Black Canary

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

The original Black Canary, Dinah Drake, was created by writer-artist Robert Kanigher and Carmine Infantino, debuting in Flash Comics #86 on July 31, 1947. Initially depicted as a clandestine crime-fighter infiltrating gangs while posing as a criminal, she wore fishnet stockings and a black leather jacket to convey a strong yet sexualized image. Artist Carmine Infantino noted that Kanigher asked for his "fantasy of a good-looking girl," resulting in a character who was "strong in character and sexy in form." Drake fought alongside her husband, Gotham City detective Larry Lance, and joined the Justice Society of America. In 1969, her daughter Dinah Laurel Lance debuted in Justice League of America #75, created by Dennis O'Neil and Dick Dillin. Unlike her mother, who was a skilled hand-to-hand combatant without superpowers, Dinah Laurel possesses metahuman abilities via a "Canary Cry" attributed to genetic mutation. Following the Crisis on Infinite Earths, their history was revised so that Dinah Laurel inherits the identity from her mother, though recent accounts confirm the mother's given name is Dinah.

In Their Own Story

In Secret Origins (vol. 2) #50, released in August 1990, the full origin of both Canaries was detailed. Dinah Drake was trained by her father, detective Richard Drake, intending to join the Gotham City police force. After being turned down and witnessing her disillusioned father's death, she became a costumed vigilante, using her inheritance to open a flower shop as a cover. She married private eye Larry Lance, and their daughter, Dinah Laurel Lance, was born; Birds of Prey #66 later established the name "Laurel" came from a librarian they befriended during a case. During DC's New 52 era starting in 2011, continuity shifted drastically: Black Canary became a single character named Dinah Laurel Lance (née Drake), whose Cry resulted from government experiments on an alien child named Ditto. This version founded the Birds of Prey alone and led Team 7 alongside husband Kurt Lance before becoming a rock band singer. However, the DC Rebirth initiative reversed these changes, with Wally West lamenting that Green Arrow and Black Canary "hardly know each other anymore." The narrative restored their traditional relationship as husband and wife, re-establishing Dinah Drake as the mother of Dinah Laurel.

Reader's Guide

To understand Black Canary, one must distinguish between her two primary iterations based on the specific continuity era. In Golden Age stories (Flash Comics #86-104, All Star Comics #38-57), readers encounter Dinah Drake: a non-superpowered martial artist who joined the Justice Society in All Star Comics #41 and fought foes like Carno and His Masked Riders. Post-Crisis narratives focus on Dinah Laurel Lance, introduced in 1969, who combines elite hand-to-hand combat with the "Canary Cry," a sonic scream capable of shattering objects. Fans should note that while Dinah Laurel is often associated with Green Arrow and the Birds of Prey, the New 52 version had a husband named Kurt Lance and founded the team solo. Recent events in Doomsday Clock and Dark Nights: Death Metal have fully reversed the New 52 changes, restoring the mother-daughter dynamic where Dinah Drake (original) passes the mantle to Dinah Laurel (current).

Did You Know?

• Carmine Infantino created the Black Canary's design based on writer Bob Kanigher's request for his 'fantasy of a good-looking girl,' later meeting a dancer in Korea who was her exact image.
• The character was introduced to replace Johnny Thunder, with the creators noting immediately that 'Nobody missed him' after she arrived in Flash Comics #86.
• In the New 52 continuity, Black Canary's sonic cry originated from government experiments performed on an alien child named Ditto, rather than a genetic mutation.
• Dinah Laurel Lance is named after a librarian Dinah Drake befriended during a case, as established in Birds of Prey #66 (June 2004).
• During the New 52 era, Black Canary was briefly reimagined as a lead singer for a rock band also called Black Canary.