DC Comics has announced a new comic book series titled “Batman – Santa Claus: Silent Knight Returns” by Jeff Parker and Lukas Ketner. The series will be available at local comic book shops this winter, with new issues publishing on Wednesdays in the five weeks leading up to Christmas. As with any comic book featuring DC’s Santa Claus and Batman, there’s sure to be a twist!
“I was blown away at how well last year’s SILENT KNIGHT series was received, readers really responded to us going full tilt with Norse-mythos Santa in the DCU,” said Parker when asked for his thoughts about writing the holiday sequel. “We followed the old tradition of telling ghost stories at Christmas (remember the line from ‘It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year’?). Then to be asked if I wanted to do another one AND have an extra issue? That was the Happy New Year.”
“The first SILENT KNIGHT series wasn’t quite what I expected, and I loved it for that,” said Ketner. “Jeff has an amazing ability to take an idea like a Batman & Santa team-up and play it straight with a great story, new DC lore, and a real threat. There’s humor of course, but it’s so much more effective when the stakes are real.”
In the comic series “Batman – Santa Claus: Silent Knight Returns,” the Christmas season is marred by a series of haunting events, with life-drained bodies appearing across the countryside, each bearing a strange symbol. When the Justice League responds to this crisis, they fall into a trap, leaving Batman to help Robin escape. Now, Damian Wayne must team up with Zatanna and Santa Claus to try to save their friends and family. This sequel to the crossover event brings together a mix of DC’s most exciting characters to face a formidable adversary, the Silent Knight.
Santa comes to the aid of the DCU heroes in the crossover-event sequel you wished for! And you must have been extra good because a wintry mix of DC’s wildest characters arrive this time to face a powerful foe…the Silent Knight!
“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.”
So, no Bat-Skates then? And did Ketner say ETRIGAN? You’ll have to wait until the end of the year to find out! All five issues of Batman – Santa Claus: Silent Knight Returns by Jeff Parker, Lukas Ketner, Marcelo Maiolo and Pat Brosseau will publish Wednesdays between November 27 and December 25.
Batman – Santa Claus: Silent Knight Returns #1 will have a main cover by Bernard Chang and variant covers by Dan Mora, Kevin Wada, and Erica Henderson. Collectors can also kickstart the holidays with a special gift-wrapped (polybagged), evergreen-scented variant cover by Dan Hipp!
Check out preview pictures in the gallery below.
