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    Black Canary

    Character » Black Canary appears in 3279 issues.

    Dinah Lance was born into a family of crime fighters; her mother was a vigilante and her father is a cop. She grew up with the company of heroes, and after years of training, followed in her parent's footsteps by assuming the costume, identity, and legacy of her mother Dinah Drake, the Black Canary.

    Short summary describing this character.

    Black Canary last edited by JillC on 10/04/23 12:48PM View full history

    This page is for the current Black Canary, Dinah Laurel Lance. For the original Black Canary, see Dinah Drake Lance.

    Origin

    Dinah Laurel Lance is the daughter of the original Black Canary, Dinah Drake, and police officer Larry Lance. Born a Metahuman, Dinah has the ability of her "Canary Cry". At the age of nineteen, Dinah decided to take on her mother's mantle and began to be trained by Wildcat (who previously worked with her mother). Despite the concerns of her mother, Dinah became the Black Canary and started her own crime-fighting career.

    Creation

    Black Canary
    Black Canary

    Dinah Laurel Lance was created by Dick Dillin and Dennis O'Neil. However, much of her design and characterization came from Robert Kanigher and Carmine Infantino who created her mother, the original Black Canary. Infantino once said about Canary's mother (whom she borrows many attributes from):

    "When Kanigher gave me the script, I said, 'How do you want me to draw her?' He said, 'What's your fantasy of a good-looking girl? That's what I want.' Isn't that a great line? So that's what I did. I made her strong in character and sexy in form."

    These physical and personal attributes would later be added to Dinah Laurel Lance herself.

    Character Evolution

    Golden Age: Earth-Two

    No Caption Provided

    In the 1960s, the Justice Society of America and Black Canary (Dinah Drake Lance) were revived and put on a parallel Earth dubbed Earth-Two. When Dinah returned, it was explained that since the time she had been gone, she had married Detective Larry Lance. Dinah along with the Justice Society teamed with the Justice League of America on numerous adventures, regaining her status as a JSA member. When a mission pitted the team against the alien creature Aquarius, Larry Lance was killed in an attempt to save Dinah’s life. In mourning of her loss, Dinah followed Superman and the Justice League to Earth-One to start a new life. It was here she discovered her mysteriously gained sonic powers, an ultrasonic scream dubbed the "Canary Cry". Dinah eventually joined the Justice League of America, becoming the only Golden Age and Silver Age hero to have been on the JLA and JSA roster and soon began dating fellow Justice League teammate Green Arrow.

    It was later revealed this Black Canary was really the daughter of the original Black Canary, on account of writers feeling that Dinah seemed to be much older than Green Arrow and the rest of the League. Therefore to explain this change, this Black Canary's origin was revealed to her. In the 1950s Dinah and Larry bore a child. In revenge, a foe of the Justice Society, the Wizard, cursed this child of Dinah and Larry Lance, bestowing her with a devastating, uncontrollable sonic scream. As a solution, Dinah's daughter was left in suspended animation where her powers could do no harm. Later, Dinah learned that she was poisoned by radiation from the battle with Aquarius, and dying, requested her memories be imbued into the body of her now adult daughter.

    Modern Age: New Earth

    The new costume
    The new costume

    After Crisis on Infinite Earths, Black Canary's origin was altered. The characters were now two separate people: Dinah Drake and her daughter Dinah Laurel Lance. Dinah Drake married private investigator Larry Lance, an acquaintance of James Gordon. After the loss of her husband, a retired Dinah Lance raised their daughter, Dinah Laurel Lance, who grew up surrounded by her mother's friends and former teammates of the Justice Society. Awed by her mother's exploits as the Black Canary and the adventures of the Justice Society, Dinah aspired to become a superheroine. However, the older Dinah did not approve of her daughter's wishes

    Rebelling against her mother's wishes, Dinah trained in secret under the watchful eye of Wildcat. Dinah also possesses her unique “Canary Cry”; unlike the Silver Age Black Canary, Dinah was granted this power by a metagene and is fully capable of controlling it. After years of intense training, Dinah assumed the Black Canary identity and began her vigilantism while also maintaining a day job as owner and operator of Sherwood Florist. Dinah helped reform the Justice League of America with Green Arrow, Green Lantern, Flash, Martian Manhunter and Aquaman. During her tenure with the Justice League, she became romantically involved with Green Arrow. In grief of her mother’s death caused by radiation-induced cancer from the battle with Aquarius, Dinah quit the Justice League. She moved with Green Arrow to Seattle to start anew, opening her own florist shop there. Her move to Seattle, though, began a slow spiral downward in her life. Dinah had decided to join an operation to bust a drug ring, but failed. Instead Dinah was kidnapped, bound and tortured. Dinah lost her powers and her fertility from the traumatic experience. Eventually Green Arrow came to her rescue but Dinah's life proved changed afterward. She started to attend extensive counseling, and was able to recover psychologically from the events, but her relationship with Green Arrow took a turn for the worst. With years of trust issues having accumulated from being abandoned and walked out on several times by Green Arrow, she broke off their relationship after she walked in on Green Arrow kissing her young florist shop assistant, Marianne on New Year's Day. Soon, she also lost her job when Sherwood Florist was destroyed.

    Lazarus Pit
    Lazarus Pit

    The wake of her tenure with the Birds of Prey summoned by Oracle, during which even her powers and physical conditions were restored to peak after being immersed in Lazarus Pit.

    She was once offered the opportunity to train with Lady Shiva, but turned down the offer. She had left the Birds of Prey at one point in favor of her status among the Justice League, acting as chairwoman to the newly formed league. She has since joined the team again, now that it has reformed.

    Post-Flashpoint: Earth-0

    The New 52
    The New 52

    After the events of Flashpoint, the DC Universe was reset, Dinah Lance is considered a tough, idealistic fighter who leads the Birds of Prey, composed of Starling, Katana, Poison Ivy and later Batgirl. She is an expert martial artist and possesses the Canary Cry. She is wanted by the authorities for the murder of Kurt Lance, her husband and former partner in the now-disbanded Team 7 who she has reportedly murdered by shattering his skull using her sonic scream, a crime she has admitted to.

    While her current adventures are seen in the pages of Birds of Prey, Dinah's past as a government agent recruited by John Lynch is seen in the pages of Team 7. Here, the origins of the Black Canary are retold. John Lynch had recruited Dinah Drake and the rest of Team 7 with intent of creating a team of metahuman weapons against world threats. During recruitment, Dinah had been tested and was found gen-positive, indicating her as one of the few with metagenes. Her sonic power was finally unleashed when her metagene was triggered after Kurt Lance had been shot and injured by Kaizen Gamorra's men. According to Lynch, her sonic scream had been predicted to be alike a sonic bullet, instead what she had unleashed was more like an array of Tomahawk missiles.

    Recently Dinah's husband Kurt has been discovered alive and working for Amanda Waller. Canary has only recently come to know of his survival, surprised to have discovered him under the captivity of Regulus.

    Major Story Arcs

    Bronze Age: Earth-One

    Snowbirds Don't Fly

    Dinah and Roy
    Dinah and Roy

    When Roy Harper became addicted to heroin, Green Arrow threw him out on the street. He was found by Green Lantern and placed under the care of Black Canary, who stayed by his side and helped him in his painful withdrawal of cold turkey. Roy appreciated the help and support Dinah offered him, and later on looked at her in a way that was part sibling, part friend, and part parent.

