Spider-Man: Christmas in Dallas

Dallas is known for many things; the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, its football team, oil and cotton, a prime-time soap, but not New York superheroes.

That didn’t stop Marvel Comics Group and the Dallas Times Herald from offering at least five different adventures as give-aways.

America had just learned the answer to, “Who shot JR,” when the first of the lot was published. Most teamed Spider-Man with the Hulk, the latter still featured on his own television show. By the fourth venture creative heads decided to celebrate Christmas with Spidey trading quips and fisticuffs with his old foe the Kingpin.

A reluctant Peter Parker – who has never spent a Christmas with anyone, but Aunt May – is cajoled into acting as J. Jonah Jamison’s personal photographer for a dinner with billionaires.

The Kingpin, who didn’t receive an invitation, substitutes himself as the hired Santa. With his flunkies the Kingpin crashes the party taking all in attendance hostage. His asking price is $10 million per head.

Pre-dating the original Diehard movie, Peter slips away to trade casual clothes for his union suit. One-by-one he takes out the Kingpin’s hired help forcing a showdown between he and Kingpin.

In the end, it’s host Stanley Mudge who helps Spidey defeat Kingpin and save Christmas Eve – for his guests and Peter is who whisked back east in Mudge’s personal jet to spend Christmas day with Aunt May.

In addition to the first two team ups with the Hulk, Spidey found himself in search if the Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders and in one final adventure with his Amazing Friends, Iceman and Firestar.

No figures can be found to see if the promotions boosted sales, but by the Dec. 8, 1991, the Times Herald shut its doors. Assets were bought the next day for $55 million and dispersed.