Birds of Prey #112

Welcome back, everybody! All stuffed with various delicacies? Had enough of crazy relatives, and long only for the warm glow of a computer screen? Not crazy enough to get up at 3:00 AM to go Christmas shopping? Welcome, welcome.

How's this?



Gosh, I just love Zinda. This issue is NOT written by Gail Simone. Know what? I don't care, because it is still good.

We begin with a memorial service for Big Barda, which makes me sniffle a little bit. Zinda however is honoring the memory of Barda in...her own inimitable fashion. Mainly, dancing on the bar and getting squiffed. She even manages to instigate a nice brawl...although in her opinion it doesn't really match up to some of the epic conflicts of the old days. '

Unbeknownst to Zinda, she is being stalked by a pair of bad guys, mainly Falseface and some guy in a cowboy hat, named White Star. Apparently, they were hired by the Calculator, in order to get to Oracle. He just doesn't deal with rejection well. Anyway, after her little brawl, Zinda stumbles out into the street and hails a cab, ordering the cabbie to drive her to Pancho's. NOT the one in Metropolis, but the one near Edward's Airforce base in California, and incidentally, a hangout of none other than Hal Jordan. The cabbie is NOT enthusiastic about this, but Zinda manages to be very persuasive. Drunk and threatening, but persuasive.

She wakes up in Pennsylvania, as the cab is stuck behind an Amish horse and buggy. It turns out that Masoud, her cabbie isn't particularly good with maps. This is when Falseface and White Star decide to attack, which leads to a lot of shooting, explosions, and the forcable highjacking of an Amish mode of transportation...and that's just something that you don't see every day!

Zinda has figured out that the nefarious twosome is probably out to get Oracle, or maybe they just don't like her. Either way, she doesn't let it bother her too much. Which leads to the chase by a combine after a horse-drawn buggy...also something that you don't see every day. Then the train comes by. The buggy is destroyed, but don't worry, the horse is fine. Masoud and Zinda manage to jump on the train in proper hobo fashion.

Falseface meanwhile has managed to get close enough to Zinda, to take on her appearance, and while Zinda is scouting things out on top of the train, "she" gets inside which leads to another confrontation, and the bonking of Falseface over the head with a liquor bottle by Masoud. They then climb up the ladder to the helicopter being piloted by White Star, who, only being 100 feet up, jumps out! So, they do manage to finally get to Pancho's, landing with QUITE a thump in the parking lot.

Hal and Cowgirl are having a beer inside...and theorize that the THUMP was just some fool who can't parallel park. Zinda and Masoud come inside, and Zinda requests that a photograph be added to the fallen heroes on the back of the bar, and then calls for drinks all around. It turns out that the photo is one of Barda and her, and again, makes me sniffle.

There were so many good things in this. I left out quite a bit of the heartsearching and philosophy as expressed by Masoud and Zinda, but I must say, that he's a pretty good new character. Zinda's insousiance is portrayed quite nicely, as well as her absolute belief that Oracle will bail her out. By now, she owes Masoud for the cost of his cab, not to mention the fare,and the Amish farmer for his buggy, the cost of the combine, and she also has a stolen helicopter. Not to mention all the drinks at Pancho's.

Oracle must LOVE going through her expense accounts.

It's rather cute and a little sweet, and kinda funny with a tiny touch of pathos here and there. And it's got Hal!