Often listed in the top-10 best Batman stories, Noel is a lushly illustrated Christmas Carol.

Batman Noel (2011)

Lee Bermejo is a true artist. In every sense of the word. From his staccato narration to the loving brushstrokes that create a yester-world not glimpsed for two centuries. A work Charles Dickens would enjoy himself.

Batman is the Scrooge. Bob is one of the Joker’s henchmen. His son is Tiny Tim and the Joker is, well, the Joker. Catwoman is the Ghost of Christmas Past and Superman the Ghost of Christmas Present. Jacob Marley is represented by a generic Robin.

Fans of the Batman: Arkham Origins video game were offered the Noel Bat-suit as one of the skins available for play.

Dickens’ original novella was first published in 1843 in a London scrutinizing its own traditions. So popular was the story when it was released Dec. 19, it sold out by Christmas Eve. To this day, A Christmas Carol has never been out of print.

Like Dikens’ work, Bermejo has crafted a perennial tradition with this elseworld’s work.

Flash (1987) 87

Wally West earned the red union suit he sped through the post-crisis DCU wearing.

He has been part of the Speed Force since Flash (1959) 110. Originally a guest in his uncle-by-marriage’s book, Wally became a back-up feature. Later he would be one of the original Teen Titans.

When Silver Age-mentor Flash, Barry Allen, died (not really) in Crisis on Infinite Earths, Wally assumed the Scarlet Speedster’s mantle. By issue 87 Mark Waid was at the book’s helm. Under his guidance Wally sped through two holiday stories; the first in issue 73.

With issue 87 Wally is attempting to spend Christmas Eve with loved ones. Silver-Age holdover Abra Kadabra is the foil in Flash’s plans.

Issue 87 is a good example of how to continue an ongoing story arc while celebrating Christmas.

Archie Giant Series Magazine (1954) 144

Archie and the gang from Riverdale celebrated Christmas 1966 with a traditional Archie’s Christmas Stocking. The book offered eight stories and included various pin ups.

First up is “Just Be Claus” featuring Reggie chucking snowballs at Moose.

Jughead proves two wheels are better than four – at times – in “Go Power.”

Li’l Jinx spells the Archie gang for two pages in “Early & Late.”

“The Man From R.I.V.E.R.D.A.L.E.” is the centerpiece of the book. Told in two parts, the tale is an obvious homage to the then airing The Man from U.N.C.L.E.

Li’l Jinx is back for her second and final appearance in “Fun in the Snow.”

“The Gift” proves to Reggie it is better to give than to receive.

Betty, Veronica, Reggie and Archie team up for “Handlebar Happiness.”

Reggie returns for the final story in “Gift Tift,” learning he can’t spoil a good gift.

Pin ups and one-page cards take up the remainder of the book.

Though given a seasonal solicitation, the series was part of the rotating title listed in the header. Christmas issues were offered in issues one through six, 10, 15, 20, 25, 31, 137, 144, 150, 158, 167, 179, 190, 203, 216, 228, 240, 452, 464, 476, 488, 500, 512, 524, 535, 546, 557, 567, 579, 592, 605, 617 and 630. To add to the confusion, numbering skipped issues 36 through 135 and 252 to 451. This was replaced in 1992 by Archie’s Holiday Fun Digest running 12 issues.

DC beat Marvel to the holiday punch with the first of the Christmas specials beginning in 1974.

The Marvel Treasury Special was released Nov. 26 of that year on the heels of DC’s Limited Collector’s Edition (C-34) that hit newsstands Nov. 7.

Whereas DC had decades of material to draw from, Marvel had a little over 10-years worth of stories to plumb.

Naturally “Have Yourself a Sandman Little Christmas!” led the list.

It was a reprint from Marvel Team-Up issue one starring Spider-Man and the Human Torch battling Sandman. A sappy story that brought out the season in both heroes who allowed Sandman to visit his mother on Christmas Eve.  The good deed does not go unpunished leading both heroes to a continuation of the story in issue two.

The remainder of the book is what the title promised:  a grab-bag.

Marvel Treasury Special (1974)

In “Mortal Combat with…Sub-Mariner” is reprinted from Daredevil issue seven. Namor makes land fall to seek out Matt Murdock to serve as his lawyer. The sea prince wishes to sue the surface world for its exploitation of the other three quarters of the Earth.  Murdock’s alter ego is called upon when he refuses to take the case.

Black Widow stars in the next story taken from Amazing Adventures (1970) issue five. An unremarkable story. Maybe the most noteworthy of the book is Neal Adam’s assumption of penciling chores on the Inhuman’s story.

Fantastic Four issues 25 and 26, a two-part tale, finish out the book. The Thing and Hulk go toe-to-toe in issue 25 with the Avengers guest starring in the second part.

Far from the holiday specials to come in the 1990s, but at least setting a precedence for the company.

Coming on the heels of President John F. Kennedy’s assassination, the Alvin and His Pals Merry Christmas with Clyde Crashcup and Leonard offered 84 pages of solace.

Alvin and His Pals in Merry Christmas with Clyde Crashcup and Leonardo (1963)

Alvin, Theodore and Simon had reached celebrity a mere five years after their creation. Ross Bagdasarian, Sr., had initially created the animated, anthropomorphized-woodland creatures for a novelty album. Their success branched over into cartoons and other media.

Clyde Crashcup was created to compliment the Chipmunks on The Alvin Show. Crashcup would invent things that already existed. Leonardo was his silent – literally – partner.

