Lady Blackhawk is an alias used by three fictional comic book characters appearing in American comic books. The first, Zinda Blake, was introduced in a DC Comics publication in 1959 (Blackhawk #133); the second, Natalie Reed, appeared in a DC Comics title in 1988. The third, as-yet-unnamed, Lady Blackhawk debuted in a DC Comics title in 2011. All three characters were aviators and soldiers.
Reed has not appeared since the 1992 one-shot special; Blake was more recently a regular character in the Birds of Prey comic book from 2004 to 2009, and from 2010 to 2011. The third Lady Blackhawk appears in the Blackhawks comic.
Zinda Blake
Character history
Zinda Blake, the first published Lady Blackhawk, is a fictional DC Comics character. She was introduced in Blackhawk #133 (February 1959). The Quality Comics characters were purchased by DC Comics and DC published Blackhawk from #108.
Military Comics #20 (July 1943) featured a story about a woman who attempts to become the first woman member of the Blackhawks, who looks, sounds and behaves much like Zinda Blake, although she does not divulge her name, and never calls herself Lady Blackhawk. In the story, she flies to Blackhawk Island, declares herself part of the team, and helps the Blackhawks on a mission behind German lines. Ultimately, she rescues Blackhawk himself.
Blackhawks
Zinda Blake, determined to become the first woman member of the famed World War II unit known as the Blackhawks, trained herself to pilot a wide range of modern aircraft and made herself an expert in various forms of combat and weaponry.
Her first attempt to join the group came when she helped rescue a member from a modern-day pirate called the Scavenger. Despite her able assistance, Zinda was told that the Blackhawk codes forbade a woman from joining the team.
Zinda followed this exploit by rescuing the entire Blackhawk team from the Scavenger, and in return was told, by Blackhawk himself, that she could become an honorary member of the team.
After a number of adventures with the Blackhawks, Zinda became the victim of the villainous Nazi operative Killer Shark, who used a chemical potion to brainwash her, forcing her to take up the identity of the costumed Queen Killer Shark. Zinda battled her former comrades a number of times as Killer Shark's accomplice before she was freed of the effects of the potion.
Lost in time
Due to the time-warping effects of Zero Hour, Zinda is now in the present DC continuity, looking as she did in 1959. Her whirl through time involved her assisting in the battle against the villain Extant. She has served as a supporting character to Guy Gardner, Warrior. During Zero Hour, Zinda befriends Guy, Steel and an alternate-universe Batgirl. They have several adventures in various time periods, such as the Wild West and far future. Ultimately, the small group is separated by the events of the cross-over. Zinda perceives no time passing before she appears in front of Warrior's, a nightclub that serves as a front of Guy Gardner's latest heroic endeavors. Zinda is instantly accepted by Guy and offered a place to live. Multiple times she assists him and his makeshift team against supervillains, often serving as a pilot. Zinda's companions include, but are not limited to, Arisia, who is a former Green Lantern, Buck Wargo, a millionaire adventurer and 'Tiger-Man', a half-tiger, half-man. In one incident, Zinda suffers multiple injuries while defending Warriors patrons. She is treated at Wargo's medical facility and told she will make a full recovery.
Birds of Prey
In 2004 Zinda began service as the team's pilot in Birds of Prey. Barbara Gordon recruits Zinda Blake as the team's fourth member. Since Zinda is looking for a change, she gladly accepts. Flashbacks reveal the other Blackhawks have died, Wu Cheng being the last. She has been having trouble fitting back in with the current Blackhawk Inc. an international shipping company (which she owns one-eighth of). Zinda accepts the job with Black Canary's unofficial group on the grounds she is in full control of any flying duties. Zinda first suggested the name Birds of Prey for Barbara's team in Birds of Prey #86.
Blake resigns from the Birds of Prey in the issue #107 rather than see Barbara Gordon forced to dismiss her under orders from the group's new leader, Spy Smasher. She later comes to Barbara's aid in Birds of Prey #108, and rejoins the team, which is restored to Barbara's command.
Powers and abilities
Zinda is an ace flyer, able to easily handle any type of aircraft. She is a fine markswoman, skilled in the use of a variety of weapons, and has superior abilities in hand-to-hand combat.