THE CANARY IS A PRETTY BIRD by Dave Goode

In my mind the original Black Canary had the sexiest costume of any comic book heroine. Perfect for an Artists & Models Ball. Or for a night out at the local fetish bar. Okay so the buccaneer boots with the 4 inch heels may not have been practical for guerilla warfare against crime in the streets. But most super-heroines wore heels in the fight for truth , justice and the American way. Especially at the time when Robert Kanigher and Carmine Infantino created her. And like the other heroines of the period who didn't posses powers and abilities beyond those of mere mortals she was a " judo expert ".

 

 

 

 

Making her first appearance in Flash Comics No. 86 ( August 1947 ) the Black Canary was a supporting player in the Johnny Thunder back - up feature. A female Robin Hood who took a page from the Green Hornet's  playbook. She would infiltrate criminal gangs to smash them from within. Soon she was the most popular character in the feature. The Johnny Thunder strip was cancelled. And the Black Canary was awarded her own strip in Flash Comics No. 92 ( Feb. 1948 ) where she was given the secret identity of flower shop owner Dinah Drake. She would also take Johnny Thunder's place in the Justice Society of America. When I first found these Golden Age Black Canary stories with her and her Phillip Marlowe - like detective boy friend Larry Lance I thought they may have made a good series of B - Movies from Monogram.

I first learned about the Black Canary during the Silver Age in Justice League of America No. 29 ( August 1964 ). She had made her first Silver Age appearance in a flashback scene in The Flash No. 129 ( June 1962 ). That was followed  by appearances in Justice League of America No.21 (August 1963 ) and Justice League of America No. 22 ( Sept. 1963 ) . Later she would team with her Justice Society teammate Starman in The Brave and The Bold No. 61 ( August 1965 ) and The Brave and The Bold No. 62 ( Sept. 1965 ) with stories by Gardner Fox and art by Murphy Anderson. By this time she and Larry Lance were a married couple.

 

 

 

 

I would imagine Anne Francis who portrayed " private eyeful " Honey West on television in 1965 starring in a Black Canary movie. As I imagined Veronica Lake as the Canary in a 1940s movie. It's been said that Veronica Lake was actually the model for the character. Of course since Dinah Drake's blonde hair was a wig ( part of her disguise ) it really wasn't necessary to have a natural blonde play the role.

I enjoyed the Black Canary's appearances in the Justice League up until she became a member of that team and given an unnecessary super - power. But what I got a real kick out of was Marvel's Silver Age Black Widow. Changing her from a Russian spy to a full fledged super - villainess she was given a second - hand Black Canary costume.