About Heroes

This Review Was Submitted by The Dude

Writer: Gail Simone
Penciller: Paulo Sequeira
Inker: Adain Riggs

My belief that Gail Simone can do no wrong is just further cemented after reading this issue of Birds of Prey. Riggs and Siqueira do a good job in the artwork, yeah yeah, but the thing I like most about this issue is finally somebody acknowledging Ted Kords' death in a decent way.

What in the heck does Ted Kord (aka Blue Beetle) have to do with Birds of Prey? Well basically throughout the whole Birds of Prey series Kord was kinda the go to guy when the Oracle, Huntress, and Dinah were in a jam. Also there were other stories along the way, wherein Barbara Gordon and Ted hooked up at a Computer Convention (see cybering jokes in this issue, lol). Basically Ted was one of those characters that was good in small doses but, nevertheless always added something when he showed up in BOP. It seemed fitting that the resolution of Ted's death post-crisis was handled by Gail Simone in Birds due to past occurrences. Ted's death is handled in such a way as to not seemed forced, as they ruminate on Kords' life/death shortly after Dinah narrating things she has learned and how she is grateful for the life she leads now. The moment in front of Ted's monument also serves, I think, as a catalyst of sorts for Barbara Gordon to become.....well I won't spoil it, needless to say the ending, your left going WTF!

Is this Gail Simone's best issue EVER of anything...no. The issue is not really of one story but the resolution of the previous arc and beginning of the next, it's a midpoint if you will, and some readers may not like it as much as past issues. Still, the ending....I almost hope it is who I think it is. Yeah I could tell you what the ending in but, it's too good to spoil. So what's my rating on this book? Well normally I'd give it a B, but for actually giving props to Ted Kord the Blue freaking Beetle I give it an A-