The Religious Affiliation of
Black Canary
Dinah Lance

In Wonder Woman #34, Black Canary's friend Wonder Woman asked her directly if she is a Christian (to confirm what Wonder Woman already knew). Black Canary answered, "Yeah. I mean, it's complicated, but sure."

(Thanks to Rei Shaw for sending us information about this informative conversation between Black Canary and Wonder Woman, including a link to a scanned image of the actual page.)

Black Canary clearly has a Christian self-identity when it comes to religious affiliation. This probably stems, at least in part, from the Christian religious affiliation of her parents: Richard Drake and the first Black Canary. (Superman himself even read from the Bible at Richard Drake's clearly Christian funeral.)

There is little indication within her large body of published comic book stories, film and television appearances to indicate that Black Canary is an active churchgoer or in any way unusually devout. Her religious affiliation has never been a significant part of her character in the same way (for example) that it is for some of her friends and teammates, such as Wonder Woman, Huntress and Martian Manhunter. But nor are we aware of her exhibiting any indications of particular irreligiosity, unorthodoxy, or deviation from general societal norms for a contemporary American who is at least vaguely or nominally Christian.

This character is in the following 125 stories which have been indexed by this website:
Action Comics

Action Comics (vol. 1) #421 (Feb. 1973): "The Headline Maker!"
Action Comics (vol. 1) #488 (Oct. 1978): "A Close Shave for Air Wave!"

America vs. the Justice Society #4 (Apr. 1985): "D-Day For Degation"
Aquaman Secret Files & Origins #1 (Dec. 1998): "Left for Dead"
Batman (vol. 1) #687 (Aug. 2009): "A Battle Within: An Epilogue to Battle for the Cowl" (2-panel cameo)
Batman and the Outsiders (vol. 2) #13 (Jan. 2009): "The Network" (4-panel cameo)
Batman: Battle for the Cowl

Batman: Battle for the Cowl #1 (May 2009): "A Hostile Takeover" (cover & 1-panel cameo)
Batman: Battle for the Cowl #2 (June 2009): "Army of One" (2-panel cameo)
Batman: Battle for the Cowl #3 (July 2009): "Last Man Standing" (1-panel cameo)

Batman: Battle for the Cowl: The Network #1 (July 2009): "The Network" (1-panel cameo)
Birds of Prey

Birds of Prey - Season 1, Episode 0 (2 Oct. 2002): "Unaired Pilot"
Birds of Prey - Season 1, Episode 1 (9 Oct. 2002): "Pilot"
Birds of Prey - Season 1, Episode 2 (16 Oct. 2002): "Slick"
Birds of Prey - Season 1, Episode 3 (23 Oct. 2002): "Prey for the Hunter"
Birds of Prey - Season 1, Episode 4 (30 Oct. 2002): "Three Birds and a Baby"
Birds of Prey - Season 1, Episode 5 (6 Nov. 2002): "Sins of the Mother"
Birds of Prey - Season 1, Episode 6 (13 Nov. 2002): "Primal Scream"
Birds of Prey - Season 1, Episode 7 (20 Nov. 2002): "Split"
Birds of Prey - Season 1, Episode 8 (27 Nov. 2002): "Lady Shiva"
Birds of Prey - Season 1, Episode 9 (18 Dec. 2002): "Nature of the Beast"
Birds of Prey - Season 1, Episode 10 (8 Jan. 2003): "Gladiatrix"
Birds of Prey - Season 1, Episode 11 (8 Jan. 2003): "Reunion"
Birds of Prey - Season 1, Episode 12 (19 Feb. 2003): "Feat of Clay"
Birds of Prey - Season 1, Episode 13 (19 Feb. 2003): "Devil's Eyes"
Birds of Prey (vol. 1) #1 (Jan. 1999): "Long Time Gone" (lead character)
Birds of Prey (vol. 1) #6 (June 1999): "Time's Rainbow" (lead character)
Birds of Prey (vol. 1) #12 (Dec. 1999): "Hellbound Train"
Birds of Prey (vol. 1) #13 (Jan. 2000): "Apokolips Express"
Birds of Prey (vol. 1) #14 (Feb. 2000): "Apokolips Express: Part Two"

Blasters Special #1 (Mar. 1989): "Blasters" (cameo)
Body Doubles

Body Doubles #2 (Nov. 1999): "Hot Water"
Body Doubles #4 (Jan. 2000): "Ladies' Night!"

