DC Comic’s latest tome of terror compliments the undressing trees, bite in the air and darkness that descends earlier.

The Swamp Thing Halloween Horror features 100 pages of retold Halloween stories culled from previous specials and stand-alone ongoing series. Mostly. The first story is an original from scribe Brian Azzarello and penciler Greg Capullo entitled “Hollow.” This Halloween there are more to fear than just snakes and alligators.

Dan Didio’s “The Pumpkin Sinister” is the first of three stories lifted from The DC Infinite Halloween Special (2007).  Blue Devil and Enchantress become honorary members of the Peanut’s gang in the homage to Linus’ obsession with the Great Pumpkin.

Swamp Thing Halloween Horror

The second of the lifts from the 2007 special is “Taert Ro Kcirt.” Paul Dini turns more than the letters around with Zatana. A happy Halloween is spoiled for trick or treaters causing the mistress of magic to reverse roles.

“Strange Cargo” is the final retread from 2007. Poison Ivy spins a yarn of Superman v. Zombies.

“The Ballad of Jonathan Crane” is a reboot of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow with the Scarecrow playing himself – or, his alter ego. This one was pulled from the DC Halloween Special (2008).

Aquaman and Etrigan the Demon form an unlikely alliance in “Night Gods.” Together they tackle a Cthulhu clone and his army of darkness called forth from those claimed by the sea throughout the millennia. The story originally appeared in The Brave and the Bold (2007).

Batman (1940) 237 is an October favorite appearing in other specials. In the late 1960s and early 1970s Rutherford, VT, was a destination for comic book creators and fans during Halloween. Eventually the annual parade became peppered with floats and costumes representing both Marvel and DC’s stable of colorful heroes and villains. “Night of the Reaper” immortalizes some of the magic as a backdrop for murder and the Holocaust remembered.

Finally, Swamp Thing returns in this reprint from House of Secrets 92 featuring his muck-covered origin.

The special is an exclusive offered through Wal-Mart as part of the department store’s team up with DC.

October already and time to think about Halloween. Kicking off the month is an animal of another color – even if the pastel panther is a shade more associated with spring  –  in his 2016 one-shot done in four parts.

“Pink Halloween” has PP crashing a party with the Universal classics.

“Scared Pink” is the second feature, and only other original story in the issue. PP shares a communal scare with strangers at the local theater during a zombie flick.

“Pink Chemistry” is a retread from Pink Panther issue 51 (1978) which was later reprinted in volume two in 1994. PP narrowly escapes a mad scientist bent on creating a world of chickens to satisfy his poultry cravings.

“The Pink Past” is another twice-told tale that originally saw print in Pink Panther 49 in 1978 and was trotted out again in 1993. A mishap at the patent office sends Pinkie traveling through time.

You can almost hear the Henry Mancini theme playing in the background as you read these.

Pink or Treat (cover 1)

Pink or Treat (cover 2)

Pink or Treat (cover 3)

Pink or Treat (cover 4)

Clive Barker’s Hellraiser Dark Holiday Special (1992)

Clive Barker’s Hellraiser Dark Holiday Special qualifies as a Christmas comic in name, cover and framing story only.

Loosely based on the Hellraiser franchise that spawned nine films, the Marvel vision featured an anthology of stories and characters. The series ran 20 issues, several one shots and four mini-series.

The holiday special consists of three vignettes bordering a soup kitchen massacre. Three Cenobites have been dispatched to restore order to the chaos of carnage.

The three short stories include “Child’s Play,” “Sheddim” (Hebrew for demon or spirit) and “Nursery Crime.” Each of the tales are triggered by a totem found at the shelter. The first is a cheap puzzle box stamped “Made in Taiwan” designed after the Lemarchand Configuration fans are familiar with that signals players are ready for pleasure.

That’s followed by a new take on the old Golam legend in pre-war America.

Nursery Crime is a beautifully painted short of a children’s tale thought to bring fame, but instead pulls the reader into the story itself.

Boom! Studios took over publishing rights in 2011 with Clive Barker’s graphic novel imprint Seraphim Inc. assuming the title in 2017.

To honor Star Wars Day, Four Color Holidays has trotted out a rare treat from Antarctic Press published in 2013.

Steam Wars Holiday Special is a parody of the Star Wars Holiday Special – if that’s possible.

