As Batman teams up with one of his stranger mentors, Saint Nick himself, his friends and family are along for the ride in this monster-hunting adventure in line with the holiday!
Written by Jeff ParkerCover by Dan Mora
Illustrated by Michele Bandini
Colored by Alex Sinclair
Lettered by Pat BrosseauSANTA CLAUS IS COMING TO TOWN!
The four-part crossover event of a generation begins when a not-so-jolly St. Nick hits Gotham City to investigate a brutal crime in the days leading up to Christmas… What manner of man or beast could have committed such atrocities?!
With the help of his former student, Batman, Santa will team up with the heroes of the DC Universe to right this wrong–or the world wakes up to coal in their stockings!
A brutal, two-fisted holiday tale of hope, wonder, and monster hunting is the perfect treat to ring in the holidays–it’s Claus in canon!
Holiday specials are not for everyone. Yes, they tend to mostly pop up at set times (generally the winter), but the concentration on ones like Halloween (around October) and Christmas (around December) may leave many out, especially in the case of the latter. Considering the DC universe is at least partially bent toward the Abrahamic, Judeo-Christian mythos being the highest possible power, focusing in on Santa Claus around the holidays is practically expected, to the point that it feels odd it took this long to give him the spotlight. However, the actual way in which Kris Kringle is used is a fair bit different than what people may be expecting. How does the creative team on this four-issue miniseries help to bring pulp action alongside holiday fun in “Batman – Santa Claus: Silent Knight” #1?
In general, Jeff Parker crafts a wondrous, fantastical tale of the holiday, albeit with a lot of violence along the way. Using the Batman family (and a semi-common guest), he merges action-packed fights with intriguing introductions. The interactions between Santa and the heroes are humorous and heartwarming, even with his more harsh behavior. The use of mythology is rather intriguing, allowing for merger of different cultures and the adaptation of a distinct identity for Santa Claus amongst the masses of other approaches to the character within or without comic books. In all, the magic of the holiday is in full swing, and the result is very entertaining indeed.
Parker makes excellent use of his cast. The characters at play help enhance the fun as well as the sheer absurdity of Batman working with Santa Claus to fight monsters, with a variety of allies either confused by the Christmas mascot/saint’s existence, in awe of him, or just shocked that Batman actually has seen and worked with him. The idea of the crossover is already silly, but having Bruce Wayne be a simple straight man alongside an already serious Kris Kringle would never be enough. Instead, everyone gets in on the interactions, making for a fun, comedic time. Damian Wayne’s Robin is incredulous at the idea of Santa to his face (adding to his occasional air of childishness), while Nightwing is shocked Bruce was telling the truth, hinting that this kind of association is one he had brought up before. Others instead lean into the awe, letting the legend of the holiday speak for itself. From mundane to magical, there is a variety of heroes at work who all prove to be great figures to showcase the expertise and training of the surprisingly formidable hunter that is Santa, as well as integrating a more sinister Christmas story more fitting to horror tale on the whole.
Michele Bandini’s artwork is very energetic, focused on wild maneuvers when the scene calls for it without overextending itself. She lets some scenes speak for themselves, closing in on shots or taking a wider angle depending on who is at play. The facial expressions, be they with or without masks, are on point, from aggravation of tired carolers on a cold night to shock or horror in the midst of combat. The monstrous entities are truly horrifying when put up against other humans, especially when some of said humans are without any masks at all.
Continued belowIf there is one problem with the artwork of “Batman – Santa Claus: Silent Knight” #1, it is that perhaps Batman and Robin’s movements as presented by Bandini are too energetic in combat. Their entry to the scene comes from such an extraordinary height that it feels unnatural without some method to genuinely slow them down. Meanwhile, the speed with which they eventually fall later feels almost as strange, almost as though the laws of physics do not apply to them. Still, on the whole, this us s relatively minor hang up that can easily be overlooked in the face of the fun if the rest of the piece.
Meanwhile, even the amazing artwork wouldn’t be enough without the fantastical colors brought to life by Alex Sinclair. The glow of magic really pops out amongst the December night, with other light sources brightening up a distinctly vibrant tale. The red and whites of Santa’s classic appearance stands out from the yellow of certain eyes, as well as against a sickly green slime on one hand or muted colors of a resident magician ally. It may be a night of much death and destruction, but the choices of hues and tones, along with their use, really brings life back to the overall plot.
Final Verdict: 8.0 – Whether or not you care for the holiday, ‘Silent Knight’ seems worth checking out for a fun winter tale.
