Bugs Bunny issue 46 sports a Christmas cover for the December/January 1956 dated comic book, but none of the material inside reflect the season.

Bugs Bunny (1953) 46

In “Mountie’s Mistake,” Bugs is desperate to become one of the Royal Mounted Policemen. Instead he is relegated to filling oat bags for the horses. In an attempt to make the force he undertakes a mistaken manhunt for Porky rather than the real criminal.

“Big Injun Ambush” is colorful in title and synopsis as a wayward Native American tries to stop the local train.

Sylvester and Tweety tear down the neighborhood in a cycle of life struggle during “House Hunt.”

“Firewood” is the only story with a winter flavor. Bugs and Elmer vacation at the latter’s cabin. Bugs makes due with local materials for warmth.

This 2000 holiday offering opened the millennium with a look at the past.

Gen 13 is/was a team of teens with a mentor. As individuals they were recruited by International Operations, a clandestine government organization along the lines of a James Bondesqe-cabal. They are trained through this organization to become heroes.

Something like that.

For the purpose of the Christmas special, that’s a good enough explanation.

Gen 13 A Christmas Caper

This story takes place when the group was still old enough to believe in Santa Claus. Grunge had concocted a calculation that will give the exact time of Santa’s arrival at the facility. His plan is to hide and record the jolly one’s visit.

What no one realizes is the facility, the children, all the trappings are just bait. IO headman The Baron wishes to exact revenge for years of coal under the Christmas tree.

The plan works and Santa is captured. However, the end result is Christmas magic that reveals The Baron’s suffering was undeserved.

I’ve had this issue for years. Just sitting in my box of holiday comic books. Can’t tell you how many times I’ve pawed past it looking for the next issue to read.

While scheduling ahead for the summer season it was just time to read this book.

Having done so, I can’t believe it took so long. What a fun read. You don’t need to be a fan. I’m not. I may have read the first issue of the original title. It didn’t do anything for me. That’s probably why it took me so long to read this.

I wish I hadn’t. Waited, that is.

Next time you’re at your local comic book shop, leaf through the back issues and see if this one is available. It’s worth the time and money.

Just a Christmas cover with a creepy Santa Claus for the 1943 winter edition of Comic Cavalcade.

In the heat of the second World War almost half the issue is propaganda. Filler between headliners Flash, Wonder Woman and Green Lantern are illustrated tales of heroism on both the European and Pacific fronts. The “Real Life Story of George Philip Corl” features the decorated sergeant who was wounded three times before taking down a Messerschmitt over North Africa.

Comic Cavalcade (1942) 5

Hop Harrigan sinks a Japanese destroyer and a convoy of troop ships in “Combined Operations.”

“Reel Life to Real Life” is spy hunt involving a soldier, sailor and Marine in Hollywood.

Wonder Woman is featured in “Mystery of the Crimson Flame.” The Amazon finds herself in Arabia to solve the mystery of the story’s title.

Green Lantern sidekick Doiby Dickles’ hat is lost and found while foiling the plans of fashion thieves.

Man-eating plants annoy the Flash in “The Plant That Challenged the World”.

Also included as reading fare are Sargon the Sorcerer and Mutt & Jeff.

Chanukah and Christmas are given equal billing with “Fright One Candle” and “It’s a Wonderful Fright.”

The “ghost” of Antiochus, emperor of the Syrian Greeks, attempts to spoil Chanukah by stealing the oil and candles from the synagogue. Velma’s sharp eyes notice a clue that leads to recovery of the missing items. The deception is not a hate crime, but a lesson to teach the children of the Jewish holiday.

Chanukah celebrates the Maccabees’ victory over the invading Syrian army and the miracle of the menorah burning for eight days.

“It’s a Wonderful Fright” was originally published in Scooby-Doo 115. Shaggy reprises George Bailey’s fictional life in the Phillip Van Doren Stern short story. Shaggy bumps his head and dreams away Mystery Inc. Every cliché comes to life during the dream sequence along with a series of poltergeists from the past.

For anyone not familiar with the Tick…stop it! Get right and get some knowledge.

Head to your local comic book shop, eBay, Amazon, whatever. Buy an issue, trade or omnibus. Discover a guilty pleasure.

The Tick New Series 1

From his humble beginnings as the New England Comics mascot to toy lines and syndication, the Tick has never disappointed. Creator Ben Edlund has crafted a character who lampoons the super hero industry. The Tick wallows in absurdity, but never white washes the truth.

During his career, The Tick has survived several series. The 2009 incarnation is birthed with a seasonal story sending the secret Santa practice into the stratosphere.

The Tick and fellow heroes meet at The Comet to celebrate Christmas. Their gift exchange is mingled with stories of past exploits. The sidekicks are given cameos as they, too, reminisce. Villains are sprinkled for variety.

A face from the franchise’s past returns and actually proves valuable in his efforts to remain a hero.

The Tick has had several holiday specials throughout the years. This is part of an ongoing series, but still feels special in its own right.

