Ghost Rider Xmas Special

Robbie Reyes’ little brother, Gabe, is chided for his continued belief in Santa Claus. Those same bullies become believers when the Yang to Kris Kringle’s Yin, Krampus, kidnaps them for supper.

Reyes was tapped as the new Ghost Rider in 2014, then introduced into the Marvel cinematic universe as a recurring character in the fourth season of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., played by Gabriel Luna.

The new Spirit of Vengeance hails from East Los Angeles and spins around town in a 1969 Dodge Charger rather than the familiar motorcycle. Reyes became Ghost Rider after stealing Calvin Zabo’s, aka Mr. Hyde, car and being gunned down by mercenaries attempting to pilfer the potion Zabo uses to become Hyde.

DC Holiday Special 2017

With 2017 history it’s time to be thankful DC remembered fans with a stocking stuffer holiday special.

The tales make up a worthy Tannenbaum tome as Jeff Limire bookends the seasonal sandwich of stories with Bibbo championing Superman and his deeds throughout the year to a doubting Clark Kent with John Constantine tossing in his two pence worth.

The meat of the book belongs to Sgt. Rock, the Atomic Knights, Flash (both Barry and Wally), Green Arrow and Black Canary, Deathstroke, Swamp Thing and Wonder Woman. Denny O’Neil returns for a haunting Batman yarn that warms no hearts.

“The Silent Night of the Batman” is the encore. Reprinted from Batman 218, “The Silent Night…” was the 1960s decade closer for Caped Crusader. Easily the best story of the book and has oft been reprinted capturing hearts again in the Batman by Neal Adams Omnibus, Batman Illustrated by Neal Adams (Vol. 2), Batman: The Joker’s Revenge trade paperback, Christmas With the Super Heroes (1988), Limited Collector’s Edition C-43 and Showcase Presents Batman trade paperback (Vol. 5).

Not the best for a good year, but a good way to start a new one.

Superman’s Christmas Adventure (1944)

Superman may have been one of the original pop-culture phenoms. Following his first appearance in Action Comics issue one his fandom grew exponentially with his likeness featured in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and The Adventures of Superman radio program both offered in 1940.

By 1942 Action Comics, Superman and Superman Quarterly were reportedly selling 1.5 million issues a month. The following year Superman hit the big screen in animated form courtesy of Fleischer Studios.

It’s no surprise the Man of Steel would be sought after for further promotional roles following the 1940 volume one of Superman’s Christmas Adventure. As with the first go round Superman’s Christmas Adventure volume two was a give-away for department stores and other companies.

Despite a twinge of humbugishness at the outset, Youtube personality ComicDrake delivers a spirited and cheerful review of DC’s Green Lantern: Larfleeze Christmas Special (2011) one-shot.

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.

Recently, David Santiago shared a heartfelt message with the Back Issue Magazine Facebook Group.  With his permission, we’ve reprinted it here.

Thank you, David, and Merry Christmas.

When you’re a kid who grew up in a family where money was tight and sometimes Christmas was just a regular meal, you tend to appreciate the holiday and some of the little joys that come from it. One Christmas, we were struggling to pay bills and just put food on the table. There were no presents and certainly no one was in the mood for ornaments or even a beat up tree that came from Charlie Brown’s house. One night, I went to my room and stayed quiet as I looked out the window. I could sulk, at least. While feeling bad that there was nothing to do to help alleviate the families’ financial straits except worry (I was only 13 and I had an ulcer), I decided to pull out my comics and let my mind flow into a world of fantasy, and a world where I didn’t have to worry or be scared about what might happen tomorrow. The first comic I pulled was a Christmas comic digest. It was full of stories that were corny, but also filled me with hope. That is what Christmas is about, hope and faith. I pulled out every Christmas comic I had and had my own little Christmas, one just for me with no fears of where we’d find the money to pay the bills. As with all things, the bills got paid, and thanks to a bonus my dad got, we had a smaller than usual Christmas, but still one of the best. I lost many of my comics by the time I got to high school, but I would find this comic a few years later in a marked down box of comics. It was titled Christmas With The Superheroes, and it had many of the stories I read that night. To this day, I keep a copy near me on my desk. It helps to remind me that even when everything feels like it is falling in and there’s nothing to look forward to, there’s always hope, and hope comes to us in different forms, even as a comic book. 🙂

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.

DC Special Series 21

A shining star leads Jonah Hex, Batman, the crew from the House of Mystery, Sgt. Rock and Superboy and the Legion of Super Heroes through five holiday-themed stories.

This issue is probably most notable for showcasing Frank Miller’s first Batman work: Santa Claus: Wanted Dead or Alive! The story is penned by Denny O’Neil.

House of Mystery features three, two-page stories told by Cain, the three Witches from The Witching Hour and Destiny from Secrets of Haunted House.

Jonah Hex shows a softer side to his crusty bounty hunter persona in The Fawn and the Star.

Sgt. Rock and Easy Co. fight their way through Italy with the Top Kick even offering an anti-smoking PSA.

Finally Superboy visits with his friends in Star Light, Star Bright…Farthest Star I See Tonight. The Boy of Steel and select Legionaries embark on a journey to find the legendary star of Bethlehem.

The previous year Mark Waid brought us a collection of his favorite holiday stories. In 1989 he returned with a gift wrapped bundle of original tales featuring some of DC’s best known characters as depicted by some of comic book’s best known talent.

It’s hard to pick the best of the bunch, but for me it would probably be the Batman story, “And in the Depths,” written by Dave Gibbons and illustrated by Gray Morrow. For 10 pages readers traverse the life of Batman to the death of Robin.

Christmas With the Super Heroes (1989)

When I was growing up the old Batman stories were reprinted in various forms from the Batman Signet paperbacks to Limited Collector Editions and backup stories in the 100 pagers of the early to mid-1970s. I read ‘em all. Or, as many as I could get my hands on.

I get very nostalgic this time of year for those old tales before Frank Miller Dark Knighted Batman, back when the colors popped and the villains were as goofy as their criminal hijinks.

The second strongest of the lot is a team up with the Barry Allen and Hal Jordan Flash and Green Lantern, respectively, when the JLA’s first satellite headquarters orbited an exact 22,300 miles above Earth.

Flash and Green Lantern, who was a back up in Flash’s comic book for a while, prove Santa Claus does exist – in all of us.

Superman, Wonder Woman, Dead Man and Enemy Ace flesh out the Christmas issue with stories reminding readers the holidays are about giving.

The Tick Big Yule Log Special (1997)

Arthur is suffering from an identity crisis at Christmas time. The Tick tries to turn the tide on his little buddy’s yule time troubles as only he can, but it’s a case of mistaken identity that cures the Moth’s moroseness.

This book has it all as the Tick adopts a Santa persona and accidently foils a rouge elf’s schemes to marshal the children on the naughty list against the Jolly Big Guy.

Angels, explosions and misunderstandings make for a rousing Christmas tale that could only happen to the Tick.

Flip the book over and Arthur teaches the Tick about Hanukkah.

Remember, this is when the Tick was becoming a semi-household name with his own Saturday morning animated half hour, Ban Dai licensed likenesses and happy meal toys from Carl’s Jr. and Taco Bell. The Tick even had his own video game.

Interest waned toward the end of the 1990s hastened by the Columbia TriStar Television series that even Patrick Warburton couldn’t save.

However, shining like the fabled star The Tick survived in his original medium and continued to offer holiday specials collected in The Tick’s Giant Christmas Cavalcade released in 2010.