Review – Bombshells United #14: Canary, Batgirls, and the Suicide Squad

Bombshells United #14 – Marguerite Bennett, Writer; David Hahn, Artist; J. Nanjan, Colorist

Ratings:

Ray – 9/10

Corrina: Canary: Friend Or Foe?

WARNING: SPOILERS BELOW

Ray: Two of the most popular side characters from the Bombshells series – The Batgirls and the Suicide Squad – face off in Bombshells United #14, in a plot that brings Black Canary into the narrative and features surprisingly strong moments for characters who rarely get much focus. The issue kicks off by giving us some new profiles of the Suicide Squad, who haven’t appeared yet in this volume and are led by a vampiric Barbara Gordon and Amanda Waller’s protege Frankie Charles. They’ve come to Hawaii to investigate the mysterious disappearance of Oliver Queen – and the prime suspect, mysterious musician Black Canary. Canary also happens to be potentially involved in the cursed signals that turned several of the Batgirls into mind-controlled puppets last issue. It’s not long before the issue devolves into a fight sequence, but Bennett’s writing is so strong that the banter makes even slugfests enjoyable.

However, the cursed signal soon emerges again, and quickly claims two more victims in Ravager and Enchantress. That sets off the best segment of the issue, as Enchantress uses her connection to Killer Croc to attempt to manipulate him in surrendering to the signal as well. Killer Croc is too often – including in the current Suicide Squad – reduced to a rampaging green monster, but his backstory of being a young black man treated like a freak because of a skin condition is very compelling, and this is the first issue in a while that’s really shown the man under the scales. Bombshells is incredible with finding the layers under its characters (watch coming issues for some interesting developments that those reading the digital issues already know about). The final issue of this series has been solicited for June, and this incredible alternate universe will be very much missed.

Corrina: Canary is my favorite character, so I’m frustrated at the lack of progress in uncovering the mystery surrounding the misuse of her Canary cry and what happened to Ollie.

But that does not mean the issue wasn’t good. It was very good, especially in the scene between Enchantress and Killer Croc, which brought far more humanity to that pair than we’ve seen in the regular Suicide Squad book. (Perhaps Bennett would like to write Suicide Squad?)

But I also wanted to bring attention to a part of Canary’s character that many who read this series might miss. As Canary is explaining to the others about her past, she includes this line: “My mama reckoned I was all snakes and snails til I was old enough to find my voice and tell her otherwise.”

Snakes and snails, as the linked post points out, is part the old rhyme: “what are little boys made of? Snakes and snails and puppy dog tails.” It seems fairly clear that Bombshells Canary is trans, another nice bit of representation in this excellent series.

To find reviews of all the DC issues, visit DC This Week.

Disclaimer: GeekDad received this comic for review purposes.