December 24th: One day and counting…

Almost. Just one more day. Instead of watching the minutes crawl by, break out a Christmas cartoon. At most sites that would mean Frosty or the Grinch and there’s nothing wrong with those cozy chestnuts.

But, here at Four Color we mean Batman: The Animated Series season one, episode two Christmas With the Joker.

You can hear Mark Hamill purring his lines as the Clown Prince of Crime makes his debut on Fox Network’s soon to be sensation. This originally aired Nov. 13, 1992.

The Joker performs a rendition of “Jingle Bells, Batman Smells, Robin laid an egg…” as he christens the Yule tree with a Star. All this to trigger the rocket hidden inside allowing him to escape Arkham Asylum once more.

Producing and airing an unauthorized holiday special via a pirated feed, Joker promises to kill his special guests and hostages Commissioner Gordon, Detective Harvey Bullock and local television personality Summer Gleeson. Batman and Robin save Christmas Eve, but Joker gets the final say with a dispirited “Merry Christmas” back at Arkham.

This 2024 release is, yes, my favorite and first purchase this year. Why Hallmark didn’t offer a Christmas With Joker version, I can’t say, but this is still a welcome addition to my – or any – Christmas conifer.

Hallmark offered earlier Joker incarnations with the 2008 version similar to Jim Lee’s Hush depiction. Heath Ledger was immortalized in 2013 as the Joker from The Dark Knight Returns. In 2015 Ceaser Romero once again personified the Harlequin of Hate from the 1966 television series.

Finally, the Joker appeared in his Lego form in 2018.

But, Mr. J never looked better than for 2024.

December 23rd: Two days and counting…

Hallmark unleashed the Hulk in 2014 with an ornament simply entitled Hulk Smash!

While a great sculpt and pose, what this reminds me of is The Incredible Hulk: Ultimate Destruction from 2005. Our version is for the underrated GameCube and one I still pop in from time-to-time.

Radical Entertainment was able to capture the Hulk perfectly. In addition to the GameCube, Ultimate Destruction was released for PlayStation 2 and Xbox.

This gem happened about the same time I was embarking on putting together my Hulk collection. A long-time fan, I finally took the plunge and went back for a full run of the second Hulk volume. With the exception of issues 141 and 180, I’ve done so.

The game happened to be a Christmas purchase as well. We had rented it enough times we probably bought it twice over, but it was still under the tree for 2005.

Hulk first appeared in a video game with the title Questprobe in 1984. It was featured for several fledgling computer models of the time.

It was another 10 years before he was pixelated again. This time for the Sega Genesis, Game Gear, and Super Nintendo in a self-titled side scroller.

Three years passed before he starred in The Incredible Hulk: The Pantheon Saga in 1997. Featured on the Playstation and Sega Saturn, this beat ’em up was based on the Pantheon story arc in Hulk comic books.

Hulk was released in 2003 to coincide with his first movie. The GameCube, Playstation 2 and Xbox were the systems that handled the game.

Hulk got small for the Game Boy Advance the same year with a ported version of the above game.

The Incredible Hulk hit the shelves in 2008 to tie-in with the second Hulk movie. Playstation 2, Wii and Xbox 360 were the platforms at the time.

He’s also appeared in other games as part of an ensemble cast, like the Lego games. These are probably the only ones that come close to equaling Ultimate Destruction. Sometimes you can’t outdo the originals.

December 22nd: Three days and counting…

Big Bang Theory brought the plight of Aquaman home during The Justice League Recombination episode Dec. 16, 2010, when Raj was forced to dress as the King of the Seven Seas. What made the situation even funnier was the fact he was mounted upon his trusty steed, Storm.

Oh, and it’s also a New Year’s Eve episode.

Hallmark helped return him to some of his former esteem 10 years later with its wonderfully crafted homage to himself and Storm. Again, another of my favorites just ‘cuz it was so unexpected and colorful on the tree. Just the year before they had issued a mini-ornament of Aquaman, along with Justice League buddies Flash and Green Lantern.

Aquaman was created by Paul Norris and Mort Weisinger and debuted in More Fun Comics issue 73 in 1941. He was part of the superhero revival of the late 1950s and is a founding member of the Justice League of America.

His fictional biography has him as a hybrid of the queen of Atlantis and a human lighthouse keeper. Aquaman’s alias is Arthur Curry.

