Pinky and the Brain Christmas Special

Yes, Brain, there is a Santa Claus.

Pinky and the Brian attempt to do what they do every night, but world domination isn’t always as easy as it sounds. Especially during the holiday season.

Brain’s latest scheme is to infiltrate Santa’s headquarters, reprogram processors for 1995’s seasonal hot toy robot and, all together now, “…take over the world.”

As with all best laid plans of mice and men Brain winds up bruised and battered and a little wiser in the ways of the world as he and Pinky trudge home to regroup for another plan to take over the world.

A graphic retelling of redemption spun with zombies.

While short on carnage there are some genuinely creepy imaginations plotted between writer James McCann and pencilers David Baldeon and Jeremy Treece. The wording is as eloquent as a Victorian dance step.

There are worse ways to tackle the new millennium than with the Tick.

Always entertaining – sometimes confusing – Tick and Author are especially welcome in every household at Christmas time. Short of the celluloid classic Santa Claus Conquers the Martians, where else ya gonna find a misplaced alien bent on world domination during the happiest time of the year?

Spoon!

Marvel Holiday Special 2011 TPB

The early days of the Christmas Treasury Editions and their skimpy Santa’s bag of holiday stories were long past when Marvel published this volume.

Each of the offerings is a reprint beginning with “Have Yourself a Sandman Little Christmas” from Marvel Team-Up 1 followed by “Demon” from Uncanny X-Men 143. The remainder of the book pulls from either the 2004 and 2005 Marvel Holiday Specials.

Of course the first two stories are a glimpse of Merry Marvel of old, but the newer offerings provide a look at how far the House of Ideas has come.

The Punisher was a hot commodity in the early 1990s so it was no surprise Marvel used one of its bigger money makers to fill the coffers even more. Taking that same character and putting in a setting as harmonious as Christmas time was a nice dichotomy.

Beyond that, The Punisher Holiday Special is anything but special. The first two stories are unspectacular just putting Frank in a position for blood letting. The third is a three-part act that’s as textless as it is tacktless.

Hail to the King, Baby.

Too bad the King isn’t in evidence for the Christmas carnage. Absent is the usual machismo and roguish charm of Bruce Campbell under the direction of Sam Rami. It’s a fast read that seem to be over before it began.

The heavily Pogo inspired Bone teamed with former Hero magazine, one of the early 1990s monthly price guides, for the three-page “Happy Winter Solstice!” short. Bone and company celebrate Christmas in their own fashion with Thorn and Grandma while spreading a little holiday cheer to the, “stupid, stupid rat creatures.”

Also included is a pin up and interview with creator Jeff Smith.

Klaatu barada nicto replace Merry Christmas at S’Mart during this 2009 holiday special.

Hide the kids and minorities as Ash Williams mixes his wisdom taking on Deadites, good girl art and the seasonal rush of last-minute shoppers with only a chainsaw to save the world.

Batman the Holiday Special (1992)

This book is a pleasurable four-color advent calendar between Christmas and New Year’s Eves featuring the core cast of Batman the Animated Series and some colorful villains to add value to the $2.95 price tag.

It’s hard to pull a favorite out of the five featured here, though the first two stories set the bar high for the remainder of the book.

“Jolly Ol’ St. Nicholas” is an off-beat ‘em up teaming Batgirl, Harvey Bullock and Officer Renee Montoya. The second installment showcases Harley and Ivy as they skirt the system for some last minute shopping.

Paul Dini does the writing chores for all the stories with co-credits to Bruce Timm on “Jolly Ol’ St. Nicholas” and “What Are You Doing New Year’s Eve?” and Ronnie Del Carmen for “The Harley and the Ivy.” Timm does art chores for “Jolly Ol’ St. Nicholas” and color for the books finale, “Should Old Acquaintance be Forgot.”

Christmas With the Super-Heroes (C-43)

DC followed its Christmas With the Superheroes 1974 edition with a second stocking stuffer the following season.

Included was maybe DC’s first Christmas special: Superman’s Christmas Adventure cover dated 1940 as well as probably the most cited Batman holiday tale Silent Night of the Batman from Batman 219; a classic Wonder Woman story socking it to the Nazis; a Joe Simon/Jack Kirby collaboration on Sandman and maybe my introduction to the House of Mystery with Night Prowler.

This is another stocking stuffer and the second of my Christmas comic books. Most of what I remember is probably conjecture based on the repetition of my childhood Christmas mornings, but I know I pulled this from my stocking Christmas morning 1975 as America readied itself for the Bicentennial, Watergate began to fade from memory and Saturday Night Live took hold on television and the American landscape.

If I actually took note of any of the above, it was probably the prevalence red, white and blue merchandise that paled beside the four-color holiday treasure I would read over and over.

It would be nice to go back in time and review those moments. Some, maybe most, would be remembered far more fondly than they actually were, but to relive a moment most consider so trivial at the time that proved so profound for the simple fact it has become a cherished memory would be worth almost anything.