Warning! Minor spoilers from Dark Knights of Steel ahead!
The power couple of Black Canary and Green Arrow are getting an epic makeover in a variant for an upcoming issue of Dark Knights of Steel. Though generally interpreted as a brawler with a killer voice, Canary is shown taking a page out of her longtime lover's book, wielding a bow and arrow of her own. The new twists on these old favorites are just the latest in line for the series making waves for its fantastic reimagining of classic heroes.
Dark Knights of Steel by Tom Taylor and Yasmine Putri is an ongoing series that places classic DC characters in an epic, Middle Ages setting. Superman is scion of one of the world's most powerful kingdoms and enemies everywhere are aiming to take his family down. This fantasy world has already had its versions of Green Arrow and Black Canary encounter members of the Court of El with disastrous results. But this cover art shows that the tide may be turning for the couple in the coming months.
Series writer Tom Taylor revealed two covers for Dark Knights of Steel #5 on Twitter; one being the main cover by Dan Mora and the other a variant by Joshua Middleton. The variant cover depicts Black Canary dressed in thick, protective garments with a quiver slung around her back and a bow and arrow at the ready. Looking over her is a watchful Green Arrow and another image of Canary screaming her heart out. Amid the gorgeous colors and character positions is the shape of a bird, certainly a symbol for Black Canary. The cover raises questions to what's in store for the famed duo as the war against the Court of El begins building up.
Dark Knights of Steel's greatest strength has been taking familiar DC heroes and seeing where they fit in a sword and sorcery landscape. Dinah Lance is known for her powerful vocal vibrations, so in this medieval world she's a banshee whose magic nature is outlawed. The anti-authoritarian Oliver Queen is drafted in an assassination attempt to take down an oppressive ruler. Taylor's understanding of these characters' beliefs and powers helps him effortlessly transplant them into the archetypes of the fantasy setting. In the same way that Harley Quinn's loose inhibitions around others have made her the perfect court jester, Green Arrow and Black Canary's history of taking on large and powerful tyrants make them a great fit as the rebels seeking to overthrow a kingdom.
Fans are left to wonder why Canary is prepping a bow and arrow, but with Green Arrow's run-in with Superman, perhaps he'll be taking on a mentor role. Canary's voice failed her when fighting the bastard Bat-Prince, so learning how to fire a shot will likely help the duo in their quest to take down the Court of El. For now, the beautiful art of this variant will just have to serve as a hint for what's to come for Black Canary and Green Arrow in future issues of Dark Knights of Steel.
Source: Tom Taylor