DC’s latest Birds of Prey comic series is being postponed to 2020 so that it can join the Black Label, their line of mature-rated comics. The new comic series featuring DC’s hottest crime-stopping crew was previously set to debut in October. Now, the title is being pushed back to give it a more “mature” tone, and to help tie in to the upcoming Birds of Prey film.
In February of 2020 Harley Quinn and her merry team of misfits will be hitting the big screen in their own R-rated adventure. Originally, the title was slated to be for teens. But now, the new comic series will be joining the increasingly impressive Black Label line-up that includes a new origin for Superman in Superman: Year One and Scott Snyder’s Batman: Last Knight on Earth. Unlike these limited series Birds of Prey will be an ongoing title, confirming DC’s bigger plans for the newest brand.
Newsarama reports that DC announced the comic title’s postponement Wednesday night. While it could be disappointing news, the statement was clear to mention that the delay was to allow Birds of Prey to officially move to the Black Label.
Azzarello is no stranger to DC’s Black Label, having helmed the Batman: Damned series that has recently taken the comic world by storm thanks to some… interesting revelations (sadly, DC later censored the Batman nudity). It will be interesting to see what trials and tribulations the famed writer has in store for the superhero and supervillain team. To match the film, this Birds of Prey lineup will feature Black Canary, Huntress and none other than Harley Quinn. While it’s unfortunate to see Barbara Gordon’s Batgirl won’t be in the main cast, there’s a chance she could make an appearance in either story.
Retailers, DC is making the move to push the new Birds of Prey into DC Black Label, the perfect place for its hard-hitting storyline by writer Brian Azzarello, artist Emanuela Lupacchino.
Also known as The Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn, Birds of Prey will be the first chance audiences have to see Margot Robbie’s Harley Quinn since stealing the entire film in 2016’s Suicide Squad. The film, directed by Cathy Yan, is not being considered a sequel to Suicide Squad so much as a continuation of Harley Quinn’s story. Hopefully Robbie’s Harley gets to enjoy her freedom while battling Ewan McGregor’s Black Mask. That is, until James Gunn pulls her back into Task Force X for his 2021 film, The Suicide Squad.
The last comic series to feature the team was the Rebirth series Batgirl and the Birds of Prey that ended in May of 2018. It’s unclear whether or not Azzarello’s story will directly relate to either that iteration of the team or the upcoming film. Hopefully, with a mature tone and more time the comic and the film can live up to the hype.
The Birds of Prey comic series debuts sometime in 2020, and the Birds of Prey film hits theaters on February 7th.
Source: Newsarama
