Batman/Santa Claus: Silent Knight #4 – Jeff Parker, Writer; Danny Kim, Stephen Segovia, Artists; Alex Sinclair, Colorist
Ray – 9/10
Ray: Despite this being initially pitched to us as a whimsical holiday adventure, the stakes are very high as Santa Claus’ team-up with the DCU comes to a rollicking close. An army of monsters has been unleashed on Earth, Krampus has kidnapped Damian as a “naughty child” who needs punishment—and even worse, Krampus doesn’t seem to quite be himself, as he’s arguing with himself over whether to punish Damian or kill him. We know Santa banished Krampus to another realm ages ago, but we didn’t know what that realm was until now. It was the Phantom Zone—and Krampus didn’t come back alone. His twisted corruption since he returned has not been just his mind gone wrong, it’s been a particularly evil Phantom Zone spirit out for revenge and leading countless others. And with that, this becomes a cosmic-level tie-in that will require the entire DCU to resolve.
The action this issue is surprisingly intense, with a possessed Superman needing to be taken to the point of near-death to stop him by Blue Beetle. But Damian’s techniques to delay Krampus—pretending to be an innocent and penitent child—are a lot funnier. Damian might be a great fighter, but he’s also a great actor. The art has jumped around quite a bit over the course of this series, with two new artists on this final issue, but the story has remained consistently strong. It’s great to see this version of Santa using compassion to redeem his friend turned archnemesis, and there are a lot of interesting details about the wishes Santa remembers from the various heroes early on. As the threat is eliminated and an old bond is restored, the series ends with a great and festive celebration for everyone involved—and the promise of more adventures. Can the DC Santa return every December for a new series like this?
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GeekDad received this comic for review purposes.
