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And here I thought since there's a holiday this coming weekend there wouldn't be any comic news to talk about. Luckily, the March solicitations are out!

First of all: Azrael got cancelled. I think we all knew that was coming. I'm just surprised it took so long. I'm sure my co-blogger will have more to say about that later in the week. Now on with the show!

GREEN LANTERN: EMERALD WARRIORS #8
Written by PETER J. TOMASI
Art by FERNANDO PASARIN & CAM SMITH
Cover by FELIPE MASSAFERA
1:10 Variant cover by TYLER KIRKHAM & BATT
In “War of the Green Lanterns” part 3, it’s the main event! Guy Gardner vs. Hal Jordan – winner take all!
Retailers please note: This issue will ship with two covers. Please see the Previews Order Form for more information.
On sale MARCH 30 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US

"War of the Green Lanterns," huh? I think I remember hearing about that, but DC doesn't seem to be pushing it the same way they did with Blackest Night and Brightest Day. I will say this, though: if anyone is going to win a war between the Green Lanterns of Earth it's going to be this Guy:

Hal Jordan doesn't stand a chance.

XOMBI #1
Written by JOHN ROZUM
Art and cover by FRAZER IRVING
1:10 Variant cover by BRENDAN MCCARTHY
You can’t keep a good XOMBI down! The immortal David Kim – kept “alive” by nanotech enhancements – returns to the DC Universe in a new ongoing series! Creator John Rozum and hot BATMAN AND ROBIN artist Frazer Irving team up to deliver the finest in contemporary urban horror – with a Super Hero twist! As an undying, unchanging Xombi, David Kim must watch the world consume itself and burn while humanity grows more distant from each other due to the rise of technology. What would a Xombi do just to feel change again? And where will he ever be able to find a kindred soul?
On sale MARCH 16 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US

I've expressed my love of the previous XOMBI before. I can't say much more than that here. But I do want to urge everyone who has a few extra bucks to at least try XOMBI #1. I really don't want this book to be canceled early. I want it to get at least two years. Maybe more. Give it a shot!

BIRDS OF PREY #10
Written by GAIL SIMONE
Art by INAKI MIRANDA
Cover by STANLEY “ARTGERM” LAU
This is it! The astonishing conclusion to “The Death of Oracle,” featuring nearly everyone whose life has been touched by Oracle – villain and hero! How will the DCU operate without its premier infojock, and how will this event affect the Birds of Prey? All this, plus a fan-favorite operative works with the Birds for the first time ever!
On sale MARCH 9 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US

Okay, a few things: what is Barbara wearing? Could the "fan-favorite" be one of my favorites? And what exactly is Gail Simone planning with this book? When Birds of Prey came back I expected it to be pretty similar to what came before. But it hasn't been. It's been different, in a good way. And if Cassandra Cain shows up? All the better.

ACTION COMICS #899
Written by PAUL CORNELL
Art by PETE WOODS
Cover by DAVID FINCH & BATT
Lex Luthor has left no stone unturned in his quest for the Black Lantern energy, but he’s not the only one searching for it – Brainiac wants the energy and the knowledge it offers all to himself. Trust us, this is gonna be the most vicious Luthor/Brainiac team-up ever. It all sets the stage for both a conclusion and a beginning in next month’s historic ACTION COMICS #900, featuring the return of you-know-who…
On sale MARCH 30 • 32 pg, FC $2.99 US

Is this the end for the greatest villain of them all? If this is the end of Lex Luthor's story in Action I'll be okay with that. But honestly? I want the April solicitations to offer up Lex Luthor #1 written by Paul Cornell. Make it happen, DC.

It would appear that Gail Simone is taking a slightly different approach in the new Birds of Prey. I don't know if putting the Birds on the "outside" will last, but it will certainly make for an interesting opening arc.

Also: I don't think that's Cassandra Cain. It seems far more likely that whoever White Canary is, she's got some connection to Black Canaray's almost adopted daughter Sin. Older sister? Time travel? I don't really know. But if it had been Cassandra Dinah would have figured it out.

I wonder if we'll ever see Cassandra Cain again. I know that people occasionally ask about her at cons and whatnot. And I know DC likes to talk about there being a "plan." I think she's one of the characters they say they have a "plan for." Of course, the plan never really seems to materialize.

Anyway, I was talking about Birds of Prey #2. I think it was a strong second part, but I really want to see more of what's coming. What will Oracle do, and how will the Penguin play a role? It's been an unexpected ride so far. Hell, did anybody see that conclusion to the Savant/Creote story coming? I know I didn't...

