Marvel implored readers to “Celebrate the Holidays!!! with Marvel’s ‘”same as last year’s’ 42-Cent per issue prices!” in 1984.

A clunky looking Iron Man dressed in metal overcoat and Santa cap carries a bag of toys for this in-house ad. Participants could have a 13-issue subscription for a mere $5.50, a savings of 18 cents per issue or 30 percent.

Offer expires Jan. 31, 1985

Hurry, the offer expired Jan. 31, 1985.

Titles to choose from included Alpha Flight to X-Men. This was a time when only the original title and New Mutants were on the stands. Spider-Man had four including Amazing, Marvel Tales, Marvel Team-Up and Peter Parker. Barbarians Conan and Kull still had their books and LucasFilm had yet to remove Star Wars from the stands.

Special titles included Marvel Age, Conan the King, Marvel Fanfare, Savage Sword of Conan, Dreadstar, Alien Legion and Dr. Who before he became a household name in America.

Subscribers could even give the gift of Marvel Comics by adding titles and names and addresses of friends. Though no mention is made, Marvel probably wanted an additional $5.50 for each subscription.

Only the patient need apply. In small print subscribers were warned to wait 10 weeks for delivery.

In this election year and all the turmoil surrounding the office, maybe it’s time for an official we can all trust.

Who better than Captain America? At least before he was revealed to be a Hydra operative. Is that still canonical?  I don’t keep up with all the hype anymore.

Captain America (1968) 250

Well, even if he is, it may be more appropriate considering the current political landscape.

Color Holidays – meaning Jeff and I – are based in West Virginia and today is our primary. Or, would have been if not for the CCP virus.

Andy, let’s use today to showcase Captain America 250.

For those not familiar with the story, Cap saves the New Populist Party from a terrorist attack. Samuel T. Underwood, the NPP Convention Chairman, invites the Star Spangled Avenger to serve as their presidential candidate. Cap demurs, but Underwood is persistent.

After much soul searching and advice, Cap realizes he serves America in a much better way as the Sentinel of Liberty.

‘Cap for President’ is the midway point for John Byrne’s collaboration with Roger Stern on, in hindsight, a remarkable collaboration from the beginning of the 1980s. Much of the run was reflective, allowing Steve Rogers/Captain America to remember where he came from as he entered a new era.

So, having read this, go vote your hearts – or at least for the lesser of two evils.

Science tells us time travel doesn’t exist.

But, it does.

At least in our minds. Here’s a prime example.

The holidays may be over, but here’s a look – 39 years – back at “Marvel’s Big Money…,” well, just re-read the title of today’s offering.

This one hurts my heart a bit. This was the end of an era. This was the final full year we lived back home; Virginia.

No, I didn’t order from this ad. We were fortunate enough to have one of the early comic book shops in Winchester. If I couldn’t make it there – these were the days before a driver’s license – there were newsstands and a 7-Eleven within pedaling distance.

Mighty Marvel’s Big Money-Saving Holiday Offer!

When the advertisement first appeared, it was just another page to flip past for more action. Looking at it now, the wreath is a portal to a time when adventures came at $.40 (plus tax) right off a spin rack.

Less if you subscribed for a year. Just read the hype: “The first subscription costs $5 – A big $1 savings off the regular sub price of $6!”

Read a little further and you could have saved an additional dollar with each subsequent subscription.

Whatta bargain.

It might have been nice, but there was – and still is – a thrill that comes when you pick up your pull box stack or find one on the wall that calls out; looking at those lavish covers and being drawn into the story without turning a page.

Hope your holidays were wonderful and the memories made will be good ones in the years to come. Jan. 31, 1981, has come and gone; buried by a lotta years. But, we can still remember.

Leaves are turning, stores are pimping Christmas and sale ads are hawking turkeys. Must be Thanksgiving.

And, it is.

Almost.

Along with football from the Dallas Cowboys and Detroit Lions, there’s the over eating and family squabbles. To kick the day off is the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. As the culinary bouquet wafts from the kitchen, those not involved beyond devouring the dinner are watching the second-oldest American parade unfold in the living room.