    Modern Age: New Earth

    Birds of Prey

    Birds of Prey
    Birds of Prey

    Oracle summoned Black Canary to work as an agent for her, after a mission with her first agent, Power Girl, went awry. The duo formed the Birds of Prey. When Dinah began working with the Birds of Prey, she got rid of her blonde wig and bleach her hair blonde. At first Dinah did not get along with Oracle, but eventually the two put their disagreements aside and became best friends. Later it was revealed during one of the early Birds of Prey issues that Dinah had married when she was very young, but divorced soon after. Her ex-husband made an appearance in a Birds of Prey storyline where he was seeking her help but in fact, wanted her to return to him after he had stolen money from the mob. When Dinah began dating a European man who later turned out to be Ra's al Ghul, her serious injuries demanded she be immersed into Lazarus Pit. The Pit restored her metahuman powers and fertility.

    Dinah was trained by the common martial arts master who trained Lady Shiva. Shiva became impressed with Dinah’s martial arts skills and offered her a chance to sharpen her skills, an offer declined in the belief that it would change her morality and turn her into a cold blooded killer like Shiva. However, Shiva remained an important figure in Dinah's life.

    Batman: Family

    Black Canary as part of the Batman Family
    Black Canary as part of the Batman Family

    Black Canary goes to Little Moscow, located on the East side of Gotham. She has been asked to do a favor for a troubled wife. The wife's husband Jordan Wiley has gone to see his bookie Gregori Ulanov at the Red Star Lounge. Ulanov has agreed to wipe Wiley's debt clean if Wiley kills Rossetti's new enforcer, the Suicide King. Black Canary makes an explosive entrance with her Canary Cry and takes down Ulanov's men. She then confronts Wiley and tells him to go back home in order to take care of his six month old baby. Ulanov tells Canary to take Wiley out the back before she brings down the rest of his lounge.

    Dinah discovers Orpheus lying on the streets with Ulanov's men beating Orpheus with baseball bats. It seems Orpheus was responsible for starting a civil war between Ulanov and his brother-in-law Rasputin which dismantled their organizations and got Rasputin thrown in jail.

    Dinah rescues Orpheus and takes him to a warehouse that was originally a library instead of taking him to County General Hospital. When Orpheus regains consciousness, he tells Canary that he must go back to the clinic but Canary informs him that the clinic has been burnt down and it is being covered by the news.

    Infinite Crisis and One Year Later

    Lady Shiva and Black Canary
    Lady Shiva and Black Canary

    During Infinite Crisis, Alex Luthor reveals that Wonder Woman was originally a founding member of the Justice League. This affects Black Canary's status as founder as depicted in earlier retcons wherein Black Canary replaced Wonder Woman as a founder of the Justice League. In One Year Later after Infinite Crisis, Dinah trades lives with Lady Shiva. Here, Dinah undergoes training similar to Shiva's in her early life. It takes place in a Vietnamese village wherein Dinah is abused by a gang of warriors and learns more about fighting. While training in Vietnam, Lady Shiva substituted Dinah in membership of the Birds of Prey, calling herself the Jade Canary and being prone to excessive violence. Eventually Dinah realizes that the training she is going through would change her morality and decides to end the training, therefore returning to the United States. With her, Canary takes Shiva's young successor, Sin, under her wing and left the Birds to assume a mother/sister role.

    Justice League of America

    Chairwoman of the Justice League
    Chairwoman of the Justice League

    Dinah has also been offered a membership to the new Justice League of America, an offer she accepted. Black Canary was selected to be the new chairwoman and field leader due to her strong strategic mind and high emotional I.Q. Later, Dinah and Hal ( Green Lantern) were sent to offer Red Arrow and Red Tornado membership to the newly reformed Justice League. After several unsuccessful missions, Dinah disbanded the Justice League although it would resume with her taking a secondary role.

    Living with Sin

    Dinah tells Sin about her relationship with Green Arrow and mentions that Ollie has finally proposed to her, but it's complicated so she hasn't given him an answer yet. While in the bathroom, Sin gets involved in a misunderstanding and destroys the play area. They leave and are confronted by Craig Windrow. He tells her that some people want him dead and begs her to protect him. At first, Dinah declines, but eventually saves him in time. With the help of her ex-husband, she was able to enroll Sin into a safe school and leased a house in Star City.

    Black Canary and Sin
    Black Canary and Sin

    The next day at school, Sin is attacked by the League of Assassins. She defeats the ninjas and runs out of the school, where she sees Oliver Queen in a car outside calling her. However, when she gets in the car she is knocked out by a gas arrow, and Oliver reveals himself to really be Merlyn in disguise. Dinah, Green Arrow, and Speedy investigate the crime scene only to find out someone that looked like Green Arrow had kidnapped Sin. Dinah decides to go search for Sin by herself, while Green Arrow and Speedy check out other leads. Dinah heads over to Craig's apartment to discover a bomb attached underneath his car, and him packing ready to leave town. She makes him tell her everything he knew about the people that threatened him. With the help of Oracle, Dinah and Craig set up a trap for Merlyn at his office, while Green Arrow and Speedy rescue Sin.

    After Merlyn arrives, Dinah defeats him easily. She then heads to the harbor to help Green Arrow. Speedy was able to rescue Sin and was putting her on the life boat when Green Arrow gets impatient and shoots an arrow at the boat's rope to drop it in the water. However, the boat shatters and Sin is no where to be found. Dinah becomes extremely enraged at what had happened to Sin, and the League of Assassins member only fueled her rage when they blame her for causing them to fail their mission. She then beats the League of Assassins until Merlyn arrives and also blames Dinah for ruining his only chance to rule the world. She attacks Merlyn and nearly kills him until Ollie stops her. Back at home, she throws away Ollie's engagement ring until he comes in and gives Dinah a letter written by Sin. Sin tells Dinah that Ollie thought of a plan to keep the League of Assassins from continuously coming after her.

    However, it involved Dinah believing that Sin was killed when in fact, Sin did not fall into the water but hung on the side of the boat with a rope and slipped in through the ship's window. Dinah needed to have a real reaction to make it believable. Speedy took Sin to Connor and he took her to Ollie's former master to hide. After ranting her anger out on Ollie, she tells him that she accepts his proposal, despite him having kidnapped her daughter and telling her that her daughter was dead.

    Black Canary's Wedding

    Black Canary's wedding
    Black Canary's wedding

    Several supervillains, led by Deathstroke, attack Black Canary and Green Arrow during their wedding, but they are stopped by the numerous costumed superheroes present. On the night of their wedding, Dinah is forced to kill Ollie after he begins to attack her. It is later revealed that this was an imposter and that the actual Oliver Queen was kidnapped by the Amazons. Dinah, Speedy, and Connor Hawke eventually rescue him. During the events of Blackest Night, many characters or who have been dead and revived are resurrected and transformed as Black Lanterns including Superman, Wonder Woman, Superboy, Kid Flash and Green Arrow. Under the influence of his Black Lantern ring, Ollie taunts Dinah, saying that he willingly had sex with Shado. Although Ollie is eventually restored, their marriage is affected.

    Blackest Night: The Death of Lian Harper

    Lian dies
    Lian dies

    Red Arrow's arm is severed by Prometheus in disguise as Captain Marvel. Prometheus also causes massive damage to Star City, destroying most of it and killing his Roy's daughter, Lian Harper. Ollie hunts down and kills Prometheus in cold blood without telling anyone. His actions are exposed and he is arrested and put on trial. In exile from Star City, Dinah declares their marriage over.