If you're a long time reader of this blog you can probably guess what I'm going to talk about tonight.

Birds of Prey #1 was really good. Gail Simone delivers (as always) and Ed Benes's work looks better than it ever has. He may be getting better or he may have a new inking/coloring team. Whatever it is, it looks great.

The action is as high octane as expected, it's great to have the team back together (I still think Lady Blackhawk is one of the coolest characters ever), and I'm intrigued to see how Hawk and Dove fit in with the team.

But you know all this. And you know that I'm only here to talk about those last few pages of the book. I'm here to talk about the "White Canary" and the chance that she might be Cassandra Cain.

If White Canary is Cassandra then it looks like all the work that Geoff Johns and Adam Beechen (yes, Adam Beechen) did to rehabilitate here will have been for naught. And I have a hard time believing that Gail Simone--who has always been one of the creators most receptive to fans--would do that to Cassie.

I cannot imagine that DC would try to make her a villain again after the disaster it was the first time. The Internet (this blog included) absolutely erupted after the Robin "One Year Later" story. Some people liked it (I thought it was good except for Cassie's villainous turn) but a lot more seemed to be very angry.

There was a lot of undeserved anger directed at Adam Beechen. I know, because I was among those doing it. That was wrong, because Cassie's heel turn was editorially mandated. The people at the top clearly didn't get how attached the fans were to her. They hadn't learned all the lessons from "Emerald Twilight."

So what exactly am I saying here? I guess I'm trying to convince myself that White Canary isn't Cassandra Cain. I'm trying to convince myself that it's Cassie's long lost twin, raised in secret by Shiva to be her successor. I keep telling myself that Cassie will show up at the end of the arc, defeat her evil sister and join the Birds of Prey.

I keep telling myself these things. But they never seem to come true. My favorite character in comics is still in undefined limbo. Still, I have hope; Gail Simone has always been good at giving me that. She's a great writer and since she's a fan, I'm sure she gets where I'm coming from. With anybody else I'd be pretty angry right now. With her? I'm going to wait and see.

Because I'm really jazzed about the new Gail Simone run on the new Birds of Prey I went back last night and started rereading her first run on the first Birds of Prey from the beginning.

This is why I did not post last night.

I forgot how much I enjoyed those comics. I don't remember what it was that got me reading that comic in the first place. Honestly, it was probably the cover (I'm a sucker for the fishnets). The art is still kind of funky (I think Ed Benes goes overboard sometimes) and the writing was a bit rocky compared to what Gail Simone writes now.

But good Lord... Those comics were fun. So much damn fun. They are just bursting with energy and crazy things and cool fights. It has me really excited for the new series. Honestly, I haven't been looking forward to a new comic like I have this one in a long time.

If the new Birds of Prey is anything like the old Birds of Prey it will be great. But I think it will be better than great... Because both Gail Simone and Ed Benes have gotten a lot better over the years. And they were good to begin with.

I think it's safe to say that this is the best news DC has released so far this year. Birds of Prey coming back? Gail Simone writing Birds of Prey again. This is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy.

Seriously; Gail Simone's Birds of Prey was one of my earliest regular comic books. She came on the book around the time I started reading comics. It's no exaggeration to say that her Birds of Prey has a lot to do with why I love both comics and the DCU.

I want to welcome Ms. Simone (and Mr. Benes) back to the book. I hope it's a long run. I know I'll be there every step of the way.

Know that I was recently informed that Robin, Nightwing, and Oracle all had their long-running series canceled. I know schadenfreude isn't very Christian, but... Well...

How does it feel, guys? Everyone makes fun of poor, pathetic, mentally disturbed Azrael because his series only made it to one hundred issues. But who's laughing now? At least my comic ended on a round number. No "# 153 FINAL ISSUE" or "#183 FINAL ISSUE" for me. Nope, I ended on a good solid round number.

Is this what it feels like when the people in high school who picked on you get their comeuppance? Being in You-Know-Who's little "family" was just like being in high school. While Cassandra and I were forced to sit at the "loser" table at lunch, Dick, Tim, and Babs all got to sit at the "cool" table. And they sucked up to the teacher, too.

But now how do you feel? Now that you don't have teacher around to defend you, your titles are getting the axe. Since the boss man is "R. I. P." you've got to fend for yourself. Join the club, guys. Maybe you'll be lucky and get a mini-series or a spot on Rip Hunter's chalkboard. Ha!

Wow, I feel really mean right now... Is this what it's like to be a super-villain?