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The holiday season is here, and it’s the perfect time to look back on some of the best holiday specials put out by DC Comics. Though the Justice League spends most of their time trying to save the day, even they slow down to appreciate the holidays.
DC Comics fans have undoubtedly seen the publisher’s seasonal anthologies, filled to the brim with tales that celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, and the New Years. But it also put out full-length stories to give fans a better look at how their favorite heroes spend their holidays. Read on to discover ten holiday-themed stories that are sure to put any reader in a festive mood.
10
Tommy Monaghan Kept Gotham Safe From a Radioactive Santa
As Seen In: Hitman #22 (1998)
Hitman is not a conventional comic, and it doesn’t hold back for a second, even for a special Christmas issue. Garth Ennis and John McCrea’s Hitman #22 follows a scrooge named Bob Smurd, a custodian who is transformed into a radioactive monster and uses his new powers to terrorize Gotham during the holidays in a Santa suit. With Bob on the loose, the atomic plant’s owner hires Tommy Monaghan and his pal Natt to eliminate the radioactive Santa Claus.
As one would expect for Hitman, the story is hilariously bleak. But what really puts this issue over the top is the way it commits to the Christmas theme. It’s even narrated in a similar fashion to How the Grinch Stole Christmas. This isn’t a Christmas story for everyone, but for the DC fans who like a little more edge, this is a great yuletide read.
9
The Flash Family Bonded During Wally’s Early Years as the Scarlet Speedster
As Seen In: The Flash #73 (1993)
Sometimes the best holiday stories aren’t flashy one-shots, but simple stories in the middle of a run. The Flash #73 by Mark Waid and Greg LaRoque showcases a Christmas early in Wally West’s Flash career as he spends Christmas Eve with Jay Garrick, the Golden Age Flash. Together, the two run all over the city doing as many good deeds as they can.
It’s a simple story, as there’s no high stakes or team-ups with Santa Claus. But it’s a charming story about spending time with family and doing good works around the holidays. Plus, as any Flash fan will confirm, the speedsters are better when they’re together, so seeing them spend the holidays with one another is a truly welcome sight.
8
The Joker and Robin Go on a Christmas Adventure from Hell
As Seen In: Detective Comics #826 (2006)
One doesn’t imagine Christmas being very jolly in Gotham City and nothing showed why better than Paul Dini, Don Kramer, and Wayne Faucher’s Detective Comics #826. Robin Tim Drake is on a nightyly patrol during the holidays when he’s overwhelmed by a gang and retreats into the car of who he believes to be a helpful passerby. Unfortunately for Tim, the motorist is actually the Joker, who gasses Tim and forces him to join him for a not-quite-festive ride along.
While this story takes place in winter, don’t think it’s about Joker learning the true meaning of Christmas from the Boy Wonder. It’s a tense, gripping little story about one of this Robin’s earliest encounters with the Joker. However, it’s got a lot of great character work. If Die Hard can be a Christmas classic, so can this issue of Detective Comics!
7
Harley Quinn Proved She Could Spread Christmas Cheer
As Seen In: Harley Quinn Holiday Special #1 (2014)
The New 52 was an exciting time for Harley Quinn, filled with a lot of opportunities for her, including her first festive one-shot Harley Quinn Holiday Special #1. The book was an anthology and composed of three short stories. In one, she makes a girl’s Christmas by pretending to be a toy after breaking into a family’s home. In another, Harley Quinn gets a bug stuck in her ear that repeats Christmas music ad infinitum.
It’s a zany collection of tales that, in addition to featuring Amanda Conner and Jimmy Palmiotti’s hilarious writing, also has great artists such as Alain Mauricet, Brandt Peters, and Darwyn Cooke, each of whom bring something special to their respective stories. Anyone who loves Harley Quinn and Christmas is certain to love this lovely collection.
6
DC’s Heroes Came Together During One of the Hardest Years
As Seen In: 52 #33 (2006)
52 was a weekly series set after the events of Infinite Crisis, and it ushered in a lot of big changes. The Trinity was gone, and other heroes had to step up during their off-year. But of course, one can’t let a year go by without examining the holidays, which is seen in 52 #33 by Geoff Johns, Grant Morrison, Greg Rucka, Mark Waid, Keith Giffen, Tom Derenick, and Joe Prado.
The issue has a lot of poignant moments, especially a scene between Nightwing and Batwoman, when he gives her a present to officially welcome her into the Bat-Family. It’s not the most heartwarming story and, honestly, it’s a little sad at points. But there’s something special about seeing a handful of heroes come together to make it through the hard year the DC Universe is going through.
