Batman/Santa Claus: Silent Knight #4

Issue #4, which closes out Batman/Santa Claus: Silent Knight arrived in stores today just in time for After Christmas Sales! I guess technically, we're still in the 12 Days of Christmas. However, I would have liked to have been able to have finished this story before Santa came down the chimney. 

The finale itself didn't disappoint. After Superman became possessed by the entity that was tormenting Krampus, the combined might of several, but not too many, heroes took on the Man of Steel, some frost giants and a few other Norse creatures of power. Meanwhile, Krampus, having kidnapped Damian Wayne in the last issue, was having a crisis of conscience on par with Gollum and Smeagol about whether or not to just punish the lad or to eat him. The battle scenes were amazing.  Damian Vs. Krampus was riveting. But it was the finale that was just so gosh darn satisfying. 

I will not spoil the absolute ending. I will confirm something however. In the last issue, it was told that Santa had banished Krampus to a nether realm. I speculated that it was the Phantom Zone. This issue affirms my guess. Now why Superman didn't know Krampus was there based on his previous experiences with the dimensional prison is beyond me. Yet, Superman, after he's freed from the evil entity, states that other races and beings have used the Phantom Zone to trap their biggest baddies. So, if a follow-up occurred in which the DC Universe had to take on a slew of villains from other realms that have been imprisoned inside the Zone, I would very much place an order for that story's entire run. 

I just hope Jeff Parker is tasked with writing that tale. 

Silent Knight was a flawless Christmas comic book. Way better than that 80-page holiday annual DC also released this year. This mini-series was proof that you can have a story filled with character both major and minor in relation to their impact to the DCU without having to overcrowd that whole story, nor having to pander to every demographic know to exist. I'm not sure if I'll make this an annual holiday read. But it's definitely a story I will be re-reading often!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 10 out of 10 stars.