Review by Frank Plowright

Of all the allies gathered by Black Canary for the previous mission, it’s Meridian who’s the mystery. She’s travelled back from the future, and her intention is to prevent the death of Barbara Gordon either as Batgirl or Oracle. She was almost entirely absent from Megadeath as all indications were that she would die should she be part of the mission. Meridian is known to anyone who read Gotham Academy as Maps, but this is an older and wiser version.

At the end of the previous volume an all new team was hinted at, but it turns out most are returnees, with only Vixen new and Harley Quinn departing. It replaces a wild card with stability, which is presumably for the best when, as the title suggests, the team are drawn through a series of alternate worlds. Well, actually the same world, but shifting according whose thoughts are being read to reformat it, which is an idea with legs.

It makes for an episodic collection, but that’s no bad thing, as Kelly Thompson’s inventive enough to ensure there’s a different flavour to each of the segments from a spooky nightmare world to a magical 1950s hell, and plenty to follow. The threat is suitably beyond the power range of the Birds of Prey, and even with help it doesn’t look good.

The constantly shifting landscapes mean it doesn’t matter than multiple artists are on call to devise them. Everything looks excellent from the cartoon world devised by Sophie Campbell to the sample art. It combines the work of Javier Pina and Gavin Guidry, who between them draw more pages than anyone else, and showcases the colouring of Jordie Bellaire. More than anyone else it’s her innovative work that makes this iteration of Birds of Prey stand out.

That’s good because while Bellaire’s work over the artists hits immediately, you actually have to read Worlds Without End to discover what a joy it is. Don’t miss out and head for Bird Undercover.