DC Special #27 (Apr.-May 1977): "Danger: Dinosaurs at Large" (cameo)
DC Special Series #10 (Apr. 1978): "The Canary is a Bird of Prey" (lead character)
Green Arrow (vol. 3) #40 (Sep. 2004): "New Blood, Part One: Moving Day"
Green Arrow and Black Canary

Green Arrow and Black Canary #2 (Jan. 2008): "Dead Again, Part Two: The Naked and the Not Quite So Dead" (lead character)
Green Arrow and Black Canary #19 (June 2009): "Enemies List, Part Four: Nobody but Me" (lead character)
Green Arrow and Black Canary #20 (July 2009): "Enemies List, Part Five: The Silence of Sounds" (lead character)
Green Arrow and Black Canary #21 (Aug. 2009): "Enemies List, Part Six: Background Noise" (lead character)

Green Arrow: The Longbow Hunters

Green Arrow: The Longbow Hunters #1 (Aug. 1987): "The Hunters"
Green Arrow: The Longbow Hunters #2 (Sep. 1987): "Dragon Hunt"
Green Arrow: The Longbow Hunters #3 (Oct. 1987): "Tracking Snow"

Green Lantern (vol. 2) #100 (Jan. 1978): "Beware the Blazing Inferno"
Harley Quinn #6 (May 2001): "Who Wants to Rob a Millionaire?" (cameo)
JLA #9 (Early Sep. 1997): "Elseworlds" (cameo)
The Joker #4 (Nov.-Dec. 1975): "A Gold Star for the Joker"
Joker: Last Laugh

Joker: Last Laugh #1 (Dec. 2001): "Stir Crazy"
Joker: Last Laugh #2 (Dec. 2001): "Siege Mentality"
Joker: Last Laugh #4 (Dec. 2001): "Everyone Knows This is Nowhere"
Joker: Last Laugh #5 (Dec. 2001): "Mad, Mad World"
Joker: Last Laugh #6 (Jan. 2002): "You Only Laugh Twice"

JSA

JSA #1 (Aug. 1999): "Justice Be Done"
JSA #2 (Sep. 1999): "The Wheel of Life"
JSA #11 (June 2000): "Split"

JSA Secret Files & Origins #1 (Aug. 1999): untitled pin-up
Justice League

Justice League (vol. 1) #1 (May 1987): "Born Again"
Justice League (vol. 1) #2 (June 1987): "Make War No More!"
Justice League (vol. 1) #3 (July 1987): "Meltdown"
Justice League (vol. 1) #4 (Aug. 1987): "Winning Hand"
Justice League (vol. 1) #5 (Sep. 1987): "Gray Life, Gray Dreams"
Justice League (vol. 1) #6 (Oct. 1987): "Massacre in Gray"

Justice League America

Justice League America #70 (Jan. 1993): "Grieving" (2-panel cameo)
Justice League America #92 (Sep. 1994): "The Program"

Justice League Heroes (10 Oct. 2006)
Justice League International (vol. 1) #7 (Nov. 1987): "Justice League... International!"
Justice League of America

