Batman/Santa Claus: Silent Knight Returns #2 – Jeff Parker, Writer; Lucas Ketner, Michelle Bandini, Artists; Marcelo Maiolo, Colorist
Ray – 9/10
Ray: The fact that we get an annual comic from DC that’s Batman and Santa teaming up to take on supernatural threats is just a delight in itself, and this year’s installment seems to be escalating the madness. When we last left off, the Justice League had been captured by a mysterious villain known as the Silent Knight, who has marked several of the with a mysterious magical brand and sent them into a medieval land filled with monsters. A giant troll plays the primary villain role in this issue, boasting his way into combat and being easily handled by Batman and co. But the visual that ends this segment is one of the most dramatic of the series, setting up a massive battle next issue. However, as fun as all this was, it was blown out of the water by the second segment, which finds Santa, Damian, and Zatanna in search of answers at the last place you’d expect – a holiday party.
But this isn’t any holiday party – it’s the annual gathering at Baron Winters’ house. This obscure DC magic hero throws quite a shindig, and he attracts just about every major figure you could imagine including Felix Faust, Jason Blood, and many more. That’s where the trio – with Santa in disguise as Batman to elude some entry rules – gets the answers they’re seeking about the Silent Knight. A flashback courtesy of Jason Blood reveals the story of a mysterious swamp filled with supernatural forces, and the lost Knight of the Round Table who couldn’t stop exploring it and using the items it gave him until it drove him mad. This is a more action-driven episode, but I do have to say it had one of the funniest moments of the series so far, when Santa figures out exactly what Felix Faust wants for Christmas in exchange for his cooperation. Keep the mad holiday fun going, DC.
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GeekDad received this comic for review purposes.