Comic writer Geoff Johns proved to be instrumental in bringing posititive attention to the character when he revamped Aquaman as part of DC Comics New 52 line.

But, it’s still so funny to watch the Big Bang cosplay episode as they ring in the New Year at The Comic Center of Pasadena. Funko even released Pops with Raj as Aquaman, Sheldon as the Flash, Leonard as Green Lantern, Howard as Batman and Penny as Wonder Woman. Penny’s then boyfriend, Zack, was tapped to be Superman.

December 21st: Four days and counting…

This is another ornament I’ve had for so long I can’t remember where it came from.

                       1996

As I’ve stated before, Batman will always be the season’s hero for me, but that’s ‘cuz he was in my stockings come the big morning.

However Spidey will also be near and dear to my heart, no matter what time of year. He’s had his share of Christmas adventures as we’ve noted previously. One of my favorites is maybe his first in Marvel Team-Up issue one.

Lest we forget, Web Head has had his share of animated holiday episodes as well. Those include:

Reinforcement, the third episode of the show’s second season, from The Spectacular Spider-Man series.

Nightmare on Christmas and The Moon Knight Before Christmas were both featured on the Ultimate Spider-Man series. Nightmare was the 22nd episode of the third season. By then the cartoon was sub titled Web Warriors. Moon Knight guest starred in his eponymous episode. It aired as part of the series fourth season, by then retitled Ultimate Spider-Man v. the Sinister 6.

A Very Spidey Christmas, Merry Spidey Christmas and Halted Holiday were all part of Spidey and His Amazing Friends. A Very Spidey Christmas aired as the first segment of the 12th episode of its inaugural season. It aired on Spider Monday to promote tickets for Spider-Man: No Way Home.

Merry Spidey Christmas was part of the second season and partnered with Halted Holiday. Both aired as part of the Black Panther: Wakanda Forever release.

December 20th: five days and counting…

As mentioned yesterday, time goes by so slowly when you’re a kid. Especially with Christmas coming. There’s just no justice.

Which leads me to today’s ornament, the Hall of Justice from 2020.

Hoyt Curtin’s theme heralded the opening in an undulating brass section beating out a backbeat as William Woodson intoned:

“In the Great Hall of the Justice League, there are assembled the World’s Four Greatest Heroes created from the Cosmic Legends of the Universe!
Superman!
Wonder Woman!
Batman!
Aquaman!
And those three junior Super Friends, Wendy, Marvin and Wonderdog!
Their mission: to fight injustice, to right that which is wrong, and to serve all mankind!”

Super Friends aired on ABC from Sept. 8, 1973 to Aug. 24, 1974. A total of 16, one-hour episodes were featured and re-run until the fall of 1977.

The series was produced by Hanna-Barbera and National Periodical Publications (or DC Comics), based on the Justice League of America comic book. All characters, but Wonder Woman, had been featured on Saturday morning television as envisioned by Filmation in the late 1960s, but were victims of legislature that found children’s animation too violent. The heroes and their adventures were toned down for the new decade.

Hall of Justice

Superman and Wonder Woman were given a test drive on, of all cartoons, The Brady Kids while Batman and Robin were teamed with Mystery Inc. on two episodes of The New Scooby-Doo Movies. This was prior to the ‘73 Super Friends show.

While the big four were the featured heroes, Flash, Plastic Man and Green Arrow each made guest appearances.

In 1977 Super Friends was renamed The All New Super Friends Hour, then changed to Challenge of the Super Friends in 1978. In 1979, it was rebranded as The World’s Greatest SuperFriends before returning to simply SuperFriends from 1980 to 1983, then Super Friends: The Legendary Super Powers Show in 1984 and, finally, The Super Powers Team: Galactic Guardians in 1985.

In the wake of Warner Bros. successful Batman and Superman animated franchises, Justice League was launched on Cartoon Network May 29, 2004 followed by Justice League Unlimited airing for three seasons.

More recently the League has been featured on direct-to-BluRay feature length animations and shorts.

All this to honor what is – surprise, surprise – one of my favorite ornaments. Too bad Robin wasn’t shown a little more love originally. Wendy, Marvin and even Wonder Dog were given a mention in the opening salvo but, much like Chewbacca at the end of Star Wars who didn’t receive his medal, Robin was ignored.

