The daughter of one of the Golden Age's most distinguished heroines, Dinah Lance decided to carry on her mother's name and crime-fighting tradition as the Black Canary, despite her mother's arguments against it. A founding member of the Justice League of America, Dinah proved herself to be as much of an asset to the League as her mother was to the Justice Society of America. It was as a League member that she met Oliver Queen, the original Green Arrow, and the two began a romance that lasted even after the pair left the League. However, their relationship was a rocky one, and it ended shortly before Queen's death. Currently partnered with Oracle (a.k.a. Barbara Gordon), Black Canary works as a troubleshooter, going wherever her skills are needed.

Black Canary is a superb athlete and master of numerous martial arts, including karate, judo and aikido. Though she usually prefers not to use them, she is proficient in the use of most hand-to-hand weapons. Black Canary is linked to Oracle, and the vast informational resources at Oracle's disposal, through a high-powered, miniturized two-way radio built into her costume. The costume itself is made of bullet-resistant kevlar and is padded at the forearm for blocking heavy impacts. Black Canary currently possesses no super-powers, however she did at one time have a "Canary Cry" -- a powerful sonic attack that she projected using her voice. She lost the power as the result of an injury.