Crashcup and aid would spell Alvin and his friends throughout the Christmas special. He and Leonardo even opened the book with “Clyde Crashcup Invents Snow.” The duo would tag-team with the Chipmunks for the remainder of the book alternating stories. The difference being Crashcup and Leonardo wove a related tale with each of their stories until they would finally meet up with Santa.

Alvin, Simon and Theodore appeared in vignettes either Christmas or winter related.

Also interspersed throughout are one-page prose stories and challenges for readers.

Not bad for a quarter.

The eternal teens of Riverdale celebrate another Christmas with four stories for the 2018 season.

Archie Christmas Spectacular (2018) 1

Archie and Jughead embark on an entrepreneurial endeavor in the lead tale, “One Person’s Trash.” The boys find money can be made in repurposing garbage pail finds. It comes to naught when an uninvited partner crashes the party.

“All Aboard” is a story about wish fulfillment that ends with the adage, “be careful what you wish for.”

Santa’s daughter returns to Riverdale in “The Last Noelle.” Santa isn’t pleased, but Mrs. Claus understands the solitude of living at the North Pole.

Finally, “Jingles’ Jangled” has the impish elf as an unwelcome house guest when his powers are remanded by a jealous acquaintance. Jughead finds Jingles’ hidden talents tasty and is sorry to see him leave.

Hard to believe there are still stories to be told about Archie and crew after 77 years, but the kids live on.

Here’s one that slipped past me last Christmas.

At first glance, not much to write home about. “Pete & Miles in Off Duty,” is no Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. Only the best incarnation of all the silver screen Spider-Mans by the way. No, “Pete & Miles in Off Duty” is, well, not sure how to describe it.

Confusing?

In a way.

Lifeless?

Yeah, you could say that.

In short it’s just not good.

Now, “Nuts and Bots” is a different story. Literally. Squirrel Girl and Doc Doom. C’mon. That’s a match up. Not a heavy weight title bout, but still way more entertaining than midget wrestling.

Finally, Squirrel Girl is getting a little respect. She deserves it. Her own title and some guest appearances. Good stuff.

What I haven’t mentioned about the holiday special is the Deadpool framing sequence. Deadpool is our emcee for the show. In a Saturday Night Live or old Muppet Show twist, Deadpool is brought forward from behind-the-scenes allowing Squirrel Girl to interact with him.

The two go toe-to-toe, not with fisticuffs or weapons, but in a far more deadly verbal one-on-one.

Finally, “Holi-La-La-Days” continues to make amends for a slow start. Deadpool steps out of the framing sequence to help move the story to a satisfying conclusion with Hawkeye playing detective.

A worthy addition to anyone’s holiday collection.

Okay, no idea is what’s going on here. The 2018 special begins where I left off back about 1977. Our heroine is still clad in her trademark metal bikini astride a mighty stead, broadsword at her side.

Red Sonja Holiday Special

Yet, by page six she’s riding on the back of some guy named Max’s motorcycle through the snow covered streets of modern day New York. Still in her metal bikini. At Christmas time.

Max conducts a tour of the town explaining the various traditions for the season. The action picks up when they meet a dog walker who happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. Overhearing some mob news, the man is chased until he runs into Sonja and Max.

They choose to beat feet and lose themselves in a Santa Claus convention. Stymied by the scrum of Santas the bad guys decide to leave well enough alone.

At least the remainder of the book is given back to Roy Thomas and Frank Thorne in a replay of “Wizards of the Black Sun” that originally appeared in The Savage Sword of Conan issue 23.

As I’ve written before, you knew it was a good week when you could find a copy of Red Sonja on the spin rack. Sorry, Leia, no one has ever rocked a metal bikini quite like the red-haired Hyborian hottie.

Possibly the final Christmas issue of the series, issue 183 hit spin racks and newsstands for the 1978 holiday season.

The title was a numbered continuation of the Dennis the Menace Giant series that ran from 1955 to 1970 when this, the Bonus Magazine Series, began with issue 76. This incarnation continued through the late 1970s to issue 194.

Each October Fawcett rolled out another Christmas issue. By 1978 Hank Ketchum’s creation was focusing on anti-smoking PSAs as featured in the lead story:  “Santa’s Flaws.”

The remainder of the book served as a tub thumper for UNICEF. “He’s a Card,” “Dennis and Joye” (really spelled that way) and “Kid Stuff” all promoted Polish physician Ludwik Rajchman’s brain child.

UNICEF was created in 1946 to provide emergency food and healthcare to nations ravaged by World War II. In 1950 UNICEF extended its mission profile to include long-term needs of children and women in developing countries. In 1953 it became a permanent part of the United Nations System.

In 1965 UNICEF was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.

(Image scans by Heritage Auctions.)

Batman (1940) 247

Denny O’Neil and Irv Novick turned a hat trick with this, the third of Batman’s Christmas stories, since his return from post CCA crack down and television days. The previous two holiday tales were served up in Batman 219 and 239. For some reason the Dark Knight never celebrated in Detective Comics.

For the 1972 season O’Neal corrals both Christmas and New Year’s with “Merry Christmas…And a Deadly New Year!” The first vignette deals with the capture and subsequent escape of a terrorist who has stolen a deadly virus.

Christmas isn’t very merry as Batman and the Gotham Police Department spend the week prior to New Year’s searching for the vial. The adventure goes down to the wire as Batman finally discovers, and foils, the attempt as the ball drops counting down the end of one year and the beginning of another.