Twelve Days of Christmas Special Review Series, Part Eleven, By Johnathan

Two of the many things that I'm a sucker for: a well-executed wordless comic story and Christmas sentiment.

This series of posts is basically turning into a guidebook on how to tug at my heartstrings, isn't it? Look at that! Bruce cares but he's too much of a (Bat)manly (Bat)man to tell Alfred to his face! Alfred is surprised and touched! I might have to go hug a puppy here!

JOHN APPROVED, Batman!

This is from the DC Universe Holiday Bash. It and the Infinite Holiday Special are heartily recommended Christmas reading - the latter contains possibly the greatest Elseworlds yarn ever. I haven't gotten a chance to pick up this years holiday special yet (there was one, right?) but given DC's prior track record with anthology comics it should be great (tangent: and how great was it that there was a Tales From the Beanworld comic on the shelf this year? I've had Volume 1 sitting on my shelf for about a decade. Hearing that they're going t be reprinting these things was one of my many Christmas miracles this year).

"two Turtle Boys,"

Twelve Days of Christmas Special Review Series, Part Nine, By Johnathan

One last panel from The Batman Adventures Holiday Special:

Included here because I read it two or three times before I realized that Batman was handing the present to that little girl. I kind of thought that he was just standing there glaring at her for calling him an angel. After all, six year-olds are a cowardly, superstitious lot. And Batman is real grumpy.

NOT APPROVED, Bats.

"Four head-shaped planets,"

Twelve Days of Christmas Special Review Series, Part Seven, By Johnathan

Ag! It's the Twelfth Day of Christmas, kids! And the last day of my vacation! Do I have the discipline and mental fortitude necessary to finish these posts within my own Very Important Time Limit, or will you be reading this stuff until Groundhog Day? Stay tuned!

Today's lesson, from The Batman Adventures Holiday Special:

If ever you find yourself a grim avenger of the night with a semi-pathological fear of women and also a billionaire playboy with "eligible bachelor" status, Christmastime is a time for looking up.

Also, that lady with the blue hair is doing a great job of foiling two of her rivals.

Also also, the rest of this story features Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy on a shopping spree on Bruce's dime. It's well worth a read. In fact, it's JOHN APPROVED.

"six Tenzils snacking,"

Twelve Days of Christmas Special Review Series, Part Five, By Johnathan

From the DCU Infinite Holiday Special:

It's always a hoot to see the ol' Phantom Stranger step out of character for a bit, possibly because it's easy to believe that he has a sense of humour and the absurd in him somewhere. Unlike, say, the Batman of the last 10-15 years. This ranks up there with him showing up with groceries in Seven Soldiers for my favourite Stranger moments.

JOHN APPROVED

Happy New Year, folks! So far, 2009 is highly JOHN APPROVED!

"eight Trappers timing,"

Twelve Days of Christmas Special Review Series, Part Two, By Johnathan

Dammit, I’m writing this on Calling Birds but I’m only up to Turtledoves (Augh! I was away from the internet again! It's Golden Rings!). Have to pick up the pace, Johnathan, or those Lords’ll be a-leaping sometime in February.

Continuing with Adventure Comics No. 289, today we answer the pressing question: what do super-heroes get each other for Christmas? (tangential observation: Red Tornado giving Batman a “World’s Greatest Detective” mug in the latest episode of The Brave and the Bold? Utterly adorable. That series is nothing but JOHN APPROVED)

Man, I don’t know how I feel about those pictures. I have some experience with that type of gift, and it is a super thoughtful/heart-warming thing to receive, but… there is absolutely no doubt that the implications of that time scope are profoundly creepy. I mean, think about what you did this morning. Now, think about a good friend of yours watching you do what you did this morning, with you all unaware. Gives me the shivers.

NOT APPROVED

So what do the Super-Cousins come up with to top that eerily thoughtful gift? Time-scope images of each Legionnaire’s death, maybe? Drawings of what they think everyone looks like in the shower, perhaps?

Flight belts! This is a good gift! So good, in fact, that it travels back in time - the teen Legion are using them in their next appearance and the poor Substitute Heroes have to make do with them for about twenty years after everyone else gets fancy-pants flight rings.

JOHN APPROVED

Still, I wish that the “glowing crotch” aspect of the flight belt had remained a part of Legion canon. It’s just so… festive.

"eleven Tyrocs shouting,"

EEEEEEEEEEE!!!!

LOOK AT WHAT J. BONE MADE ME FOR CHRISTMAS!!!!

A little crocheted Batman!!! Isn't it the greatest thing ever!

I am starting to amass a cuddly family of Batmans! Look!

Man, I am so happy about this. In return I gave J an all-caps email. If you want to see more of J. Bone's cuddly creations, check out his blog devoted to them.

I also got a really nice gift from Darwyn Cooke! He gave me a signed copy of his new art book!

I'm the luckiest comic fan in the world!