- You won't ever lose me, Arthur. True love always comes home.
- — Mera
Young Romance: A New 52 Valentine's Day Special #1 is a one-shot with a cover date of April, 2013. It was published on February 6, 2013.
Synopsis for "Think it Through"
Catwoman has been ditched by her partners, and is now damp and stranded on a rooftop with a pile of boosted artworks, all on Valentine's Day. She remembers how it was this same day years ago that she first met Batman.
Selina and her friend Billy were window shopping, looking at clothes that were obviously too expensive for them. A passing security guard for the department store urged them to step away from the glass and move on. That night, she and Billy went out to steal a truck load of stereo equipment repossessed from a struggling housing project. They were interrupted by the Batman. He demanded to know how they knew about the goods, and Billy explained that he lived in the housing project. Grumpily, Batman warned them to return it all - he would be watching.
Catwoman, thinking that Batman would just be waiting for his chance to steal it for himself, made a run for it instead. After giving him a run for his money, she decided to double back, believing that it would be so ridiculous for her to return to the scene of the crime that he would never think to look there. Of course, Batman knew that most criminals do return to the scene of the crime, and she was no exception.
He caught her, and had lectured her saying that while she was good, she needed training and practice. He warned her to think of who she stole from and why; to think about the people who would be affected by it. Doing that would be the first step in getting her over to his side of the law, and to him.
Now, she reflects on how she never did think of that, and how that must explain why she never sees him around anymore.
Appearing in "Think it Through"
Featured Characters:
- Catwoman (Flashback and main story)
Supporting Characters:
- Billy (Flashback only)
Villains:
- Batman (Flashback only)
Other Characters:
Locations:
- Gotham City
- Sunnyside Housing Project
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Synopsis for "The Lighthouse"
While preparing the lighthouse for an oncoming storm, Mera accidentally discovers a small bundle of love letters exchanged by a Felicity Merkham and Samuel Wentworth.
Reading the letters, Mera learns of how Samuel, the captain of The Autumn's Daughter, became infatuated with Felicity and charmed her, despite her father's strict warnings that she should not love a man who lived on the sea.
Later, Mera spots a grave marker, which Arthur explains is meant to commemorate Felicity, who spent every day of her remaining life waiting at the lighthouse for Samuel to return from sea. He had been lost at sea during a great storm in which the lighthouse's beacon went out. Though she never heard from him again, she waited until she died. Arthur adds that his own father had felt that Felicity Merkham's spirit was keeping him company when he waited for Arthur's mother at that same lighthouse.
When the power to the lighthouse goes out, Mera endeavours to assure that no ships be lost that night, and while travelling with creatures of the sea to guide lost ships to shore safely, she discovers the Autumn's Daughter's figurehead on the ocean floor.
Hours later, Arthur waits on the dock with the rescued sailors, waiting for his wife to return. Eventually, she steps onto the shore, carrying the figurehead, and assuring him that he would never have lost her because true love always comes home. Nearby, the spirits of Felicity and Samuel are reunited, thanks to Mera's efforts.
Appearing in "The Lighthouse"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
- Felicity Merkham
- Samuel Wentworth
Villains:
- Mr. Merkham
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Synopsis for "Dreamer"
One night in Gotham City, Batgirl spots Ricky trying to break into a car, even after she had tried to set him on the right path after rescuing from Knightfall. Seeing her, he expresses some relief at the fact that he doesn't actually have to break into the car. He claims that he had done it in the hopes of getting her attention.
She has little time to question that excuse before a gang of thugs appears, accusing Ricky of being a snitch to the Bat-Family. Grumpily, Batgirl manages to knock them all out in short order, warning Ricky that if the attack was a set-up for her, she will punish him.
He promises that he didn't know about them, and that he really was just hoping to see her again. In fact, since their last meeting, when she kissed him, he has been able to think of little else. Batgirl notes the irony of the fact that she had only kissed him then to prevent him from being labelled as a snitch. Sadly, she explains that she doesn't have time for romance, and besides that, it would be highly impractical, given that her identity is secret.
Hopefully, Ricky suggests that while he can't hope for much else, he would be happy if he could have another kiss, just for fun. Intrigued, she plants another kiss on his lips. Though she seems to have enjoyed it quite a bit, she plays it down, insisting that she has to go.
