Batgirl’s unparalleled fighting skill at their disposal.
Birds of Prey #1 is available from DC September 5.