    Brightest Day: The New Birds of Prey

    The New Birds of Prey
    The New Birds of Prey

    Black Canary has since joined her old teammates Oracle, Huntress, Lady Blackhawk and new members Hawk and Dove to restart the Birds of Prey. While cornering the Penguin, they are attacked by an assassin that Dinah addresses as the White Canary, the vengeful sister of the Twelve Brothers in Silk. The assassin lures the police to Dinah's location, with news reports talking about a botched mission of hers to rescue a kidnapped child as well as her marriage to the ousted Green Arrow. They also mention her perceived "abandonment" of Sin. Her identity now exposed, the Penguin has them to go to his hideout to escape the police. In the eventual defeat and capture of the White Canary, Black Canary is discovers Sin is with her current foster parents held hostage with their lives threatened, and Black Canary is forcefully challenged to fight Lady Shiva to the death. Instead, Huntress chooses to fight Shiva while Black Canary heads to rescue Sin with the help of a student of Lady Shiva's. The fight between Lady Shiva and the Huntress is ceased by Canary. The White Canary is displeased, however, Lady Shiva takes side with the Birds of Prey in displeasure of being set-up and the team leaves to celebrate being alive.

    The Death of Oracle

    The Death of Oracle
    The Death of Oracle

    In the Calculator's hunt for Oracle, he is led to believe one of the members of the Birds of Prey team is Oracle's alter ego. Gathering a group of supervillains: Mammoth, Current, HIVE and a new villainess, Mortis to attack the Birds at the Iceberg Lounge. As Black Canary and Batman fight side-to-side against them, Canary falls prey to Mortis's powers to amplify and manifest regrets through touch that possibly drives her victims to resort to suicide, and Dinah enters a trance while Huntress, Lady Blackhawk and Dove are captured. Among the manifestations of Dinah's regrets and shame is shown to be images of Green Arrow, her mother, Sin, Craig Windrow, the Ray, Doctor Light and Ra's al Ghul. In her trance, Dinah is taunted by phantasms of her deceased parents, Roy Harper, her ex-husband Oliver Queen, Sin, Lian's funeral and the capture assault that resulted in the loss of her Canary Cry. She is further taunted when she is faced with her deceased mother, the original Black Canary who states her friends have abandoned her. Eventually Dinah resists and overcomes the illusion, causing Mortis to collapse. The Calculator sends Current to bring down a helicopter that is believed to be piloted by Oracle. The explosive descent of the vehicle was believed to have killed Oracle, when in fact it was piloted by an invulnerable Hawk. In the aftermath, the Oracle ignores all calls and is assumed dead by the public excluding the few who know her identity including the Black Canary.

    Hostile Takeover

    Black Canary VS Junior
    Black Canary VS Junior

    Black Canary and the Birds face a menace behind a criminal organization operating in an investigated building in the form of Junior, the Rag Doll's sister. Black Canary and Dove are faced with Junior and are eventually joined by the rest of the team and attacked before the Huntress defeats her and is made the team's new field leader.

    War and Remembrance

    Black Canary, Lady Blackhawk and Phantom Lady
    Black Canary, Lady Blackhawk and Phantom Lady

    In the final two issues of the pre-Flashpoint Birds of Prey, Dinah Drake Lance alias the original Black Canary alongside Lady Blackhawk and Sandra Knight alias the Phantom Lady are shown to be three superheroines who have fought Nazis during the second World War in the past. In a flashback to March 1950, they are seen to be hunting Nazis in Argentina and the mission ended when a being created to fight for the Reich by a Nazi surgeon, Rutger Bruggerman, was destroyed and parts of its consciousness were lodged in the heads of the trio. In the present, a retired Sandra Knight and Lady Blackhawk are captured by Neo-Nazis who attempt to resurrect the creature that had been destroyed and the Birds and Manhunter, the granddaughter of Sandra Knight, race to the rescue. Eventually, the enemies are defeated, having underestimated Sandra Knight even at her age and the creature they had attempted to resurrect could not be resurrected as the last piece of the being's consciousness was lodged into a now-deceased Dinah Drake Lance.

    The New 52

    New 52 Black Canary
    New 52 Black Canary

    In the New 52, Dinah Lance the Black Canary is established as a tough, idealistic fighter and founder of the covert ops team, Birds of Prey alongside Ev Crawford alias Starling. She is now Dinah Lance (née Drake), wife of Kurt Lance and is shown to have been working with Team 7 before it disbanded. She possesses a metahuman sonic scream, the Canary Cry, as in her previous incarnations.

    Team 7

    Dinah and Team 7
    Dinah and Team 7

    Dinah Lance has known John Lynch for many years, even before Team 7 was formed. She and her husband were Lynch's most trusted officers and the ones he put in charge of getting the team together in its early days. As an agent of Team 7, Dinah and her husband have fought alongside Lynch, Slade Wilson, Alex Fairchild, James Bronson, Captain Summer Ramos, Cole Cash, Amanda Waller and Major Dean Higgins against the likes of enemies such as terrorist John Akara, Eclipso, Basilisk, Spartan and Kaizen Gamorra. It is during this period of time wherein Dinah had been married to Kurt Lance and during which Dinah's metahuman sonic powers, albeit beyond her control, are awakened from dormancy.

    In the final battle with Kaizen Gamorra, the Kaizen threatens to open Pandora's Box and agent Bronson, now Majestic, creates a tidal wave that submerges the island of Gamorra underwater. The team has only a few minutes before the upper tiers of the Kaizen's palace collapse. Here, Kurt Lance displays his abilities when he amplifies Dinah's scream to knock the Box out of the Kaizen's hands, after which Majestic approaches to open it despite all reasoning from Kurt Lance, which he responds to by swatting Lance aside.

    Kurt is drained after amplifying Dinah's powers
    Kurt is drained after amplifying Dinah's powers

    The palace finally crumbles on top of them and vaporizes when Dinah's powers are amplified by linking of hands with Lynch and Amanda Waller, to blast Majestic away from the Box and keep him down. In the aftermath, Dinah looks for Kurt to no avail, regretting the use of her power and stops looking when she is urged by Waller to take the Box away from Lynch now that he is tempted to open it. Finally, she boards an aircraft piloted by Steve Trevor, while Waller stays and shoots Lynch in the head to stop him from holding the aircraft from departing with his telekinesis. The Team 7 project is later mothballed, marking the end of Dinah's tenure with the team. While Dinah, Slade, Steve and Cole Cash survive, the rest are missing and presumed dead, and the events at Gamorra are now classified with no record of Team 7 having ever existed.

    Throne of Atlantis

    Bkack Canary VS Ocean Master´s Forces
    Bkack Canary VS Ocean Master´s Forces

    Black Canary is seen as one of many superheroes recruited by Cyborg to the aid of Aquaman and the Justice League to fight off the Ocean Master and his forces in their attack on the surface world.

    Birds of Prey

    Trouble in Mind

    The Birds surrounded by Choke's sleeper agents, the Cleaners
    The Birds surrounded by Choke's sleeper agents, the Cleaners

    Black Canary recruits Katana and Poison Ivy to the Birds of Prey team as they face and attempt to stop the crimes of the mind controlling menace known as Choke, who uses his abilities to make puppets out of members of society through a nursery rhyme. Although initially, Batgirl is approached for recruit yet reluctant to join the team, she eventually joins them on missions and joins the team. Black Canary is almost taken under Choke's control but the rhyme is aborted when in final resort, Starling knocks her unconscious. Black Canary and the Birds are lead to believe Choke to be Trevor Cahill before Katana kills him using her Soultaker, and later it is revealed from communication with Maseo Yamashiro residing in the sword that Trevor is not Choke but another mind-controlled minion of Choke's.

