Written by (See Below).
Art by (See Below).
Cover Art by Scott McDaniel & Kevin Nowlan.
SUMMARY:
Released in 1998, DC Comics’ 58-page special offers eight short stories by separate creative teams. Specifically, they are:
- Green Lantern (Kyle Rayner) / Green Arrow (Connor Hawke): “The Present” (10 pages). Writer: Devin Grayson. Art by Will Rosado; Sal Buscema; Lee Loughridge; & John Costanza. Dragging along his fellow JLA rookie, Kyle has last-minute League gift shopping to do on Christmas Eve. The emerald heroes are soon entangled in a shopping mall hostage crisis.
- Batman: “The House of Peace (6 pages).” Writer: Chuck Dixon. Art by Dave Taylor; Wayne Faucher; Noelle Giddings; & John Costanza. On Christmas Eve, a boy witnesses a Gotham City neighborhood synagogue’s religious ceremony being threatened by an armed robber.
- Darkseid: “Present Tense (2 pages).” Writer/Artist: Ty Templeton. Guess who travels all the way to Apokolips to personally deliver Darkseid’s annual lump of coal?
- Black Lightning: “’Twas the Night Before Kwanzaa (10 pages).” Writer: Tony Isabella. Art by Eddie Newell & John Costanza. Accompanied by two trusted friends, Black Lightning storms a gang’s decrepit, six-story hideout to rescue an ex-thug’s abducted wife and young son in time for Kwanzaa.
- Superman: “The Gift (3 pages).” Writer: Dan Jurgens. Art by Brett Breeding; Jason Wright; & John Costanza. After returning to Lex Luthor his usual ‘present,’ the Man of Steel discovers one of his own in Smallville.
- JSA: “I Left My Heart at the Justice Society Canteen (10 pages).” Writer: Howard Chaykin. Art by Rick Burchett; Rick Taylor; & John Costanza. As narrated by a Justice Society icon, a future Gotham City Police Commissioner (at this time, a teenage U.S. sailor on shore leave) attends the JSA’s Christmas Eve party in 1944. Appearances/cameos include: Wildcat, the Star-Spangled Kid & Stripsey; Merry – The Girl of a 1,000 Gimmicks; The Newsboy Legion; Mary Marvel; Doctor Fate; Jay Garrick’s Flash; Alan Scott’s Green Lantern; Liberty Belle; Phantom Lady; Jim Harper’s Guardian; Al Pratt’s Atom; Johnny Thunder and his Thunderbolt; Dinah Drake’s Black Canary; Charles McNider’s Doctor Mid-Nite; and Rex Tyler’s Hourman.
- Sgt. Rock: “A Christmas Carol (4 pages).” Writer: Chuck Dixon. Art by Russ Heath. On a snowy Christmas Eve, 1944, in Bastogne, Belgium, a pensive Sgt. Rock’s Easy Co. awaits an imminent battle. Silently, Rock encounters the ghosts of war: past, present, and future.
- Nightwing & Oracle: “The Old Lane (6 pages).” Writer: Brian Stelfreeze & Devin Grayson. Art by Brian Stelfreeze; Karl Story; Lee Loughridge; & John Costanza. Urged by Batman, Nightwing scrambles to make his annual New Year’s Eve date with his best friend.
REVIEW:
None of these stories are duds, though the new generation JLA opener leaves the least impression. As brief as they are, Darkseid and Superman’s tales score the intended humor points, along with Smallville goodwill in the latter.
Still, the other five inclusions required more thoughtfulness and creative effort. Specifically, poignancy is well-played in the tales starring Black Lightning (in spite of the art’s deliberate murkiness), Nightwing & Oracle, and Batman. More so, a somber mixture of heartbreak and rage powering Sgt. Rock (even a premonition of his own fate) says far more in silence than words grimly could.
Aside from the Sgt. Rock story, this one-shot’s other gem is the JSA tale. Not only is the narrator’s identity saved for last, the same applies to its young protagonist, who doesn’t need a mask to become a hero. Hence, the story’s spelled-out message about wartime’s real heroes is top-caliber. Enhanced by its likable artwork, DCU: Holiday Bash II’s storytelling merits adding this yuletide treat to any comics collection.
ADDITIONAL CONTENT:
Materials and directions are provided to make a hanging ornament of: Batman/Nightwing/Robin/Batgirl. The same applies to making individual gliders for Superman Electric Blue and Kyle Rayner’s Green Lantern. DC’s Rick Burchett provides the artwork for both projects. DC’s full-page “Watch This Space # 73” column is also included.
BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING: 8 Stars
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