Black Canary: Best of the Best #1: FIGHT

Black Canary: Best of the Best #1 is Tom King’s newest miniseries at DC, continuing his latest strand of female hero focused titles, following the success of Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow. This time around, he is writing a series centered around a ring match between Black Canary and Lady Shiva, which is advertised as the match to determine who really is the greatest fighter in the DC universe. But, just as any Tom King fan will be familiar with, there is a lot more going on behind the scenes that makes this comic much more than just a fight.

One of the most endearing things about King’s writing here is how he juxtaposed the in-fight commentary with the imagery and action that shows Dinah’s reason for fighting and her preparation to do so. King has used this style of writing a lot in recent years, most notably in Wonder Woman, where The Sovereign’s monologue serves as the backdrop to the action, and in Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow, where Ruthye’s future self narrates the story. There has been some criticism in his other series with this writing style, but here it feels very cinematic and works in a whole new way.

For fans of MMA and other types of fighting, this comic will feel very familiar. The way that King’s dialogue for the fight flows, the comic makes you feel like you are sitting in the audience. This, combined with the backstory and themes behind the series really adds to the full aesthetic, making this introductory issue a blast to read.

One of the exciting things about picking up a new Tom King series is seeing how he works with different artists. This time around, Ryan Sook takes the art duties. Sook does a great job in balancing the more somber, heartfelt moments and shots of the ring match. This issue sees the fight commence, so there is not as much action here as there likely will be in later issues, so it will be great to see Sook get to let loose, choreographing this fight with every bloody punch and kick.

Overall, Black Canary: Best of the Best #1 will definitely appeal to fans of King and Sook. Unlike other Tom King series, it seems like the endgame is very clear, allowing the journey to really be the star of the show. This is a very good start for what promises to be one of the most definitive Black Canary stories of all time.