    Your Kiss Might Kill

    Poison Ivy's betrayal
    Poison Ivy's betrayal

    Black Canary and the Birds of Prey are confronted with Talons of the Court of Owls before they are able to subdue the Talons, especially the strongest with the help of Poison Ivy. Black Canary eventually finds she and the rest of the team are betrayed by Ivy, who has requested that she be brought near to the source of her powers, the Green in the Amazon, as a favor in return for her previous heroism, but through mysterious plant creatures encountered on their way poisons her team members and later forces them to cooperate in her eco-terrorism under her commands in exchange for a cure as well as the safety of the rest of the world from the poison. Black Canary and the Birds, albeit reluctantly, obey her instructions but before she can succeed, however, Poison Ivy's plans are foiled as the Birds turn on her and Katana injures her with her Soultaker, leaving Black Canary regretful.

    A Clash of Daggers

    Canary loses control
    Canary loses control

    Following Poison Ivy's betrayal and Batgirl's inclusion in the team, Canary and the Birds recover from Ivy's toxins while remaining in isolation. Their adventures resume with the rescue of Katana and the retrieving of her Soultaker Sword from a clan of ninja's, the Dagger Clan that have set out for vengeance against her. With the help of Condor, Black Canary and the Birds of Prey defeat them. While Katana chooses to leave the team, a new member is recruited by Batgirl, a former Talon of the Court of Owls called Strix. It is during these adventures Canary experiences increase in the strength of her powers to a level beyond her control. These amplifications follow the visions of her husband, Kurt. While fending off the Dagger Clan, Canary's scream almost liquefied Starling's skull, and later after Strix's recruit, her Canary Cry, out of her control, had destroyed Gotham City's power station thus shutting off the power to the entire city block and knocking almost all of her teammates flat.

    However, this matter is settled when she pleads Starling and Strix to keep this a secret from Batgirl after explaining to them as only they realize the destruction had come from her powers. The team later faces a paramilitary strike team sent to respond to the destruction caused by Black Canary, and floating machines called Heartstoppers that lock on to the electrical pattern of the nearest human heart and destroys it at close range with powerful shocks. With the help of Starling in her connection to Amanda Waller, these machines are deactivated and the Birds are victorious

    Dawn of DC

    In Dawn of DC, Dinah is in a relationship with Oliver Queen and was told by Meridan that her sister Sin was in trouble and being held on Themyscira. Meridan has Dinah create a new Birds of Prey team, but prohibits her from recruiting Barbara Gordon for unknown reasons. Dinah recruits Casandra Cain, Harley Quinn, Barda Free, and Zannah.

    Personal Data

    Characteristics

    Height:

    No Caption Provided
    • Dinah Drake Lance- 5' 11"
    • Dinah Laurel Lance- 5' 10"

    Weight:

    • Dinah Drake Lance- 163 lbs
    • Dinah Laurel Lance- 155 lbs

    Eye Color: Blue (both)

    Hair Color:

    • Dinah Drake Lance- Black, wore a blonde wig. Post-Flashpoint, Dinah has blonde hair.
    • Dinah Laurel Lance- Originally black and wore a blonde wig, however later Dinah dyed her hair blonde.

    Status

    • Identity: Secret
    • Place of Birth: Gotham City
    • Citizenship: American (both)
    • Marital Status: Married
    • Education: College graduate
    • Occupation: Adventurer, florist, government agent (Dinah Drake Lance); adventurer, judo instructor, government agent, attorney (Dinah Laurel Lance); singer

    Known Relatives:

    Powers & Abilities

    The Black Canary uses her Canary Cry to fly across a gorge
    The Black Canary uses her Canary Cry to fly across a gorge

    Black Canary possesses a unique metahuman ability dubbed the "Canary Cry," an ultrasonic scream powerful enough to shatter objects, disorient opponents and as more recently revealed, even shatter skulls and liquefy bones. She is also an expert martial artist, especially in Judo and boxing, and is considered one of the seven best fighters in the DC Universe. In post-Flashpoint continuity, it is revealed she is able to use her Canary Cry to fly.

    Accessories

    When Dinah lost her Canary Cry, she used a number of weapons and gadgets which include;

    • High Frequency Sonic Disruptors
    • Gas Pellets
    • Sonic Screamers
    • Swing Lines

    Post-Flashpoint, Black Canary wears fishnet stockings of technology which she describes to Condor as a kevlar-carbon-fiber-polymer mesh with self-repairing nanobots.

    Other Versions

    Antimatter Universe

    White Cat
    White Cat

    Black Canary's alternate universe counterpart, the villain White Cat is a member of the Crime Syndicate in the Antimatter Universe.

    Gender-Switched Justice League

    Black Condor
    Black Condor

    Mr. Mxyzptlk shows to Superman a gender-switched Justice League on Earth-11, one of its members being the male version of Black Canary later referred to as the Black Condor.

    Just'a Lotta Animals

    Stacked Canary
    Stacked Canary

    In the series Captain Carrot and His Amazing Zoo Crew!, several DC characters exist as analogs of DC superheroes and villains in this anthropomorphic funny animal parody featuring Roger Rabbit alias Captain Carrot. On a parallel Earth in this series, Earth-C-Minus, an analog of Black Canary, a canary called Stacked Canary appears as a member of the team Just'a Lotta Animals.

    JSA: The Golden Age

    Black Canary in JSA: Golden Age
    Black Canary in JSA: Golden Age

    In a four-issue Elseworlds limited series, Dinah Drake alias the Black Canary is featured as a mystery woman who operated during the Second World War as a member of the Justice Society of America.

    The Barry Allen Story

    The Barry Allen Story
    The Barry Allen Story

    In another Elseworlds storyline, Black Canary appears as a member of the Justice League.

    Kingdom Come

    Kingdom Come
    Kingdom Come

    Twenty years into the future of the current DC Universe, superheroes have split into two different categories: traditional superheroes such as Superman, Wonder Woman, and the Justice League and vigilantes like Batman and his meta-human team of " Outsiders." Black Canary operates on Batman's side and acts as one of his generals. In this alternate future, Dinah marries Oliver Queen (one of Batman's partners) and the two have a daughter, Olivia Queen, who has also taken up the Black Canary identity. She wields a bow similar to her father. In the event of the Gulag riot, Dinah is killed by an arrow in the head accidentally shot by the metahuman Trix. She dies in Oliver's arms before the two are caught in the explosion.

    League of Justice

    In the Elseworlds storyline League of Justice, an alternate version of the Black Canary, a powerful goddess-like figure called Milady of the Birds makes an appearance in the second issue.

    Amalgam Universe

    Black Canary merges with Mockingbird
    Black Canary merges with Mockingbird

    A character that combines the elements of Black Canary and Mockingbird appears in the Amalgam Universe as Dinah Barton alias Canary.

    JLA: The Nail

    JLA: The Nail
    JLA: The Nail

    Black Canary appears as the leader of the Outsiders, a team she had formed after Green Arrow is crippled.

    Elseworld's Finest: Supergirl and Batgirl

    Elseworld's Black Canary
    Elseworld's Black Canary

    In this alternate world, Black Canary is an African American superheroine.

    Thrillkiller

    Thrikiller
    Thrikiller

    On Earth-37 in Thrillkiller '62, Dinah Drake Lance appears as a character. Here, she was an undercover F. B. I. agent who went undercover to cease a ring of Russian spies, instead busting G. C. P. D. agent, Larry Lance and thus, allowing the spies to escape. She eventually married Larry Lance and started a flower shop. While on an investigation of a new drug called Nicotics, Larry was murdered. To find his killer, Dinah went undercover wearing a blonde wig and posed as a jazz singer called the Black Canary.

