Jingle bells, Batman smells, Robin laid an egg, the Batmobile lost a wheel… and you know the rest! Read these eight merry tales about characters from the DCU set during the holiday season. Be enthralled by Dr. Midnight’s literally silent night, become captivated by a Deadman story written by Marv Wolfman, and ponder the question: in a world without the Joker’s torment, is it really a wonderful life? Probably not. DC’s Batman Smells, Robin Laid An Egg, is a heartwarming new holiday anthology coming as a gift to you this this holiday season! How can you not pick up a comic titled DC’s Batman Smells, Robin Laid an Egg?

The song the comic is based on has become a holiday classic in many ways. Enshrined in pop culture, used as alternative lyrics in concerts by school kids who don’t feel like singing the real words, it’s been a thing for decades. So with a comic entitled DC’s Batman Smells, Robin Laid an Egg, you’d expect a read that was a lot of comedy and full of holiday cheer. And, the result is exactly that.

As with any anthology, DC’s Batman Smells, Robin Laid an Egg varies in quality of the stories but overall, the eight are really solid. They range from good to great, there’s not a stinker in the bunch. There’s riffs on classic stories, like the Joker being shown a world where he didn’t exist, and a lot of new original takes as well. It features a wide range of characters including a reunion of the Secret Six, that just reminds us we need a return of the Secret Six.

The art styles vary greatly and some are downright fantastic. Francesco Francavilla’s Dr. Midnight stands out with a wordless tale, and emphasizing how varied the storytelling is. There’s quite a few I’d love to see regularly on comics as well and like the stories some stand out more than others.

DC’s Batman Smells, Robin Laid an Egg is really good overall. A fun one-shot packed with original stories, it’s a nice holiday addition from DC which has already started a great tradition in its mini-series featuring Santa. Some of the stories deliver laughs, other nostalgia, and most of all, many deliver heart and warmth. It’s a nice read that’ll get you in the mood for the holiday season.

Story: Dorado Quick, Drew Maxey, Ricardo Sanchez, Alexis Quasarano, Marv Wolfman, James Reid, Zipporah Smith, Calvin Kasulke
Art: M.L. Sanapo, Marianna Ignazzi, Aaron Conley, Marcial Toledano Vargas, Paul Pelletier, Francesco Francavilla, Andrew Drilon, Anthony Marques
Color: Arif Prianto, Giovanna Niro, Ivan Plascencia, Marcial Toledano Vargas, Eren Angiolini, Andrew Drilon, Wil Quintana
Letterer: Dave Sharpe, Pat Brosseau, Steve Wands, Carlos M. Mangual, Josh Reed
Story: 7.75 Art: 8.0 Overall: 7.75 Recommendation: Read

DC Comics provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review

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