History
Pre-Crisis
Dinah Drake would become the Black Canary, a costumed vigilante that at first posed as a criminal in order to break up gangs. This would bring her into conflict with Johnny Thunder and his Thunderbolt, who developed an unrequited romantic interest in Black Canary. Dinah would soon abandon her posing as a criminal and would later become a crime fighter, eventually joining the Justice Society of America and having many adventures.
She would later marry her detective friend Larry Lance, and she would continue to serve with the Justice Society. She would soon meet and have many cross-universe adventures with the Justice Society's Earth-One counterparts the Justice League of America.
During one such adventure, Earth-Two was menaced by the villain named Aquarius, a sentient star that was banished by his people but regained his full powers when he stole Star Man's gravity rod. He would use it to destroy almost all of the Earth-Two except for the JSA members and Larry Lance who were present and saved at the last minute by Dr. Fate. When the Red Tornado would bring the Justice League to Earth-Two to save their comrades, Aquarius would pit the JSA and the JLA against one another. During the fight, Black Canary would battle the Green Arrow with her husband. When an incapacitated Black Canary was threatened by a weapon created by Aquarius, Larry would sacrifice his life to save her. Following the destruction of Aquarius, Dinah decide to return to the Justice League of Earth-One. She would find out later that her exposure to Aquarius' magics gifted her with a "Canary Scream" which would allow her to fire high pitch harmonics at her foes. At first she had little control over the power but soon learned to control it. She would then join the Justice League of America to replace the loss of Wonder Woman, who at the time was stripped of her powers. Dinah would soon start a romance with the Green Arrow.
Doppelganger Gambit Retcon
It is later retconned that the Black Canary that has been active on Earth-One following the death of Larry Lance was in reality Dinah Laurel Lance the daughter of the Dinah and Larry Lance. She was cursed by the The Wizard with her Canary Scream which she couldn't control. Trying to get the Thunderbolt to try and cure her didn't work and so she was put in suspended animation in the Thunderbolt dimension. During the battle against Aquarius she learned she had contracted cancer from exposure to radiation and that she secretly had her daughter, recovered from the Thunderbolt Dimension with her mothers memories implanted in her head and sent to Earth-One in her stead. The younger Dinah would believe that she was the original Black Canary, and would learn the truth much later.
Post-Crisis
Following Crisis on Infinite Earths and the merging of Earth-One and Earth-Two, Dinah Drake's history changed. Most of her history on Earth-Two became part of New Earth continuity. With some major changes:
It was revealed that she was trained by her father, police detective Richard Drake and would attempt to become a police officer. Refused membership in the Gotham City police force, she would develop the costumed identity of the Black Canary and adventure by night while operating a florist shop by day. She would eventually join the Justice Society until the government would force them to disband in the 1950's.
Dinah would end up marrying Larry Lance and the two would produce a child named Dinah Lance who would eventually learn of her mother's heroic past and take on the identity, much to her mother's chagrin. The younger would become a founding member of the Justice League of America. In Dinah's last case as the Black Canary she helped the JLA defeat Aquarius, but the battle left Larry Lance dead and Canary infected with cancer.
Black Canary and her daughter spent time at odds, but they had a deathbed reunion when Canary finally succumbed to cancer.
Months later when the Justice Society of America were released from Limbo, they visited Dinah's grave site for a private mourning ceremony.
Powers and Abilities
Abilities
Paraphernalia
Transportation
Notes
- Although this character was originally introduced during DC's Earth-Two era of publication, their existence following the events of the 1985–86 limited series Crisis on Infinite Earths remains intact. However, some elements of the character's Pre-Crisis history may have been altered or removed for Post-Crisis New Earth continuity, and no longer apply.
- Dinah Drake Lance is buried in Gotham City in the same cemetery where Thomas and Martha Wayne are buried. Some sources however show her place of burial as Valhalla Cemetery where other heroes of ages past are laid to rest. [1]
Trivia
- She originally posed as a criminal to take them down covertly.
- The character Black Siren of the Justice Guild of America in the Justice League two-part episode "Legends" is based on Dinah Drake's version of Black Canary.
- Black Canary's hair is naturally black however she wears a blond wig over it constantly.
Recommended Reading
- The Black Canary Archives Vol. 1
- JLA: Year One #1-12
- Secret Origins (Volume 2) #50 (Dies)
- Green Lantern Corps Quarterly #3
Related
- 165 Appearances of Dinah Drake (New Earth)
- 16 Images featuring Dinah Drake (New Earth)
- 6 Quotations by or about Dinah Drake (New Earth)
- Character Gallery: Dinah Drake (New Earth)
Footnotes
  Justice Society of America member |