The eighteenth episode of "Taking Flight" takes a look at a three-issue story arc that ran from Detective Comics #647-649 and introduced a new hero in The Batman Universe–The Spoiler, a.k.a. Stephanie Brown.  Come along as I close out Tim Drake's origin and first few adventures as Robin!  

Tags: detective comics, robin, spoiler, stephanie brown, the batman universe taking flight, tim drake

  10/8: Ame-Comi Girls #5 ($0.99) The finale of the Brainiac attacks story   10/9: Batman: Arkham Unhinged #46 ($0.99) Police continue to investigate leads left by the Bookbinder.   10/10: Batman: Gotham Adventures #23-29 ($0.99 each) More issues from the early 2000s tie-in with the Gotham Knights era of the Animated Series.   Batgirl (2011-) #13 ($2.99) The Knightfall saga wraps up, but Barbara’s world is about to get torn apart as The Joker arrives to create some mayhem in this Death of The Family crossover.   Batman (2011-) #13 ($3.99) The Joker is back in town as the Death…

Tags: ame-comi girls, arkham asylum, barbara gordon, batgirl, batman, batman and robin, batman beyond, batman: arkham unhinged, batman: death of the family, batman: gotham adventures, brainiac, bruce wayne, catwoman, jla: classified, joker, legends of the dark knight, maxie zeus, red king, robin, saturn club, speedy, spoiler, teen titans: year one, tim drake, vigilante, wally west, wonder girl

  10/1: Ame-Comi Girls #4 ($0.99) Power Girl continues to battle Brainiac in the Earth’s core while the team fight’s Brainiac’s army on the ship.   Craftsman Bolt On System Saves The Justice League #1 (Free) A story about a technician on the Watchtower.   10/2: Batman: Arkham Unhinged #45 ($0.99) Construction on Arkham City continues, Commissioner Gordon receives a disturbing letter, and Gotham is swept up by a TV talent show.   10/3: Batman: Gotham Adventures #21-22 ($0.99 each) Batman elicits the help of a blind jazz musician in #21, and Batgirl teams with her father to…

Tags: ame-comi girls, batgirl, batman, batman: arkham unhinged, batman: gotham adventures, batwing, black canary, blackfire, brainiac, bruce wayne, catwoman, dc comics, detective comics, dr destiny, earth-2, gotham city, green arrow, huntress, james gordon, jla: classified, justice league, justice league beyond, justice league of america, kobra, legends of the dark knight, metropolis, neal adams, new teen titans, oliver queen, penguin, power girl, robin, spoiler, starfire, teen titans, teen titans: year one, the brave and the bold, violet, world's finest

  4/10: Batman: Arkham Unhinged #26 ($0.99) New story begins, featuring Penguin hiring Deadshot to take out The Joker.   4/11: Batgirl (2000-2006) #38-41 ($1.99 each) Stories involving Spoiler and Superboy bookend a Black Wind story in the latest Cass issues.   Batgirl (2011-) #8 ($2.99) Batgirl has her showdown with Grotesque, and the reason for Barbara Sr.’s leaving the family is revealed.   Batman and Robin (2011-) #8 ($2.99) Bruce and Damian have a heart to heart following Nobody’s death at the hands of Damian.   Batman Beyond (2012-) #5 ($1.99) Both Mad Stan and Dana elicit the help…

Tags: barbara gordon, batgirl, batman, batman and robin, batman beyond, batman confidential, batman: arkham unhinged, batman: battle for the cowl, batman: legends of the dark knight, batman: rip, batwoman, beast boy, birds of prey, blackest night, cassandra cain, catwoman, cyborg, dana tan, dc comics, deadshot, dick grayson, gorilla city, gotham city, grotesque, hugo strange, jason todd, joker, mad stan, man-bat, nightwing, oracle, penguin, power girl, raven, robin, scarecrow, spoiler, starfire, superboy, teen titans, terry mcginnis, tim drake, titans

  4/3 Batman: Arkham Unhinged #25 ($0.99) Batman continues his battle with the Mad Hatter, while under the influence of Mad Hatter’s hallucinogenic drugs.   4/4 Batgirl (2000-2006) #34-37 ($1.99 each) Batgirl goes up against Alpha is the overarching story in these Batgirl issues.   Batman Confidential #13-16 ($1.99 each) Nightwing co-stars in 2008’s Tony Bedard written Wrath Child story.   Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight #127-136 ($1.99 each) Stories from 2000, The Arrow and The Bat and The Siege, are spotlighted in this week’s Legends issues.   Batwing (2011-) #8 ($2.99) Massacre has taken the fight to Gotham…

Tags: apokolips, batgirl, batman confidential, batman: arkham unhinged, batman: legends of the dark knight, batman: one year later, batwing, birds of prey, brentwood academy, charlotte rivers, dc comics, detective comics, jericho, joker, justice league beyond, justice league international, kobra, mad hatter, nightwing, robin, scarecrow, spoiler, tim drake, titans, tony bedard

  3/27 Batman: Arkham Unhinged #24 ($0.99) Second part of the story featuring the Mad Hatter and his Wonderland Gang.   3/28 Note: All-Star Western is still being published and featuring Jonah Hex, but since the setting is no longer in Old Gotham City, it will no longer be covered in this column.   Batgirl (2000-2006) #30-33 ($1.99 each) Chuck Dixon briefly takes over the reign for a 3 issue story featuring appearances by Green Arrow Conner Hawke, Spoiler and Robin, and issue #33 sees Cass going up against her own father during an…

