It’s Memorial Day here in the United States and everyone has the day off to honor fallen soldiers by spending some time at an over-crowded beach.

iFanboy is no different!

Unless some big news breaks we’ll pretty much be taking the day off. So come back on Tuesday for most of your usual Monday content (including the updated Comics page) plus all of your Tuesday content! Tomorrow’s going to be a busy day so come early and come often.

Until then, here’s to swimmin’ with bow-legged women.

Note: There should be no effect on comic book delivery in the United States this week. Because of the Tuesday delivery program, your store should get its books for Wednesday, but call ahead to be sure.

Here’s how “Beneath” is described:

Blue Beetle searches for a missing friend, while Miss Martian, Wonder Girl, Batgirl and Bumblebee travel to Bialya to investigate.

I look forward to your thoughts, opinions, gripes, live-blogging, etc.

Here’s how “Homecoming” is described:

Atrocitus aboard the stolen Interceptor infiltrates Oa beginning the Red Lantern Invasion. The Green Lantern Corp’s only hope may rest on the blue light of Hope.

I look forward to your thoughts, opinions, gripes, live-blogging, etc.

Each week the iFanStaff passes along a tasty drink recipe and an even tastier comic book recommendation. The cocktail (or beer, or wine, or booze) and the comic can both be enjoyed independently, but they have a common theme and when served together they can make for the perfect reading experience.

Sometimes you have a rough day at work. A day that’s long and stressful and draining. Sometimes, when you finish a day like that, all you want to do is go home, pour a large, large glass of wine, and read some ridonkulous comics.

This is what one of those nights looks like.

I knew I had a bottle of Pinot Grigio in the fridge. It was a left-over from a Girls Night, intended to be a third (or fourth) bottle for the evening. It’s a drinking wine. Nothing amazing, but tasty enough.

So I pour myself a large, large glass of Circa Pinot Grigio, plop in an ice cube because it’s hot and I don’t need to be classy right now. I kick my feet up on the coffee table, snuggle with the WonderCat, and open up Marvel Comics’ 1993 cross-over event, Bloodties.

Once upon a time, Quicksilver (son of Magneto and member of the X-Men) and Crystal (Inhuman princess and member of the Avengers) had a baby who was born without mutant genes or powers. One of Magneto’s disciples, Fabian Cortez, has kidnapped that Squib Baby and is currently using her as leverage to take control of war-torn Genosha. Nick Fury is off brief the Avengers on the situation.

This is my introduction to 90s comics.

Bomber Jackets Assemble!

Nick Fury (who for some reason is constantly referred to as “Nicholas”) has to break the news to the Avengers that since they’re now under U.N. charter, they can’t go in to Genosha until they have the all clear from the Security Council. Obviously Crystal’s a bit distraught about her daughter’s kidnapping and the Avengers refuse to sit by while genocide and all manor of ghastly things are happening in Genosha. Crystal and the East Coast team plow through SHIELD to go save the day, while Hawkeye and the West Coast Avengers are off to try reasoning with the U.N.

Meanwhile, everyone’s favorite bureaucrat Henry Gyrich and U.S. Agent are off to pick up Charles Xavier for diplomatic mission to Genosha to see if they can convince those pesky humans to stop killing and enslaving mutates. Quicksilver and the rest of the X-Men are headed in the same direction to rescue Squib Baby. To rally the troops, Gambit makes a funny pun about cards.

During all of this, Magneto is in a psychic-induced coma, compliments of Professor X. Colossus is keeping watch over the catatonic Master of Magnetism who, apparently, is allowed to have vistors. Some guy called Exodus comes to see Magneto to “talk”. This is will only end in tears.

Back on Genosha, it’s complete mayhem. Cortez has lead an uprising and now the mutates are out to kill their human captors. Captain America and the Avengers are attempting to keep peace between the two factions, while Crystal and the Scarlet Witch hunt down Cortez and Squib Baby. Professor X and Beast give Gyrich the slip and meet up with the Mutate Resistance, as the X-Men attempt to neutralize Cortez (who ends up being a decoy). This is the perfect time for Gambit to make another card gag.

EPIC BATTLES ENSUE! War Machine fights Exodus! Sersi fights Exodus! Professor X finds a mutant concentration camp! Mutates blow up humans! Random sideways pages! More wine!

Meanwhile at the United Nations, Black Widow has grown a beard.

During all of this, the real story is going on beneath the streets of Hammer Bay (which is like the capital of Genosha or whatever). Jean Grey & Quicksilver and Crystal & Scarlet Witch have crossed paths on their hunt for Cortez and Squib Baby. They find Cortez sniveling in a sewer, using Squib Baby as a human shield–thinking Magneto’s innocent kin will keep him safe from the angry Exodus (who is technically supposed to be in charge of Magneto’s followers).  Then Exodus shows up and starts monologuing. Like a lot. Seriously. I took a drink every time  he said, “I AM THE HEIR OF MAGNUS!!” I apologize for typos from here on in.

Meanwhile Scott Summers is saving babies. I love 90s Cyclops.

Professor X sends out a desperate call for his X-Men. The shit’s hit the fan in the concentration camp, and Beast and U.S. Agent can no longer keep the human forces back. Once out of the camp and back onto the streets of Hammer Bay, Professor X, and lots of good teamwork, finally takes Exodus out. Editorial clearly dropped the ball on the Comedy Rule of Three here because instead of making a card pun, Gambit flirts with Sersi.

And they all lived happily ever after! The end!

All kidding and unintentional humor aside, I did genuinely enjoy this comic. It’s a classic, bombastic “event” that’s a ton of fun if you just go along with it. And in the middle of watching the X-Men and the Avengers fight against each other, it’s nice to go back and watch the two teams fight along side each other… with bomber jackets and pouches.

Ali Colluccio would like to thank Pat Loika for not only giving her the gift that is Bloodties but also helping out with all of the scans. Cheers, Pat!

Please obey the law and only drink if you are of age. Drink responsibly and never, ever, ever drink and drive. Buy the comics that make you happy and share them with your friends.

The current system of presenting and ordering comics three months ahead of their release as set forth by the sole comics distributor, Diamond Comics, doesn’t make it any easier either. We’re not a fan of that system, we think it’s slowly strangling comics to death, but we realize it’s a harsh reality of how the industry works and we definitely don’t want you to miss out on any of the cool comics being published.

And so, as opposed to regurgitating the list of comics solicited in Previews each month, we present to you some of the highlights of things you probably won’t want to miss out on.