For three hours.

The parade began in 1924 in Newark, NJ, then transferred to Macy’s in New York City. Character balloons began appearing in the parade in 1927. It went on hiatus during World War II, 1942 to 1944. The parade was first broadcast on network television in 1948.

Being a part of New York City, Marvel Comics was represented by Spider-Man in 1987. Attached was a camera that has become known as the Spidey-Cam.

Also introduced that year was a Marvel Universe float featuring a multitude of heroes and villains.

Kudos to the team who mated Night of the Living Dead with Rankin and Bass stop motion “Animagic.”

Marvel Zombies began as a five-issue limited series cover dated December 2005. Robert “Walking Dead” Kirkman wrote the series while Sean Phillips added the viscera visuals. Arthur Suydam provided covers.

The mini proved popular enough it has spawned a continuing franchise appearing as further short series and one-shots.

Marvel Super Hero Adventures Halloween Spooktacular 1

Ya know what? This is just cute.

Sometimes it’s just nice to get back to something simple. A quick read for the bathroom or before bed. MSH Adventures Halloween Spooktacular 2018 is fun. No pretense. No drama. Clever story telling, told in a simple fashion.

“Sanctum Spooktorum” showcases Marvel’s current cinematic stars on an uninvited and ill-advised trip to Doctor Strange’s house.

Next up is “Spidey’s Super-Scary Stories,” which are anything, but scary.

Quitting the quips for a bit, Spider-Man becomes a story teller to a trio set on Halloween hijinks. Spidey spins three tales aimed more at the funny bone than the neck’s hackles.

Also included are the Daily Bugle funnies, Spider-Man maze and Iron Man coloring page.

It’s too early for Christmas, but Four Color Holidays is not about judging anyone. Not to their face, anyway. So, let’s look at the new Hallmark ornaments available today at your finer Hallmark retailers.

Wonder Woman

Mini-DC Justice League Aquaman Ornament

Mini-DC Justice League Green Lantern Ornament

DC Comics Batman Ornament

DC Comics Wonder Woman Invisible Jet Ornament

Marvel Studios Avengers: Endgame Infinity Gauntlet Ornament with Light

Marvel Studios Avengers: Endgame Thanos Ornament

Marvel Studios Avengers: Endgame Captain America Ornament

Marvel Iron Man Metal Ornament

DC beat Marvel to the holiday punch with the first of the Christmas specials beginning in 1974.

The Marvel Treasury Special was released Nov. 26 of that year on the heels of DC’s Limited Collector’s Edition (C-34) that hit newsstands Nov. 7.

Whereas DC had decades of material to draw from, Marvel had a little over 10-years worth of stories to plumb.

Naturally “Have Yourself a Sandman Little Christmas!” led the list.

It was a reprint from Marvel Team-Up issue one starring Spider-Man and the Human Torch battling Sandman. A sappy story that brought out the season in both heroes who allowed Sandman to visit his mother on Christmas Eve.  The good deed does not go unpunished leading both heroes to a continuation of the story in issue two.

The remainder of the book is what the title promised:  a grab-bag.

Marvel Treasury Special (1974)

In “Mortal Combat with…Sub-Mariner” is reprinted from Daredevil issue seven. Namor makes land fall to seek out Matt Murdock to serve as his lawyer. The sea prince wishes to sue the surface world for its exploitation of the other three quarters of the Earth.  Murdock’s alter ego is called upon when he refuses to take the case.

Black Widow stars in the next story taken from Amazing Adventures (1970) issue five. An unremarkable story. Maybe the most noteworthy of the book is Neal Adam’s assumption of penciling chores on the Inhuman’s story.

Fantastic Four issues 25 and 26, a two-part tale, finish out the book. The Thing and Hulk go toe-to-toe in issue 25 with the Avengers guest starring in the second part.

Far from the holiday specials to come in the 1990s, but at least setting a precedence for the company.

Marvel’s holiday card, circa 2010.