    JSA: The Liberty Files

    In the Elseworlds storyline JSA: The Liberty Files, a version of Black Canary simply referred to as the Canary alias Dinah appears as a covert government operative who, undercover, posed as a singer in the Grey Swan club in Egypt. She is implied to have had a romantic relationship with the Owl alias Charles McNider, this storyline's version of Doctor Mid-Nite.

    The Dark Knight Strikes Again

    In the Dark Knight Universe, Black Canary is the name of a dumb blonde pop-star of the band "The Superchix" and a copycat of the original.

    JLA: Riddle of the Beast

    JLA: Riddle of the Beast
    JLA: Riddle of the Beast

    In the Elseworlds Justice League one-shot, Dinah is the young love of young Robin Drake who is killed by the Beast as he returns to ravage their village, Haven.

    Batman: Shadow of Sin Tzu

    Shadow of Sin Tzu
    Shadow of Sin Tzu

    Black Canary makes an appearance in the web-comic Batman: Shadow of Sin Tzu.

    All-Star Batman and Robin

    All Star Batman & Robin
    All Star Batman & Robin

    Black Canary is an Irish over-sexualized and abused bartender in a bad part of Gotham City. She wears her leather jacket and black costume with a mask while on duty, and her fuse is about to blow as these sleazy drunks continuously hit on her. After she tells off a couple of guys, one of them slaps her on the butt, only to get his teeth kicked out. She then beats the drunks in the bar and after knocking everyone out, she proceeds to rob them. Her boss comes out and she tells him that she is resigning and that Batman is on her mind. However, after being referred to as "Sweet Chunks," she kicks him out the window. She then steals one of the drunk's motorcycle and leaves, heading over to the docks to beat up some thugs. Coincidentally, Batman was also at the docks conducting an investigation of his own. Canary then fights the two thugs and easily knocks them out, also stealing their money afterwards.

    However, she is then ambushed by more armed men. Canary was able to avoid most of the gun shots and knock some of them out. She held on long enough for Batman to arrive. While Batman beats them up, Black Canary stands and watches as she becomes attracted to the Batman. The two share a kiss after and Batman takes her home.

    Justice

    Justice
    Justice

    In this alternate universe portrayed by Alex Ross, Black Canary is a singular character with no predecessor and is a widow. She is involved in a relationship with Green Arrow.

    Mash-Up

    Star Canary
    Star Canary

    In the Superman/Batman "Mash-Up" storyline, a character consisting of the elements of Black Canary and Starfire is featured as the Star Canary.

    First Wave

    Black Canary is featured in a sketch of a set of characters appearing in the Batman/Doc Savage Special. Here, she is Dinah Drake and is referred to as being of either Indian, Middle Eastern or Korean descent.

    Generation Lost

    Black Canary, descendent of Hawk and Dove
    Black Canary, descendent of Hawk and Dove

    In the Justice League International storyline, Justice League: Generation Lost, an alternate African-American Black Canary makes an appearance as a member of a future Justice League, mentioned to be a descendant of Hawk and Dove.

    Injustice: Gods Among Us

    Black Canary and Green Arrow defend Gotham City against Parademons
    Black Canary and Green Arrow defend Gotham City against Parademons

    Black Canary appears in the Injustice: Gods Among Us comic series which serves as a prequel leading up to the events that take place in the video game of the same name. The Black Canary appears in issue #18, wherein she is one of a few superheroes who have not joined themselves with Superman's Regime. She is seen fighting thugs in Starling City when Catwoman recruits her into Batman's Insurgency. She is later seen in the Batcave with a few other recruited superheroes to plot a plan of attack against Superman's Regime.

    She expresses concern after Batman orders the team to protect Gotham in the wake of a Parademon invasion, pleading with Batman to consider working with Superman to stop the invasion. She and Green Arrow are seen defending Gotham from Parademons, however, despite their efforts, they are wounded and backed into a wall, assuming it their end before Superman destroys the Parademons and saves them.

    Dark Knights of Steel

    In Dark Knights of Steel, Dinah is known as Banshee. She seems to possess the same canary cry superpower, but this version of her implies that it's through magic instead of her being a meta-human. Acting on a tip they received that there was someone magical that would pose a threat to the royal family of El, Bat-Prince and his Robins went to take Dinah into custody. Bruce was the one to approach Dinah while she was sleeping. When he woke her up, she said that she had no intention of hurting the Els before using her canary cry against Bruce. He ended up surviving, to both of their's shock, and that's when Kal-El showed up. When Kal was talking to her, Bruce took that as an opportunity to knock her unconscious. They brought her back to the Els' palace and imprisoned her. Kal claimed to his parents that they went after someone who was innocent.

    Other Media

    Film

    Justice League: The New Frontier

    Justice League: The New Frontier
    Justice League: The New Frontier

    Both versions of the Black Canary make very brief appearances in the film, the original appearing as a member of the Justice Society of America, while the second Black Canary makes an appearance in the near end of the film amongst Supergirl and the Teen Titans, the next generation of heroes.

    DC Showcase: Green Arrow

    Black Canary in DC Showcase: Green Arrow
    Black Canary in DC Showcase: Green Arrow

    Black Canary appears in the DC Showcase short "Green Arrow". Here, Dinah is heard on her answering machine in the beginning and appears as Black Canary in the end, defeating Count Vertigo using her Canary Cry and is proposed to by Green Arrow. She is voiced by Grey DeLisle.

    Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths

    Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths
    Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths

    An alternate counterpart of the Black Canary from a parallel Earth, the villain Scream Queen, appears in the animated film Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths, operating under the Crime Syndicate's Jonny Quick, attacking Martian Manhunter with her sonic scream. The Black Canary also makes an appearance later in the film as a recruit in the Justice League teleported to the Watchtower to defend the Watchtower and battle against Superwoman, Captain Super, Captain Super Jr. and Uncle Super. She unleashes her Canary Cry against Superwoman after she attacks Black Lightning, and later knocks out Captain Super Jr. using her power when he is about to defeat Firestorm. Her only line in the film "Wanna hear a secret?" is voiced by actress Kari Wührer.

    Lego Batman Movie

    Justice League in Lego Batman Movie
    Justice League in Lego Batman Movie

    Wonder Woman is among the heroes present in the Justice League anniversary party , to which Batman has not been invited.

    Television

    Legends of the Superheroes

    Legends of Supereroes
    Legends of Supereroes

    Black Canary appears in the television specials in 1979, Legends of the Superheroes, portrayed by Danuta Wesley alongside a large ensemble of superheroes including Captain Marvel, Green Lantern, Hawkman, Huntress, the Flash and the Atom behind lead characters Batman and Robin.

    Birds of Prey

    Birds of Prey TV Series
    Birds of Prey TV Series

    Dinah Redmond (born Dinah Lance), portrayed by Rachel Skarsten, is a metahuman with psychic abilities such as telekinesis, mind-melding and touch-telepathy. Her name indicates her as the show's version of the Black Canary, however, she is later revealed as the daughter of the Black Canary alias Carolyn Lance.

    Black Canary was portrayed by Lori Loughlin in an episode of Birds of Prey titled "Sins of the Mother". Here, Black Canary is Carolyn Lance, mother to Dinah Redmond. Carolyn is shown to be retired from a life of crime-fighting and travels to New Gotham in search of Dinah, the daughter she had given up to another family to spare her the perils of her taking up the Black Canary identity.

    It is revealed the decision was ultimately made after Carolyn had found a C4 explosive under Dinah's bed when she was a child, set to go off an hour later. Canary is eventually captured by Al Hawke's men before she is rescued by the Birds and released. Carolyn ultimately is caught in an explosion with Al Hawke as she saves Dinah and the Huntress by drawing Hawke's gunfire away from them using her Canary Cry.

