Summary
WARNING: Contains Potential Spoilers for BATMAN – SANTA CLAUS: SILENT KNIGHT RETURNS #1!
Jeff Parker is bringing back the magic with a sequel to his smash-hit holiday special,Batman– Santa Claus: Silent Knight, with an epicJustice Leaguecrossover. The teaser alone has me hooked—featuring the epic artistry of Lukas Ketner, Batman speed-skating in a relentless pursuit of justice, and the highly anticipated series debut of Etrigan the Demon. If this series is how 2024 ends, it’s going to be nothing short of legendary.
Batman – Santa Claus: Silent Knight Returnsby Jeff Parker and Lukas Ketner is set to bea five-part holiday special, bringing together the DC Universe and the monster-hunting Santa Clausthat Parker introduced in 2023. Last year’s series, infused with Norse mythology, quickly became a fan favorite, and this sequel promises to deliver more of the same. The series will also feature colors by Marcelo Maiolo and letters by Pat Brosseau.
Variant Covers:
Dan Mora, Erica Henderson, Kevin Wada, Dan Hipp
In the five issues of Batman – Santa Claus: Silent Knight Returns, horrors haunt the Christmas season as life-drained bodies litter the countryside, each marked with a strange symbol. The Justice League responds—but it’s a trap! The heroes are pulled from our world, but not before Batman helps Robin escape. Now Damian Wayne must seek out Zatanna and the one and only Santa Claus if there’s any hope of saving their friends and family.
The mini-series will be released on Wednesdays, spanning the five weeks leading up to Christmas, from November 27 to December 25. For those wanting to get a head start on the holidays, a special gift-wrapped (polybagged), evergreen-scented variant cover by Dan Hipp is available for order.
“Once Lukas started on SILENT KNIGHT RETURNS our inboxes were blowing apart with visuals better than anyone imagined,”continued Parker.“The Bat Office started us good and early so we’ve had that rare planning time to really build out the story and craft an ominous and creepy villain. Cool monsters, exotic locales—you’ll love the smart details Lukas works in, it will reward multiple readings.”
“I come from a cartoony horror comics background,”added Ketner,“but when Jeff first brought up the possibility of a next installment of SILENT KNIGHT, I had a real ‘put me in, Coach!’ moment. The story leans into some great fantasy horror vibes, and I love that it could just as easily have been a DC Halloween series.”
Damian Wayne, Zatanna, and Santa Team Up to Save the Justice League in Horror-Filled Holiday Special
According to DC’s solicitation, the sequel follows the Justice League as they investigate a gruesome series of murders where"life-drained bodies litter the countryside, each marked with a strange symbol.“However, this murder mystery quickly turns into a trap, leaving Batman with just enough time to help Robin escape, hoping the Boy Wonder can save them all. As a result,the story centers on Damian Wayne seeking the help of Zatanna and Santa Claus to rescue the Justice League, leading to what may be one of DC’s coolest team-ups of the decade.
Parker has confirmed that Michele Bandini—the phenomenal artist from the original series—will return to illustrate scenes of the Justice League trapped in the mysterious"Hollow Kingdom of the Knight.“Though details about the new villain, the Silent Knight, and the Hollow Kingdom are scarce, it’s safe to assume this realm is filled with horrors.Parker also teases that many of the creatures Bandini designed inBatman – Santa Claus: Silent Knightwill make a comeback in the sequel, making it all the more tempting for fans (myself included) to revisit the original series to catch every creature cameo.
Batman Speed-Skating and Etrigan the Demon Debuting??? YES, PLEASE!
Thanks to the preview pages from DC showcasing Ketner’s concept and character designs forBatman – Santa Claus: Silent Knight Returns, I’m confident that the visual aspect of the series is in excellent hands. The concept drawing of Batman speed-skating is particularly intriguing. While it might initially seem whimsical, Ketner has a talent for transforming such Christmas-themed ideas into something both wild and badass. His artwork also introduces Etrigan, a major character reveal that adds depth to the narrative with his anticipated debut. With Maiolo and Brosseau also on board, the creative team assembled for thisSanta/Justice Leaguecrossover is nothing short of perfect.
Batman & Santa Claus Unite For A Brutal Crime Story This Christmas
Santa Claus and his former student Batman team up to solve a crime on the streets of Gotham in DC’s Silent Knight miniseries, coming this December.
Batman – Santa Claus: Silent Knight Returnswill be released on Wednesdays in the five weeks leading up to Christmas!