December 19th: Six days and counting…

By this time, we’re all wishing time would speed up a bit. Remember growing up when Christmas was on kid time? Everything worth being excited for took so long to arrive. And, when it did, it was over far too quickly.

The same is true with adult time, but our perception of time passage has sped up a bit.

As discussed earlier, The Flash has been able to time travel. His cosmic treadmill allows him to visit the past and future. Which is how the Silver Age Flash, Barry Allen, met the Golden Age Flash, Jay Garrick in The Flash of Two Worlds in Flash (1959) issue 123. Other incarnations include Allen’s nephew Wally West and grandson Bart Allen.

This wooden representation was crafted by Jim Shore through his Enesco partnership.

December 18th: Seven days and counting…

Its simple and elegant, but speaks volumes.

The red block design features the Marvel Comics logo with super heroes on one side and villains on the other. Heroes include Thor, Captain America, Spider-Man, Black Widow, Hulk and Iron Man. Villains are Loki, Red Skull, Hela, Thanos and Ultron.

   Amazingly, these are the same heroes and villains featured in recent movies allowing both theater goers to enjoy as well as comic book veterans.

   This is part of the less expensive Hallmark ornaments produced for outlets like Walmart. It doesn’t diminish the enjoyment of adding this one to the tree.

December 17th: Eight days and counting…

Yes, we just had Catwoman ready for the tree a couple days ago, but this is The New Batman Adventures Catwoman.

And, a new addition to my super hero tree.

Complete with makeover for the new series that ran on Kids‘ WB from Sept. 13, 1997 to Jan. 16, 1999. TNBA was the successor to Batman the Animated Series which had just finished its 1992-95 run.

The New Batman Adventures were streamlined to easier facilitate animation and mimic Superman: the Animated Series which began airing a year earlier. In 1996 through 2000 the two partnered for become The New Batman/Superman Adventures.

While the series was curtailed before the new millennium, it did serve as a template for the 2001 and 2003 video games, Batman: Vengeance and Batman: Rise of Sin Tzu, respectively.

Catwoman was revamped with an all-black bodysuit similar to the one to be used in Batman Returns. Most of the other rogues gallery received an upgrade as well.

Appropriately enough, the new series kicked off with Holiday Knights, three holiday-themed vignettes beginning December 22 with Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy, followed by Batgirl and a straight out brawler between Batman and Robin and the Joker on New Year’s Eve.

December 16th: Nine days and counting…

Wolverine first appeared in the final panel of Incredible Hulk 180, cover dated October 1974. His first full appearance was the following month in issue 181 and, then, on the first page of Hulk 182.

Nothing else was planned for the character until it was decided to include him as a member of the X-Men in Giant-Size X-Men in 1975. Even then, he took a back seat in the Chris Claremont written book until artist John Byrne came aboard to help steer the series through issues 108 to 143. As a native born Canadian, Byrne chose to feature fellow Canuck Wolverine more prominently in the story lines. Because of which, Wolverine’s popularity grew until he’s become one of the most recognizable Marvel heroes today.

This Carlton Cards Heirloom ornament was offered in 2004.

December 15th: 10 Days and counting…

Still looking good for her age, Catwoman – aka Selina Kyle – debuted in Batman issue one of 1940. She was granted some time off between 1954 and 1966 when the Comics Code Authority was enacted. These issues involved the rules regarding the development and portrayal of female characters that were in violation of the Comics Code.

Since her revival, Catwoman has been portrayed in all media, most notably by Lee Meriwether in the 1966 Batman movie, followed by Michelle Pfeiffer in Batman Returns in 1992, Halle Berry in Catwoman in 2004, Anne Hathaway in The Dark Knight Rises of 2012 and Zoe Kravitz in the 2022 version of The Batman. Julie Newmar and Eartha Kitt also embodied the femme fatale for the late 1960s Batman television series. Camren Bicondova and Lili Simmons adopted the role for Gotham.

Her brief bio is offered on the back of the 2012 Hallmark box: “Since a troubled childhood left her to fend for herself, Salina Kyle has taken to the streets, adopting the purr-fect guise for a skilled cat burglar. Stalking slyly through the night, the feline felon known a Catwoman leaps through Gotham City with acrobatic grace, robbing from its citizens and playing a dangerously seductive cat-and-mouse game with Batman. And he’d better be on his toes because this kitten’s got claws…and a whip!”