Instead of Wookies, readers receive bears. Instead of Life Day readers get A Day of Life. More importantly readers only waste a few minutes of their life rather than two hours as with the 1978 television follow up to Star Wars.

Gone is the variety show format that dominated prime time specials of the 1970s. Steam Wars sheds the dead weight of Harvey Korman in his multi-role embarrassment, Bea Arthur as the barkeep, Jefferson Starship in their shoe horned performance and – maybe most importantly – no Diahann Carroll giving new meaning to patriarch Itchy’s name.

The Steam Wars Holiday Special is more action oriented focusing on a family surviving the holidays during occupation.

Granted there’s no first appearance of Boba Fett or cameos by the franchise principles. Those are offset with a hail of bullets and violence not permitted by CBS in ’78. The bears are much cuter in their page portrayal than Chewbacca’s family; cuddly as they go about readying for the big day.

Steam Wars Holiday Special

The inspiration for the television special was originally created to sate appetites between Star Wars and The Empire Strikes Back. George Lucas’ vision had become a merchandising monster. Creator and licensees did not want the franchise to fade from memory, so Lucas sketched an outline and network executives took over the reigns.

Since it aired Nov. 17, 1978, the special has become a much maligned black eye for Lucas who has disclaimed any participation. The one association that seemed to bear fruit was Nelvana’s. The company responsible for the Boba Fett short, “The Faithful Wookie,” was later tapped to animate Droids and Ewoks.

The one downside to the printed special is it may be harder to find than a fourth- or fifth-generation copy of what spawned it.

DC saved the best for last. The DC Universe Holiday Bash III is the final installment of Christmas specials before Y2K featuring seven stories running a gamut of characters.

Superman and Batman headline the book in “World’s Finest Christmas.” Writer Karl Kesel expounds on the toy collecting trend of the day. The Captain Action knock-off featured is Toyman’s revenge for a believed slight. Batman brings a bittersweet tale to conclusion with an act of kindness.

“The Joker’s Twelve Days of Christmas” mangles the holiday staple in a murderous take off.

DC Universe Holiday Bash III (1998)

Wonder Woman returns to her newfound fold for Christmas to be accused of foregoing her heritage and beliefs in “Heathen Ways.”

Chuck Dixon proves why he was the Bat Family scribe for so long with “Alone for the Holidays.” Robin finds himself part of an extended family so he’s never really alone – especially at Christmas time.

Prison is not the place to be for Christmas as Shrapnel discovers. His short-term vacation from the Slab brings Christmas “Home for the Holidays.”

Bat Lash has “An Eye for Detail” saving a frontier family from a dastardly land deal.

Finally, Impulse creator Mark Waid pens, with Devin Grayson, “No, Bart, There is No Santa Claus.” Bart Allen’s naivety and impulsive nature send him around the world as Santa’s helper.

The package is wrapped by a two-page spread as imagined by Sergio Aragones.

DC would take a break from Christmas specials for the next several years allowing the individual writers to pen any holiday tales in their respective titles.

DC Universe Holiday Bash II (1997)

This sappy sampling from the DC stable is a cross section of the season. Included are stories of Christmas, Hanukah and Kwanzaa. Writer Dick Grayson shoehorns in some Buddhism as well amidst the other celebrations and commercialism.

“The Present” showcases the – then – new team of Green Lantern and Green Arrow. Last minute shoppers are taken hostage by a young man confusing tender caring with legal tender.

Batman is the silent guardian of hope in “The House of Peace,” though a young boy saves faith.

Ty Templeton handles creative chores in “Present Tense.” Santa lays siege to Darkseid’s domain to conduct Christmas business.

Black Lightening handles a gang’s blood feud in “Twas the Night Before Kwanzaa.”

Santa isn’t the only one watching who knows what recipients really need. Superman receives an early and much needed present in “The Gift.”

“I Left My Heart at the Justice Society Canteen” is Howard Chaykin’s love letter to Golden Age comic book creators.

Sgt. Rock is visited by the ghosts of wars past, present and future in “A Christmas Carol.” The vision is as shocking as it is undeniable.

The New Year nears with Nightwing and Oracle. “The Old Lane” is a touching tale of youth past and problems present.

Finally, Rich Burchett offers an ornaments page reminiscent of the original Christmas With the Superheroes Limited Collectors editions of 25 years earlier.