Desperately, he suggests a scenario in which she, out of costume, asks him on a date sometime, and they might go out together without him knowing that she is Batgirl. Smirking, and rappelling away, Batgirl suggests that he dream on.
Appearing in "Dreamer"
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Supporting Characters:
- Ricky
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Synopsis for "Seoul Brothers"
Apollo searches many of Seoul's gay hangouts, searching for Midnighter, but to no avail. It isn't until he spots Midnighter crashing through an upper story window that he finds him. Midnighter has been trailing four targets involved in something to do with unstable uranium and potential nuclear conflagration. Despite taking down all but one of them, he ends up with that target's gun against his head. Apollo intervenes, reducing the gunman to dust.
Surprised, Midnighter demands to know what Apollo is doing there. Andrew explains that he came to learn more about the man he loves. Coldly, Midnighter warns that whatever relationship they have had needs to stop, as they cannot afford to mix their work with their emotions. Apollo reluctantly agrees, admitting that Midnighter is not actually his type.
As they part ways, Midnighter is fully aware that Apollo was lying. Dejected, Apollo returns to a gay bar and lets a handsome young man buy him a drink. He muses that the boy will have a much harder time knowing when he's lying.
Appearing in "Seoul Brothers"
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Synopsis for "Another Saturday Night"
After the fifth cancellation that month, Dick Grayson finds himself getting dumped via phone by his short-term girlfriend Jen - all while helping to stop a gang of assanssins from murdering someone. He has unexpected help from the target's own hired bodyguard, a woman who calls herself Ursa Major. After defeating the assassins, the target - Mr. Reese - thanks them both, and after getting to the hospital, urges them both to do something nice with the rest of their evenings.
Having overheard his phone conversation, Ursa invites Nightwing to share some Chinese food on a rooftop with her. Though she claims it was just because she felt sorry for him, there is some chemistry between them, and the pair of them enjoy a race around the snowy rooftops of Gotham City. Afterwards, he invites her to have a second date with him, and she agrees.
Even so, the next evening, Nightwing finds himself standing by himself in the rain with a pizza in one hand, and no one to share it with.
Appearing in "Another Saturday Night"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
- Ursa Major (First appearance)
Villains:
Other Characters:
- Jen (Phone call only)
- Mr. Reese
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Synopsis for "Truth or Dare"
At the recommendation of her cousin Eros, Diana invites Clark Kent to dinner at a restaurant in Tuscany. She has revealed little about her own family to him, thinking it better that their relationship is confined to the two of them. Understanding the need for secrecy, Clark explains how his own need to keep secrets has been a burden to him, as he has needed to keep his identity secret from everyone he has ever cared about, despite fighting for truth as Superman.
Their conversation is interrupted when two singers with the live band single Clark out, and he feels impossibly compelled to go to them. Diana is confused until Eros appears and explains that Clark has been bewitched by sirens - and not by accident. He conspired with them as part of a deal. The daughters of Achelous are gathering weapons and armour, and they want Diana's. If she gives them up, the sirens will agree not to compel the innocent bystanders - including Clark - to dash themselves on the rocks.
Rather than comply, Diana transforms into Wonder Woman, and entraps Eros within her Lasso of Truth. This breaks the sirens' spell on him, but it does nothing to stop Superman from attacking his own girlfriend under their influence. Frustrated, she wraps her lasso around him, but the sirens' hold on him is too strong. Eros, though, manages to fire his pistols of love at the sirens, causing them to fall in love with him, and break their hold on Superman at his bidding.
Superman is apologetic for hurting Diana, but Eros warns that he will never hurt her again - because he will never love another. He fires one of his bullets at Superman, much to Diana's distress. She explains that she never wanted his feelings for her to be anything but his own choice. Feigning injury, Superman opens his palm, revealing that he caught the bullet, and confirms that it is still his own choice.
Appearing in "Truth or Dare"
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Villains:
- Sirens
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Notes
- "Another Saturday Night" is reprinted in Nightwing: Death of the Family.
Trivia
- "Another Saturday Night" features a special thank you to Zander Cannon.
See Also