Not that we really need an excuse for an Oreo cookie, but today is National Oreo Cookie Day anyway.

March 6 commemorates the sale of the very first Oreo over 100 years ago in 1912.

While we’ve celebrated with Earth’s adopted son, J’onn (Martian Manhunter) J’onzz, today we focus on a Marvel Team-Up between Monodelez International and Disney Consumer Products. Those who have been visiting the grocery portion of your local (fill in shopping place of preference), more specifically the cookie aisle, may have noticed Marvel heroes adorning Oreo packaging.

Cookie and comic enthusiasts are given the opportunity to buy three collectible packages under the Stuf of Legends branding. When placed side by side, and the fourth package placed above, the wrappers offer a hidden illustrated scene as created by artist Todd Nauck.

The fourth package was only released as National Oreo Cookie Day approached, featuring Marvel Comics’ reigning bad guy Doctor Doom.

The Stuf of Doom Cookies feature a new flavor called Masked Decadence, combining graham cookies with toasted marshmallow-flavored cream. Doom’s personage will be featured on each cookie and will be required dessert throughout Latveria.

Not really, but it sounds about right.

However, the new sandwich cookie will offer a little fun as the black crème is designed to turn the eater’s tongue green. Just in time for St. Patrick’s Day, no less.

This may be part of a promotion for December’s Avenger’s: Doomsday.

 

Welcome to October.

The 10th month is the first of the big Trifecta leading to Thanksgiving and Christmas. To celebrate, we’re going down another rabbit hole like we did last December and February.

First, we’re gonna look at the costumes that defined our hobby. The costumes we begged mom and dad for each Halloween so we could represent the good and bad of the four-color universe we lived in.

Check out this Uber cool Doctor Doom costume from Ben Cooper. Yes, the mask may seem a bit flimsy, but that was part of the charm. Ben Cooper costumes were mass manufactured and marketed, filling Woolworth, Ben Franklin and other now defunct department store chain aisles.

The price tag was a mere $1.98. American. Not Latverian. Makes you wonder if Doom allowed Latveria to adopt the Euro.

Probably not.

Anyway, Ben Cooper was the answer to cheaply dressing children in masks that restricted breathing and costumes guaranteed to rip after the second wearing.

Ben Cooper costumes were more about anticipation. There was no subtlety with crude characterizations of who you were imitating drawn on the front along with the name of that choice.

With Doom’s ego, this isn’t a problem.

For those, if any, not familiar with Fantastic Four founder Reed Richard’s former college roomie, Doom was born Victor Von. A misadventure caused an explosion scaring his face. Doom would adopt his trademark mask to cover his shame. His armor would house his many defenses.

Over the past 60 years and into the next 60, Doom and the Fantastic Four have clashed. Theirs is the first big rivalry of the Marvel Universe.

My favorite throw down will always be the epic showdown that climaxed in issue 200. Len Wein and Marv Wolfman planned and penned for over a year to deliver the over-sized anniversary payoff.

Doom has had a huge impact on the Marvel U appearing in pretty much every title offered since his creation.

So many holidays, so much food.

Coming on the heels of Thanksgiving and just in time for the confectionary crush of Christmas time is National Cake Day.

Cake originates from the Viking kake. While the word has remained relatively the same, the end result has differed. Originally, cake was a flat bread with a regular shape flipped to ensure both sides were baked evenly.

The first ever birthday cake dates back before 1785. The term referred to a cake gifted for a birthday.

It wasn’t until the 19^th century cake became what we know it as today. Cakes could then be baked with extra refined white flour and baking powder instead of yeast. Buttercream frostings began replacing boiled icings with fruit toppings.

A history of National Cake Day is not as easy to find. All we know is its as good a (non) holiday as any. Better than others in that National Cake Day allows celebrants an excuse to enjoy a sweet pleasure they may have avoided that day.

Our comic book representation for the day is the four-issue mini offered by Drakes Cakes in 1993 starring a line up Marvels’ finest – and most popular at the time.

Drake’s Cakes are named after founder Newman E. Drake who started the company in 1896 in New York.

The National Biscuit Company, better known now as Nobisco, bought out the Drake bakery and referred to the bakery as the N.E. Drake Baking Co. The Drake’s Famous Loaf Cakes continued to sell under the brand name until 1902. The Drake Baking Company was dissolved in 1903.

