Black Canary Is Getting Her Own Young Adult Novel From DC and Random House

Black Canary's impact on the DC Comics universe can not be overstated, as the heroine has inspired fans in team-up and solo stories for nearly 75 years. The metahuman martial artist - who has the ability to emit a supersonic "Canary Cry" - has made her way into movies, television, animation, and countless comics -- and now she's headed to the world of young adult novels. According to a new report, Alexandra Monir will write the first-ever novel about Black Canary, which is titled Black Canary: Breaking Silence. The book, which is part of Random House Books' DC Icons line, is currently slated to be published on December 29th (pre-orders are live on Amazon now). A first look at the cover, which is from fan-favorite artist Jen Bartel, was also released.

According to a new listing for the novel, Black Canary: Breaking Silence will open on Dinah Lance, who was seven years old when she overheard the impossible: the sound of a girl singing. It was something she was never meant to hear--not in her lifetime and not in Gotham City, taken over by the vicious, patriarchal Court of Owls. The sinister organization rules Gotham City as a dictatorship and has stripped women of everything--their right to work, to make music, to learn, to be free.

Now seventeen, Dinah can't forget that haunting sound, and she's beginning to discover that her own voice is just as powerful. But singing is forbidden-a one-way route to a certain death sentence. Fighting to balance her father's desire to keep her safe, a blossoming romance with mysterious new student Oliver Queen, and her own need to help other women and girls rise up, Dinah wonders if her song will finally be heard. And will her voice be powerful enough to destroy the Court of Owls once and for all?

Dystopian future aside, the novel's description sounds like a poignant distillation of much of Black Canary's comic history, including her complicated dynamic with her father, her romance with Oliver Queen, her ties to the world of music, and her feminist crusade.

Black Canary first debuted in 1947's Flash Comics #86, and went on to be a significant member of the Justice Society of America and the Justice League of America, as well as a founding member of the Birds of Prey. The character has appeared on multiple TV series over the years, being portrayed by Rachel Skarsten on the Birds of Prey TV series, Alaina Huffman on Smallville, and Katie Cassidy and Juliana Harkavy on Arrow. Jurnee Smollett-Bell recently portrayed Black Canary on the big screen in this year's Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn).

Monir is an Iranian-American author, whose best-selling novel The Final Six is set to be adapted by Sony. She spent her teen years as a pop star opening for acts like Aaron Carter and O-Town. This will be the fifth book so far in the DC Icons series, which already includes Leigh Bardugo's Wonder Woman: Warbringer, Marie Lu's Batman: Nightwalker, Sarah J. Maas's Catwoman: Soulstealer, and Matt de la Pena's Superman: Dawnbreaker.

Breaking Silence will be the latest young adult-oriented story revolving around Black Canary, after the release of last year's original graphic novel Black Canary: Ignite. That book, which was written by Meg Cabot with art from Cara McGee, followed a tween Dinah as she comes to terms with her newfound superpowers.

What do you think of Black Canary getting a young adult novel? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!

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