Not much Christmas in this issue. Daredevil drops the holiday name a few times, he and Black Widow use a string of wreaths for a balancing act and that’s about it.

Most of the issue is spent with DD taking inventory of his life, relationships and finally trading blows with the Beetle only to have the issue end with a continuation in Marvel Two-In-One 3.

Overall, unless you have some history with Daredevil during this era don’t bother with this one.

Sometimes it’s hard to look at the past. And, I’m not just talking about the issue in question.

Cover dated February 1992 the issue features a backdrop of the era that spawned it. “How the Groonk Stole Christmas” may be confusing for non-Thor fans, but maybe more so for those who missed the early 1990s in general.

By and large, this is a Christmas issue from the shadowy Dr. Seuss knock-off on the cover through holiday drama as bland as the era.

Not really a Christmas issue beyond the opening pages showing Ben Grimm attempting to hide presents for his nephew Franklin.

An argument could be made that the story does involve miracles such as the Inhumans launching Attailan to the moon where they take up residence and Quicksliver and Crystal’s child being born a human as their mutant and Attailan blood cancel the other out.

But, those are normal events in the Marvel Universe.

For a character without a huge fan base, Moon Knight gets a lotta love including this 2007 Christmas special.

Long debated as to whether Marc Spectre is Marvel’s answer to Bruce Wayne, Moon Knight finally gets his own holiday treatment with a one-shot dashed off by Peter Milligan. The story is a vague leaving readers to interpret their own ending.

Amazing Spider-Man 314

For those of you who don’t remember or weren’t there, this was written just prior to the comic book explosion spurred on by investors and companies only too happy to print more than demanded. This is 1988 and Todd McFarlane was still Marvel’s wunderkind.

Almost forgotten in the craze of hot illustrators is the fact many of the writers are at the top of their games as well. In this case David Michelinie penned “Down and Out in Forest Hill”s, taking the hero and not only running him up a tree, but then throwing rocks at him.

Peter Parker and Mary Jane Watson had finally married and the curvaceous missus was one of the top models in the world. Marvel needed to bring the celebrity couple back to Earth. They did so with a story line that ran in Amazing Spider-Man 304-09 in which Mary Jane became the focus of unwanted intentions by a multi-millionaire stalker. Spider-Man thwarted his plans, but the couple are finding out – on Christmas Eve no less – his reach extends beyond prison.

Most of the issue is a self-imposed pity party for Peter Parker (beat that alliteration, Stan). The issue is resolved when he learns there are others in the world who should be thought of before himself.

Daredevil (1964) 169

By this point Frank Miller was firmly settled behind the wheel of Daredevil, engine thrumming down the road at 90, a high-performance talent revving on all cylinders popping in four-color drama with a telling blueprint for The Dark Knight Returns.

But, that is the future. For Christmas 1980 Bullseye’s escape shakes the snow globe mixing blood and madness with the faux snow.

Miller’s run on Daredevil is the precursor to Ronin and Hard Boiled leading to his masterpiece: Sin City. Too often overlooked in the Miller and comic book pantheon, issues 163-191 are too few, but allow a former minor hero to take center stage with the likes of Spider-Man and the X-Men.

This Christmas comic comes with some baggage. Not too much, but readers may find themselves scratching their heads as Tony Stark/Iron Man conducts business this issue.

Good news is Taskmaster is the villain of the month, though he keeps a hands off approach to business.

The long and short, Iron Man 254 sports a nice cover, but a mediocre story and hackneyed ending.

Spectacular Spider-Man 173

“Creatures Stirring,” the title of this tale, showcases Gerry Conway and David Michelinie’s writing talents in celebration of the Christmas season.

Longtime nemesis Doctor Octopus returns seeking human kindness from – in his own words – the only woman who has ever shown him kindness: May Parker.

Also en route to join festivities already in progress at the family homestead is Peter Parker, laden with gifts. Along the way, the weary Web-Head detours long enough to stop a street Santa mugging and the Daily Bugle for the annual Christmas party.

An impromptu altercation at the latter puts Peter in a bad mood, meaning his eventual meeting with Doc Ock proves a misunderstanding resulting in the obligatory punch up.

That is interrupted by the appearance of Aunt May and Mary Jane. The kindly doctor makes his apologies and departs leaving Spider-Man to ponder, aloud, if there are any heroes of villains on Christmas Eve.

Wolverine 49 (2003)

Wolverine out Bruce Willis’ breakout character John McClane in this semi-cloned Christmas Eve story. The only thing missing is the “Yippy ki-yi-yah (explicative deleted).”

While I say this is a re-imagining of a classic action movie, “Better to Give…” is much more. Like Uncanny X-Men 143, the similarities between comic book and movie are laid bare early on and, in this case, Rob Williams makes no apologies. Nor should he.

The juxtaposition of a character with more red ink on his hands than a copier repair man – on a mission of mercy for team mate Kitty Pryde – on the cusp of Christmas in a crowded New York department store is, well…Wolverine says it best.

“I’m the best at what I do.

“But what I do best…

…isn’t shopping.”

Williams swipes from master Wolverine scribe Chris Claremont, but who hasn’t? Plus, the line works perfectly.

If looking for a stocking stuffer for the tougher-to-shop for, this is the one. Even the cover oozes menace.

Howard the Duck 3

Caught in a world he never made – and at Christmas time, too.

A morass, self-pitying Howard the Duck finds the true meaning of Christmas while trying to prove to a little girl Santa does indeed exist. All with some help from the jolly one himself and an elf.

That’s the simple run down, but with Howard it’s never as black and white as his magazine.

Howard had a brilliant run through his 33 regular issues, one annual, a Marvel Treasury Edition and even a slightly syndicated comic strip earning accolades under the mentor ship of Steve Gerber’s twisted take of late ‘70s America.

The satirical comic book came under new leadership when Gerber was relieved of duties due to creative issues and Bill Mantlo was installed for the nine-issue magazine run.

Mantlo handled the job as best he could, even casting Marvel’s mallard against the arctic background for this Christmas tale of civil war in the far north.

Not a standard Night Before Christmas by any means, but a unique look at the tail end of the 1970s, the Carter Administration, gas rationing and alternative fossil fuel resources.