Birds of Preyjust hasn’t been the same to me since Barbara Gordon left to reclaim the mantleof Batgirl.  But there is good news forus fans.  Batgirl returns to Birds of Prey but can she find a place on a team of outlaws?

Some have said that three is the magic number. If that’s the case,November should be a fascinating month. Here at THE SOURCE, we’ll spotlightingkey third issues from DC COMICS-THE NEW 52 with an ongoing series of poststitled “3 Things You Didn’t Know About DC COMICS-THE NEW 52.” Expect theunexpected–in threes. 

People have been asking me why I’m so quiet when it comes to Birds of Prey.It’s true; I haven’t done many interviews. When friends stop me on the streetand ask about the book, I usually scream “HOLY CAT WHAT IS THAT BEHIND YOU” andscramble in the opposite direction. Um, yeah… I’ve been a bit cagey when itcomes to this comic. Thing is, while Birds of Prey is about the greatcharacters… it’s also about the surprises, and I’m serious about not wanting toruin any of the twists and turns that lie ahead.

But last week, when I visited the DC Comics HQ in New York City, my editorBobbie Chase spiked my Diet Coke, and the last thing I saw was David Hydefilling a syringe with sodium pentothal. Hours later, on my train back toPhilly, I realized they’d pried these three details out of me…

1. Batgirl is back on the team.
Sure, Barbara Gordon (a.k.a. Batgirl) was reluctant at first. She didn’tnecessarily want to be hanging out with a gang of outlaws (see next “Thing toKnow #2”), and she has serious doubts about at least one member of team (see“Thing to Know #3”). But to Batgirl, friendship trumps everything, and you’llsee exactly how she finds her way to a permanent spot on the team in issues #4and 5.

2. Black Canary, Starling and Katana can’t show their faces inpublic.
That’s because they’re outlaws to one degree or another. Dinah Lance (a.k.a.Black Canary) is wanted for murder. The rumor is she killed a dude with asingle punch, but the truth is far darker and stranger than that…

Evelyn Crawford (a.k.a. Starling) is wanted by at least six differentintelligence organizations for knowing too much about how the world reallyworks. How did she land in this predicament? Well, wait until you meet herUncle Earl—a former spy who raised her, and also tries to kill her every nowand again. (He has Alzheimer’s.)

And finally, Tatsu Yamashiro (a.k.a. Katana) is wanted by Japan’s NationalPolice Agency for her blood-splattered mission of vengeance against the Yakuzafor killing her husband. Criminal profilers in her country think she’s insanebecause she believes the soul of her husband resides in her sword. Thing is,her own teammates aren’t so sure, either…

3. Poison Ivy has turned over a new leaf.
Okay, not really. Pam Isley (a.k.a. Ivy) is still very much a dedicatedeco-terrorist, targeting the people and corporations that mess with MotherEarth. So why’s she hanging out with a bunch of do-gooders like Black Canaryand Batgirl (who doesn’t like, trust, and really even tolerate Ivy)? Prettysoon—say, around issue #5—you’re going to see that Ivy has a little side dealgoing on. Her enhanced biosuit amplifies her metahuman powers to an insanedegree, but also comes at a price. And wait until you see how she plans onpaying the tab…

Hnnnnnuh? What just happened? Why am I on this moving train? Man, I hope Ididn’t say too much back at the DC offices…

– Duane Swierczynski (BIRDSOF PREY)