The holidays come but once a year – but they do come every year and, let’s face it, some of those same old winter wonderland traditions have long since worn out their welcome. But if you find yourself feeling fatigue at the prospect of enduring a repeat of countless Christmases past, there’s no need to resort to bah humbugs just yet. BATMAN: NOEL offers a fresh, new way to celebrate the season with a classic carol – albeit with a Gotham facelift and a uniquely Batman twist.

From writer/artist Lee Bermejo, BATMAN: NOEL is an oversized, original graphic novel that’s a perfect stocking stuffer for anyone in danger of losing their holiday spirit. Tracing the trajectory of Dickens’ seasonal fable, it’s a cautionary tale warning of the dangers of a frozen heart - with the Dark Knight standing in for Ebenezer Scrooge. It’s the best of both worlds, because even tidings of comfort and joy can sometimes benefit from an injection of gritty Bat-action.

But don’t take my word for it. Here’s what people are saying about BATMAN: NOEL:

“Amazing. This book is a visual treat.” – The New York Times

“Simply terrific.” – Scripps Howard News Service

“The caped crusader channels the gravelly paranoia of Frank Miller’s The Dark Knight Returns while a desperate father working for the Joker lends the story its moral weight and inevitable humanitarian payoff.” – Paste Magazine

“Absolutely exquisite… I'd be more than happy to add reading "Batman: Noel" and watching it to my yearly yuletide festivities.” – Yahoo! Movies

"Bermejo has simply created an instant classic with BATMAN NOEL that is larger than any holiday." – Ain’t It Cool News

“Surprising, new, gorgeous to look at, and also incredibly heartfelt. So you know, the perfect stocking stuffer.” – MTV GEEK

“[Bermejo]’s incorporating his unique style to create a fresh kind of Batman tale, lending it a distinctive flavor that would be impossible for any other artist to replicate.” – IGN

“More than just a regular graphic novel.” – UGO

“Gorgeously illustrated.” – io9

It’s time to make a list and check it twice because you don’t want to forget all the wonderful comic book fans in your life. To help you find some great ideas for presents, many outlets have begun publishing their annual Holiday Gift Guides.

Timed to Black Friday last week, THE NEW YORK TIMES and CNN GEEK OUT published their lists. THE NEW YORK TIMES highlighted BATMAN: NOEL, which also made CNN GEEK OUT’s list along with AMERICAN VAMPIRE, GREEN LANTERN CHRONICLES: VOL.1 and various DC Entertainment themed accessories and merchandise.

This morning, USA TODAY published their Holiday Gift Guide, which featured DC COMICS: THE NEW 52, 100 BULLETS: BOOK ONE, BATMAN: NOEL and A FLIGHT OF ANGELS.

So what are you waiting for? Start your shopping.

And from all of us here on THE SOURCE, Happy Holidays!

All afternoon, THE SOURCE has been rolling out your very first look at DC Comics in February 2012.

February still seems a long ways off. But this Wednesday? That's right around the corner and we've got a whole new batch of third issues from DC COMICS-THE NEW 52 hitting stores. For ease of reading, we've compiled a comprehensive rundown. Tell your friends.

USA TODAY interviewed writer Brian Azzarello to accompany their exclusive preview of WONDER WOMAN #3, in which Diana’s new origins are revealed. "I can't wait to start really, really playing with the gods," Azzarello told them. "Look who she's immediately gaining as siblings — suddenly, the god of war is her half-brother … Now instead of protecting a mortal from the gods, she's also protecting her half-brother or sister."

POPMATTERS has your first look at I, VAMPIRE #3. “I, VAMPIRE is mythic in every way,” POPMATTERS wrote of the series. “It is the story of how the whole world is threatened by a love story that just darkens the character of each individual involved in that poisoned relationship. In some of the finest storytelling ever to grace the character of Andrew and his struggles with Mary, Josh Fialkov singularizes the character and the title among the recent crop of DC’s New 52. It is very much the evolution of the romantic vampire’s we’ve come to enjoy seeing on screen over recent years.”

MAXIM previewed DC UNIVERSE PRESENTS #3. The issue by Paul Jenkins and Bernard Chang continues Deadman’s journey of self exploration as he attempts to gain answers on how to gain control of his “life.”

Now that he’s bonded with his armor, can Jaime Reyes learn how to control it? Find out in BLUE BEETLE #3 by Tony Bedard, Ig Guara, Ruy Jose and J.P. Mayer, previewed exclusively at MTV GEEK.

It’s time for a fourth team member in BIRDS OF PREY #3! Head on over to COMIC BOOK RESOURCES for your exclusive preview.

With the Intruders neutralizing the ring powers of the Green Lantern Corps, it’ll be up to Guy Gardner and John Stewart to figure out how to stop this grave threat. Check out IFANBOY’s exclusive preview of GREEN LANTERN CORPS #3 by Peter J. Tomasi, Geraldo Borges and Scott Hanna.

IGN previewed Selina Kyle’s latest adventures in CATWOMAN #3. What trouble has the femme fatale got herself into this time? Find out when the issue by Judd Winick and Guillem March hits stores this week.

Following their exclusive preview of LEGION LOST #3 last week, TOR.COM has your first look at LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES #3 by Paul Levitz and Francis Portela.

And that's not all. DISCOVER MAGAZINE highlighted the science in MISTER TERRIFIC in DC COMICS-THE NEW 52.

What else is going on the internet?

ADVERTISING AGE presented a 2011 Media Vanguard Award to the BURN NOTICE digital comic for “Most Innovating Broadcast Brand Extension.” (Congratulations to all those involved with the book!)

Meanwhile, BATMAN: NOEL writer and artist Lee Bermejo was interviewed by YAHOO! ASSOCIATED CONTENT. “I like a very ‘urban warfare’ look for my Batman,” Bermejo said of The Dark Knight’s costume design in the book. “I suppose it comes from my overall need to ground things in as much reality as possible. I like to approach all design from the inside out, trying to figure out what fabrics could be used to make the thing IF it were really being constructed. I wanted there to be a point to Batman having this more modern, utilitarian look. It fit in well with what I wanted to do in the story.”

“The idea for the project pretty much came when I had finished Joker,” Bermejo continued to THE MORTON REPORT. “And I had a blast drawing Joker. I really enjoyed it. But it was a really dark, brutal piece of work, and I kind of wanted to go in the other direction. To push myself creatively, but also to try something new.”

Finally, COMICVINE listed four reasons why Sinestro is the most powerful Green Lantern.

And speaking of Green Lantern, check out Francis Manapul’s breathtaking variant cover for next month’s issue #4. Amazing, right?

To be continued …

OUT.COM previewed the highly anticipated BATWOMAN #3 by J.H. Williams III and W. Haden Blackman.

MAXIM continued their weekly previews of DC COMICS-THE NEW 52. This time around? They’ve got you’re exclusive first look at GREEN LANTERN #3 by Geoff Johns, Doug Mahnke, Christian Alamy and Keith Champagne, in stores tomorrow.

GAWKER’s IO9 interviewed BATMAN: NOEL writer/artist Lee Bermejo. “I wanted to play around with the past juxtapositions of Gotham's characters,” Bermejo said. “It's important to make nods to the history without being nostalgic. When I was kid, I grew up watching the 1960s TV show. Because I was five, I had no idea that it was played for laughs. There's an element of that in this book, taking Batman's past history completely seriously.”

And speaking of BATMAN: NOEL, head on over to IGN for your chance to win a copy of the book.

To be continued …