Justice League of America (vol. 1) #75 (Nov. 1969): "In Each Man There Is a Demon"
Justice League of America (vol. 1) #153 (Apr. 1978): "Earth's First and Last Super-Hero!"
Justice League of America (vol. 2) #0 (Sep. 2006): "Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow" (2-panel cameo)
Justice League of America (vol. 2) #1 (Oct. 2006): "The Tornado's Path, Chapter One: Life"
Justice League of America (vol. 2) #2 (Nov. 2006): "The Tornado's Path, Chapter Two: Tornado Red / Tornado Blue"
Justice League of America (vol. 2) #3 (Dec. 2006): "The Tornado's Path, Chapter Three: The Brave & the Bold"
Justice League of America (vol. 2) #4 (Jan. 2007): "The Tornado's Path, Chapter Four: Being Human"
Justice League of America (vol. 2) #5 (Feb. 2007): "The Tornado's Path, Chapter Five: Born Again"
Justice League of America (vol. 2) #6 (Apr. 2007): "The Tornado's Path, Chapter Six: Iron Man"
Justice League of America (vol. 2) #7 (May 2007): "The Tornado's Path, Epilogue: Roll Call"
Justice League of America (vol. 2) #8 (June 2007): "The Lightning Saga, Chapter One: Lightning Lad"
Justice League of America (vol. 2) #9 (July 2007): "The Lightning Saga, Chapter Three: Suicide"
Justice League of America (vol. 2) #10 (Aug. 2007): "The Lightning Saga, Final Chapter: The Villain Is the Hero in His Own Story"
Justice League of America (vol. 2) #12 (Oct. 2007): "Monitor Duty"
Justice League of America (vol. 2) #13 (Nov. 2007): "Unlimited: Chapter 2"
Justice League of America (vol. 2) #14 (Dec. 2007): "Unlimited: Chapter 3: Two Against Nature" (2-panel cameo)
Justice League of America (vol. 2) #15 (Jan. 2008): "Unlimited: Chapter 4: Unleashed"
Justice League of America (vol. 2) #16 (Feb. 2008): "A Brief Tangent"
Justice League of America (vol. 2) #16 (Feb. 2008): "Soup Kitchen" (mentioned)
Justice League of America (vol. 2) #17 (Mar. 2008): "Sanctuary: Part One" (3-panel cameo)
Justice League of America (vol. 2) #18 (Apr. 2008): "Sanctuary: Part Two" (only on cover)
Justice League of America (vol. 2) #19 (May 2008): "Sanctuary: Part Three" (only on cover)
Justice League of America (vol. 2) #21 (July 2008): "The Gathering Crisis" (mentioned)
Justice League of America (vol. 2) #22 (Aug. 2008): "The Second Coming, Chapter One: The Widening Gyre"
Justice League of America (vol. 2) #23 (Sep. 2008): "The Second Coming, Chapter Two: Things Fall Apart"
Justice League of America (vol. 2) #24 (Oct. 2008): "The Second Coming, Chapter Three: The Blood-Dimmed Tide"
Justice League of America (vol. 2) #25 (Nov. 2008): "The Second Coming, Chapter Four: The Best Lack All Conviction"
Justice League of America (vol. 2) #27 (Jan. 2009): "Be Careful What You Wish For..."
Justice League of America (vol. 2) #28 (Feb. 2009): "Welcome to Sundown Town, Chapter 2: Shadow and Act"
Justice League of America (vol. 2) #29 (Mar. 2009): "Star Struck!"
Justice League of America (vol. 2) #30 (Apr. 2009): "Welcome to Sundown Town, Chapter 3: New Moon Rising"
Justice League of America (vol. 2) #30 (Apr. 2009): "Origins & Omens" (1-panel cameo)
Justice League of America (vol. 2) #31 (May 2009): "Welcome to Sundown Town: Interlude: Crisis of Confidence"
Justice League of America (vol. 2) #32 (June 2009): "Welcome to Sundown Town, Chapter 4: Nyctophobia"
Justice League of America (vol. 2) #33 (July 2009): "Welcome to Sundown Town, Chapter 5: Metathesiophobia" (only on cover)
Justice League of America (vol. 2) #35 (Sep. 2009): "Royal Pain! Chapter One: Luck of the Draw!" (mentioned)
Justice League of America (vol. 2) #36 (Oct. 2009): "Royal Pain! Chapter Two: Shuffle Up and Die!" (1-panel cameo)
Justice League of America (vol. 2) #37 (Nov. 2009): "Royal Pain! Chapter 3: Dead Man's Hand!" (mentioned)
Justice League of America Wedding Special #1 (Nov. 2007): "Unlimited: Chapter 1: Injustice League" (cover & 1-panel cameo)

