Batman and Robin spread some Christmas cheer, 60s-style.  Art by Ryan Bullard.

This is a classic Christmas cover. Who would believe the merry masked man as a Jack in the Box would one day become the Dark Knight?

As whimsical as the cover is “A Parole for Christmas” is even more so. In 12 pages Batman discovers his doppelganger, is arrested and assists in obtaining parole for his double. This is a story that would be right at home read in front of a fire with stockings hung with care. A great piece of Batman history from a simpler time.

All that and a Catwoman story headlining the book in “Who is the Greatest Villainess of All Time?”

For the 1975 Christmas season DC gave us “Robin’s Very White Christmas” in Batman Family 4. This was a time when Dick Grayson was still Robin adventuring on his own and attending Hudson U.

Really nothing special, but a nice piece of nostalgia with Robin sporting his old green speedos in a winter storm attempting to foil a renegade Santa and his evil “elves” all the while trying to make it home in time for Christmas.

Batman and Robin finally join Santa Claus on the cover for the 1944 issue.

“A Christmas Peril,” simply put, are the Dynamic Duo working as ghosts of Christmas present to show young Scranton Loring the error of his ways while combating evil uncles wishing to take control of his fortune.

The Batplane cum Christmas sleigh returns.

It’s the second year of America’s involvement in WWII, it’s Christmas time and Batman and Robin are on the business end of a Browning M1917.

Check.

While America’s bravest are dying overseas Batman and Robin seek out who they believe to be “the loneliest men in Gotham” and spread the Christmas cheer. All the while their efforts continue to be foiled by a local crime chieftain and crew until the literal Spirit of Christmas saves the day.

Teen Titans (1966) 13

This is one I’ve been waiting to add; a personal favorite of mine since I first read it way back in Christmas of 1973 in the first DC Limited Collector’s Edition (C-34) Christmas With the Super Heroes.

Following the Summer of Love counter culture was becoming mainstream and everyone was jumping on the band wagon. Though watered down, Teen Titans 13 attempts to capture the flavor as Mod became part of the English language. Writer Bob Haney beat readers over their collective heads with the vernacular as Robin, Auqalad, Wonder Girl and Kid Flash flung slang throughout the issue. Artist Nick Cardy proved to be ahead of the advertising curve with product placement as prevalent as porn on the Internet.

This is just a fun read and peek at the times.

Batman and Robin Adventures 3

Paul Dini takes the new title for a holiday spin early on with the Riddler playing the Grinch who tries to steal Christmas from the well-to-do of Gotham by crashing an exclusive Christmas Eve festival at the Peregrinator Club.

When Batman the Animated Series first aired no one realized it would become, arguably, the best Dark Knight cartoon with only Brave and the Bold challenging the series. Later it would incorporate the Boy Wonder toward the end of the original run and later offer an even younger version with The New Batman Adventures.

With each incarnation the comic book would mirror its televised counterpart. The Batman and Robin Adventures are the four-color feature of The New Batman Adventures.

Christmas With the Super-Heroes (22)

Here was one that caught me by surprise.

Getting out of comic books when I did, I was not around for most of the DC digest format. The smaller reprints offered a lot more value, 100 pages for $.95, but also more eyestrain. Still they were fun oddities.

As with the original Christmas With the Superheroes (C-34), The Teen Titan’s Swingin’ Christmas Carol appeared, almost as ubiquities as It’s a Wonderful Life during the holiday season. It would appear yet again in the 1988 special of the same name.

Another that would be rehashed in 1988 is The Man Who Murdered Santa Clause from Justice League 110.

Those not previously exploited include Christmas Peril and Merry Christmas, both from his self-titled Batman book; Robin’s White Christmas from Batman Family 4 and The Seal Men’s War on Santa Claus, featuring Sandman, from Cancelled Comic Cavalcade 2.

Limited Collector’s Edition C-34

They say you never forget your first. That’s true – at least with Christmas comic books.

If my memory isn’t playing tricks on me, Christmas With the Super Heroes was peeking seductively from behind the white faux fur of my stocking top, dressed in a wanton fushia-pink and sporting a low-cut wreath hinting at what lay within.

These were the days of only the best toy line ever made, Mego’s World’s Greatest Super-Heroes. Eight-inches of plastic driven by pure imagination.

In addition to this over-sized representation of holiday cheer and muscles, 1974 was probably the first Christmas I received a Mego World’s Greatest Super Hero:  Batman.

Christmas 1974 as a two-fer

Two of my all-time favorite holiday stories appear in this issue: Silent Night, Deadly Night, reprinted from Batman 239 in the 52-page giant and The Teen Titan’s Swingin’ Christmas Carol, reprinted from Teen Titans (vol. 1) 13; both of which I would later pick up in their original form.

Also collected are Christmastown U.S.A. from Action Comics 117, Billy Batson’s X-Mas from Captain Marvel Adventures 58 and The $500,000 Doll Caper starring Angel and the Ape.

I would note this was my first exposure to Angel and the Ape. Gotta admit, the idea of a gumshoe gorilla moonlighting as a comic book artist intrigued me. Especially when teamed with a bombshell blond who doubles as detective and model in the O’Day and Simeon Detective Agency.

Anyway, in addition to the reprints the editorial staff tossed in extras like a calendar for 1975, Christmas cards, what super villains have to say about Christmas and other assorted goofiness.