5
Superman and Lois Celebrated the New Year All Over the World
As Seen In: Action Comics #810 (2003)
The holidays aren’t just about Christmas, it’s about welcoming a new year. So how does the Man of Steel spend New Year’s Eve? Action Comics by Joe Kelly, Pascal Ferry, Kano, Dave Bullock, Duncan Rouleau, and Renato Guedes answered that with Action Comics #810. Rather than simply ring in the new year in one part of the world, Superman visits every time zone, and in this issue, he brings Lois along for the ride.
But of course, it’s not just about celebrating with the woman he loves. Superman starts his year the only way he knows how, visiting people all over the world who have written him letters. It’s an incredibly touching story that embodies the very best of Superman, from his enormous love of Lois to his never-ending commitment to humanity.
4
Santa Became a True Superhero in His First Canon Adventure
As Seen In: Batman/Santa Claus Silent Knight (2023)
Santa Claus has popped up in a lot of non-canonical stories, but the heroes of the Prime DC Universe actually met the jolly old elf himself in Batman/Santa Claus: Silent Knight by Jeff Parker and Michele Bandini. A wave of monsters has descended upon the world, led by Santa Claus’ twisted companion, the Krampus. Thankfully, the heroes aren’t alone as they get a helping hand from Santa who, in addition to being a great gift-giver, is just as much an ass-kicker as any hero.
This series is so incredibly fun and earnest. It embraces the outlandishness of the Justice League teaming up with Santa and just goes with it. It even adds fun new pieces to DC continuity (such as Santa being one of Batman’s former mentors). This is a book that any DC reader is sure to get a kick out of.
3
Lobo Got into a Bloody, Hilarious Fight with Santa
As Seen In: Lobo Paramilitary Christmas Special #1 (1992)
Years before Tommy Monaghan’s encounter with a radioactive Santa, the Main Man had a holiday battle of his own in the fan-favorite story, Lobo Paramilitary Christmas Special #1 by Keith Giffen, Alan Grant, and Simon Bisley. Lobo is hired by the Easter Bunny (seriously), who wants to put out a hit on Santa Claus for upstaging the ‘lesser’ holiday mascots (again, seriously). Lobo doesn’t need to have his arm twisted, and he eagerly heads out to take care of Kris Kringle.
Much like Hitman, this book is not for everyone. But it is so over-the-top, both in its violence and its bad taste that it just can’t help but be entertaining. Sure, it’s not It’s a Wonderful Life. But this story knows exactly what it is, and it gives DC readers a delightfully deranged holiday experience.
2
Green Lantern Taught His Greediest Foe What Christmas Means
As Seen In: Green Lantern: Larfleeze Christmas Special #1 (2010)
Green Lantern fans all know about the Emotional Spectrum. But do you recall the most greedy Lantern of all? Larfleeze, the DC Universe’s sole Orange Lantern, got his first time in the spotlight with Green Lantern: Larfleeze Christmas Special #1 by Geoff Johns and Brett Booth. Unfortunately for Earth, Larfleeze has taken to the planet and has become obsessed with Christmas and its iconic Santa. But when Santa doesn’t deliver what Larfleeze wants for the holiday, he raises hell to find Saint Nick.
While Green Lantern fans are definitely the ones who will get the biggest kick out of this story, it’s still a hilarious one-off from Johns’ epic run on Green Lantern. Not only is it funny, it’s got really touching moments that flesh out Larfleeze, who, up until this special, had largely been a joke.
1
Batman Lived ‘A Christmas Carol‘ in a Heartwarming Tale
As Seen In: Batman: Noël (2011)
Iconic comic creator Lee Bermejo is no stranger to Batman and, in 2011, he wrote and drew the graphic novel Batman: Noël. Inspired by Charles’ Dickens’ classic story A Christmas Carol, Batman spends Christmas Eve tracking down the Joker. Wrapped up in this story is a henchman named Bob, who’s just trying to provide for his sickly son, Tim. And as one would expect, Batman is visited by several people, who give him glimpses of holidays past, present, and future.
Batman: Noël is more than just a remake of A Christmas Carol or a holiday-themed Batman story. It’s an amazing piece of work that is simply Bermejo at his best, both in terms of writing and art. This is a story that reminds everyone of what’s important during the holidays and, while it borrows from Dickens, it’s got enough originality to truly feel like its own DC story.
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