SPOILER WARNING - in order to get people to order comics, the publishers have a funny habit of revealing what’s happening in the books. If you don’t want anything at all to be spoiled, then you’ll probably want to skip this post and take your chances with your pre-orders and/or your shopping.

…Another Man’s Treasure

It’s another weird, wild creator owned saga from Kurtis Wiebe, with Riley Rossmo operating at a whole new level. The monsters might be made of trash, but this one’s gonna be a treasure.

DEBRIS #2 (of 4)
story KURTIS J. WIEBE
art / cover RILEY ROSSMO

AUGUST 29
32 PAGES / FC /M
$3.50

A deadly junk storm forces Maya to take refuge in an ancient, forgotten place where she soon discovers that she’s not alone in the land beyond the safe zone.

The Ballad of Josephine

Brubaker and Phillips chronicling a femme fatale’s sultry swatch through the decades? Enough to make a good dog snap his leash.

FATALE #8
story ED BRUBAKER
art SEAN PHILLIPS & DAVE STEWART
cover SEAN PHILLIPS

AUGUST 29
32 PAGES / FC / M
$3.50

It’s the turning point of the second arc of BRUBAKER & PHILLIPS’ white-hot series FATALE!  What is Josephine’s secret plan, and what has she been doing all these years on the run from the ‘50s to the late ‘70s?  And has the monster that’s hunted her most of her life returned?

And remember, FATALE features back pages articles and art that is only available in the printed single issues.

Get read for It

It Girl doesn’t need the Atomic boys, but she’s gonna need a whole lot of gumption and even more orange zest to clean up the Skunk’s stench!

IT GIRL & THE ATOMICS #1 – GEM OF THE MONTH
story JAMIE S. RICH, MICHAEL ALLRED & MIKE NORTON
art MIKE NORTON
cover MICHAEL & LAURA ALLRED

AUGUST 8
32 PAGES / FC / E
$2.99

Fresh from the pages of Mike Allred’s MADMAN: Snap City’s favorite heroine is ready for her own crimefighting adventures! With the Atomics boys in outer space, it’s up to It Girl to keep the streets safe. Easier said than done: The Skunk, the man who murdered her sister, is out of jail and back to old tricks. Meanwhile, Dr. Flem has a brand new space-time experiment and wants It Girl to be his guinea pig!

Smooches

25 years is a long time between trysts, but Chaykin’s ready to prove Black Kiss wasn’t just a one-night stand.

BLACK KISS II #1 (of 6) – GEM OF THE MONTH
story / art / cover HOWARD CHAYKIN

AUGUST 1
24 PAGES / BW / M
$2.99

Sex, death, and the movies — what else really matters?

Nearly twenty five years ago, HOWARD CHAYKIN brought the ’80s to a close, and comics to the brink, with his landmark erotic thriller, BLACK KISS.  Now, after years of anticipation, he’s back with issue one of BLACK KISS II, a six-part miniseries that tells the story behind that legendary story – like the original, in glorious black and white.

And really, now – does it have to be so dirty?

Spike Through the Heart

LDB is this century’s Charlie Brown. Hold on to your hearts as things with Spike get a bit more serious. Things are looking up for our favorite rag doll these days, but you just know Struble and Grace are gearing up for a Temple of Doom style takedown.

THE LI’L DEPRESSED BOY #16
story S. STEVEN STRUBLE
art SINA GRACE
cover CHRIS GIARRUSSO

AUGUST 29
32 PAGES / FC / T
$2.99

“I’M IN LOVE WITH A GIRL NAMED SPIKE”
Things get serious.

Featuring a cover by the always-astounding G-MAN wunderkind, CHRIS GIARRUSSO.

It doesn’t take a rocket surgeon…

Ready for some red scares? Things are about to get chillier in the race for scientific dominance!

THE MANHATTAN PROJECTS #6
story JONATHAN HICKMAN
art / cover NICK PITARRA & JORDIE BELLAIR

AUGUST 22
32 PAGES / FC / T+
$3.50

“STAR CITY”
While the Americans have progressively built the Manhattan Projects into massive success and thrust the west into future dominance, on the other side of the world the cold war rages on. Find out the secret history of the Russian science machine.

The thrilling FEEL GOOD, BAD SCIENCE series continues in THE MANHATTAN PROJECTS #6: STAR CITY!

Oh, and the first trade paperback collection is out too!

THE MANHATTAN PROJECTS, VOL. 1: SCIENCE. BAD. TP
story JONATHAN HICKMAN
art NICK PITARRA & JORDIE BELLAIRE
AUG 22
144 PAGES / FC / T+
$14.99

“SCIENCE. BAD.”
What if the research and development department created to produce the first atomic bomb was a front for a series of other, more unusual, programs?

Collecting the coolest new series of the year into one super science package.

Collects THE MANHATTAN PROJECTS #1-5

It’s not that easy being…blue?

Planetoid isn’t just about taking down mechanical behemoths. In this issue, a marooned space pirate must become a leader of men in a world where automatons rule supreme.

PLANETOID #3
story / art / cover KEN GARING

AUGUST 8
32 PAGES / FC / T+
$2.99

Having made a stand against the cyborg militia, Silas must now lead the tribes in building a settlement.

 

How could you object?

You’re gonna need a big gavel. A sledge-gavel. A big, cosmic, sledge-gavel.

SAVAGE DRAGON #184
story / art / cover  ERIK LARSEN

AUGUST 29
32 PAGES / FC / T+
$3.99

“THE TRIAL OF SAVAGE DRAGON”
When he was Emperor Kurr, Savage Dragon came close to destroying the world. Now his past deeds come back to haunt him as the Savage Dragon is brought up on charges. This is the one battle he may not win. Savage Dragon is on trial and things may never be the same! Comes with our highest possible recommendation!

Did they just out-Liefeld Liefeld?

Damn right they did.

PROPHET #28
story BRANDON GRAHAM
art GIANNIS MILONOGIANNIS
cover SIMON ROY

AUGUST 22
32 PAGES / FC / T+
$2.99

Great-grandfather Prophet hunts a younger clone of himself while searching for his old Starship.

Oh, and the first trade paperback collection is out too!

PROPHET, VOL. 1: REMISSION TP
story BRANDON GRAHAM
art SIMON ROY, FAREL DALRYMPLE, GIANNIS MILOGIANNIS & BRANDON GRAHAM
cover SIMON ROY

AUGUST 1
136 PAGES / FC / T+
$9.99

On distant future Earth, changed by time and alien influence, John Prophet awakes from cryosleep. His mission: to climb the the towers of Thauili Van and restart the Earth empire. News of the Empire’s return brings old foes and allies out of the recesses of the vast cosmos.

