While Wonder Woman is undoubtedly one of the Justice League’s strongest and most proficient fighters, even she is surpassed by Birds of Prey member Black Canary. Even though Batman thinks Wonder Woman could beat Superman, she doesn’t stand a chance against Dinah Lance.
In contrast to Superman’s preference for using his fists in battle, Diana is an expert in close-quarters weaponry. This is represented in her costume which dons a boomerang-like tiara, her lasso of truth, and oftentimes a sword and shield. Given that she also comes from the warrior cultured island of Themyscira, it’s clear that she’s more than a match for most threats, but how does she compare to Black Canary? Although Wonder Woman’s entire upbringing centers around combat, Black Canary surprisingly surpasses the Amazonian. Unlike Wonder Woman, Dinah Lance is adept in fighting styles such as Judo, Kung Fu, Krav Maga, Muay Thai, Wing Chun, and Jujutsu. What sets her apart furthermore is that she’s been trained by, and occasionally has defeated, DC’s top-tier martial artists such as Cassie Cain, Wildcat, Lady Shiva, Batman, and Richard Dragon.
Black Canary’s superiority is ultimately proven in Birds of Prey #68 by Gail Simone and Joe Bennett. In this issue, Wonder Woman and Black Canary finally find the time to get together for a long-awaited sparring session in the Justice League’s watchtower. The rules are simple: Dinah wins if she can break through Diana’s defenses and deliver a strike. With each of them choosing to spar with bo staffs, the two friends agree to not use their respective powers while they duel; meaning no super strength, speed, or deafening canary cries. Both combatants take their shots at each other but every swing is met with a block or a dodge. That is until Dinah spots Diana taking a sloppy misstep and exploits the mistake. When Diana takes a second to recompose her footing, Dinah sweeps at her legs forcing the Amazon to jump into the air leaving her vulnerable. It’s this moment when Dinah takes the opportunity to land a sidekick that shatters right through Diana’s staff and knocks her down. Wonder Woman, a hero known for being a protector of truth, assures the surprised Dinah that she did not let her win. Wonder Woman might be able to destroy all reality, but even she can’t beat Black Canary in a fight.
In a real fight where no one’s holding back, Wonder Woman would likely win given her god-like power and magic weaponry. However, in a fair fight using only the martial arts techniques and forms they learned from years of training, Black Canary proves that she’d come out on top. Of course when it comes to comic book media, how one character matches up against another is never set in stone and is ultimately up to the writers who have the power and freedom to decide.
While Black Canary’s fighting skills might be above Wonder Woman’s, fans are lucky to see these two heroes deliver spectacular Birds of Prey and Justice League action across our pages and on our screens.
