Birds of Prey #5

This continues to be an absolute marvel of a relaunch for the Birds of Prey. Read Full Review

Everyone works so well together in the creation of this fun story. Issue 5 peels back the curtain behind why Sin is under attack and delivers heartfelt and emotional moments, primarily with Harley, who brings so much heart. We are creeping closer to an epic battle that looms on the horizon, and this issue perfectly sets the scene for what's to come. Read Full Review

Drastic art shifts mid-arc aren't ideal for storytelling continuity, but Thompson's scripting is so strong that it didn't take long for me to get back into the arc. Read Full Review

Yet again, I have no idea what's going to happen next in this incredible series, but I wouldn't miss it for the world. Everything about this group so far makes me think this might be one of the best Birds of Prey teams we've had in a long time. Kelly Thompson's smashing it out of the park with her writing, and all the artists who have worked on the series so far have added so much to the characters. Read Full Review

Deyn delivers beautifully detailed and visually compelling art throughout the issue. I really enjoyed both the comedic and serious violence of the fights. Read Full Review

This issue is the weakest so far, however, in a series where every issue has knocked it out of the park it is still among great comics from the entire creative team. Readers who have been following the series might not enjoy this issue as much, but its worth checking out and letting the art do much of the heavy lifting. Read Full Review

The switch to a new or fill-in artist is a bit jarring, but that doesn't stop the well-written and fun-to-read new issue of Birds of Prey. I'm sure the artist will grow on me if they stick around. Read Full Review

The art is still a little different than I would expect but the colors are more dynamic and that makes this enjoyable form a visual perspective. Story wise this story gains dimension and a more solid emotional element. Read Full Review

Overall, Birds of Prey #5 is a better issue than #4. It may not seem like it when breaking down the details, but there's a stronger through line with the plot and the conflict building. This is still not a Birds of Prey comic by any stretch of the imagination despite the title. If anything, with Megaera it would be more at home as a Wonder Woman or Zatanna story, or perhaps Justice League Dark or Madame Xanadu. Read Full Review

This was an off issue for Birds of Prey, which has enjoyed consistent writing and art in the previous outings. By no means was it a disaster, just not of the quality that's been established with this title. Read Full Review

Birds Of Prey #5 is the turning point in the series, where the fight to rescue Sin from a powerful demon devolves into Looney Tune-styled silliness. Bringing Arist Deyn as a guest artist is a significant improvement in the action, but the character work is abysmal, Megaera's "personality" is ridiculous, and the revelation behind Megaera's motivation to possess Sin is just plain eye-rolling. Read Full Review

The story isn't over yet, but the unsatisfying rush towards the finish line of its first arc seemingly concludes next month so we'll see where this goes. And for what it's worth, I hope Kelly Thompson can prove me wrong and make the final play work. Read Full Review

Jawsh

Feb 07, 2024

Oh no, the art changed... but this is still a pretty good issue that's a blast!

Psycamorean

Mar 14, 2024

The art change really doesn't gel with Romero's work on the previous (and next) issue, but this is still really good otherwise.

derbycomics

Jan 04, 2024

Birds of Prey #5 continues the team's fight against Megaera, a monstrous entity threatening Themyscira and beyond. The issue primarily focuses on Black Canary and Sin attempting to defeat Megaera from within its own form, while the rest of the Birds (Harley Quinn, Cassandra Cain, Barda, and Zealot) face off against the Amazons guarding the way to the creature's core. Kelly Thompson's writing in this issue is a mixed bag. The character interactions, particularly between Dinah and Sin, are well-written and emotionally charged. However, the plot takes some perplexing turns, especially regarding Megaera's dialogue and motivations. The villain, initially presented as a menacing force, ends up speaking like a Zillennial, undermining any sense of genuine threat. I will also die on the hill that Harley Quinn is over-utilized in this book. I’ve seen a lot of people attacking guest artist Arist Deyn's approach to the issue, so much so that Thompson has had to defend Deyn and note the issue is meant to be viewed from the perspective of the Megaera, which is why it is such a stark departure from Leo Romero’s work. It’s definitely a completely aesthetic, but I thought it worked and still fit with the tone of Thompson’s script. more

K-23

Jan 30, 2024

I so want to like this book as I like most of Kelly Thompson's books and this team has the potential for something great but so far the book's all over the place and loses me more each issue.