We Are Star Stuff

For the large number of non-powered heroes in superhero comics, a very common narrative theme is what they could or would do if given superhuman abilities. In a variety of examples, the transformation either proves incredibly effective or incredibly damaging – sometimes even both. Invariably, the change is a temporary anomaly and the hero is returned to their depowered state, appreciative of the burden of superpowers and emboldened to live up to those expectations to the best of their human abilities. But for Dinah Laurel Lance, aka the Black Canary, the drive and commitment to human perfection comes in spite of possessing superpowers, as opposed to in lieu of them.

Dinah Laurel Lance, aka Black Canary – DC Comics

The Silver Age Black Canary’s biography and origin have changed and evolved through successive retcons; originally the daughter of the non-powered Golden Age Black Canary, Dinah Lance possessed the metahuman ability to…