Birds Of Prey

Origins

Barbara Gordon, formerly known as Batgirl is wheelchair-bound following an attack by the Joker, (Batman – The Killing Joke #1, 1988).

Not one to retire gracefully, she begins a new career as an all-inclusive information resource to the superhero community, using the name Oracle.

Her first agent, Power Girl, left the team after a mission went awry and innocent civilians were killed. Her next agent, [[Black Canary:char1689]] (Dinah Lance defined the term and it’s modus of operation, but left for more personal reasons.

Helena Bertinelli, the Huntress and a former Batgirl, now serves as the teams ad hoc leader, while other members are recruited as specific skills are needed.

Initially headquartered in Gotham City, the team eventually relocates to Metropolis, further expanding the team with the addition of Lady Blackhawk, a lost-in-time crime fighter from the 1940’s who serves as both pilot and chauffer.

As with other superhero teams the roster of the Birds of Prey has fluctuated over its hundred-plus issue history. The founding membership stayed static up until issue #99, in which Black Canary announced her departure from the team. In issue #100 she discusses her reasons for departure.

Current Roster

Huntress has taken over a leader of the new team, which as of 2007, consists of:

Lady Blackhawk (Zinda Blake, pilot,time lost Blackhawk.)

The Manhunter (Kate Spencer, operative)

Big Barda (operative)(Now deceased).

Gypsy (Cynthia "Cindy" Reynolds, operative)

Judomaster (Tatsu Yamashiro, operative)

Misfit (operative-in-training)

Previous Members or Appearances

A partial list of previous members and recurring characters follows:

2. Blue Beetle (Ted Kord) Former Justice Leaguer with a crush on Barbara. Kord is murdered in Countdown to Infinite Crisis, and the main characters visit his grave in Valhalla Cemetery in Birds of Prey #96.

3. Catwoman (Selina Kyle) Feline-styled anti-heroine, Selina has co-operated with the team on several operations. With Kyle having retired as of One Year Later, it is unknown if the new Catwoman (Holly Robinson0will join in Kyle's place.

4. Creote (unknown) Former KGB agent, Creote is a devoted servant and only friend to Savant; he is also secretly in love with his master.

5. Gypsy (Cindy Reynolds) Gypsy debuts at the end of Birds of Prey #92. She is a metahuman and her powers include creating illusions, camouflaging herself, and others near her, to blend into any background.

6. Hawkgirl (Kendra Saunders) Oracle solicits her assistance in issue #104 in dealing with the Secret Six, for which Oracle rewards her with a car.

7. Big Barda (Barda Free) Former leader of the Female Furies, she joins the team in issue #100.

8. Judomaster (Tatsu Yamashiro) Martial Arts expert, joins the team in issue #100.

9. Manhunter (Kate Spencer) The most current (of five) Manhunter joined the team in issue #100.

10. Lady Shiva (Sandra Wu-San) The assassin more commonly known as Lady Shiva took Dinah's spot on the Birds of Prey team as of One Year Later, calling herself the Jade Canary. After the conditions behind the switch she arranged with the Black Canary had been met, she departed from the team. In a final act, she acquired a new apprentice to train, in the form of Bethany Thorne, Crime Doctor daughter.

11. Josh A rental car agent who bargained with Huntress — information in exchange for a date. After reluctantly agreeing and (surprisingly) sleeping with him, Huntress has used Josh as an agent in some of her easier tasks against the mob.

12. Nightwing (Dick Grayson) Dashing crime fighter and the original Robin, Dick enjoyed a mutual teenage crush on Barbara that once blossomed into a steamy romance, but has crumbled despite continued strong feelings on both sides. Recently, Barbara and Dick reconciled. As they did, Dick dropped to one knee and proposed; a tearful Barbara said "yes." As of One Year Later, the engagement appears to be off.

13. Power Girl (Karen Starr aka Kara Zor-L) Power Girl was Oracle's first operative, before she took in Black Canary. This first partnership was doomed since Power Girl was unable to save a shipload of people. She has worked occasionally with Oracle in subsequent episodes but the two have a very poor relationship; she was invited to return to the team in Issue #100 but stated she would do so "when Hell freezes over".

14. Savant (Brian Durlin) Spoiled heir to an enormous fortune, Savant moved to Gotham to become a self-styled vigilante. After kidnapping and brutally torturing Black Canary, he was defeated by the Birds. Oracle made the questionable decision to rehabilitate him, mainly in order to keep his data files on hundreds of real villains. Like his namesake, he is a genius; however, due to a chemical imbalance he exhibits a non-linear memory. Savant has also exhibited feelings for Oracle, probably rooted in his envy of her computer skills.

15. Vixen (Mari Jiwi McCabe) International supermodel and former Justice League and Suicide Squad member, Mari was born in Africa. She inherited her family's "Tantu" totem, a necklace granting the wearer the ability to channel the skills/abilities of any animal. Vixen has been a field agent for Oracle, accompanying Huntress to the Pacific Northwest to stop a meta-human worshipping cult.

16. Wildcat (Ted Grant) Former professional boxer and current member of the Justice Society, Ted serves as a mentor to Dinah and has helped her on several missions.