Today in Comics History, December 25, Christmas: Batman say "relax"

And now you can just put up your hoofs (or feet) and take it easy.

Merry Christmas to you all! And to all a good night.


cover of Batman/Catwoman Special #1 one-shot (DC, March 2022); pencils, inks, and colors by John Paul Leon

Today in Comics History, December 25, 0, Christmas: Thus endeth the Christmas Lesson

from "Chapter Three: Big Mouth Strikes Again" in Tank Girl (1991 series) #1 (Dark Horse, May 1991), script by Alan Martin; pencils, inks, and letters by Jamie Hewlett; colored version from Tank Girl, colors by Chris Chalenor (Penguin, January 1995)

Today in Comics History, December 25, Christmas: "Look Batman, it's snowing!" 'That's not snow, Robin. That's fallout."

from "A Carol of Bats" in Batman: Urban Legends #10 (DC, February 2022), script by Meghan Fitzmartin, pencils and inks by Alberto Jiménez Alburquerque, colors by Nick Filardi, letters by Pat Brosseau

Today in Comics History, December 25, Christmas: A Merry Christmas for everybody but those poor Penguin Commandos, that is

from Batman Returns: The Official Comic Adaptation of the Warner Bros. Motion Picture one-shot (DC, June 1992), script by Denny O'Neil, pencils by Steve Erwin, inks by José Luis García-López, colors by Tom McCraw, letters by John Costanza


from Batman Returns: One Dark Christmas Eve: The Illustrated Holiday Classic (Insight Editions, September 2022), text by Ivan Cohen, illustrations by JJ Harrison

Today in Comics History, December 25, Christmas: Through the years we all will be together, if the fates allow / Hang a shining star upon the highest bow...

And have yourself a Merry Little Christmas now.


from Batman: One Bad Day: Mr. Freeze #1 one-shot (DC, January 2023), script by Gerry Duggan, pencils and inks by Matteo Scalera, colors by Dave Stewart, letters by Deron Bennett

Today in Comics History, December 25, Christmas: We now return to the heartwarming conclusion of Jingle All the Way, starring Thomas Wayne

from "Holidays Beyond" in DC's Very Merry Multiverse #1 one-shot (DC, February 2021); co-script by Derek Fridolfs; co-script, pencils, and inks by Dustin Nguyen; colors by John Kalisz; letters by Travis Lanham

Today in Comics History, December 25, Christmas: "A little robin sweetly singing / Came to my window on Christmas Day / But he's not coming back no more / 'Cause someone had to slay."

from "The Bats of Christmas Past" in Batman: Urban Legends #10 (DC, February 2022), script by Tini Howard, pencils and inks by Christian Duce, colors by Sarah Stern, letters by Becca Carey
Don't worry; it's all a bad vision by the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come. Jerk.

Today in Comics History, December 25, Christmas: The Harley and the Ivy

Yes, I know DC has already used that title, but it's too good to not use for this post.


from "A Change of Heart" in 'Tis the Season to Be Freezin' #1 one-shot (DC, February 2022), script by Tara Roberts, pencils and inks by Eric Battle, colors by Eva de la Cruz, letters by Ferran Delgado
Then they made out for the whole twelve days of Christmas.

Look, you finish your stories your way; let me finish mine.

Today in Comics History, December 25, 1992, Christmas: New self-heating gravestones an instant success

from Doomsday Clock #12 (DC, February 2020), script by Geoff Johns, pencils and inks by Gary Frank, colors by Brad Anderson, letters by Rob Leigh

Today in Comics History, December 25, Christmas: Yes Virginia, There Is a Gandalf

from Power Man and Iron Fist: Sweet Christmas Annual #1 one-shot (Marvel, February 2017), script by David F. Walker, pencils and inks by Scott Hepburn, colors by Matt Milla, letters by Clayton Cowles

Today in Comics History, December 25, Christmas: Without Alfred to lay out clothes for them, Bruce and Selina just lounge around all day in their underwear

from Batman/Catwoman #12 (DC/Black Label, August 2022), script by Tom King, pencils and inks by Clay Mann, colors by Tomeu Morey, letters by Clayton Cowles

Today in Comics Book History, December 25, 1970, Christmas: I'm telling you why, butthead

from Back to the Future: Biff to the Future #3 (IDW, March 2017), story and script by Bob Gale and Derek Fridolfs, pencils by Alan Robinson, inks by Alan Robinson and Jaime Castro, colors by Maria Santaolalla, letters by Shawn Lee

Today in Comics History, December 25, Christmas: Geez, they can't invent scary ghost stories fast enough

from "Excerpts from Boswell's London Journal 1762-1763" in Weirdo #3 (Last Gasp, Fall 1981), by Robert Crumb

Today in Comics History, December 25, Christmas: I thought caroling was cosplaying as Captain Marvel

from Spider-Man: Marvels Snapshots #1 one-shot (Marvel, December 2020); script, pencils, and inks by Howard Chaykin; colors by Jesus Aburtov; letters by Ken Bruzenak

Today in Comics History, December 25, Christmas: Where does he get those wonderful plastic toys?

from "Christmas by Gaslight" in DC's Very Merry Multiverse #1 one-shot (DC, February 2021), script by John Layman, pencils and inks by Dani, colors by Mike Spicer, letters by Aditya Bidikar

Today in Comics History, December 25, Christmas: Another Christmas shaggy dog story

from "Good Boy" in Batman Annual (2017 series) #1 (DC, January 2017), script by Tom King, pencils and inks by David Finch, colors by Gabe Eltaeb, letters by Deron Bennett

Today in Comics History, December 25, Christmas: The Gospel According to St. Leonard

from Simpsons Comics #79 (Bongo, February 2003), script by Ian Boothby, pencils by John Costanza, inks by Howard Shum, colors by Art Villanueva, letters by Karen Bates

Today in Comics History, December 25, Christmas: I hate these Christmas cracker riddles

from Batman/Catwoman Special #1 one-shot (DC/Black Label, March 2022), script by Tom King, breakdowns by John Paul Leon, finishes by Bernard Chang and Shawn Crystal, colors by Dave Stewart, letters by Clayton Cowles

Today in Comics History, December 25, Christmas: And now a little something for all the Grinch in all of us

from "Edgy Winter" in Vertigo: Winter's Edge #2 (DC/Vertigo, January 1999), script by Warren Ellis, pencils by Darick Robertson, inks by Rodney Ramos, colors and color separations by Nathan Eyring, letters by Clem Robins (credited)

Today in Comics History, December 25, 1964, Christmas: BEST. CHRISTMAS. EVER.

from Fab 4 Mania: A Beatles Obsession and the Concert of a Lifetime (Fantagraphics, June 2018), script, art, and lettering by Carol Tyler