Black Canary: Best of the Best #4: Get Back Up

Black Canary: Best of the Best #4 picks up with Dinah’s triumphant punch, placing her in the offensive position for the first time in this fight. Thus far, Lady Shiva has been absolutely dominating the fight, with the announcers saying that it is a miracle that Dinah had even made it to that point. As the issue progresses, Tom King and Ryan Sook take another deep dive into Dinah’s character, showcasing more of how she got to this point as well as the what gave her the fuel to get back up and keep fighting.

The inciting incident for Dinah taking over the fight was when Shiva decided to assault her coach, Ted Grant, with Black Canary: Best of the Best #4 revealing that he is now in an ambulance on the way to the hospital. For those not too intimately familiar with Dinah’s backstory, the issue does an excellent job of showcasing Grant’s role in her life, with much of the issue being a flashback to when she first meets Oliver Queen. Fans of the Justice League Unlimited cartoon will also recognize Grant as the Justice Society of America’s Wildcat, with that show also delving into their relationship. This motivation proves to be a strong focal point to kick off the issue.

The actual meat of the issue revolves around how Dinah’s mind works, specifically why she feels so motivated to get back up. While part of it definitely has to do with Shiva’s unprompted assault of Grant, the other part is revealed through more flashbacks. While the major flashback showcases Dinah meeting Ollie, the other showcases Dinah in a bar with her Mother. Both of these help reinforce that relationship that Dinah has with her mother, while also showcasing how her mother taught her to be a powerful, up front woman. This is showcased through a series of texts that reinforce how Dinah’s mother refuses to see her daughter as anything but powerful, leading to Dinah making the first move on Ollie.

When it comes to her motivation for getting back up, it is revealed through the multiple flashbacks that Dinah projects a lot of her mother’s values on others. Dinah’s mom maintains that her daughter is strong because she will never give up, and holds her perseverance to a high regard. This mirrors how Dinah views Ollie for the first time. She acknowledges he is a poor fighter; however, she is attracted to his desire to continue to get back up and fight for what he believes in. While Ollie is not featured as a main character in this series, King and Sook do an excellent job of showcasing his relationship with Dinah through her eyes, adding to the themes of the overall series.