Collects PROPHET #21-26

Leaf on the Vacuum.

These guys could really use a babysitter right about now.

SAGA #6
story BRIAN K. VAUGHAN
art / cover  FIONA STAPLES

AUGUST 15
32 PAGES / FC / M
$2.99

The epic hit series continues, as Alana and her baby finally reach the legendary Rocketship Forest, where everything changes forever.

The Law of the Letter

Have you ever wanted to letter comic books? Grab this before you even consider double clicking that Adobe Illustrator icon.

COMIC BOOK LETTERING THE COMICRAFT WAY (one-shot)
RICHARD STARKINGS & JG ROSHELL
with JEPH LOEB & KURT BUSIEK
art IAN CHURCHILL & STUART IMMONEN
cover BRIAN BOLLAND

AUGUST 1
64 PAGES / FC / T
$9.95

Because You Demanded It, Image is re-offering 64 pages of lettering tips and tricks from Active Images and the world-famous Comicraft studio – in One Handy Volume! This full color step-by-step guide is filled to the brim with the wisdom – and wit! – of Comicraft founders RICHARD STARKINGS and JOHN ‘JG’ ROSHELL. From font design to balloon placement, sound effects, signage, title page and publication design, the creators of The World’s Greatest Comic Book Fonts cover every conceivable aspect of comic book lettering. Lavishly illustrated by examples drawn from Comicraft’s twenty years as America’s premier comic book lettering studio, this manual is an essential tool for comic book creators everywhere.

One Song: Glory

She’s just big-boned. And she’ll break yours too. The first collection from Keatinge and Campbell’s no-holds-barred update of Extreme’s resident warrior maiden.

GLORY, VOL. 1: THE ONCE AND FUTURE DESTROYER TP
story JOE KEATINGE
art / cover  ROSS CAMPBELL

AUGUST 22
144 PAGES / FC / T+ TEEN PLUS
$9.99

After being missing for almost a decade, GLORY’s whereabouts are uncovered by a lone reporter, but the globe-spanning conspiracy keeping her hidden from humanity could make her return more dangerous than anyone ever anticipated! This first collection of a brand-new saga written by Eisner & Harvey award-winner JOE KEATINGE (HELL YEAH) and illustrated by  acclaimed artist ROSS CAMPBELL (Wet Moon, Shadoweyes) reintroduces GLORY to a new century by revealing secrets from her past, journeying to the far-flung future and beginning a war unlike any we’ve seen before.

Collects GLORY #23-28

Check out the full list of Image Comics solicits for August 2012 over at CBR.

Check out this preview of Archie and Friends Double Digest #16:

ARCHIE AND FRIENDS DOUBLE DIGEST #16

Evilheart and Pureheart may have met their match when they take on The Dude! With a trick cane and a cunning criminal mind to his advantage, The Dude keeps the duo at bay until he has them right where he wants them! Will the super teens manage to bring the jewel thief to justice or will they fall prey to the dastardly evil-doer?

Script: Frank Doyle
Art: Bill Vigoda, Mario Acquaviva
Cover: Fernando Ruiz
On Sale at Comic Specialty Shops: 5/30
160-page, full color comic
$3.99 US.

Battlepug by Andy Kuhn

Sweet Tooth by Skottie Young

Hellboy vs. Popeye by Tony Moore

X-Men by Evan “Doc” Shaner

Omar Little by Declan Shalvey

Kraven by Tom Fowler

Galactus vs. Phoenix by Dave Wachter

Justice League International by Yildiray Cinar

Captain America by Travis Charest

Justice League Dark #9
By Ryan Sook

The swollen, distended abdomen of a humanoid spider creature will never not be totally, totally gross. The icing here is that, given his expression, Constantine just figured out what’s up, while everyone else is totally oblivious.

Ragemoor #3
By Richard Corben

Everybody draws tentacles and cephalopod arms. Not everybody thinks about how the musculature works. Corben does.

The Unwritten #37
By Yuko Shimizu

Anyone who’s ever attempted to learn a musical instrument, particularly in the brass family, knows this feeling all too well.

Prophet #25
By Simon Roy and Jason Wordie

I read the issue and I still have very little idea as to how we reached this point. Are we in outer space? In the confines of a human cell? An alien cell? A plant cell? Prophet is clearly the mitochondria in this situation. Are there chloroplasts, is the big question. Is this membrane semi-permeable? Can anyone hear him scream, should he so choose to do so?

The Flash #9
By Francis Manapul and Brian Buccellato

Gorillas in the midst! I’m not entirely comfortable with where this is going, but Grodd and his cronies have rarely looked so good.

Batman, Incorporated #1

By Grant Morrison, Chris Burnham, Nathan Fairbairn & Patrick Brosseau

Oh Grant Morrison. I’ve missed you and I’ve missed Damian.

Secret Avengers #27

By Rick Remender, Renato Guedes, Bettie Breitweiser or Matthew Wilson & Chris Eliopoulos

Thor solves every problem with the business end of his hammer. You do not want to ask him to crack your back.

All-Star Western #9

By Justin Grey, Jimmy Palmiotti, Moritat, Gabriel Bautista, & Rob Leigh

This was a true and welcome surprise.

Prophet #25

By Brandon Graham, Simon Roy, Giannis Milonogiannis, Joesph Bergin III, & Ed Brisson

I love the simplicity and power of the last two panels.

The Flash #9

By Francis Manapul, Brian Buccellato, & Wes Abbott

Manapul is a beast and so is Grodd.

Marvel Universe: Ultimate Spider-Man #2

By Jacob Semahn, Nuno Plati, & Joe Sabino

I was really caught off guard by the art in the back up story. It was simple and elegant and graceful.

Batman, Incorporated #1

By Grant Morrison, Chris Burnham, Nathan Fairbairn & Patrick Brosseau

This is Chris Burnham at his Frank Quitely best.

This is an interesting new time we, as comic book geeks, live in. People know who you’re talking about when you say “Thor” or “Loki” or “Nick Fury”, but if you asked them to list the Avengers as far as the comic books they would offer nothing but blank stares. People walk around proudly wearing Captain America t-shirts who have never inhaled the delicious scent of inky comic book pages.

But I digress, as this is not my topic of choice for today’s column. I’ve been cranky and ranting a lot lately (I guess unrest and change will do that to a girl), but I have decided to pay homage to an awesome trend that is popping up BECAUSE superheroes are so intensely in the public eye: superheroes as fashion statements!

