I know. I've already read a Batman book for Christmas this year. Well, I did it again. It's true; I've got a bunch of holiday themed Batman stories. But I don't have enough to read for an entire holiday season. Maybe 8 nights of Hanukkah. But definitely not enough for Christmas.
I also know in my heart that I've read this issue before. Yet I cannot find evidence of that in either this archive nor in my collection database. And a quick perusal through this book didn't really trigger any memories. Being such a fan of this great series (both as a cartoon and comic), I heartily gave this issue a possible re-read.
It's Christmas Eve and Batman is on the trail of the C-list villain known as Calendar Man. Just as the Dark Knight is about to apprehend his foe, a Zeta Beam whisks the hero to the distant world of Rann. Only this isn't the Rann that Batman is used to. Instead of a near tropical paradise, Rann has been transformed into a frigid wasteland!
Meeting up with Rann's greatest defender, the human Adam Strange, Batman learns that a rogue scientist from Qward has unleashed an anti-matter weapon that has destroyed neighboring planets like Thanagar and yes, even planet Earth! With one chance to stop the Qwardian fiend and reverse the damage, Batman and Strange team up or else this will be the last Christmas for everyone!
This was a very good issue. It almost followed the formula of the TV series. Only real difference is that nobody is around to help Batman during the opening caper against Calendar Man. Typically, this version of Brave and the Bold would have Batman doing a small opening team-up with someone and then a main story collaboration with a different hero. Writer Landry Q. Walker (Star Wars Adventures) doesn't stick to that blueprint and as a result it led to a very telegraphed ending. But it's the penultimate ending that I had trouble with.
This issue was originally published in 2009. That was 13 years ago and hopefully enough time has passed to keep what I am about to gripe about from being a spoiler. As Adam Strange and Batman are saving the universe from the evil scientist, the pair go through some changes. Batman devolves into this craggy looking elf thing while Adam gets old and grows a white beard. Unwilling to let this stop them, the heroes reboot the universe, in turn creating the legend of Santa Claus and his Elves into the very fabric of all creation.
Once the day is saved, Batman states that he can't believe that he created Christmas. Uh, no. Sorry, Detective. Your name isn't Jesus Christ. Remember him? He put the word 'Christ' in Christmas... Through their actions, Batman and Adam Strange might have created the legend of Santa. I'll even grant them as the originators of Saturnalia. But neither one of them created Christmas.
Like I said, this was a good issue. It was festive. But it was not an accurate representation of what Christmas is all about. It appears Batman needs a team-up with Linus and Charlie Brown to unravel that mystery.
Worth Consuming!
Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.
No comments:
Post a Comment