    Justice League

    Black Siren in Justice League
    Black Siren in Justice League

    The character Black Siren alias Donna Nance that appears as a member of the Justice Guild of America in the episode "Legends" is based on the original Black Canary. She is voiced by Jennifer Hale.

    Justice League Unlimited

    JLU
    JLU

    Black Canary is a member of the Justice League, making her first appearance in the first episode entitled "Initiation." She is hinted as Green Arrow's reason in accepting Justice League membership. Canary had mere cameos in the first season, however, she has made appearances as a leading character in proceeding episodes. The Black Canary is voiced by Morena Baccarin.

    Black Canary her first appearance as the main protagonist in the episode titled "The Cat and the Canary", an episode that explored her relationship with former mentor and fellow Justice League member, Wildcat and introduced her relationship with Green Arrow in the DC Animated Universe.

    The episode starts out with Black Canary officially introducing herself to Green Arrow who had been subtly admiring her from a far. Arrow soon finds out that his admiring wasn't as subtle as he had hoped when he tells Black Canary that he has noticed her around, and she replies that she knows.

    Canary wants Arrow's help because he is new to the team, a seemingly trustworthy hero, and very rich. She decides to manipulate him at first and also judge his fighting skill in the process. Canary challenges Arrow to a sparring match and hides her true combat abilities from him. She first throws an easy punch at him which he catches and then does a kick which he catches and uses to throw her down. Slightly impressed by Arrow's strength, she slowly starts to get back up and continue, but Arrow takes it a step further and pins her

    Black Canary tricking Green Arrow into making a bet with her
    Black Canary tricking Green Arrow into making a bet with her

    Canary uses this time to offer him a mission that they could both do together. Arrow shows a lack of interest since they have just met. He is also completely fooled and thinks that he is a superior fighter to Canary. She challenges him to a bet saying that if she could get out of his pin he would have to help her. Arrow cockily agrees thinking that there was no way out for her.

    Canary helping Arrow get up after breaking his hold
    Canary helping Arrow get up after breaking his hold

    Canary easily cracks his hold and throws him across the room into a wall. The impact makes several weight plates fall off. While Arrow struggles to get up Canary offers her hand to help, amusedly proclaiming "I'll drive" as Arrow looks up half shocked and half impressed.

    Their mission is to help Wildcat, who has lost his flame in fighting crime as he begins to realize he is too old for it. Discovering he has been fighting in an illegal no-hold spar cage-fighting arena that pitted superhumans against one another under Roulette, Canary tries to pull him out of it before he gets kicked out of the league. She decides to challenge Wildcat in a fight, offering her victory in exchange for Wildcat's ban from cage-fighting. In worry for her, Green Arrow tricks Canary and knocks her out with anesthetic gas, and instead battles Wildcat himself, feigning his own death and loss, and thus snapping Wildcat out of his funk.

    Black Canary also makes an appearance in the episode "Double Date". The episode was written by Gail Simone in tribute to the Birds of Prey, but the script ultimately substituted Green Arrow and the Question in place of Batgirl. In this episode, Black Canary and Green Arrow tail Huntress and the Question in Huntress's quest of revenge against the killer of her parents, mob boss Steven Mandragora. The story ends with Mandragora arrested and Canary and Huntress's distaste for one another unresolved.

    Black Canary's final main role takes place in "Grudge Match". Here, Canary is found by Huntress to be involved in another one of Roulette's no-hold spar fights throughout countless nights while her mind is under control by use of Grodd's mind-controlling technology on her Justice League comm link, courtesy of the Legion of Doom. The fights take place at night and in her consciousness by the rest of the day she is worn out, unable to fight crime well. With Huntress tracking and following her, Canary wakes into consciousness after Huntress finally destroys her comm link, thus cutting off the signal. In freeing Canary, both are captured and are forced to face off in the arena against Hawkgirl and Vixen.

    With Canary and Huntress defeating them both and destroying their comm links, Roulette finally has them all caged to fight against the strongest, Wonder Woman. While Vixen and Shayera struggle to subdue Wonder Woman, Black Canary and Huntress escape the arena and break into the control center, defeating Roulette and Sonar and killing the signal, thus ceasing Wonder Woman's attacks. By the end of the episode, Black Canary and Huntress begin a new-found friendship, beginning with a fight.

    In the series finale "Destroyer", Black Canary is involved in the final battle against Darkseid and his Parademons in Darkseid's invasion of Earth. Black Canary fights alongside Green Arrow. She and Arrow make their final appearance as they race off to a new adventure before the core seven.

    Episode Appearances

    JLU Black Canary
    JLU Black Canary

    Batman: The Brave and the Bold

    The Brave and the Bold
    The Brave and the Bold

    Black Canary has appeared in several episodes of Batman: the Brave & the Bold cartoon voiced by Grey DeLisle. Dinah debuts in the teaser of the episode "Night of the Huntress!" and has since made appearances in "Mayhem of the Music Meister!", "The Golden Age of Justice!", "The Siege of Starro!", "The Mask of Matches Malone!" and minor cameos in several other episodes. In "Golden Age of Justice", her mother had also made an appearance in a flashback as a member of the Justice Society of America during World War II, although this version was portrayed with the Canary Cry. It is shown in another flashback just before her death, the original Black Canary had requested Wildcat to look after her daughter. This version of the original Black Canary dies in a burning building during a rescue instead of cancer.

    Smallville

    Black Canary in Smallville
    Black Canary in Smallville

    Black Canary debuts in Smallville portrayed by Alaina Huffman in the Season 7 episode "Siren". By day she is the Daily Planet's raven-haired talk show host Dinah Lance, and by night, she is a masked blonde vigilante set on eradicating crime and corruption. She is initially seen to be a gun-for-hire of Lex Luthor's, first appearing as a vigilante after Chloe Sullivan to retrieve a stolen photo file. Here, she encounters Green Arrow and shatters his arrows using her sonic powers. She is given a task by Lex to bring him Green Arrow, under the false belief that he had been terrorizing Lex's work sites.

    Capturing Arrow, she is later brought to surface as Chloe and Clark had blocked Lex's transfer of money into her bank account and faces off against Clark and defeats him after he brings her to realization that she is really working for a corrupted tycoon under his lies. She ultimately confronts Lex and is shot in the shoulder before a fight ensues between Lex and the Green Arrow, and Clark in super speed misdirects their weapons and finally removes her from the scene.

    Black Canary debut in Smallville
    Black Canary debut in Smallville

    In Season 8 Dinah as the Black Canary arrives in search of a missing Clark Kent, alongside Aquaman and Green Arrow in the arctic at LuthorCorp's base, infiltrating it. Here Canary uses her sonic powers to disorient her opponents and shatter the base's equipment before throwing her knife against a remaining enemy. With nothing found, Dinah alonside A. C. and Oliver began their search at Isis Foundations, where Dinah tries to track down Clark via facial recognition of security cameras. Eventually Black Canary and Aquaman were captured by LuthorCorp with the cooperation of Chloe Sullivan (under deception). She is eventually freed, however, with her identity exposed as well as the identities of the rest of the team. She disbands along with the rest to avoid Tess Mercer.

    Later in Season 8 in the episode "Doomsday" Dinah and Bart Allen are summoned to the Kent Barn to aid Clark in stopping Doomsday by burying him underground. However, Dinah with the League follows orders from Oliver to stop Davis Bloome/Doomsday once and for all, thus betraying Clark. Defeated by Doomsday after he was split from Davis, the League faced the consequences of their acts as Doomsday proceeded to kill Jimmy Olsen. Dinah along with the rest of the League are present at Jimmy Olsen's funeral. Later Chloe reveals to Clark that Dinah, Bart and Oliver are missing.