Tumblr has been ablaze these last few weeks with artist’s interpretations of comic book characters. Mostly it comes in the form of adorable, wearable dresses. Sometimes it has been actual comic creators re-imagining classic costumes. But whatever form it is in, the fashionista within me has been so delighted with the mash up between geek and chic. Below are some of my favorite examples.

These adorable Avengers dresses are by the amazing Robinade, whose entire Tumblr is rife with amazing little re-imaginings of superheroes if they were fashion victims.

Kevin Wada and Max Wittert accomplished some truly epic re-imaginings of comic book characters as couture.

LadyLawga has an incredible tumblr full of SUPER KAWAII Lolita designs inspired by comic book characters. I would make and wear everything she has designed.

Amidst a ton of really awesome art, adorable artist Hanie Mohd has some super cute reboots of characters.

And finally, we have Kat over at her blog Asterous Fashion. She does very mod inspired reworkings of comic book character’s costumes.

Have any favorite redesigns of character’s costumes you have seen recently? Let us know in the comments!

Molly McIsaac is panicking because SDCC is only 7 weeks away and oh god she has so much cosplay to finish (start). You can follow her ranting, oftentimes hilariously silly running commentary on her very active twitter.

Originally created by Doug Moench and Don Perlin in 1975 as an adversary for the nearly-forgotten Werewolf by Night in his titular series, Moon Knight quickly came into his own with several solo stories in Marvel Spotlight and backups in The Incredible Hulk before landing his first full-on series in 1980. There Moench teamed up with Bill Sienkiewicz to create what is still considered the definitive run on this sometimes wacked-out character Spider-Man has jokingly referred to as “Loon Knight.”But through it all, he’s become a vibrant, but off-center, addition to Marvel’s superhero line-up and someone worth knowing more about.

From Moench & Sienkiewicz character-defining run in the 70s to Bendis and Maleev’s work in the present day and everything in between, we’ve picked out five books that’ll help you get to know Marc Spector.

Essential Moon Knight, Vol. 1: Truly living up to the title “Essential,” this excellent tome collects everything from his first appearance in 1975 through to the first ten issues of his ongoing series. It really gets good with the backup stories from Incredible Hulk, going in a slightly more adult nature than the stereotypical superhero comic books of the time. It’s capped off with the first ten issues of the first Moon Knight series, where Moench first delves into Spector’s origins and the agenda of Khonshu.

Moon Knight: Divided We Fall: The rarity in the bunch today, this little-known one-shot by Bruce Jones and Denys Cowan puts Marc Spector in a Manchurian Candidate-style conspiracy against his primary arch-nemesis Bushman. Russian leader Michael Gorbachev makes an appearance here, really carving it into that heady time between the fall of the USSR and the rebirth of Russia. Although some people might complain about the characterization of Moon Knight’s confidantes Frenchie and Marlene here, it’s really one of Bushman’s defining stories and showing how Moon Knight fights against that is worth the cover price.

Vengeance Of The Moon Knight, Vol. 1: Shock & Awe: This more recent collection real puts Moon Knight face-to-face with the comparisons to Batman, and writer Gregg Hurwitz pushes the similarities but also the differences. This is set during the height of “Dark Reign” and Moon Knight is going straight for the #1 bad guy at the time, Norman Osborn. At the same time, Moon Knight is fighting with his supernatural benefactor Khonshu over the relative viciousness the demigod wants his avatar to dish out. This entire collection is supplemented by great art from Jerome Opena, who would jump into the big leagues right after completing this on Uncanny X-Force.

Essential Moon Knight, Vol. 2: After delving into Moon Knight with the first ten issues of his titular series, this collection shows Moench, Sienkiewicz and others really hitting their stride in issues #11-30. With four personalities inside his head and a handful of friends on the outside helping him, Moon Knight faces off against some of Marvel’s strangest villains like Morpheus and Stained Glass Scarlet. Moon Knight’s ensemble cast is definitely underrated, so seeing everyone from Frenchie to Gena, Crawley and the others chip in to help Moon Knight get the job done is great.

Moon Knight, Vol. 1: Described as a “complete reinvention” at the time by Bendis, this most recent series repositioned Marc Spector as a TV writer working on a fictionalized show based on his own superhero origin. At the same time as he’s working with Hollywood, he’s teaming up with the likes of Captain America, Spider-Man and Wolverine in what we later discover are just figments of his imagination. Real or not, they help Moon Knight take on some serious bad guys all in the pursuit of a Ultron head that villains and heroes alike are after. This is a genuinely new and inspired take on the character, with Alex Maleev’s art echoing the definitive days if Sienkiewicz without losing his own style.

Bloodshot #1 Variant Cover by David Aja

In this modern age, war isn’t a black-and-white story with clear-cut good guys and bad guys or simple objectives. Today, war demands a new kind of soldier… and Valiant’s Bloodshot is one of those. If Captain America was created for World War 2 and the Six Million Dollar Man created for the wars of the 70s, then Bloodshot is a dark reflection on the times we live in today and the soldiers we need to fight them.

On July 11, the cult-favorite character returns to duty revived and revamped as part of Valiant Comics’ 2012 relaunch. Written by Duane Swierczynski with art by Manuel Garcia and Arturo Lozzi, Bloodshot has a new lease on life — even when the first issue begins with his death. We spoke with Swierczynski about the return of this pale-skinned soldier and the new mystery surrounding Bloodshot’s origin.

iFanboy: Duane, you made your comics debut at Marvel but you’ve spread your wings to work at DC and now here at Valiant. Why was Valiant, and Bloodshot specifically, something you wanted to tackle?

Duane Swierczynski: Bloodshot’s my favorite kind of noir hero — tortured, yet still determined to do the right thing, no matter what horrible things he may (or may not) have done in the past. And frankly, it was the chance to work with editor Warren Simons again. He was the first guy to give me a break in comics, and we had a blast working together before.

iF: In the first issue we’re introduced to Raymond Garrison, a top-flight special forces operative who on the eve of retiring from field duty is pulled back in for one last assignment – saving a fellow soldier who saved his own life once. What can you tell us about him?

DS: I can tell you that the particular special forces op you mention is extremely dedicated to his wife and son, but he’ll also risk lying to them in order to save one of his closest friends from danger behind enemy lines. But is his name Raymond Garrison? Hmmm…

iF:  How is Bloodshot connected to Raymond Garrison – is he Bloodshot?

DS: That’s an excellent question. It’s also a question I can’t answer, because that’s one of the central questions of the new series.

iF: As we see in the previews, Garrison’s last mission is cut short when a guided missile slices right through him in mid-air. What is Garrison up against here?

