How DC Is Changing The ‘Birds Of Prey’ Comic For The 2020 Movie

DC Comics has announced a relaunch of their ongoing “Birds of Prey” comic book that will shake up the series in big ways to better resemble the upcoming film adaptation.

The new “Birds of Prey” will release its debut issue on Oct. 30 and feature a line-up of female heroes sure to sound familiar to fans of DC movies: Harley Quinn, Huntress and Black Canary. This same team will headline a live-action movie coming to theaters in Feb. 2020 directed by Cathy Yan and starring Margot Robbie, Mary Elizabeth Winstead and Jurnee Smollett-Bell.

Quinn has never usually been a member of the Birds of Prey, but as is extremely commonplace in superhero comics, the change is being made to make the book more closely resemble its big-budget movie counterpart. Many comics that make it to the big screen see a storyline or relaunch employed to capitalize on renewed mainstream attention.

The new book will be written by DC veteran Brian Azzarello ("100 Bullets") and feature art by Emanuela Lupacchino. The first story arc will follow the heroes as they clash with the mysterious “Las Esposa de la Muerte” at the behest of Det. Renee Montoya. Montoya, better known as “The Question,” will also appear in the “Birds of Prey” movie, played by Rosie Perez.

“It’s cool to have a story to tell about these characters I've never worked on before, with Ema, a terrific artist I’ve never worked with before,” Azzarello said. “Having Harley involved screws with the new BOP dynamic—hell, with every dynamic. She’s chaos, but she might be the most together member of the team. Canary, Huntress and Montoya have a lot of damaged baggage. Ema and I are gonna unpack it.”

“I’m thrilled to work on Birds of Prey with Brian Azzarello,” Lupacchino said. “The Birds are a super-team I’ve never worked on before but that I‘ve always loved. Harley is shining with her craziness, which is something I love to draw.”

Warner Bros. will release “Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn)” on Feb. 7, 2020.