Justice League: Cry for Justice

Justice League: Cry for Justice #1 (Sep. 2009): "The Beginning" (6-panel cameo)
Justice League: Cry for Justice #2 (Oct. 2009): "The Gathering" (mentioned)

Justice Society of America

Justice Society of America (vol. 3) #1 (Feb. 2007): "The Next Age, Chapter 1" (cameo)
Justice Society of America (vol. 3) #5 (June 2007): "The Lightning Saga, Chapter Two: Dreams and Fire" (1-panel cameo)
Justice Society of America (vol. 3) #6 (July 2007): "The Lightning Saga, Chapter Four: Three Worlds"
Justice Society of America (vol. 3) #11 (Feb. 2008): "Thy Kingdom Come: The Second Coming"

Last Days of the Justice Society of America Special (1986): "The Last Days of the Justice Society"
Lego Batman 2: DC Super Heroes (19 June 2012)
Nightwing (vol. 2) #52 (Feb. 2001): "Modern Romance" (2-panel cameo)
Outsiders (vol. 3) #39 (Oct. 2006): "Silver and Grey, Part Three: Since You're Here, Why Don't You Stay Awhile?" (clone of)
Secret Society of Super-Villains

Secret Society of Super-Villains #6 (Mar.-Apr. 1977): "Captains Cataclysmic!"
Secret Society of Super-Villains #13 (Mar. 1978): "One Earth Too Many" (cameo)

Showcase '96 #3 (Mar. 1996): "Birds of a Feather"
The Super Friends (vol. 1) #8 (Nov. 1977): "The Mind Killers!"
Unlimited Access #4 (Mar. 1998): "Combined Forces" (character based on)
Wonder Woman (vol. 2) #175 (Dec. 2001): "The Witch and the Warrior, Part Two: Girl Frenzy"
World's Finest Comics

World's Finest Comics (vol. 1) #246 (Aug.-Sep. 1977): "Wulf Hunt" (lead character)
World's Finest Comics (vol. 1) #248 (Dec. 1977 - Jan. 1978): "Hellgramite Is His Name, Rebirth Is His Game!" (lead character)
World's Finest Comics (vol. 1) #250 (Apr.-May 1978): "The Reality War!"
World's Finest Comics (vol. 1) #251 (June-July 1978): "The Vertigo Version" (lead character)
World's Finest Comics (vol. 1) #256 (Apr.-May 1979): "The Night the Cry Failed!" (lead character)

Suggested links for further research about this character and the character's religious affiliation:
  - http://www.imdb.com/character/ch0030494/
  - http://www.comicvine.com/black-canary/29-1689/
  - http://dc.wikia.com/wiki/Dinah_Laurel_Lance_(New_Earth)
  - http://www.dcuguide.com/who.php?name=blackcanary2prec
  - http://www.dcuguide.com/chronology.php?name=blackcanary2prec
  - http://www.dcuguide.com/who.php?name=blackcanary2
  - http://www.dcuguide.com/chronology.php?name=blackcanary2
  - http://www.adherents.com/lit/comics/BlackCanary.html
  - https://www.comics.org/issue/23079/
  - http://dc.wikia.com/wiki/Justice_League_of_America_Vol_1_75

All characters, images, comics and source material © by their respective copyright holders. This page (including original commentary, organization, lists, markup, page layout, etc.) © 2024 by ComicBookReligion.com. All rights reserved. Website built by Database-Genius.com, Database-Design.org. Login...