Bugs saves his hide from a rabbit stew by saving Christmas.

Bugs Bunny (1962) 109

The Old Man of the Mountain has decreed there will be no Christmas for 1961. A single father attempts to ease the pain by providing a good holiday dinner for his children. When they learn their hero is the main course, the children protest.

In return Bugs promises to put matters right and sets off to visit the Old Man of the Mountain. His nefarious plan is to shoot Santa from the sky as he makes his Christmas Eve rounds. That done, the Old Man can corner the toy market.

Bugs saves the day with help of a diminutive army. The evening ends with caroling around a present laden tree.

The story is reprinted from Dell’s Bugs Bunny’s Christmas Funnies (1950) issue five.

Numbering for the series is hard to follow. Gold Key picked up the numbering from the Dell run lasting from issues one through 85. Whitman continued the Dell numbering publishing from 210 to 245.

Wonder Woman opens Sensation Comics issue 38 with a Noel novella not to be found in any Christmas collection.

Creator William Moulton Marston describes the yule-time action that follows in the opening blurb:

“Using her Amazon airplane instead of reindeer, Wonder Woman plays Santa Claus for poor children, filling their empty stockings with presents and their longing hearts with love for the world’s most beautiful girl!

Sensation Comics (1942) 38

“But the lovely Amazon Princess lands in plenty to excitement and danger too, when she leaps from Miss Santa Claus’ sky charger into a hidden nest of vicious gold vault robbers. To save her two young friends, Pete and Gertie, Wonder Woman is compelled to surrender herself captive to these ruthless plunderers!

None but the maid from Paradise Isle, beautiful as Aphrodite, wise as Athena, stronger than Hercules and swifter than Mercury, could possibly escape the dangers and ordeals which confront Wonder Woman when ‘Racketeers Kidnap Miss Santa Claus’.”

Amid pleas for war bonds and ads for cereal the book is rounded out with “The Story of Sir Francis Drake,” Little Boy Blue and the Blue Boys in “Treasure for 10 cents,” “Vandals Desecrate Churches” with The Gay Ghost in an untitled short and Wildcat in “Meet Mr. Waffles.”

Also tossed in to meet requirements for a cheaper mailing rate is the two-page text tale “Double Cross.”

No holiday story, just a colorful Christmas cover for this indicia-dated February 2008 issue.

Included are three stories. “Family Monster” is the first. Velma drags the gang to Germany for the reading of a will at Castle Von Dinkley. The kids help a Frankenstein monster clone keep his home. Script by Greg Thompson and pencils by Jaime Garcia Corral.

“Football Fiend” follows with the gang foiling plans to sabotage a new stadium. Robbie Nely and Dan Davis do the honors.

The “Freeloading Ghost” finds himself homeless with plans to avenge his eviction. Scooby-Doo shows some unaccustomed bravado when the specter over-steps his bounds. All courtesy of Darryl Taylor Kravitz and Karen Matchette.

Dell produced the comic book adaptation of the movie in March, 1966. To add insult to injury, a Comic Book Storyteller edition was offered with a read-along record voiced by Dan Ocok, Ann Delugg and Ralph Bell. The album also featured the film’s theme song, “Hooray for Santa Claus.”

Santa Claus Conquers the Martians (1966)

Often billed as one of the worst films of all time, Santa Claus Conquers the Martians appeared in theaters in 1964. The film was based on a story by Glenville Mareth and was directed by Nicholas Webster.

The plot is pretty much spelled out in the title. When Mars children are found to be living by too rigid standards, Santa Claus is kidnapped to bring some whimsy to their world. Saboteurs attempt to foil the plan, but are set straight by the man in red. Santa is released from his captivity and returned to Earth in time to make his Christmas Eve rounds.

The film has become a cult favorite in part to its public domain status. During its initial release the film did recoup its production costs as well as making a profit.

Marvel recycled the cover and stories for its Marvel Holiday Special trade, but the original 2005 one-shot was all original.

Marvel Holiday Special (2005)

Shaenon K. Garrity serves up a jaunty pre-Christmas tale with shades of Citizen Kane. The Fantastic Four and Namor celebrate the holiday to satisfy an aggrieved Moleman’s childhood fancy in “Moleman’s Christmas.”

The disgruntled youth’s misgiving-theme is continued in “Yes, Virginia, There is a Santatron.” Spider-Man swings in late for the annual Avenger’s Christmas party. An unexpected – and unwanted – guest arrives in a Tannenbaum trimmed Trojan horse. Heroes prove their mettle as they circumvent the intrusion with a confederate confection.

Marvel’s holiday season comes to a close with “Christmas Day in Manhattan.” A rhythmic recital has the Fantastic Four saving another holiday from a poor-intentioned father. Their mercy provides presents for the innocents.

This 2005 edition is a worthy addition to any collector’s repository. A goodly portion of the Marvel U appears in either leading rolls or in cameos. The stories are heartwarming without being saccharine and the feeling of the season is almost tangible.