DS: I’d say he’s up against a guided missile and that he’ll most likely hit the ground a smoking corpse?

iF: …and?

DS: Okay, okay… I can say this: that particular special forces op you mention is up against all kinds of enemies from all sides — including those inside his own head.

iF: Comic readers are faced with a lot of choices every Wednesday, Duane. Why should they give Bloodshot a chance?

DS: I’d never force readers to pick up a particular comic. That seems pushy.

But I will warn folks AWAY from this comic, especially if they happen to hate surprises, intrigue, heaps of physical violence, eye-popping action and one-lone-man-against-the-world type sagas.

In fact, if you hate these kinds of stories, your local comic shop will ban you from even glancing at the cover, yet idly flipping through the pages. You will be identified and escorted over to a different section of the store. Please trust that this is for your own good; we don’t want to be responsible for any kind of breakdowns or panic attacks that even a single panel of Bloodshot may induce.

iF: Readers, see four unlettered pages from Bloodshot #1, as well as two more variant covers for that issue.! Click each image to enlarge.

BOOM! Studios has been on a roll recently with new titles, such as the sci-fi book Higher Earth, and coming this August, they give us Michael Midas Champion.

Taking all the elements of classic fairy tales and combining them with the tried and true super hero genre, Michael Midas Champion promises to be an action packed story with a touch of romance.  Written by Jordan B. Gorfinkel with art by Scott Benfiel, this 6 issue miniseries hits comics shops in August.

Below is the complete solicitation information along with an 8 page preview from Michael Midas Champion #1

MICHAEL MIDAS CHAMPION
w: Jordan B. Gorfinkel
a: Scott Benefiel
Michael Midas was just a regular kid, with a crush on Dani, the prettiest girl on the playground, and getting picked on by Truck, the school bully. But as he got older, things changed for Michael — he grew up and, by laying off the nachos and working out, he got strong…REALLY strong. Too bad Truck did too. Now when Truck snaps and Dani’s in danger, will Michael Midas be able to step up and become the hero he always dreamed he could be…can he be CHAMPION? Wrapping a classic fairy tale in comic book clothing, MICHAEL MIDAS CHAMPION is a story of action, suspense, and romance. Get in on the ground floor of this exciting new 6-issue miniseries from Jordan B. Gorfinkel (BATMAN, BIRDS OF PREY) and Scott Benefiel (THE INCREDIBLE HULK)!

Having to wander the streets of Gotham at night for an indeterminate amount of time is WAY worse than getting stuck watching Friends re-runs in the TV lounge of Boothroyd Hall.

Entertainment Weekly gets all the good exclusives. Probably because of their massive built in audience.

You can see the actual thing when The Walking Dead returns to AMC in October. In the meantime, dig out your copies of The Walking Dead #19 while people are willing to pay absurd prices in the face of unlimited reprints and an utter lack of scarcity. It’s a first print man!

The Massive #1, Cover by Brian Wood

The Massive #1

Written by Brian Wood
Art by Kristian Donaldson
Color by Dave Stewart
Cover by Brian Wood, Kristian Donaldson

On Sale: June 13th, 2012
32 Pages/Color/$3.50

Published by Dark Horse Comics

There’s science fiction for science fiction’s sake–far flung space operas and mutant massacres that could just as well be called fantasy or horror. Then there’s science fiction in the vein of The Massive, true speculative fiction on the bleeding edge of possibility. In a year studded with terrific SF of all sorts, Brian Wood’s latest opus might represent the genre at its purest, a grim portent made all the grimmer by its proximity. Next month, we look not to the cosmos and its potential inhabitants, but to the roiling sea of our own saturated rock.

Previewed earlier this year in an issue of Dark Horse Presents, The Massive is a tale of high adventure and intrigue that spans the ever-changing nautical landscape just a few tomorrows past the horizon. Captain Callum Israel and his team aboard the Ninth Wave vessel Kapital pursue their missing sister ship the Massive. Unaffiliated with any military group, these “environmental-action trawlers” and their conservationist crews were dedicated to the preservation of marine life and the tempestuous oceans themselves. But as Wood reveals in parallel to the debut issue’s main action, the world and its populace has been torn asunder by vengeful tides, meaning the time for proactivity is long past. With precise, clinical detachment, the author relates the many traumatic changes humanity can expect in the wake of climate change and other ecological factors. Flooding and diminished fish populations are but the tip of the proverbial iceberg, with some off-shore transitions spurring on-shore calamities like volcanic events and the loss of vital winds necessary for energy production. It all adds up to a “post-war, post-crash, post-disaster, post-everything world.”

As a culture, we’ve binged on dystopias of late. Given the state of things, all-out collapse remains a relevant setting to explore, prime real estate for examining any number of concerns. Including that aforementioned collapse itself. But the frequency of these stories means that now, more than ever, we demand something extra from our dystopias. Trash can fires and cannibalism aren’t enough. So for this latest wasteland to not center on land at all is especially refreshing, if still harrowing in all the right ways. It helps that the Ninth Wave team are all capable seamen, masters (if mastery is even possible) of their particular domain, rather than the typical and cliched ragtag remnants of a broken society. These are good, likable people from what we know so far. They’re intelligent and stalwart crusaders who unfortunately lost their crusade. Anxiety is obviously high, but we’re thankfully spared the traditional loose cannon loner who either panics or refuses to get along with his reluctant comrades. This is a team with a united front, even if they’re still uncertain of how to proceed. If there’s any slight to the first issue it’s that development of individual members of the ensemble take something of a backseat to the establishment of their environment. Depth will come in time, but right now we’re still in the shallow hand. It must be noted, however, that the Kapital offers a refreshingly diverse team, crewed by people of various backgrounds.

From The Massive #1

In terms of world-building, The Massive smartly presents the cold hard facts of the global situation–snapshots of sinking skylines and Mauritanian children discovering heaps of beached tuna–but zeroes in on just a single group of survivors. Wood hints at the devastation of the drowning world and its sputtering civilizations, but the Kapital serves as a kind of island unto itself, a unique perspective to tell the saga of a planet in its death throes. Israel and his crew bob through the fog in the belly of the beast, a beast they once risked their lives to protect. What’s your next move when your lifelong ambition of saving the world’s oceans is rendered moot? What do you do when you’ve crossed over that point of no return?

