This is a fine annual that serves almost as more of a holiday special than a straight annual. The 5 stories all offer something different, every story looks great, and you couldn't do better pound for pound when it comes to entertainment. Read Full Review

The reason I only pulled two because I didn't want to spoil too much about this book. I got such a joy out of reading it that I feel everyone should get that chance. These two really stood out to me because it's the first time in a while I've seen the more human side of Bruce. His alter ego is always at war with its own demons and the evils around him; sometimes we can forget that there is still a man underneath. Yes, a man with deep rooted issues and improper grieving techniques, but a man none the less. It's nice to see the more relaxed side of him. The last think I'll say is that there is a pretty big reveal during this comic about what is coming up in the next year for Batman. You'll have to read to find out! Read Full Review

So, thats that for Batman Annual #1. Theyve really given us something for everyone in this book. Theres laughter, theres tears (Im an animal lover and Good Boy hit me right in the feels). Theres the promise of great things to come for Batman in 2017. I have to say, its a great time to be a Bat-fan. Read Full Review

Celebrate the holiday with our caped crusader in BATMAN ANNUAL #1. The anthology contains short tales from various acclaimed writers and artists. While the collection contains a mix of fun, light-hearted Bat stories, the striking art of each tale makes this annual a must grab for any Bat-fanatic. Read Full Review

Batman Annual #1 showsa rareheartwarming side of Batman and his crusade to fight crime with the Christmas holidays as a backdropand also acts as a showcase for comics talent, old and new. Read Full Review

Overall, Batman Annual #1 entertained me WAY more than most annuals featuring several stories tend to. DC didn't hesitate to bring the creative thunder and their choice paid off. The price tag is steep for a comic, but it is oversized and Bat-fans will really enjoy seeing these holiday moments. Read Full Review

Batman Annual #1 is a solid anthology book, which features one great story as an opener and a succession of stories that are all enjoyable though more variable. Considering its cover price, you could be excused for thinking this issue a bit too disposable, but with King and Finch's really great tale, plus Orlando's jarring but enticing lead in for things to come and Snyder and Shalvey's slight but warm tale, you'll find it impossible to not enjoy the book as a whole. Read Full Review

Some readers may find Batman being used in feel-good Christmas tales to be somewhat sappy, but I find it a refreshing break from the bleakness that Batman is typically faced with. Maybe the stories are a little weaker story wise than the typical Batman fare, but it's nice to see that even the Batman gets a break from the doom and gloom once in a while. Read Full Review

For every PlayStation or iPhone under the Christmas tree, there's sure to be an ugly sweater or a package of socks not far behind. With Batman Annual #1, you need to be willing to take the great with the not-so-great because overall, this is a very enjoyable holiday-themed Bat-book. Is it essential Batman reading? No, but it certainly has some remarkable moments, a nice dose of nostalgia, and is sure to put you in the holiday spirit. Read Full Review

As with most anthology issues, the stories included in Batman Annual #1 are fairly uneven in quality. But there's plenty of enjoyment to be had as Batman and friends celebrate the winter season. And with everyone from Tom King to Scott Snyder to Neal Adams pitching in, it's hard to go wrong with this creative lineup. Read Full Review

Everyone involved is in top form for these short-form narratives which are economical in their storytelling " getting in just as the action rises and bowing out as the tension starts to slow. While you may be dying to find out what happens next in "I Am Suicide," this Batman Annual is a worthwhile interlude. Read Full Review

Batman Annual #1 shows us that Christmas is a special time even in Gotham City, and this holds especially true for fans of the Bat. Annual #1 brings together an ensemble cast of some of the best Batman creators spanning multiple generations of the character to bring us a series of touching, fun-filled, holiday-themed stories that shows us that perhaps even the Batman has a little holiday cheer in his stone-cold heart. If you’re looking for touching character moments, beautiful art and a series of Batman stories that doesn’t try to take itself too seriously, make sure to pick up a copy of Batman Annual #1. Read Full Review

This tale gets the egregious award for being the least favorite of the annual. A new villain named Haunter uses a low-grade form of Scarecrow's fear gas as a cover to escape from Arkham and Batman is right on her tail. The crazy thing is that the plot is not even that bad, but it is obvious that Wilson wanted to tell a bigger tale and then ran out of space to do it. Hence, the entire thingfeels like a series of truncated-and occasionally confusing-events with an ending that is veryabrupt. Also, Christmas has very littlebearing on the plot, making it the odd story out in an annual full of holiday stories. Wilson and Evely's potentially interesting tale wasunfortunately cut too short and would have been better served asa full issue instead of a six pager. Read Full Review

Buy Batman: Annual #1. Take a break from serious action with serious consequences that will change everything you know about comics and read some short stories with some feels. Watch Batman take down a Minister, fake his death, and sing Christmas songs with Harley Quinn. Let me know what you think below! Read Full Review

Batman Annual #1 starts off great with its opening three stories, trails off some with the fourth and rebounds with the fifth. Not a bad ratio for a Christmas theme annual. Batman fans should find at least three stories that will make this worth the read. Read Full Review

