Since 2015, Black Canary has been a rock star when she wasn’t busy being a superhero. Yet it was often unclear just how famous Dinah Lance was as a performer. However, a flash-forward story in Wonder Woman #11 confirms her future status as the Taylor Swift of DC Comics.
Written by Tom King with art by Belén Ortega, “World’s Finest – Part 8” continues the future adventures of Wonder Woman’s daughter, Elizabeth. The story finds Elizabeth taken to a Black Canary concert by Jon Kent and Damian Wayne. The two elder heroes are less than excited about this babysitting gig, particularly the dour Damian. Despite this, Robin still pulls some strings to get them front-row seats at a concert in Metropolis.
While the comic does not mention Taylor Swift by name, she is the clear inspiration for the future Black Canary. Dinah’s fans call themselves “Canaries” and attend her concerts in costume, dressing like their idol. This is a clear nod to the fandom of “Swifties.” What’s more, the comic reveals the lyrics of some of Dinah’s songs, which mostly involve her rough romantic history.
Black Canary is a rock star, but comics inconsistent on her fame
While Black Canary has been an established rock star in the comics for nearly a decade, there is some question about her success. Her 2015 solo series Batgirl and the Birds of Prey portrayed her as a popular niche performer who mostly played small venues. However, Green Arrow and Justice League suggested she was famous enough for it to make working undercover almost impossible. It was also unclear as to whether Black Canary was a punk performer or a pop princess and whether she still had a secret identity.
Strangely enough, the only attempt to reconcile these incongruities came in the decidedly out-of-continuity Catwoman/Sylvester and Tweety #1. The one-shot portrayed Black Canary as the lead singer for a punk band who wanted to “spread my wings” as a performer. Based on the future shown in Wonder Woman #11, it seems that Dinah Lance will succeed in this, eventually being recognized as a genre-defying diva.
Wonder Woman #11 is now available at comic shops everywhere.