In terms of visual presentation, The Massive is top notch. Kristian Donaldson can draw a damn boat. There’s a measured precision to his engineering, with detailed illustrations of trawlers and skiffs to radar equipment and varied weapon types. He carries that same elegance over to his human characters, each uniquely groomed and tailored. Make no mistake, the men and woman of Ninth Wave are consistently easy on the eyes, perhaps the best looking crew on the seven seas. Most importantly, Donaldson’s exquisite renderings maintain wonderful detail throughout, but never at the expense of dynamism. There are a lot of artists capable of knockout pinups of both characters and machines, but so many of them fall into the trap of stilted storytelling. Donaldson is careful to establish a pulse, and that’s worth celebrating.

It’s probably important to address the politics and sensibilities entangled with the themes explored in this book. If you view climate change as a myth, you’ll undoubtedly find something objectionable here. But for rational readers of any walk of life, it’s wholly evident that Wood did his research and is presenting a thoughtful projection of a not-so-distant future. If you think the mass extinction of marine species isn’t tragic, I can’t help you. But Wood isn’t trying to manipulate you either. At least not in bleeding-heart fashion. As mentioned earlier, there’s a kind of cool, objective detachment to the exposition as flatly delivered. Actually, Wood’s message might be more progressive because he’s not bothering to preach whatsoever. This isn’t just a potential future. It’s a likely one. As such, there’s something of a documentarian approach to the narrative. That doesn’t mean the tale is without warmth or visceral excitement. There are pirates in this thing! And the omnipresent, almost spooky mystery surrounding the disappearance of the Massive lends something of a Gothic horror atmosphere.

The Massive is thrilling science fiction, offering a nuanced and scarily portentous depiction of the future. It also delivers an important conservationist message that’s never cloying and only emerges to provide a gripping, thought-provoking setting. It’s been a great year for exuberant, cerebral science fiction. Get ready for The Massive to blow the lesser stuff right out of the water.

Story: 4.5 / Art: 5 / Overall: 5

(Out of 5 Stars)

 Look for The Massive #1 in stores on June 13th.

First, the voice cast:

Peter Weller as Bruce Wayne / Batman

Ariel Winter as Carrie Kelly / Robin

The rest of the announced cast includes Wade Williams as Harvey Dent/Two-Face, (recently badly injured) Michael McKean as Dr. Wolper, and David Selby in an unidentified role (probably Jim Gordon?). No word yet on who is voicing The Joker, Catwoman, Oliver Queen, or Superman.

In addition to the two images from the film(s) shown above, Heat Vision also has a bunch more images from the film, like this one:

Click here for the full gallery of images.

Here’s what else we know:

• The book will be broken up into two films: The Dark Knight Returns, Part 1 and The Dark Knight Returns, Part 2.
• The release dates for the films are fall 2012 and early 2013.
• The line of films, of which these will be the 15th and 16th entries, was formerly known as DC Universe Animated Original Movies and is now being called DC Comics Premiere Movies.
• The films are directed by Jay Oliva, who directed parts of Green Lantern: Emerald Knights and is the storyboard artist on Man of Steel. They are written by Bob Goodman who writes for Warehouse 13 and other DC cartoons.

Update! This isn’t the first time that The Dark Knight Returns has been animated. There, of course, was the tribute in The New Batman Adventures in the episode entitled “Legends of the Dark Knight.” (Thanks to TheGoddamnDeadpool for posting it in the comments and reminding me.)

1) Writing breeds opinions

I couldn't find the actual panel from the comic I mentioned. Not everyone can be Jeff Reid.

I spent a few hours every week thinking up a topic to write about for iFanboy. I try to keep things varied and fresh, meaning that I’ve not written about a wide assortment of topics. Thus, I’ve put some thought into having an opinion on a great many things, which can make me very stalwart in my stance on a great variety of issues. I’m reminded of an issue of The Flash, when Wally West wore the cowl and Geoff Johns penned the book, where Wally ponders why the rest of the Justice League thinks he’s stubborn. They don’t understand that when he’s at speed time still moves relatively slow for him, so even though he seems quick to jump to conclusions he’s actually thought through every single alternative before making up his mind. That struck a chord with me that I’ve carried ever since. I too like to believe that my opinions come from a place of informed logic and reason, and that by the process of writing I codify things in a way that is relatively unassailable. I’m often proven wrong by the iFanbase in the comments, but the simple act of putting thoughts on digital paper helps me come up with some pretty concrete ideas for how things ought to be.

As an example, I was drinking champagne and eating strawberries in the courtyard one afternoon, for which I will offer no further explanation, and the topic of what Wolverine might drink came up. As best I can remember I was not the one to bring this up, but then again there was champagne. Some guy with a perfunctory knowledge of Logan declared that he, as a Canadian, would prefer Canadian whiskey. Because as we all know, we each only eat and drink what comes from our own geographic province, no matter how many years we may have lived in Japan. Seeing as I’d written an entire column on the topic of Wolverine’s taste buds, I quickly retorted, with perhaps a bit too much gusto. And by perhaps, I mean definitely. I think people were honestly a bit stunned by my quick reaction and harsh shutdown of a frankly asinine opinion. Fortunately I was able to break the tension by performing this awesome trick where I drink out of two champagne classes at once by drinking from the 1^st while simultaneously pouring the 2^nd into the first all with one hand. It’s a pretty great trick, but my point is I think at a certain point even us nerds who have thought through all the variables might need to step back and let the conversation wind its way along a bit more before barging in with a torrent of informed and righteous opinion.

2) Opinions can be long-winded

I’ve spent most of the past week and half working with one other person in a lab all day every day. Conversations have been very far-ranging, at one point she asked me if I had a favorite superhero. If you weren’t aware, these are the types of polite questions people ask each other about topics they know the other person to be interested in. It’s along the lines of, “What sports team do you root for?” or “What is your favorite beer?” I’m not sure these are great questions because if the other person isn’t genuinely interested in your answer they may have a hard time as jumping off points for discussions, but it’s a nice question to ask as an acknowledgement.

The problem is that there is no simple answer. Maybe this question is a bad example for you, because you have a favorite superhero and it’s just that simple, but imagine if you were asked for a favorite issue, or a favorite moment. Likely you have many that you like for different reasons, variety being the spice of life and all that, so picking just one for the purposes of conversation is a nigh impossible task. However, the person asking you doesn’t really want to hear a long winded answer going through your top half dozen heroes with pros and cons for each. Yet that urge to go into detail is so very strong. Even in the above instance I prattled on for probably too long about the intellectual merits of Superman (which serves reemphasize my first point as that was also the topic of a previous column) and the person, who really only had themselves to blame, was polite up to a point, then clearly lost interest. We were working so I can hardly blame her for focusing more on the task at hand, but I was still kicking myself for not reigning my answer in just a bit better.

