Mark Evanier scripts the second, and last, of Garfield’s Christmas stories.

“Elf Esteem” showcases Odie’s good heart as Garfield attempts to help the wayward little person in his quest to right a wrong. Everyone is smiling by the end with Santa rewarding the good deeds.

The second story, “Nermal and the Three Bears,” puts a new spin on an old fairy tale.

Garfield 32 rounds out the holidays with Christmas pin-ups of the Arbuckle household and a couple newspaper strips reprinted for good measure.

Super Friends (2008) 22

Santa isn’t the only one who gets letters for Christmas.

A wheelchair bound little girl is visited by the Super Friends for Christmas Eve and learns handicaps are mainly those of the mind.

“All I Want for Christmas” is a touching story, but the best wishes given for those suffering hard times in 2009 really hit home for me. That year was hard on my son and me, but with the help of good friends and family the end of the first decade of the new millennium dawned bright as the curtain rang down on the year.

Let this be well wishes to everyone, especially my cousins and their children who lost a dear one the beginning of December. It may not get easier, but it does get better.

The cover says Christmas, but the interior reads like a Twilight Zone anthology intermixed with late ‘80s video game and Now Comics merchandise ads.

Looking for Santa? Don’t call these guys.

Mad 44

If ever there was a finer magazine…

Alfred E. Neuman and the usual gang of idiots bid farewell to the 1950s with the final issue of 1959. Short of the cover the only seasonal offering are three pages of Custom Made Christmas Cards satirizing the era.

MAD magazine was a staple for the times for over three decades. Still in publication the book has lost some of its teeth even buckling to economic demands and sporting legitimate advertising. But, in its day MAD had no equal. It was the benchmark against which society was judged and no cow was sacred. God rest ye, William Gaines.

When I was growing up I worked on a horse farm in Virginia. They didn’t act like this.

That said I gotta admit the book wasn’t bad. Like a Pixar film many of the jokes are aimed at both the young and old alike. While I don’t see myself becoming a Bronie, I would recommend this as a stocker stuffer.

Twilight is snow-bound at the train station en route to Pinkie Pie’s Hearth Warming Eve party. To pass the time stories loosely related to Rudolph, The Nutcracker Suite and Twas the Night Before Christmas are read. Of course there’s a happy ending.

Scripter Mark Evanier, best known for Groo the Wanderer and the television series Garfield and Friends, provides the holiday tale for the festive feline who barely has to lift a paw for a happy ending in “The Never-Ending Tale of Santa Mouse.”

No mention of Christmas in the second story, “Snow Problem!” Just a record snowfall that prompts Jon and Odie to build a 30-foot snowman that Garfield magically brings to life.

Nuthin’s ever easy in Easy Company. Not even Christmas.

For three decades Sgt. Rock and Easy slogged their way up from Africa to Italy and onto the beaches of Normandy. By issue 414 the Pittsburgh-born Top Kick was nearing the end of his tour of duty; the series concluded with issue 422. Fittingly creator Robert Kanigher, with art from Andy Kubert, gave readers a Christmas story in the final days of World War II.

In “The Shining Star” Rock witnesses a Christmas miracle and at least one day without death.

Tarot: Witch of the Black Rose is more likely to be found in a stocking hung from the bedpost rather than the chimney.

Not a reader of the title my best description would be what if Russ Meyer wrote a comic book about wiccans, witches and supernatural creatures. A titillating title where the characters don’t remind you their eyes are, “up here.”

Odds are if you’re reading this book you’re already on the naughty list.

Two years after his first appearance Superman was a phenomenon. If you believe the documentaries the Man of Steel was bigger than Beatlemania.

Superman’s Christmas Adventure (1940)

True or not he was already schilling for Madison Ave. by 1940 with Superman’s Christmas Adventure, dated 1940. Surprisingly there is no indicia citing Superman as a character of National Periodicals.

The copy pictured was a give-away for Bailey’s Department Store, but the issue was also available through Nehi drinks, Ivey-Keith Co., Kennedy’s Boys Shops and Boston Store.

Inside Superman saves Lois, Santa and Christmas even pulling the sleigh when villains Doctor Grouch and Mister Meaney gas the reindeer. By the final panel all is right with the world and Superman wishes everyone a Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year.

Spider-Man’s Christmas (1984)

Spider-Man’s Christmas, a Super-Size Coloring Book, was released in 1984 presumably as companion book to the Marvel Super-Heroes’ Christmas. Aspiring artists were invited to color a story featuring Peter Parker/Spider-Man, Aunt May and the Green Goblin.

An oddity with the book is the fact there are two editions. One is 32-pages in length and another 24 pages.

Hanging 10 on the ‘Net it looks as if the 32-page book has a gold binding and the abbreviated 24-page version has a red binding. Don’t hold me to this, but the descriptions on eBay seem to prove that theory out.

Note the shameless Secret Wars plug