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The Hard Road

Posted by on April 8, 2015 in Heroes, Storylines | 2 Comments

For the large number of non-powered heroes in superhero comics, a very common narrative theme is what they could or would do if given superhuman abilities. In a variety of examples, the transformation either proves incredibly effective or incredibly damaging – sometimes even both. Invariably, the change is a temporary anomaly and the hero is returned to their depowered state, appreciative of the burden of superpowers and emboldened to live up to those expectations to the best of their human abilities. But for Dinah Laurel Lance, aka the Black Canary, the drive and commitment to human perfection comes in spite of possessing superpowers, as opposed to in lieu of them.

Dinah Laurel Lance, aka Black Canary - DC Comics

Dinah Laurel Lance, aka Black Canary – DC Comics

The Silver Age Black Canary’s biography and origin have changed and evolved through successive retcons; originally the daughter of the non-powered Golden Age Black Canary, Dinah Lance possessed the metahuman ability to project incredibly powerful sonic waves. Dubbed the “Canary Cry”, her sonic scream is capable of shattering glass, concussive force, and, if unrestrained, fatal damage to those exposed. And though elements of her history – including her mother and connection to Earth 2, as well as her long-time on-again-off-again romance with the Green Arrow – are no longer part of her mythos, a key component of her character remains that she is a reluctant user of her incredible metahuman ability. Instead, she is a highly trained martial artist and acrobat, skilled in armed and unarmed combat, as well as being a strong tactician, leader, and expert driver.

The Black Canary relies almost entirely on these human abilities, usually reserving the use of her Canary Cry for the most dire or necessary of situations. When fully unleashed, the Canary Cry  has the potential to fracture and splinter metal and even liquefy organic materials such as bone and soft tissue. She has even used the ability to enable herself to fly for short distances, and has enough power to incapacitate Superman. With this sheer amount of power at her disposal, her insistence on the training, development, and application of non-superhuman abilities is all the more intriguing.

There is an obvious sort of pragmatism to this course of action. After all, vast and devastating powers are not always the appropriate tools for any given job. Over her many years of comic book history, Black Canary has increasingly demonstrated a degree of subtlety and control over her powers. Even so, the Canary Cry is not an all-purpose ability, so it makes practical sense to hone and train other skills. But Black Canary’s commitment to training is incredibly strict; she has dedicated her life to the mastery of a number of martial arts and is considered one of the foremost hand-to-hand combatants in the entire DC Universe. She has bested both Batman and Lady Shiva at different times, who by traditional wisdom are considered the greatest non-powered fighters.

Black Canary vs Black Lanterns - Black Lantern Green Arrow #30, DC Comics

Black Canary vs Black Lanterns – Black Lantern Green Arrow #30, DC Comics

Indeed, her commitment to training has included tutelage under both the Dark Knight and Lady Shiva, with the latter subjecting Black Canary to the same torture and violence in which she herself was forged. The result of this dedicated and grueling training is a hero who is more than the sum of her powers: she exhibits a strength and a resolve that demonstrate the tremendous potential within ordinary human beings.

That strength became apparent following the events of Green Arrow: The Longbow Hunters, in which Dinah – while undercover trying to take down a cocaine dealer – was brutally beaten, tortured, and assaulted. The result of this trauma was that she was unable to bear children but also that she lost the ability to use her Canary Cry. The incident, unfortunately, falls into the category of “women in refrigerators”, as the violence she endured served to further the narrative of Green Arrow as opposed to herself, but the aftermath of the story established the Black Canary as a hero who was not limited to her powers.

Black Canary's torture - Green Arrow: The Longbow Hunters #3, DC Comics

Black Canary’s torture – Green Arrow: The Longbow Hunters #3, DC Comics

She continued to fight crime as the Black Canary for a long time without her powers with little adjustment. Since she was already accustomed to the hand-to-hand combat of non-powered vigilantism, she was able to adapt and continue as an active superhero. The same can not be said of Superman or the Green Lantern, for example. Without their incredible superpowers they are little more than an optimistic reporter and a headstrong fighter pilot. They do not have the physical or mental discipline, let alone the training, to be able to continue being superheroes in any credible manner. Even the recent “Future Flash” arc in Flash references the fact that Barry relies on his speed to dispatch enemies, but when speed is no longer an advantage his lack of fighting skill becomes a serious liability. Black Canary is one of the few examples of a powered hero who can not only carry on as a hero, but thrive as one without their superpowers.

That same strength applies to all aspects of Black Canary’s life. Following the devastating repercussions of her attack, she not only returned to heroism, but to life in general. Her relationship with Green Arrow, though tumultuous, continued and grew over time. Likewise, she committed herself to a so-called normal civilian life, running a small flower shop with Oliver Queen called “Sherwood Florist”. And though the business struggled – largely due to Oliver’s fiscal mismanagement – it serves as yet another demonstration of the incredible ambition and ability of Dinah to reach her maximum potential. As any small business owner will testify, the role is no small task, and requires absolute dedication. The fact that Dinah embodies that dedication not only in business, but also in love and in heroism is an extremely powerful example of realized individual potential.

Black Canary - DC Comics

Black Canary – DC Comics

The supervillain Lex Luthor has stated in various iterations that one of the primary reasons he hates Superman is because he believes that he represents the death of human ingenuity. Lex believes that by virtue of using his immeasurable, unattainable power to help and save the people of Earth, Superman robs us of our will and drive to make ourselves great. And while the merits of this argument can be debated, one must admit that the mythology of Black Canary presents itself as a strong counterpoint to this point of view. Lex’s ideology battles within her – the super versus the human – but she proves that the one does not necessarily neuter the other. It would be all too easy for her to be content with her superpower alone, but instead she continues to take the harder road, embodying the drive and the self-betterment that is one of humanity’s defining traits.