Batman has been teaming with or squaring off against iconic characters for most of his 84-year history, but this winter he’ll meet a new twist on one of the world’s most beloved figures: Santa Claus. Batman – Santa Claus: Silent Knight is a four-issue miniseries written by Jeff Parker and illustrated by Michele Bandini. The series, which launches the first week of December, finds a grizzled Santa investigating a terrible crime with the help of the Dark Knight.
Here’s how DC describes Batman – Santa Claus: Silent Knight:
SANTA CLAUS IS COMING TO TOWN!
The four-part crossover event of a generation begins when a not-so-jolly St. Nick hits Gotham City to investigate a brutal crime in the days leading up to Christmas…What manner of man or beast could have committed such atrocities?! With the help of his former student, Batman, Santa will team up with the heroes of the DC Universe to right this wrong—or the world wakes up to coal in their stockings! A brutal, two-fisted holiday tale of hope, wonder, and monster hunting is the perfect treat to ring in the holidays—it’s Claus in canon!
Batman – Santa Claus: Silent Knight will feature a main cover by Dan Mora, who designed DC’s official Santa Claus and has previously illustrated the adventures of St. Nick in the pages of BOOM! Studios’s Klaus with writer Grant Morrison. Variant covers for the issue will come from Derrick Chew (open-to-order), Otto Schmidt (open-to-order), Tony Shasteen (1:25 incentive), and Mora (1:50 incentive). Ben Oliver will also provide a ‘Rub-and-Smell’ variant cover for the issue, which will presumably smell of chestnuts roasting on an open fire.
The new miniseries is a return to Batman for Jeff Parker, who previously shepherded the Batman ’66 ongoing series, though it doesn’t sound like this new book will be tonally similar to the campy adventures of that TV Batman. It’s the latest DC work for Michele Bandini, whose previous credits for the publisher include Batman, Incorporated and Dark Knights of Steel.
Check out the variant covers for the first issue of the miniseries below. Batman – Santa Claus: Silent Knight #1 (of 4) is due out in stores and digitally on Tuesday, December 5th.
