DC's Year of the Villain has seen the numerous, fan-favorite antagonists of the DC Universe rise up in various stories spotlighting their evil, and the latest villainous special takes on a distinct yuletide theme. New Year's Evil #1 is an oversized one-shot featuring a healthy mix of acclaimed writers and artists along with newer creators within the medium. And, just like any collection of presents under the tree every Christmas morning, most of the short stories within the holiday anthology are quite good, with only a handful not quite hitting the mark by immediate comparison.

Running over a staggering 80 pages, the New Year's special includes 10 short stories each spotlighting a different set of characters from the DCU as Christmastime comes around. While several tales are told largely from the perspective of villains, keeping in line with much of the Year of the Villain publishing initiative, a couple of the tales are told from various superhero's perspectives as they face off against familiar foes while the festive time of the year serves as a wintry backdrop and thematic undertone.

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One of the best things about this holiday special is that the creative teams completely capture the voices of the different villains throughout the issue. Even the weaker stories -- and again, most of the stories are actually quite good -- feature strong characterizations as the villainous protagonists express their own (usually murderous) forms of holiday cheer. The writers are clearly having fun showcasing what's made each of these characters endure for decades in a handful of pages and juxtaposing that against a variety of wintry holidays -- even ones in the far reaches of space.

This extends to the art as well, with the stories featuring a mix of vibrantly colorful illustrations that capture the energy and fun of the holiday season and gritty, darker visuals that follow more sinister villains as they stalk merry bystanders and heroes from the shadows. Despite each story's limited real estate, the respective art teams are able to craft both quieter, more introspective moments and bombastic, yuletide action sequences, providing a showcase for the popular characters to do what they do best -- no matter what time of the year.

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For the stories that don't quite reach the level of the issue's stronger tales, the biggest impediment tends to be an over-reliance on exposition. This overly wordy approach can hamper the pacing and flow of these brief stories. Fortunately, even the clunkier stories still feature that sense of holiday fun; There aren't any self-serious stories within the issue, making the anthology gel relatively seamlessly while each story stands well enough on its own merits too.

Holiday specials can be a disposable, cynical way to cash in on the spirit of the season. Fortunately, while largely inconsequential, DC Comics' New Year's Evil #1 is a fun, oversized issue that lets an impressive roster of creative talent explore how different villains react to the most wonderful time of the year. Entertaining and timeless, even separated from the Year of the Villain initiative, this supersized one-shot is a great stocking stuffer for the DC Comics fan in your life looking for a seasonal issue spotlighting the DCU's extensive cast of memorable villains.

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