A DC Universe Christmas by Mike Carlin

“…I know you love me. What I want is for you to show it… By listening to me. Really listening, with all your heart, when we talk. Between the alien invasions and the super-villains and who knows what else… Well, sometimes it’s hard to fight for attention in your world.”

— Mark Waid, A DC Universe Christmas

           Isn’t it a beautiful tradition to have Holidays and celebrate these cold times with your loved ones? I couldn’t be any happier to know that the holidays are at my doorsteps. Other than the fact that it announces freedom from school and work (for some anyways), this time of the year is definitely the most heart-warming and needed one of them all. Showing the people you love most how much you care through dedicated time, shared laughter and expressed gratitude, the Holidays will always somehow manage to put a smile on our faces. Not to mention those classic movies and songs to accompany these times. One thing’s for sure, the days around the 25th of December is bound to bring a bright smile on my face. What about books? I know what you’re thinking there, buddy. The Holidays are also a perfect time in the year to pull out those dusty books that have been waiting after you to be read and loved. Well, I thought it was a great time indeed to read A DC Universe Christmas. This trade paperback collects story arcs of various DC Comics characters during their Holidays. After all, don’t superheroes too celebrate Christmas?

“The idea is to recognize that life itself is impermanent, and it’s the very craving for permanence that makes you unhappy.”

— Devin K. Grayson, A DC Universe Christmas

        You can’t possibly take this collection of comic stories too seriously. If you do, you’re missing the point. Most of these stories have a light and humorous tone to them. They want you to run to your wardrobes and slip into your 8 year old self. The you that once believed in Santa Claus, the you that had the biggest Holiday spirit your body could ever handle. Once you’re warm and cozy, these stories will make you giggle and feel like you need to do something nice to the person—or cat—next to you. Essentially very cheesy and aimed at delivering a message that you’ve probably heard a bunch of times, most stories deliver it in a very unique fashion. Some of them manage to tell us about the warm feeling we get for doing a great deed, while others aim to explain the true meaning of Christmas. I was really enjoying some of these stories since it got me to read about heroes that I haven’t had the chance to read about yet. Although these stories didn’t really have any real impact in the overall stories of all these characters, these little quick adventures managed to depict a more comedic side to everyone. What’s even more entertaining is how some comics span over 4 pages and are without dialogue. Comes to show how pictures are worth a thousand words. Or more.

“Kids your age have usually decided that [Santa Claus] is just — well, a myth. And a highly improbable one, at that.”

— Mark Waid, A DC Universe Christmas

            What’s fun about A DC Universe Christmas is how you also get to see the evolution of artists. With comics that go from 1940 to some that came out in 1999, this collection gives readers the chance to see different styles. It lets us explore different manners in story-telling through art and it is sure to have you memorized by the differences between artworks. The dialogue wasn’t spared as well. Expressions that you just don’t hear today are scattered around some comics and had me talking to myself just to hear them with the right intonation. Insane, right? I truly appreciated the collection for putting together 17 different tales of heroes that have saved the world countless times. It’s definitely nice to see them in a less dreadful and menacing time with stories that manage to illustrate their very human-side. Did I mention that you even get some villains in this volume? Their silliness was definitely portrayed to fit the Holiday spirit in this one.

“I hope that you now realize how fortunate you are — and how very unfortunate many other children of your age are!”

— Mark Waid, A DC Universe Christmas

            Although cheesy and far from achieving greatness, A DC Universe Christmas is definitely a fun read. Written by some fairly legendary comic writers, these stories of famous superheroes who are out there during Christmas Eve to, once again, save more people is a must to any comic fan. Think of it like this. With every great story of our favorite DC superhero, there is bound to be at least some comics meant to lighten up our day and fill in on a slow day at work. That’s not to say that these stories are lame in any way possible, it’s to say that sometimes, we need some light read to showcase some of the beloved Holiday spirit and altruist values.

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My overall rating: ★★★★☆/