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Black Canary is a fictional comic book character owned by DC Comics. She began in 1947 and was a later member of the Justice Society of America in its final years. When her husband, Larry Lance, was killed, in a 1969 issue of the Justice League of America, the Black Canary decided to leave Earth Two (then perceived as the home of the Justice Society) and travel to Earth One and become a member of the Justice League. In a few years, she became embroiled in a romance with Green Arrow.
The problem with this is that the Golden Age Black Canary who started her career in 1947 would have been way too old for the Bronze Age Green Arrow. DC Comics rewrote her history several times to resolve this and make her younger. One way or the other, the plan developed was to make the character into two people, the Justice League member the daughter of the original Justice Society member. The following is a summary of the story of the two Black Canary characters as they stand now in the DC Universe continuity.
Golden Age Black Canary
Dinah Drake wants to be a police detective like her father, Detective Richard Drake. Detective Drake had made sure his daughter was trained in martial arts and detective skills growing up, in anticipation of the day that she would follow in his footsteps. The police are taking a limited quota of females the year Dinah applied, and so, despite her father's connections, she is turned down. Her father dies of a heart attack soon after, and Dinah links the two events in her mind. Frustrated and angry, Dinah uses her inheritance to open a flower shop. She begins her career as vigilante crime fighter, using a blond wig and and elaborate costume. Black Canary begins by posing as a petty criminal, using her rep to infiltrate criminal gangs and then arrange for their arrest by Police Detective Larry Lance. Lance later leaves the force and becomes a private investigator. After an encounter with Johnny Thunder, she is able to join the Justice Society of America in its last years of existence, until it is disbanded in 1951. Larry Lance and Dinah had been dating, and are married in the 1950s. She retires from crime fighting after giving birth to her daughter, Dinah Laurel Lance. Years later, she dies from radiation she had been exposed to during one of her later cases.
Green Arrow and Black Canary in action.The story title refers to her newly adopted daughter.
Modern Age Black Canary
Dinah grows up listening to stories from and about her mother and her friends in the Justice Society of America, and is inspired to follow in her mother's footsteps. Despite her mother's disapproval, she begins intensive martial arts training, beginning with her mother's friend, JSA member Wildcat, but extending to others as well. It is also discovered that she had a "meta-gene" which gave her the ability to emit a sonic cry that would shatter ears and objects, which she refers to as her "Canary Cry". She is part of the Justice League's initial core team, where she meets Green Arrow (Oliver Queen). The two begin a relationship.
After her mother's death, she moves to Seattle and opens a flower shop with Green Arrow. They name the store "Sherwood Florist". Now living together, the two have a few happy months together. In a failed attempt to bust a drug ring, Dinah is captured and later rescued by Green Arrow. While a prisoner she was tortured and abused, the result of which was she is traumatized and has now lost her "Canary Cry" power. Oliver stands by her on her long road to recovery. When she is just about back to her old fighting self, Oliver, in a weak moment, cheats on her. Broken hearted, Dinah kicks him out of her life.
After her relationship with Green Arrow ends, she begins working for a newly formed Justice League for a while. After the report of Green Arrow's death, she begins working for Oracle as an early member of the Birds of Prey. During this time, her "Canary Cry" power returns to her. Also, forces conspire to return Green Arrow to life. Still not trusting him, she keeps her distance.
The Black Canary with Sin.
She continues with the Birds of Prey for a few years. Her expanding friendship with Oracle and Huntress helps heal her emotionally. Everything is going great, when a fateful exchange with Lady Shiva changes her life once more.
Lady Shiva is said to be one of the top three martial artists in the DC Universe. She travels the world, taking on and learning from every martial artist in the world. She has beaten the Batman in a fair fight. She is also a ruthless opponent, and does not blink at killing an adversary, having a moral code that is uniquely her own. When she and Black Canary's paths cross, Dinah is facinated.
Dinah starts to wonder what it would be like to be that good. Would she have what it takes to develop skills on Shiva's level? When Shiva offers to take her on as an apprentice, Dinah gives it some serious thought.
Shiva sends her to a secret training camp located somewhere in Southeast Asia, run by a cruel sensei known only as "Mother". There, she meets a young orphan girl given only the name "Sin". Sin is there for the same training as Dinah, but the plan is for her to spend her entire youth training. Undergoing the program, Dinah finds the program the most painful, degrading, and rigorous of her life. As she continues in it, she comes to recognize it for what it is: an assassin's training. In order to complete it, Dinah will have to learn to kill and maim without mercy. While her skills develop to a degree to which they never have before, she also realizes that there are certain lines that she will not cross. Striking out at "Mother" in a final act of defiance, Dinah takes Sin and leaves the program.
Oliver Queen, now Mayor of Star City, uses his new political influence to help Black Canary bring Sin into the U.S. and give Dinah legal custody. Rejoining the Birds of Prey, Dinah soon decides to leave the group to concentrate on raising her new daughter. After several months, Black Canary comes out of retirement, and accepts a position as the Chairman of the latest incarnation of the Justice League. In the meantime, she starts to understand that Oliver has changed a lot and taken on some roots and real responsibility. She begins to feel that maybe she can trust him again. When Oliver proposes, Dinah accepts. In the four part limited series Black Canary: Living with Sin (2007), Dinah and Ollie face Mother's assassins and attempt to foil their attempt to recapture Sin.
In the Green Arrow/Black Canary Wedding Special (2007), the two were finally married. The couple now star in their own on-going series, Green Arrow/Black Canary (2007).
Portrayals
The Golden Age Black Canary.
The Golden Age Black Canary.
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