    In Season 9, Chloe and Roulette team up to convince Oliver Queen to retake the Green Arrow mantle and Chloe re-assembles Dinah, Bart and Victor Stone to help in the efforts. Although Dinah was not shown, she used her Canary Cry to aid Oliver.

    In the Season 9 episode "Absolute Justice", Chloe and Clark investigate the murder of Sylvester Pemberton alias the Star-Spangled Kid and discover that Sylvester had been keeping files on the Justice League, Dinah included. When Oliver found out Chloe had his e-mail, he claims the emails between him and Dinah were purely platonic. Furthermore, during the investigation, Clark had found a painting of the original Justice Society of America that depicted vigilantes during its days, one being another Black Canary, implying Dinah was not the first to go by the name.

    Checkmate requested Dinah Lance and the other Justice League members' whereabouts, but Oliver Queen stopped Clark Kent from giving Amanda Waller information about the League.

    Black Canary and Stargirl
    Black Canary and Stargirl

    In "Salvation", Black Canary joins the League's group of heroes to discuss the war against the Kandorians, along with John Jones, Cyborg, Hawkman, and Stargirl. She was hesitant when she first heard of Clark's plan to leave Earth, but later agreed. She saluted him as a final goodbye and returned to the field.

    In the Season 10 episode "Icarus", the Vigilante Registration Act began their witch hunt for all existing vigilantes after framing Oliver for a terrorist attack. Dinah established contact with the rest of the team via satellite communications to find out how they were going to proceed now that they were all targets by the government and citizens. Clark decided the team would go underground until he could find a way to deal with the situation, and so shut down Watchtower. When Hawkman died heroically in battle in the episode "Icaris", Dinah was present among an entourage of heroes at his funeral in Egypt. Dinah and the other heroes were ambushed by a mysterious obelisk that rendered all of them unconscious.

    In "Collateral", and Dinah with the team and Lois have been placed into a virtual reality by Trotter and the V. R. A. where they had no special skills or powers. Here, Dinah and the rest of the team began having flashbacks of what looked like Chloe Sullivan experimenting and torturing them, which were really moments of reality when Chloe unplugged them after which she had to re-connect them as their bodies began to shut down. As an alternative, Chloe created an avatar of herself to lead the captives out of the virtual world via a portal. The Black Canary makes her final appearance in Smallville as she fights alongside Green Arrow, Rick Flag and Deadshot, wherein she makes an entrance onto the scene avoiding bullets and finally knocks Trotter unconscious using her Canary Cry.

    Young Justice

    Black Canary in Young Justice
    Black Canary in Young Justice

    The Black Canary appears as a member of the Justice League in the animated series Young Justice, voiced by Vanessa Marshall. On July 8th, when Superboy, Aqualad, Robin, Kid Flash and Miss Martian were formed into the covert ops unit known as the Team, Batman introduced Black Canary as their trainer. Black Canary and Green Arrow were attacked by Amazo. They ultimately defeated Amazo. Black Canary's left arm was injured during the battle, and she later bandaged it.

    Superboy spoke dismissively about how such training was pointless for him, as he felt his powers compensated for his lack in combat experience. Black Canary proved him wrong by defeating him multiple times all the while still trying to teach him to control his temper and his situation. Batman cut the training session short however, sending the Team on a mission. Before leaving, Canary informed Superboy that when he needed her, she would be there for him. Eventually Superboy took her lesson to heart, and after the Team defeated Amazo, he asked for her help.

    Black Canary attended the funeral of Kent Nelson at the Tower of Fate. Black Canary was the Team's third den-mother after Red Tornado's disappearance. After the Team ran away with Zatanna to find Tornado, she had her hands full calming Zatara. After a telepathic training simulation went horribly wrong, Black Canary worked as the team's counselor, and took the time to discuss the events with the Team one-on-one. Black Canary was part of the strike team that attacked the second ice fortress. From the Super-Cycle, she used her Cry to weaken the airship's shields.

    Dinah and Oliver were called to the Cave by Batman, who showed them security footage of what appeared to be her kissing Superboy. She was shocked, even more so when she learned it was a shape-shifting Miss Martian. She vented her anger on Oliver, who thought it was hilarious, and decided to talk to M'gann. By now, she was over her anger, but asked M'gann to be herself, as her actions, as innocent as they were, could hurt people. The conversation was cut short by Batman, who requested the Team for a mission briefing.

    At a Justice League meeting discussing the possibility of expansion of the ranks, Black Canary was a proponent of Wonder Woman's suggestion for more women. She also questioned whether age should be considered biologically, or chronologically, after Red Tornado suggested Superboy. Black Canary was present at the press conference about the induction of Atom, Doctor Fate, Icon, Plastic Man and Red Arrow into the League.

    After the Team apprehended three escaped felons (Riddler, Mammoth and Shimmer), Black Canary assisted Batman in the transfer of strange alien biotechnology. She accompanied Icon to his induction ceremony, and was glad Rocket had found a place in the Team. After being made a slave of the Light's mind control, Black Canary welcomed Vandal Savage aboard the Watchtower with a silent kneel of obedience. She attacks the team, but is defeated after Rocket traps her in a force field with one of Robin's smoke bombs. After being bound and gagged, she is cured and infiltrated the Watchtower to free the other Justice League members. However she is captured and brainwashed again. After the final battle, she is freed from Savage's control and reunites with Ollie and Roy.

    Mad

    Mad Justice League
    Mad Justice League

    Black Canary appears in an episode of Mad voiced by Tara Strong. She takes part in a musical number that asks Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman about calling themselves "Super Friends".

    Arrowverse

    Arrow

    Katie Cassidy as Laurel Lance
    Katie Cassidy as Laurel Lance

    Katie Cassidy portrays Laurel Lance on The CW's Arrow. Dinah Laurel Lance started as a legal aid and later the Assistant District Attorney of Starling City. She is the daughter of Quentin and Dinah Lance and older sister of Sara Lance. She dated Oliver Queen before he was presumed dead and spent 5 years on the island of Lian Yu, but he was secretly cheating on her with her sister. Oliver and Sara had ran off together onto the Queen's Gambit to be together secretly for 3 weeks but the ship went down and Laurel mourned their deaths despite finding out about their affair.

    5 years later, Oliver returned but Sara didn't. Laurel was then dating Oliver's best friend, Tommy Merlyn, but she still had feelings for Oliver. In Season 2, Sara is revealed to be alive and has returned to Starling City as the vigilante known as The Canary. In Season 3, Sara is murdered and Laurel has to mourn her death all over again.

    Katie Cassidy as the Black Canary
    Katie Cassidy as the Black Canary

    Sara's death inspires Laurel to take up the Canary mantle and becomes the Black Canary in the end of Season 3. She has had some fighting training from Ted Grant but Oliver insists she needs more training. She later gets further training from both Oliver and Nyssa al Ghul. Cisco Ramon gives her a device that she wears around her neck to simulate the Sonic Scream. She eventually becomes a core member of Team Arrow.

    Laurel never fully got over Sara's death so she and Thea Queen decide to take her body to Nanda Parbat and have Thea's father, Malcolm Merlyn, who has taken on the mantle of Ra's al Ghul as leader of the League of Assassins, use the Lazarus Pit to revive Sara. Sara is resurrected by the Pit but since she had spent an entire year dead, her soul did not return with her body. Oliver enlists the help of John Constantine who performs a spell to return Sara's soul to her body. Sara then becomes the White Canary and goes on to join Rip Hunter's team on the series Legends of Tomorrow.

