I wasn’t gonna do anything for New Year’s Eve. After 24 days of trying to make ornaments sound interesting- or, as interesting as they have been to me – there was some burnout.

However, watching the countdown myself, there was a sense that there should be more. So, I tossed in the Day After and Lucky 13. Maybe it was an attempt to slow down 2024’s demise. Not that it was an exceptional year, nor was it a bad year. It’s just the swan song before another begins and we start that journey through the unknown after being able to look back at what has already transpired.

Then, I read the Marvel Holiday Tales to Astonish. It was a Christmas special, so a must have. I just wasn’t prepared to enjoy it as much as I did. Three holiday stories that entertained more than anticipated.

Marvel Holiday Tales to Astonish and variants

First, the variant cover was a nod to the Marvel Treasury Edition Giant Super Hero Grab-Bag from 1974. Then story one, ‘Twas the Fight Before Christmas, featuring the Fantastic Four, made for a good opening salvo.

Reed, Sue, Ben and Johnny host an annual Christmas party for all heroes who have been included in the ranks of the FF over the years (see below for the list). A distress call takes the core members away to do battle with a first gen Doombot.

Festival of Fights, starring the Uncanny X-Men, was even better. Told through the eyes of new member Kitty Pryde, she counts down Hanukkah with their adventures including the classic Christmas tale from X-Men 143 and her solo battle in Demon.

Finally, Spectacular Spider-Man and Resolutions. This New Year’s Eve tale gave me the excuse and reason to chime in one last time this year.

Yes, this site has been silent for far too long. For that, I apologize. Next year will be different. Guess you could say this is my New Year’s Resolution; to make the coming year worth returning for. I’ve already gone down another rabbit hole for February. Please plan to be there.

Trying to keep the site fresh isn’t always easy. Hopefully 2025 will be a return to something good. We’ve already pulled down some new ideas while retaining the source material. We’ll try to make it worth your while. Whatever your decision, thanks for being with us this far.

As promised, here’s the list of Fantastic Four members from throughout the years and the issue they joined. Recruits include Crystal (FF 81), Medusa (FF 132), Luke Cage (FF 168), Nova (FF 238), She-Hulk (FF 265), Ms. Marvel/She-Thing (FF 306), Ant Man (FF 348), Storm (FF 543), Black Panther (FF 543) and Spider-Man (FF 657).

This does not include the time the FF were replaced by Spider-Man, Ghost Rider, Hulk and Wolverine for issues 347-49.

December 26th: 365 days and counting…

We’re not really gonna do this. Not this early.

No, we’re trying to help the Christmas hangover with a little hair of the dog. Here’s some more Yule time merch to get you over the hump.

This Spidey puzzle features our favorite wall crawler in festive spirits spreading some holiday cheer.

And, while we’re not gonna start the big countdown just yet, don’t worry, we’ll be ready with our version of an advent calendar come December 2025.

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 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 14th: 11 days and counting…

Hallmark offered this Spider-Man ornament for the 2005 season complete with Holiday Memory Card in case Web Head was gonna be a present.

The back of the box reads, “What happens when a nerdy science student accidentally gets bitten by a radioactive spider? Comic book history! Reluctantly at first, a shy Peter Parker uses his amazing agility and extraordinary sensory powers to launch a heroic fight against crime. He learns along the way that ‘with great power, there must also come great responsibility.’ Introduced in 1962, Spider-Man has won the hearts of countless fans as he pits himself against the most menacing lineup of superhuman villains in the comic universe.”

December 12th: 13 days and counting…

You’re gonna see a lotta Spider-Man ornaments in this countdown. Yes, he’s one of my favorite heroes – Jeff’s, too – and he just seems to be a natural to hang from the tree.

Since there’s a lotta Spidey here on the countdown, let’s see just how many times he’s made the Christmas comic book list for Four Color Holidays:

• Firestar, Spider-Man and Iceman at the Dallas Ballet Nutcracker
• Spider-Man Kids julehefte
• Sensational Spider-Man 24
• Spider-Man Holiday Special 1995
• Marvel Adventures Spider-Man 46
• Spider-Man Christmas in Dallas
• Spider-Man’s Tangled Web 21
• Peter Parker, the Spectacular Spider-Man 112
• Spider-Man’s Christmas 1984
• Spider-Man/Deadpool 12
• Amazing Spider-Man 314
• Spectacular Spider-Man 173
• Amazing Spider-Man 166

These are just the Christmas related issues, so if you’re a Spider-Man fan, please check out the other appearances our favorite Wall Crawler has made for other holidays.

In the meantime, please click away at the list provided for reviews of Spidey’s various yuletide adventures.

Kurt Adler 2004 Spider-Man

December 8th: 17 days and counting…

Any comic book devotee will tell you what a turbulent time the 1990s were for comic books and Marvel in particular. The situation was simply a money grab as the company was sold a few times over, based on inflated sales at the comic book shops. When the bubble finally burst, Marvel found itself filing for bankruptcy as it floundered to stay afloat.

Avi Arad, ToyBiz owner and executive producer on the X-Men the Animated Series, showed foresight by licensing out some of the product. Blade saw a return of $70,000,000, but Marvel only received $25,000. Same with the X-Men and Spider-Man movies.

