DC's Grifter Got Run Over by a Reindeer #1
☆ Be the first to review + Add to your collection — Join freeDC's Grifter Got Run Over by a Reindeer #1 is historically notable primarily as the debut issue of Ms. Trxlchyk, Harley Quinn's own fifth-dimensional imp — a character explicitly designed to be to Harley what Mr. Mxyzptlk is to Superman and Bat-Mite is to Batman, expanding DC's tradition of dimension-hopping trickster antagonists into a new corner of the universe. The issue also marks the first appearance of Colonel Future in the main DC continuity. Beyond those debuts, it holds a place in DC's annual prestige-format holiday anthology tradition, distinguished by the unusual choice to give top billing to Grifter — an ex-WildStorm character — as the face of the line's Christmas special, a decision that itself reflected DC's ongoing effort in 2022 to weave WildStorm properties more deeply into its publishing identity.
In "Krypto the Red-Eyed Rein-Dog," writer Max Bemis and artist Pablo M. Collar launch a delightfully bizarre twist on the DC Universe, where Granny Goodness has silenced Earth under a single, relentless chant: "Darkseid." With the world reduced to a chorus of that one name, John Constantine and Black Canary take an unexpected route to resistance—forming a band to fight mind control with melody and magic. The story, illustrated with bold, surreal flair by Collar and colored with electric precision by Ivan Plascencia, features a cover by Carlos D'Anda that captures the absurdity and urgency of the moment.
In "Home for the Holidays," Shayera finds herself caught in a festive celebration on Thanagar, unaware of her past, while Carter battles a monstrous threat tearing through Earth—both struggling to piece together who they are, and what they might have lost.
In "Not-So-Silent Night," Constantine and Black Canary team up in a bold, musical rebellion when Granny Goodness enslaves Earth with a single, mindless chant: "Darkseid." With the world silenced by the endless repetition, the duo takes to the stage—using music, magic, and Canary’s sonic voice to fight back.
ComicBooks.com Value
Find on ebay
Sell my copy
Have this issue — or a whole collection? Get a fair offer from us, skip the marketplace fees and the hassle.
We Buy Collections ▸History
The issue was solicited in August 2022 and went on sale November 29, 2022, carrying a cover-dated January 2023 indicia — the standard shelf-life dating practice for holiday one-shots. It was produced as part of DC's established annual prestige-format holiday anthology program, a series that had run under inventively punned titles in prior years (the 2021 entry was 'Tis the Season to Be Freezin'). DC positioned the release to coincide with WildStorm's 30th-anniversary celebration in late 2022, which explains Grifter's unlikely marquee placement over characters with far larger ongoing readerships. The anthology format drew on a wide stable of writers and artists rather than a single creative team.
Trivia · 8 facts
- Published November 29, 2022; cover-dated January 2023; a prestige-format 80-page one-shot anthology.
- First appearance of Ms. Trxlchyk, a fifth-dimensional imp who functions as Harley Quinn's counterpart to Mr. Mxyzptlk and Bat-Mite, introduced in the story 'Eight Crazy Nights' (written by John Layman, art by Juan Doe).
- First appearance of Colonel Future, the antagonist in the opening story 'Rudolph the Red-Nosed Dog' (written by Stephanie Williams, art by David Lapham), in which he mistakes Krypto for a demonic reindeer.
- The issue contains eight stories total, with featured characters including Superman, Wonder Woman, Frankenstein (Agent of S.H.A.D.E.), Harley Quinn, Batman, Hawkman, Hawkwoman, Black Canary, John Constantine, Animal Man, and Grifter.
- The titular closing story, 'How the Grifter Stole Christmas' (written by Derek Fridolfs, art by Carlos D'Anda and Dustin Nguyen), follows Cole Cash on a holiday crime spree hitting Wayne Manor, the Daily Planet, and Themyscira; a hallucinatory sequence is rendered in Dustin Nguyen's Lil' Gotham art style.
- Cover art by Carlos D'Anda. Writing credits include Derek Fridolfs, John Layman, Max Bemis, Cavan Scott, Michael W. Conrad, Scott Bryan Wilson, Stephanie Williams, and Dave Wielgosz. Art credits include Dustin Nguyen, Fico Ossio, Christopher Mitten, Skylar Patridge, Juan Doe, David Lapham, and PJ Holden, among others.
- Grifter (Cole Cash) was originally created by Jim Lee and Brandon Choi for WildStorm Productions in 1992, and his top billing here was tied to WildStorm's 30th-anniversary celebration.
- The issue sits within DC's ongoing multi-year holiday anthology series and was followed in subsequent years by 'DC's 'Twas the 'Mite Before Christmas' (2023) and 'DC's Batman Smells, Robin Laid an Egg' (2024).
Full credits
Reviews
Reader reviews
No reader reviews yet.