3) Other people should stop being wrong so often

So after my slight embarrassment in the lab I went to a nearby watering hole for a pint. I was feeling antsy so I challenged a local to darts and the conversation eventually led to the classic “Who wins: Batman vs. Superman?” Even though the obvious answer is Superman because he has super-speed and can fire heat vision from orbit, this dude was not having any of it. Which brings me to my final point: we could all get along a lot better if everyone else would just quit being wrong so often!

Kidding!

…

(Sort of.)

Ryan Haupt has strong opinions but he makes up for them with cool drinking tricks. Hear him opine and quaff on the weekly podcast Science… sort of.

The Concept:

The core of the Runaways concept is that it’s a team made of the children of super villains, rebelling against their families and creating a new family amongst each other. It’s teenage rebellion played out in superhero comics, ironically referencing the superhero genre while becoming part of it in their own way. In their previous incarnations they’ve played around the edges of Marvel’s larger continuity and sometime snot at all, but given the event-driven nature of superhero comics these days that’s become a death wish. For this to work, the Runaways need to play with the ongoing continuity events of the Marvel Universe, but play it smart.

In this new series, imagine if you push that original concept of teenage kids not trusting their parents into the entire adult population of the Marvel U. What if the Runaways learn they can’t trust any adults; their villainous parents with good reason, but what if by bad luck or misconception they run against that same thing even when working with big superhero teams like the Avengers, the X-Men and the Fantastic Four? There’s already three ongoing schools for kid superheroes inside Avengers Academy, Wolverine & The X-Men and the kids inside the FF’s Baxter Building, but what if the Runaways are played off as the rebellious dropouts fighting with each other but banding together against the adults who want to tell them what to do.

The Runaways: Don’t Trust Adults.

The Creators:

The Writer – Brian Wood: If there’s one writer who seems tailor made to bring this series back to life, it’s Brian Wood. He’s written the rebellious type in everything from Channel Zero to DEMO to New York Four/Five, and he’s currently doing X-Men and Ultimate Comics X-Men. But Wood’s never been able to rebuilt anything from the ground up at Marvel as of yet, and seeing him remaking the Runaways from the ashes of what’s come before into a new concept would be something spectacular to watch.

The Artist – Matteo Scalera: It was an easy choice to consider partnering Wood with some of his previous collaborators like Becky Cloonan or Ryan Kelly on this, but I think that isn’t always the best way to go and it limits the possibilities. Matteo Scalera is currently drawing Boom!’s Valent The Outcast, but is being pulled into Marvel helping out on Wolverine & The X-Men for a couple months now. Scalera possesses the core sensibilities to make superheroes work, but his style skews that into a more dynamic and diverse area that would be great to build up tone for a Runaways series.

Batgirl (Vol. 3) #15 (2011) Cover

Created by Chuck Dixon and Tom Lyle, Stephanie Brown first showed up shortly after Tim Drake obtained the role of Robin. When Bruce and Tim began investigating a Riddler-esque criminal known as the Cluemaster, a new young masked vigilante began showing up around their case. This figure in purple and blue was quickly unmasked as Cluemaster’s teenage daughter, Stephanie Brown.

From Detective Comics (Vol. 1) #648 (1992)

Stephanie was stepping out in a mask not to help her father but to try and stop him. Between her father’s illegal criminal enterprise and her mother’s addiction to pills, Stephanie grew to resent them both. Figuring that it would be easier to put her father in jail before she tackled her mother’s issues, she created her own costume and put her years of gymnastics knowledge to work as Spoiler. At first, Batman seemed to be a bit impressed.

From Detective Comics (Vol. 1) #648 (1992)

After Cluemaster’s scheme was stopped and he was put in jail, Stephanie became semi-retired as Spoiler. Occasionally, she would slip on her costume and hang around with Tim. She was constantly held at arm’s length by the Dynamic Duo, who felt that she didn’t have the skills necessary to join their little club. Part of maintaining their distance was keeping their identities secret. While they knew that Spoiler was really Stephanie Brown, she had no idea who was under the Batman and Robin masks.

From Robin (Vol. 2) #16 (1995)

Even though she wasn’t getting any official help from Gotham City’s vigilante set, Stephanie continued to hone her skills as well as she could. To that end, she continued with the gymnastics program at her school. It was there that another major male figure in her life, her coach, betrayed her. In this case, instead of being a masked villain like her father, her coach turned out to be a drug dealer. Stephanie didn’t take it well.

From Showcase '95 #5 (1995)

Over time, Stephanie became a major supporting character in Tim Drake’s solo series. Chuck Dixon seemed to really like her, so she stuck around for years. When Tim broke up with his girlfriend, he and Spoiler began dating. However, Stephanie still had no idea who was behind Robin’s domino mask. It was awkward for Tim but he knew that if he told Stephanie who he really was, she’d figure out who Batman was. That wasn’t Tim’s secret to tell, so he kept quiet.

Just a few weeks after Robin and Stephanie started officially dating, Stephanie revealed something that changed their relationship. She told him that she was pregnant.

From Robin (Vol. 2) #58 (1998)

The father of Stephanie’s baby wasn’t Robin but a former boyfriend who had skipped town after Gotham City was hit by a huge earthquake. Stephanie decided to have the baby but didn’t have much of a support system in place for how to deal with the coming months. Her mother helped where she could but her father was in prison. To help her cope, Tim created a third identity for himself named Alvin Draper. “Alvin” accompanied Stephanie to Lamaze classes and was a solid support system for the pregnant teenager. It would cause too much of a scene if Robin showed up alongside Stephanie to these events. She knew that Alvin was Robin, of course, and appreciated his help. After giving birth to a baby girl, Stephanie decided to give the child up for adoption without ever seeing her daughter’s face.

From Robin (Vol. 2) #65 (1999)

After recovering from her pregnancy, Stephanie bounced back. Once again donning the role of Spoiler, she continued to hone her skills as a vigilante. Towards that end, she hunted down two people who could help her take the next step into being a true hero. She managed to talk Black Canary and Wildcat into giving her some fighting lessons. Unfortunately, their first interaction began with a misunderstanding.

From Robin 80-Page Giant #1 (2000)

After learning the ropes with other heroes in the DCU and jumping back into her vigilante role with both feet, Stephanie was finally told by Batman just who he and Robin were under their masks. She was back on Batman’s radar. However, being on Batman’s radar can be both a blessing and a curse.

