The Tick Big Yule Log Special (1997)

Arthur is suffering from an identity crisis at Christmas time. The Tick tries to turn the tide on his little buddy’s yule time troubles as only he can, but it’s a case of mistaken identity that cures the Moth’s moroseness.

This book has it all as the Tick adopts a Santa persona and accidently foils a rouge elf’s schemes to marshal the children on the naughty list against the Jolly Big Guy.

Angels, explosions and misunderstandings make for a rousing Christmas tale that could only happen to the Tick.

Flip the book over and Arthur teaches the Tick about Hanukkah.

Remember, this is when the Tick was becoming a semi-household name with his own Saturday morning animated half hour, Ban Dai licensed likenesses and happy meal toys from Carl’s Jr. and Taco Bell. The Tick even had his own video game.

Interest waned toward the end of the 1990s hastened by the Columbia TriStar Television series that even Patrick Warburton couldn’t save.

However, shining like the fabled star The Tick survived in his original medium and continued to offer holiday specials collected in The Tick’s Giant Christmas Cavalcade released in 2010.

There are worse ways to tackle the new millennium than with the Tick.

Always entertaining – sometimes confusing – Tick and Author are especially welcome in every household at Christmas time. Short of the celluloid classic Santa Claus Conquers the Martians, where else ya gonna find a misplaced alien bent on world domination during the happiest time of the year?

Spoon!