What it did do was set up a formula that brought Marvel out of its financial distress; rather than farm their talent out, Marvel formed its own studio and began utilizing its characters, allowing the company to reap the rewards directly.

Yet, during the strife of the late 90s, Marvel carried on as best it could, licensing out not only its characters to films, but pimping out just about anyone to turn a profit. Three of the biggest – and most recognizable – names at the time were Hulk, Spider-Man and Wolverine. This ornament three-pack housed in a metal lunchbox-type holder showcase that trio.

Wish I had this set.

December 4th: 21 days and counting…

Long the flagship of Marvel, Spider-Man remains part of Stan Lee’s Mount Rushmore of creations. As the comic book collecting market bloomed, collector pieces appeared from every corner of the merchandising market. Hallmark, as we’ve learned earlier this month, started in 1997, but Spidey and some of his friends were given even posher treatment with numbered porcelain ornaments.

This one was offered at the turn of the millennium complete with certificate of authenticity.

Loren Micheals and Stan Lee can stand proudly together as visionaries; one in television and one on the printed page.

They were allowed to do so literally(?) in the pages of Marvel Team-Up 74 when Spider-Man partnered with the original Not Ready for Primetime players of Saturday Night Live in 1978.

Celebrating SNL‘s 50th anniversary and Marvel’s tenure at the top of the box office charts over the past decade, it’s hard to believe both were renegades in their respective fields. Michaels was a pioneer in guerrilla television with a 90-minute, live show that first aired in 1975. Lee was as much a rebel with his talented band of bullpen buddies rewriting the comic book formula.

Marvel Team-Up 74

Blending fantasy with reality, Lee is the host of SNL the night Peter Parker and Mary Jane Watson finally recieve tickets for a live taping. A USPS mishap has SNL cast member John Belushi crossing swords with the Silver Samurai while the remainder of the troupe: Dan Akroyd, Garrett Morris, Laraine Newman, Gilda Radner, Jane Curtain and Bill Murray join the fray.

And, Spider-Man makes an appearance as well.

Why are we discussing what should have been a train wreck of a Marvel Team-Up?

Firstly, it was anything but a train wreck. While not usually mentioned in Chris Claremont’s top 10 scripts, it is a time machine and a time capsule. Issue 74 captures Marvel at its most impropbable and SNL at the height of its brilliance with the original line up.

It is a fitting choice to represent today’s non holiday: World Television Day.

The United Nation’s general assembly inaugurated World Television Day in 1996 to recognize the sway Philo Taylor Farnsworth’s invention has held over the viewing masses.

Farnsworth invented the first electronic television in 1927 at the age of 21. It wasn’t until the 1950s televisions became a driving force in most American’s lives.

Celebrate with a binge watch of a favorite show or channel surfing, but – please, please – find a copy of Marvel Team-Up 74 and enjoy a past worth remembering.

Normally today has been reserved for National Dog Day on this page.

We’re gonna shake things up a bit this year and go with another day that shares this date: National Toilet Paper Day.

This underrated invention is taken for granted – until there is none and always at the most inconvenient of times. People have used many methods to clean themselves. The Romans used a sponge on a stick that they rinsed and left for the next person.

Early American settlers used whatever was handy; leaves, grass, corn cobs, fruit skins, seashells, stone, sand and water were the most common depending on location and social customs.

China first mass produced toilet paper in the 14^th century.

Americans can rejoice and celebrate 1857, the year toilet paper first hit store shelves in the new country. It was sold on the roll in 1871. Leave it to the Germans to improve upon the product by adding perforations to the roll allowing for squares.

It wasn’t until 1883 that Seth Wheeler patented rolled toilet paper and toilet paper dispensers.

To liven the invention colors were added in the 1960s. Those lasted till the turn of the millennium when basic white has become the norm again. The last colored toilet paper was manufactured in 2004 by Scott.

This non-holiday is very important to the United States, as we use more toilet paper than any other country in the world. America is also, surprise, surprise, the leading exporter of the product.

A whopping 75-percent of the world doesn’t use toilet paper. Many other countries have moved onto the bidet.

Rather than having a spokesman for the day, we’re using toilet paper itself. Or, a specific roll.

As Marvel Comics pushed through the end of the 1970s and sluggish sales, merchandising continued to prove an important source of revenue. One of those licenses was snapped up by Oh! Dawn Inc. of New York. Their offering to the comic book collecting world?

The Incredible Hulk and Amazing Spider-Man Toilet Paper with an original story: The Gamma Gambit. The quality tissue provided 40.65-square feet of two-ply; 325-facial quality sheets.

The Gamma Gambit, as written by Jim Salicrup and illustrated by Michael Higgins, is told over eight sheets and repeated until roll’s end.

The jokes tell themselves, so why belabor the point?

If interested, try an online selling site to purchase this on the secondary market. It’s worth picking up for the novelty alone. Just make sure to put it under some mylar with a sign that reads: Do Not Break, Even in an Emergency.

The Gamma Gambit

The Gamma Gambit (1979)

The Gamma Gambit (1979)