DC Universe Holiday Bash (1996) 1

This is the first of three Christmas specials leading to the new millennium. Readers are treated to seven stories featuring Superman, the New Gods, Catwoman, Etrigan the Demon, Green Lantern, the Flash and Batman.

In the first tale Lois Lane retells a story from Superman’s early days. “The Benefaction of Peace” proves loneliness was a problem for even the mightiest of Earth’s heroes.

In “A Highfather Christmas,” the Highfather and Orion embody the commercialism of the holidays with the spirit of the season. They rendezvous with chance and circumstance for a memorable Christmas Eve.

Catwoman shows her softer side in “Bearing Gifts We Traverse Afar.”

Ertigan has a laugh when one man’s greed is spoiled by the wishes of a child in “Santa’s Little Helper.”

Ignorance doesn’t take a holiday as “The Vessel” proves. Green Lantern learns the lesson of Hanukah by showing a little faith.

Wally West speeds around the world in search of the perfect gift. When his thoughts catch up to him, a voice from the past reminds him to listen more closely in “Present Tense.”

Finally, Batman proves to Alfred Christmas Eve isn’t just “One More Night.”

Yogi Bear’s Easter Parade

Cover dated 1978, Yogi Bear’s Easter Parade is the second in a hat trick of issues published by Marvel under the title The Funtastic World of Hanna-Barbera.

Captured in this static time capsule of primary colors and pastels are the kings and queens of Saturday morning cartoon favorites. H-B’s roster of characters reads like a who’s who in the history of animation. Almost all are collected in the 50 pages of this book.

Yogi leads off with his self-titled Easter Parade story. Like a vintage Our Gang short, Yogi musters the colorful inhabitants of the Hanna-Barbera world to save Easter morning from capitalism.

Scooby-Doo and “those meddling kids” team with Blue Falcon and Dynomutt in Phantasma Gloria. The Scooby-Doo/Dynomutt Hour debuted in 1976 and by 1978 had run its course and was heading for syndication by the time this book was released.

Robots Bloom in Spring brought the Jetsons out of before- and after-school reruns with a short story centered on housekeeper Rosie who feels she has become obsolete.

Spring Fever is a cautionary tale of love and bank accounts. Top Cat and his band of Manhattan alley cats heavily inspired by the 1940’s East Side Kids save Officer Dibble from financial ruin.

The Flintstones bookend the issue in Spring Training. Barney and Betty’s adopted son, Bamm-Bamm, is signed to a Major League Baseball franchise only to find black gold instead.

Sprinkled between the stories are pages of puzzles sponsored by the Hanna-Barbera gang including Yakky Doodle’s Scrambled Eggs, Captain Caveman: Twin Trouble, Touche Turtle’s Crossword Puzzle, Huckleberry’s Comic Crostic and Magilla Magic.

The Life of Christ: The Easter Story

“We are now on our way to Jerusalem where the Son of Man will be handed over to the chief priests and the teachers of the Law of Moses. They will sentence him to death and hand him over to foreigners, who will make fun of him and spit on him. They will beat him and kill him. But three days later he will rise to life.”  Mark 10:33-34

Louise Simonson, Mary Wilshire and Bill Anderson flesh out the Easter Story marking the last days of Jesus’s life.

If Marvel had published this earlier in my lifetime, all those Easter Sunday’s sitting on hard pews wondering what confections and presents Peter Rabbit had left for me would’ve gone much faster.

For 33 pages the reader is given the Biblical account of the Son of Man’s final days on Earth. No matter beliefs, the story is a strong and compelling one. It brings the hubris of man to heel, showing the greed and vanity evident in even the most pious of practitioners.

Basically a collection of “good/bad girl” art wrapped in a very non-traditional Easter tale of fornication and cannibalism.

Zombie Tramp crashes a small town’s Easter celebration dressed in something more from the Hugh Hefner collection than the standard department store bunny suit. During her visit she is thrice mesmerized by a Caligulastic cult leader on a mission from (his) God.

There are several gags to make the reader smile. My favorite had children finding Easter eggs in the folds of the fat woman.

Otherwise this fast read allows the heroine to avenge herself and the hypnotized town folk to foil the festivities culminating in a sacrificial bonfire and orgy.

Probably not a good idea to hide this in the hymnal to read during Easter services.

Zombie Tramp Easter Special (2017) (Trom Cover)

Zombie Tramp Easter Special (2017) (Celor Limited Edition cover)

Zombie Tramp Easter Special (2017)