Larry Hama is not Steve Gerber.

But, who is?

Hama dusted off the little-used mallard for the 1997 Christmas special visiting all the holiday tropes. Still, there’s something missing. An intangible Gerber always provided through his skewed view on life.

Howard the Duck Holiday Special (1997)

Overall it’s a good take on Howard living in “a world he never made.” The speech-challenged avenger of non-public domain video material is in evidence. Complete with an over-sized firearm mocking the multitude of vengeance-hungry anti-heroes compensating with armories that would put all but the hardiest in hernia wards.

Next are the young and avarice seeking Santa’s lap and goody bag.

Hydra represents the corrupt corporations offering cookie-cutter solutions for the holiday season.

Toss in a couple sexy sirens to help with the carnage and the 1990s are encapsulated.

Really, The Howard the Duck Holiday Special is worth picking up. It’s just hard to read someone else handling creative chores with a character so singly associated with his creator.

Various birds (and a particular bat) grace the cover of digital-only Batman Li’l Gotham (2012) #2, later available in print as part of Batman Li’l Gotham (2013) #1.

The Justice League breaks Thanksgiving bread with the Justice Society in JSA (1999) #54.

Even Batman has his Rosebud.

If that reference is too obscure, Google it or watch Citizen Kane.

Batman and Christmas are synonymous for me. Stockings trimmed in faux fur stuffed with Lifesavers, Crayola crayons and rolled up 100 pagers. Batman was featured in all. From his self-titled book to Detective Comics, World’s Finest and Brave and the Bold.

Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight 79

And, those wonderful Limited Collector’s Editions.

With the success of Tim Burton’s Batman (1989) movie lightning struck twice. After lying as dormant as Adam West and Burt Ward’s careers following the 1966 Batman television series, the term Batmania was dusted off.

Trading cards, breakfast cereal, apparel, anything and everything that could sport a Bat emblem did.

DC Comics chose that time to release the first new Batman title since 1940 with Legends of the Dark Knight. The title followed the soon-to-be standard five-issue story arc with one-and-dones dribbled between. It was hit or miss. When it did hit, the stories were good.

“Favorite Things” was a one shot dated January 1996.

In it Bruce Wayne finds his house burglarized. The deeper violation is with what the robbers stole. Over the course of the next couple days Batman terrorizes the underworld in an attempt to retrieve his lost treasure.

Not the best Batman holiday issue, but not the worst. Usually these books can be found in dollar bins making it worth the price of admission.