Batman Annual #1 haseffective storytelling by everyone with stand-out segments by Tom King, Paul Dini and Steve Orlando. The artwork is really good, especially in the segments by Neal Adams, Riley Rossmo and Declan Shalvey. A good holiday read for fans of Batman and the city he protects. Read Full Review

Batman Annual #1 is on the high end of the spectrum as far as annuals go. Even though I prefer the first three stories' uplifting messages to the final two, the entire issue is an enjoyable read multiple times through. A talented group of creators live up to their reputations, and even when I don't love what someone is doing, I can still find something to appreciate. Don't fear the higher cover price"this one is a lot of bang for the buck. Read Full Review

I love the idea of a Batman Holiday Special and for the most part, I liked what we got here.  We get Ace the Bat Hound, a Scott Snyder Story and Harley Quinn's creator giving us...Harley.  We also get two other stories, but don't worry about them and decide if three out of five is worth $4.99.  I do. Read Full Review

The first Batman annual of the new series is in the can and there's not that much to really recommend overall. There are a couple of decent if forgettable stories and a bunch of very forgettable stories and one that I couldn't even finish (the last one) because the whole thing just felt like too much by that point. The potential to do a lot of creative things with an annual is always there but going for what's essentially an anthology book that feels like half a step above a fan done production at times doesn't warrant the price tag. The Ace story is the best of them while having some classic new Neal Adams artwork just makes it all the more worthwhile for me. Read Full Review

A disappointment compared to how great the annuals were during the New 52 with some gem stories that were done a complete disservice by the change in structure and format of the annual. Read Full Review

Batman Annual #1 is a perfect example of a forgettable comic book. It's neither good nor bad, but rather somewhere in between. With such an all-star line-up headlining this annual had the potential to be so much more, especially given the cover price. Instead Batman Annual #1 is a comic only for the most hardcore Batman fan that feels the need to have for their complete collection. For everyone else, this is an issue you don't need to worry about purchasing at all. Read Full Review

Overall, it was pretty bad. It offered absolutely nothing that would make me suggest you go out and buy it. It's easily skippable and you honestly will not kick yourself at any point for passing on it. I was expecting a lot more with this amount of talent on show" That'll teach me. Read Full Review

I enjoyed this annual because it allowed for a small break from the seriousness of the Batman storyline currently. I keep seeing comments that state that this comic was unnecessary, but that is the point of an annual. If you buy an annual thinking that it will explain every question you have that problem is on you, not the comic. Overall, I liked the majority of the stories with the art being a great addition as well.

More of a holiday special nit I liked it.

Good stories from King, Snyder, and Orlando. Dini's story was a letdown.

First story: It's elegant, perfectly paced and brings a nice addition to the Bat-family (9/10).

Second one: The story is original, thoughtful and relevant and the artwork is breathtaking (9,5/10).

Third one: I've never been a Harley Quinn fan, so I disagree with the delivered "message" (6,5/10).

Fourth one: A quite enjoyable story with an intriguing ending (8/10).

Fifth one: While the story is rather interesting, the best part of it is the lovely artwork (7/10).

Overall, it's a very good annual with new talents, like Tom King and Bilquis Evely, and experienced creators, like Scott Snyder and Neal Adams.

Kite Man, again.

The Annual takes the form of an anthology of short stories. The first couple of them are great: written and drawn magnificently, with interesting messages to their core and top creators behind them. The following ones are definitely forgettable and look like they were put there just to bring some meat to the table.
Overall, the good ones deserve to be read carefully, while you can definitely skip/skim through the others.

2 great stories by King and Finch and Snyder and Shalvy, and another one that's pretty good. Three out of five ain't bad...

Just average. Surprisingly, King's story was the best one in the book, started to fall apart little by little with each story after that. One plus was Orlando's new villian tease though.

Most of the stories were hit or miss in my opinion. The Batman and Harley Quinn story was probably my favorite but I wouldn't consider any of these to be very memorable and I wouldn't expect them to tie in to the main story much either.

Comic Book Review (6/10) "Okay,"
Batman Annual #1 "Good Boy/ Silent Night/ The Not So Silent Night of the Harley Quinn/ Stag/ The Insecurity Diversion,"
Writers: Tom King, Scott Snyder, Ray Fawkes, Paul Dini, Steve Orlando, Scott Bryan Wilson
Artists: David Finch, Declan Shalvey, Neal Adams, Riley Rossmo, Bilquis Evely
This is an anthology book with 5 different stories by 5 different creative teams. The best stories are from Tom King/ David Finch, Scott Snyder/ Ray Fawkes/ Declan Shalvey, and Paul Dini/ Neal Adams. The ones by Orlando and Wilson aren't very good and I couldn't even understand what was going on in Wilson's short story. I would say that you could totally pass on this book and if you need to read a comic this week I'd recommend picking up an old Batman issue or a trade since this book wasn't that great.
Artwork in this book is great as you got some of the best artists in the industry working on this book. However, even the amazing art doesn't save the mediocrity of this book and if I were you I'd save mymoney.
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Bunch of pointless hodge podge.