As far as ensemble books go, Birds of Prey is one of the best around. Not only is it one of the longest runs by a single writer on a series, hitting 56 issues, but it’s also Gail Simone’s best work. It’s also one of the few comic books that featured an all-girls team, something that wasn’t at all prevalent in the early 2000s.
In recent years, Marvel has started to push the boundaries with representation, leading to more women in comics, including a few all-girl teams. There are also more than a few stories in the Marvel mythos that fit the same writing focus that Birds of Prey had.
10 Unstoppable Wasp Is Flashy & More Akin To The Film Than Comic
The Unstoppable Wasp is more in line with the film version of the Birds Of Prey in a lot of ways. It won’t have nearly as much blood in it or some of the darker tones, but it’s a fun read. As with the movie, it’s something you’re not meant to overthink. The book follows Nadia Van Dyne as she takes up the mantle of Wasp and connects with the parents she never got to meet as a child. While most of the surrounding story is light and fluffy, Nadia is a fairly deep and interesting character.
9 Jessica Jones Would Fit Right In Among The Birds Of Prey
There isn’t a Marvel character that would fit in among the Birds of Prey more than Jessica Jones would. She’s tailor-made for their street-level adventures. She’s a detective by trade, one that could match wits with either incarnation of Barbara Gordon, and has a sarcastic streak that’d make her welcome on the team. Bendis’s recent run on the character was a mixed bag at times, particularly in the middle portion of the series, but it’s a tamer look at the character in comparison to Alias.
8 Alias Is One Of The Grittiest Series Marvel Has Ever Made
Speaking of Alias, few stories are as gritty and as psychological as this series is. It’s one of Bendis’s best works, back when he was a rising star with both this comic and his incredible run on Daredevil.
The comic details her fall as the superhero Jewel and her rise as Jessica Jones, the detective. It goes in-depth into her antagonistic relationship with Killgrave, even more so than the show did. The one unfortunate caveat is that the art style of Michael Gaydos isn’t going to be for everyone.
7 Dennis “Hopeless” Hallum’s Run On Spider-Woman Focuses On Jessica Rather Than Her Convoluted Past
The past of Spider-Woman is convoluted and messy to say the least. It’s why Dennis “Hopeless” Hallum should be commended for throwing that all out the window and focusing on Jessica Drew rather than her backstory. It led to a fantastic run that was complimented well by Javier Rodriguez’s art. The whole run is great, but what put it over the top was the five-issue run where they tried to tackle a superhero pregnancy and how that would affect her life.
6 New Agents Of Atlas Are A Rag Tag Team Of Heroes Whose Sum Is Greater Than Their Parts
One thing Birds of Prey did was help prop up lesser characters who are oft-forgotten, such as Huntress and Lady Blackhawk. It’s the same thing that New Agents Of Atlas did during the War of Realms storyline. It’s a team created of newer heroes like Silk and lesser-known ones such as Shang Chi, making a force whose mission was protecting Asia from the Queen of Cinders. It’s only a short run, but an enjoyable one nonetheless.
5 Charles Soule Balanced Both Sides of Jennifer Walters In His She-Hulk Run
There are few things that Charles Soule touches that don’t end up at the very least enjoyable, and that’s the case with his She-Hulk run. He doesn’t reinvent the wheel, keeping Jennifer Walters as a lawyer and superhero, but he helps balance the two of them better than most writers and does it without overloading the series with humor.
He also introduces a good supporting cast that’s very Birds of Prey-like, especially with Patsy Walker.
4 Black Widow Homecoming Shows The Character Confronting Her Past
Black Widow is tied more to espionage and spy work than the Birds of Prey ever was, and Homecoming isn’t different, but it does have her confronting her past head-on. It’s something that Gail Simone made all of her characters do at one point in time, particularly with Barbara. The story takes an in-depth look at Natasha’s past, forcing her to dredge up memories she would have liked to have forgotten, all while splicing in plenty of action.
3 Nathan Edmondson’s Run On Black Widow Focused On Mysteries That Were Gail Simone’s Speciality
Nathan Edmondson and Phil Noto had a special run in their twelve-issue run on Black Widow. The Finely Woven Thread is one of the more well-regarded stories in the character’s history, focusing on when she first gave up her life as an assassin. It’s a deeper look at what makes the character tick and introduces mysteries that make a reader want to keep reading, something Gail Simone was always good at it. Her secretiveness at times will remind Birds of Prey fans of Barbara Gordon’s Oracle.
2 Runaways Is Heavily Character Focused Like Birds Of Prey Is
On the surface, Runaways may be more similar to Teen Titans than it ever would Birds of Prey, but that’s only due to the youth of both teams. Sure, there is a fair bit of teen drama in the story, however, that’s only because the narrative is so character-focused. Character development and growth are always front and center in the series, even more than the typical comic book action. It was prevalent in the Birds of Prey books as well.
1 A-Force Is The Closest Thing To Birds Of Prey In The Marvel Universe
If girl power is what you’re after, A-Force is just the ticket, but the series is more than just that. It features great character work on the female characters that join the team, giving everyone a chance to shine. No one shines brighter than She-Hulk, who is the de facto leader of the team and someone who has always stood out in team books. It captures the essence of what made the Birds of Prey dynamic so great, meshing personalities that you never thought would work in a team.