Batman/Santa Claus: Silent Knight #4: Batman Got Run Over By A Reindeer

Batman / Santa Claus: Silent Knight #4 picks up with a possessed Superman fighting DC’s heroes while the Krampus holds Robin in captivity. Rounding out this series with a bang, the action really packs a punch, showcasing the DC world fighting various monsters and creatures. While this issue doesn’t spark anything profound and unheard of within the DC universe, there is a sense of jolly joy within the way this story raps up that makes this a hopeful starting point for future DC Christmas stories.

Jeff Parker genuinely went the extra mile when it came to creating a quintessential DC holiday story. Unlike the stories from the past, Batman / Santa Claus: Silent Knight is firmly steeped within DC continuity, allowing the readers to jump into a familiar landscape without the need to long winded introductions and exposition. The story overall keeps Santa Claus as a core character, but mixes him well with the rest of the DC world, enough to make this iteration feel at home. This final issue also leaves DC with a plethora of possibilities for how this can be expanded upon in the 2024 holiday season. Will readers be treated to a sequel that shows Santa Claus’s furthered adventures with Batman and the rest of the DC pantheon? Or will DC go an alternative route and make a prequel where Batman’s past with Santa Claus as some sort of mentor gets to be more fleshed out? Either of these choices would be great, although any hardcore Christmas fans would likely want to see some sort of solo Santa Claus series, although that may not appeal to general audiences quite as well.

Artist Michelle Bandini and colorist Alex Sinclair finish this series off strong with fun, action packed visuals that fully embrace the Christmas spirit that this series has attracted as its foundation. Batman / Santa Claus: Silent Knight #4 ends with a great Christmas dinner between all of the DC characters, with Bandini’s pencils highlighting the event with a great mix of DC and holiday spirit. This segment is especially exemplary of the kind of authenticity and charm that Bandini and Sinclair have brought to this series, helping make it one of the best DC holiday events of all time. Additionally, the Eisner award winning letterer Pat Brosseau provides a lot of the oomph and volume to this book, making it read as well as it does. Brosseau never ceases to deliver top notch lettering and Batman / Santa Claus: Silent Knight #4 is no exception.