    Laurel continues to aid Team Arrow against their newest and most lethal adversary Damien Darhk, a sorcerer trying to destroy the world in nuclear warfare to give the world a new beginning. He also extorts Laurel’s father into working for him, using Laurel’s life as leverage. Laurel later discovers this and becomes distant from her father for the deaths Quentin’s actions have lead to, but when Quentin betrays Darhk they are able to make amends. Damien later escapes Iron Heights with Malcolm’s help and restores his powers, but not before fatally stabbing Laurel in the chest. Tragically Laurel later dies of her wounds at 11:59pm mere moments after admitting to Oliver that she still loved him. Her death is avenged when Oliver kills Damien.

    The Flash

    Black Canary and Team Arrow in Flash
    Black Canary and Team Arrow in Flash

    Laurel appears in the episode “Who is Harrison Wells?”, when Cisco and Joe visit Starling City to talk to her father about Harrison Wells’ “car accident”. Laurel recognizes Cisco as a friend of Barry’s, having already deduced that he is the Flash, and reveals her secret to Cisco asking if he can improve Sara’s sonic device. Cisco agrees but in exchange for a picture of himself and Black Canary together. At the end of the episode Cisco delivers a newly constructed collar that emits the sonic scream amplified by Laurel’s own scream, which he dubs the “Canary Cry”.

    Black Canary appears in the Flash/Arrow crossover "Legends of Yesterday" and "Legends of Today". In those episodes, Black Canary, with Team Arrow and Team Flash, is on the mission to protect Hawkman and Hawkgirl, and fight against Vandal Savage.

    Laurel’s Earth-2 doppelganger Laurel Lance / Black Siren appears in “Invicnible”. This version of Laurel is a meta-human with the power to emit sonic screams significantly higher than her Earth-1 counterpart, but is a villain and lieutenant of Hunter Zolomon / Zoom. Laurel is brought from Earth-2 to Earth-1 as part of Zoom’s plan to conquer Earth-1 and Laurel is ordered to take down buildings at random to distract Barry Allen / The Flash, allowing Zoom to complete his endgame without interference. Laurel later fights Barry personally but because he was friends with her Earth-1 doppelganger Barry hesitates allowing Laurel to swiftly defeat him, only Wally West’s timely intervention with a car saves him.

    Laurel later tries to take down another building but is distracted by Cisco and Caitlin pretending to be their Earth-2 doppelgangers Reverb and Killer Frost. However Laurel quickly realizes their deception and tries to kill them only to be knocked out by a device created by Harrison Wells to render all Earth-2 individuals unconscious. Laurel is later locked in the pipeline at S.T.A.R. Labs.

    DC's Legends of Tomorrow

    Laurel and Sara in Legends of Tomorrow
    Laurel and Sara in Legends of Tomorrow

    Laurel appears in the first episode. She is training with her sister and she encourages Sara to stop being the Canary. She tells her that she has been in the dark for so long and she should be a hero in the light. She gives her a new costume, made by Cisco, and she suggests her to become White Canary.

    When Sara returns in the season finale she learns of Laurel’s death and tries to make Rip go back to the night she died but Rip reveals that when Sara was recruited the timeline was altered. Had it remained intact then Sara’s destiny was to die along with Laurel as well as their father, and attempting to undo this event even with the whole team involved will have the same outcome, if not even more costly. At the end of the episode Sara visits Laurel’s grave with Quentin and vows to keep fighting in Rip’s team for Laurel.

    Vixen

    Black Canary in Vixen
    Black Canary in Vixen

    Laurel appears in the second season of Vixen, voiced by Katie Cassidy.

    Justice League Action

    Black Canary in Justice League Action
    Black Canary in Justice League Action

    Black Canary first appeared in a photo in Space Cabbie´s cab in Season 1, Episode "Follow That Space Cab!".

    She first fully appears in a cameo in Season 1, Episoode 46 "Party Animal", attending Green Arrow's Christmas party.

    Justice League Action (Web Serie)

    Black Canary in Justice League Action Web Serie
    Black Canary in Justice League Action Web Serie

    Black Canary first appeared in a selfie taken by Space Cabbie in Episode 8 "Selfie Help".

    Web Series and TV Shorts

    DC Super Hero Girls

    Black Canary in DC Super Hero Girls
    Black Canary in DC Super Hero Girls

    Black Canary makes a cameo appearance.

    Video Games

    Justice League Heroes

    Black Canary in Justice League Heroes
    Black Canary in Justice League Heroes

    Black Canary is a playable character in the PSP version of Justice League Heroes. She is voiced by Jennifer Hale.

    Justice League Heroes: The Flash

    JLH: The Flash
    JLH: The Flash

    Black Canary is also featured in Justice League Heroes: The Flash (playable only on Game Boy Advance), as a member of the Justice League that informs and helps the Flash. She converses briefly with the Flash, however, she is a non-playable character in the game.

    Batman: the Brave and the Bold - The Videogame

    Batman: Brave and the Bold Game
    Batman: Brave and the Bold Game

    Black Canary, as she appears in the animated series, is also available as a playable character and a supporting character in Batman: the Brave and the Bold - The Videogame. She is voiced by Grey DeLisle.

    DC Universe Online

    Black Canary in DC Universe Online
    Black Canary in DC Universe Online

    Black Canary appears as a non-playable character in the MMORPG. Players are able to interact with the character in the game, and players on the superhero campaign fight alongside her while players on the supervillain campaign fight against her. Her sonic powers are able to be purchased. She is voiced by Kelley Huston.

    Batman: Arkham City

    Black Canary is the name of a restaurant in the game, the location of a Riddler Challenge room.

    Lego Batman 2: DC Super Heroes

    Black Canary in Lego Batman 2
    Black Canary in Lego Batman 2

    Black Canary is an unlockable, playable character in the game. She is voiced by Kari Wahlgren.

    LEGO Batman 3: Beyond Gotham

    Lego Batman 3
    Lego Batman 3

    Black Canary is a playable character in the game, with Kari Wahlgren reprising her role.

    Injustice: Gods Among Us

    Black Canary's picture as seen in story mode of the game
    Black Canary's picture as seen in story mode of the game

    Black Canary appears in the IOS version of the game. Although a non-playable character, Canary is a support card for Green Arrow. A picture of Black Canary is seen being carried in Green Arrow's arrow case during the game's story mode.

    DC Legends

    Black Canary in DC Legends
    Black Canary in DC Legends

    Black Canary: Dinah Laurel Lance is a playable character in the game. She is a hero with Physical affinity.

    Her bio in the game says: Dinah Lance is a world-class martial artist with a secret weapon - her powerful Canary Cry sonic scream!

    As the daughter of a costumed adventurer Dinah Lance was born to fight crime. Raised among super-heroes she trained as a world-class fighter and martial artist despite her mother's objections. Gifted with the meta-human power to emit sonic blasts Dinah can smash concrete with both her fists and her voice. Anyone who underestimates the blonde in fishnets will likely find her 'canary cry' the last thing they hear.

    Injustice 2

    No Caption Provided

    Black Canary is one of the main characters in Injustice 2. She was recruited by Batman to join the insurgency against Superman's regime.

    Popular Recognition

    • Wizard magazine's Greatest Comic Book Characters of All Time list: Black Canary ranked #71
    • IGN's Greatest Comic Book Heroes of All Time list: Black Canary ranked #81
    • Comics Buyer's Guide's 100 Sexiest Women in Comics list: Black Canary ranked #26
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