Tags: all-star western, andy diggle, bane, batgirl, batman beyond, batman confidential, batman: arkham unhinged, batman: legends of the dark knight, batman: no man's land, batman: the dark knight, birds of prey, bruce wayne, cassandra cain, catwoman, chuck dixon, conner hawke, dc comics, deathstroke, green arrow, guy gardner, judd winick, lex luthor, mad hatter, nightwing, robin, spoiler, superboy, teen titans, terry mcginnis, whilce portacio

  3/20: Batman: Arkham Unhinged #23 ($0.99) A new story begins. This time focusing on The Mad Hatter, and his attempt to turn Vicki Vale into an Alice.   3/21: Batgirl (2000-2006) #26, #28 ($1.99 each) A couple of issues sandwiched in between the Cass issues of 2002’s Bruce Wayne Fugitive crossover. #26 features Spoiler filling Cass’ role, and #28 has Cass going up against a special Black Ops team.   Batman (2011-) #7 ($2.99) Bruce returns to the cave, and discovers a shocking revelation about the Talon that he fought in the Owl’s court.   Batman Beyond…

Tags: batcave, batgirl, batman, batman beyond, batman: arkham unhinged, batman: legends of the dark knight, batman: no man's land, batman: odyssey, birds of prey, bruce wayne, bruce wayne: fugitive, cassandra cain, catwoman, choke, chuck dixon, crux, dana tan, dc comics, dc universe online legends, deathstroke, dick grayson, essence, joker, justice league, lex luthor, mad hatter, miss martian, neal adams, night of owls, nightwing, red hood, red hood and the outlaws, robin, selina kyle, spoiler, superboy, talon, vicki vale, young justice

  12/27: Batman: Arkham Unhinged #11 ($0.99) Learn more about the henchmen, The Abramovici Twins.   12/28: All-Star Western (2011-) #4 ($3.99) Jonah’s travels through Gotham with Dr. Arkham now takes him into the underbelly of the sewer systems.   Batman: Gotham Knights #52 ($1.99) The Joker interjects himself into the war between Hush and Riddler in the third part of 2004’s Pushback story.   Batman: Shadow of the Bat #50 ($1.99) Batman faces off with many of his most recent B-List foes in the first part of 1996’s Nightmare on Gotham story.   Batman: The Dark…

Tags: all-star western, amadeus arkham, arkham asylum, batman, batman: arkham unhinged, batman: gotham knights, batman: shadow of the bat, batman: the dark knight, black mask, blockbuster, catwoman, countdown, dc comics, dc universe online legends, donna troy, gotham city, holly robinson, hush, jason todd, joker, jonah hex, mary marvel, metropolis, monitor, nightwing, ray palmer, red robin, riddler, robin, shrike, spoiler, superboy, teen titans, tim drake, tiny titans, wonder girl

  12/20:   Batman: Arkham Unhinged #10 ($0.99) Hugo Strange is featured in the latest issue of this Digital Exclusive series.   12/21:   Batman (2011-) #4 ($2.99) Batman’s search into the Owl’s lair leads to shocking discoveries and a deadly trap.   Batman: Gotham Knights #51 ($1.99) The 2004 Hush Returns storyline continues with the second part of Pushback.   Batman: Odyssey (2011-) #3 ($3.99) Batman’s long and strange trip continues as he fights in a war in the Underworld.   Batman: Shadow of the Bat #49 ($1.99) Contagion continues as Batman searches for Poison Ivy and Gordon tries to help…

Tags: batgirl, batman, batman: arkham unhinged, batman: contagion, batman: gotham knights, batman: odyssey, batman: shadow of the bat, birds of prey, black mask, catwoman, countdown to final crisis, cyborg, dc comics, detective comics, devin grayson, final crisis, hugo strange, hush, james gordon, justice league, nightwing, outsiders: five of a kind, poison ivy, ra's al ghul, reach, red hood and the outlaws, robin, selina kyle, spoiler, starfire, young justice

  The New 52 is having the 5th Week Blues this week, but, there is plenty of Bat related goodness from the fine folks at DC Digital!   11/29: Batman:  Arkham Unhinged #7 ($1.99) This week we get a look inside Arhkham City with The Joker and Penguin.   11/30: Batman: Gotham Knights #48 ($1.99) Continuing 2003’s Veritas Liberat where Batman, Nightwing and Robin track down Bane as Bane is tracking down Kobra.   Batman: Shadow of the Bat #46 ($1.99) The…

Tags: bane, batman, batman: arkham city, batman: arkham unhinged, batman: gotham knights, batman: odyssey, batman: shadow of the bat, brainiac, catwoman, cluemaster, cornelius stirk, dc universe online legends, dick grayson, dwayne mcduffie, george perez, gotham city, jerry ordway, joker, jt krul, justice league, justice league: the rise of arsenal, kobra, league of assassins, mark waid, neal adams, nightwing, nite-wing, penguin, robin, roy harper, selina kyle, spoiler, sylph, the brave and the bold, tiny titans