When Tim Drake’s father learned that his son was really Robin and that Bruce Wayne had been allowing Tim to risk his life night after night for years, Jack Drake was understandably enraged. While he stopped short of actually coming to blows with Bruce, he did demand that Tim retire from the role of Robin. Tim acquiesced. What Bruce did next is up for debate. Perhaps as a way to lure Tim back to the role or perhaps just because he thought she could handle the challenge, Bruce upgraded Stephanie from being Spoiler to becoming the fourth Robin.

From Robin (Vol. 2) #126 (2004)

Stephanie leapt into the role with both feet. After years of hard work, constantly being told that she wasn’t good enough, and still pushing forward anyway, Stephanie had officially become a member of the Batman team. It was thrilling.

Things went south rather quickly. Bruce’s main rule was that Stephanie needed to follow his ever order to the letter. However, when facing off against a super powered menace just a month or so after Stephanie become Robin, Batman found himself in a deadly situation. Ignoring Bruce’s orders to stay away from the battle, Stephanie entered the fray and tried to help Bruce out. Things weren’t as bad as they seemed and Stephanie only proved to get in the way. Her interference allowed the villain to escape. Bruce fired her for ignoring a direct order.

From Robin (Vol. 2) #128 (2004)

This left Stephanie in a dark place. Before she left the Batcave for the final time, she managed to snag a few of Batman’s emergency plans. One of those plans detailed how Batman could consolidate all of Gotham’s gangs under him. Stephanie set that plan in motion without telling Bruce first. Without Batman there to guide things, an all-out gang war erupted across Gotham. Black Mask, an old foe of Batman, eventually became the leader of this mob. Knowing that she’d messed up, Stephanie attempted to take Black Mask out herself. The plan went belly-up and it ended with Black Mask kidnapping and torturing her. Though she was able to free herself, her wounds proved too deep. Stephanie died.

From Batman (Vol. 1) #633 (2004)

Bruce knew that Stephanie was dying in this moment. It’s unclear if he was lying to give her a restful final few moments of life or if he really meant his words.

Stephanie’s death didn’t sit right with Bruce. After investigating the circumstances of her death a little more, he discovered that Stephanie would have survived Black Mask’s attack if she had been given proper medical care. The clinic that Bruce had brought her to was run by Leslie Thompkins, the woman who helped sooth Bruce after his parents were murdered. For decades, Leslie was portrayed as a dedicated caregiver to Gotham’s poor souls. Now, with little provocation, she had denied Stephanie care in order to teach Bruce a lesson about his Batman lifestyle. He didn’t take it well.

From Batman (Vol. 1) #644 (2005)

Let me be very clear about something: This storyline was wretched. It existed only to kill a lovely supporting female character in Stephanie Brown and decimate the usefulness of Leslie Thompkins. It sullied them both. Stephanie was presented as being stupid enough to kick off a giant gang war without thinking of the consequences and it showed Leslie Thompkins, a character who was really the guardian angel of the Batman universe, to be a killer. It was one of the biggest unforced errors in the Batman editorial offices since the character debuted in 1939. To add insult to injury, Stephanie was never given a memorial in the Batcave like Jason Todd had been given after his death. Stephanie was a second-class Robin.

Fans made their displeasure known. From questions asked at comic convention panels to online comments and letters written to the editors, it became clear that fans wanted both women to be returned to their proper roles. DC agreed and, in 2007, a character dressed as Spoiler appeared in a Batman event titled Gotham Underground. After some investigation, Tim finally found out that it was Stephanie under the Spoiler hood.

It seemed that Leslie had faked Stephanie’s death. After Stephanie’s run-in with Black Mask, the villain knew her secret identity. Fearing that a retaliation was in order if Stephanie were still alive, Leslie whisked the two of them to Africa where they did aid work far from the dangers of Gotham.

From Robin / Spoiler Special #1 (2008)

It wasn’t exactly clear why Leslie had lied to Bruce about Stephanie’s death. After all, if Batman can’t keep your secret, no one can. But no one really dwelt on that. This was simply a retcon to fix a past mistake and it was a good call. It allowed both women to reenter the Batman books without any baggage.

The pair moved back to Gotham City to regain their former lives after Black Mask turned up dead. Stephanie retook the role of Spoiler where she again went back to becoming a supporting character for Tim, who had taken back the role of Robin around the time of Stephanie’s ‘death.’

It was Bruce Wayne’s death that changed everything for Stephanie. After her boss and mentor died, Cassandra Cain became disillusioned. Cassandra had held the role of Batgirl since shortly after No Man’s Land. With Bruce dead, she wanted no part of being Batgirl. Cassandra hinted that Stephanie could have the job if she wanted it.

From Batgirl (Vol. 3) #1 (2009)

It turned out that Stephanie did want that role. She wanted it very much. When she started out as Batgirl, she used a slightly modified version of the costume that Cassandra used. Shortly thereafter, she realized that she needed her own look so she incorporated elements of the Spoiler costume into the design. Working alongside Barbara Gordon, the original Batgirl, as her mentor, Stephanie took to the role with stunning results.

From Batgirl (Vol. 3) #9 (2010)

When Bruce Wayne returned from the dead, he knew that he had some catching up to do. Things had changed in his absence, not the least of which was Stephanie’s new role. So, to test her out, Bruce donned a mysterious costume and engaged her in combat just where her skills were at. When she discovered that her opponent was a resurrected Bruce, Stephanie had a strong reaction. She slapped him.

From Bruce Wayne: The Road Home - Batgirl #1 (2010)

Stephanie simply had enough of Bruce’s tests. His tests had made her feel small and unwanted before. His tests had resulted in her nearly being killed and had forced her to flee the country. After all the troubles that the two had gone through in the past, he was testing her once again. She had every right to slap him.

With that, Stephanie was now a full ranking member of the Batman family. When Batman Incorporated was developed, Stephanie became a part of it. When Batman needed a private all-girls school investigated, Stephanie was the obvious choice. She was now at the peak of her abilities and her self confidence was rock solid. Stephanie Brown had arrived.

From Batman Incorporated: Leviathan Strikes #1 (2012)

That’s where Stephanie Brown left off before the New 52 wiped her away. As far as I know, she has not appeared since the end of Flashpoint. Batgirl is again Barbara Gordon and Stephanie is nowhere to be found. That’s a real shame, because Stephanie’s time as Batgirl made for a really great story. It was funny, it had great characters, and it had solid forward momentum month after month. Here’s hoping that Stephanie returns soon.

Jeff Reid is a big fan of Stephanie, in case that wasn’t clear. He discusses other things he’s a fan of on Twitter.