Drake reestablished his business as the Drake Brothers Company in 1903 and had expanded to a five-story bakery in 1913.

The company remained a family business until 1998 when Interstate Bakeries Corporation purchased the brand. Drakes became part of a Bakeries line that included Hostess.

Hostess Brands Inc., formerly Interstate Bakeries, filed for bankruptcy in 2012. In April of 2013, McKee Foods purchased the Drake’s brand for $27.5 million, reintroducing the company’s top selling items the same year.

Amid the shuffling of ownership, Drake partnered with Marvel Comics to publish four mini-comic books (3”x5” and 16-pages long) featuring Spider-Man, Hulk, Silver Surfer, Jubilee and Wolverine. Together they faced off against the Rhino, Sabretooth, Juggernaut and Doctor Doom.

Titles included Spider-Man: Carnage on Campus, Wolverine: Danger on the Docks, Hulk: Mayhem at the Mount and Silver Surfer: Lunacy in Latveria.

Unlike many of the other promotional giveaways, these were free of product placement. Only the last page touted the remaining comic books in the series, courtesy of Drakes Snack Cakes! A one-page add for the product was featured on the back cover.

Welcome to another October.

For us, this means 31 days of hauntingly good – we hope – horror comic books. To begin our alternative advent of scary goodness we’re looking at the Avengers Halloween Special released four years past.

Featured are heavy hitters Daredevil, Doctor Doom, Deadpool, Captain America, Iron Man, Punisher and Wolverine. Each are the focus in this hit-and-miss collection of creepy chronicles.

Most are misses, but The Thing From Another Time is the showstopper. Tony Stark enlists the talents of Deadpool and Colossus to recover his father’s greatest weapon.

This retelling of the 1951 classic – later reimagined by John Carpenter – does the original justice. Right down to the frosty finish pitting Iron Man against the elements and the past as the blizzard begins.

The Eyes Have It steals from Japanese horror cinema’s Gin gwai (The Eye). Matt Murdock, aka Daredevil, is given the gift of sight. Not till the end of the short thriller does he learn his benefactor is anything but benevolent.

The Fantastic Four are next up with Victor Von Doom as the voice of reason in this story somewhat reminiscent of Invasion of the Body Snatchers. Cameos by Black Widow, Thor, Hulk, Captain America Iron Man and Bullseye.

Frank Castle stars in Punisher of the Opera.

More filler, but admirable for the attempt.

Haunted Mansion is Wolverine’s vehicle, though he appears more in a cameo appearance in his own story. Short and to the point, the ghosts in this story appear friendlier to the reader than the trio of trick-or-treaters who stumble upon the tale.

Marvel gets points for publishing a Halloween special, though better have come before. Pick it up and prove my opinion wrong. Sometimes it’s just nice to have something remembering the month.

Here’s one that slipped past me last Christmas.

At first glance, not much to write home about. “Pete & Miles in Off Duty,” is no Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. Only the best incarnation of all the silver screen Spider-Mans by the way. No, “Pete & Miles in Off Duty” is, well, not sure how to describe it.

Confusing?

In a way.

Lifeless?

Yeah, you could say that.

In short it’s just not good.

Now, “Nuts and Bots” is a different story. Literally. Squirrel Girl and Doc Doom. C’mon. That’s a match up. Not a heavy weight title bout, but still way more entertaining than midget wrestling.

Finally, Squirrel Girl is getting a little respect. She deserves it. Her own title and some guest appearances. Good stuff.

Season’s Beatings (2019) 1

Season’s Beatings (2019) 1 Jason Latour cover

Season’s Beatings (2019) 1 Fantastic Four Villians cover

What I haven’t mentioned about the holiday special is the Deadpool framing sequence. Deadpool is our emcee for the show. In a Saturday Night Live or old Muppet Show twist, Deadpool is brought forward from behind-the-scenes allowing Squirrel Girl to interact with him.

The two go toe-to-toe, not with fisticuffs or weapons, but in a far more deadly verbal one-on-one.

Finally, “Holi-La-La-Days” continues to make amends for a slow start. Deadpool steps out of the framing sequence to help move the story to a satisfying conclusion with Hawkeye playing detective.

A worthy addition to anyone’s holiday collection.