Beginning with Thanksgiving and running until the New Year, the Holiday Season is filled with wonder and joy. Often romanticized through great literary works, like Dickens’s A Christmas Carol, this jolly time awakens the kid inside us all, harkening to the wonder of the imagination. For decades, industry titans Marvel and DC have been joining in the festive spirit of the holidays and gifting fans worldwide imaginative comics infused with hope and spirit.
Indeed, in celebrating the holiday season epically for decades, DC and Marvel have accrued a trove of festive tomes. For this reason, feeling empowered by tidings of joy and good cheer, I have whisked through the holiday comic catalogs, identifying the best celebrations of the holiday season. Therefore, come follow me if a shape-shifting blood tree that can be a Douglas Fir stirs you with holiday glee.
An all-time holiday comic classic, What the..?! #10 presents readers with the indelible ‘I’ll be Doom for Christmas’ story. This timeless tale of merriment and creativity follows Santa Claus as he infiltrates Castle Doom, triggering its defenses and ending up severely wounded. Making the case that his holiday duties now fall to the genre-spanning Doom, Santa agrees to grant Doom’s one desire if he fulfills Santa’s Christmas mission.
Seizing his destiny as the Monarch of Christmas, Doom becomes Santa Doom! Next, Doom creates a rocket-propelled sleigh and sets his sights on Avengers Tower. Eventually, the heroes will engage Doom, believing his intent malicious. Yet here, amidst the battle, the innocence and wonderment of a young child will halt the fight, revealing the true magic of the season. Best of all is the conclusion, a memorable panel of Doom reveling in the warmth of the holidays.
Marvel Holiday Special (2005) #1
A Harvey Award-nominated tale brimming with good cheer, Marvel Holiday Special presents holiday comic stories on Mole-Man, the Avengers, and the Fantastic Four. Artistically, the creative team weaves in traditional holiday themes like the significance of this time of year for young children and the importance of rest. Yet, the crown jewel of this best holiday collection is undoubtedly the ‘Yes, Virginia, there is a Santron’ canard.
Left traumatized after being told Santa doesn’t exist, Virginia Hanlon looks for answers. Eventually, she comes across a damaged Ultron unit she’ll rebuild and reprogram with holiday protocols, hoping to protect the mystique of Christmas. But disaster strikes when Ultron’s main objective corrupts his holiday protocols, birthing the mechanical menace of Santron. Holiday hijinks ensue when Santron designates the Avengers as naughty and takes the festive fight to them in this merry must-read.
DCU Infinite Holiday Special (2006) #1
Revisiting the Holiday Special after nearly two decades, Infinite Holiday Special #1 signaled a return to the festive spirit of the holiday season, DC style. Utilizing beloved heroes like Batwoman, Green Lantern, and Supergirl allowed this colorful creator collaboration to churn out seven unique stories filled with merriment and sure to keep the Yule log burning.
Whether it’s DC’s heroic pantheon of gods experiencing the magical ‘gift of the magi’ or the Scarlet Speedster Bart Allen, who learns Christmas’s true meaning after spending all his in a VR simulator, Infinite Holiday Special #1 has a story for you. Wisely saving the best read for last, fans are treated to Superman and Batman disagreeing over who will deliver gifts and hope to a young Tyrone Jenkins III, encapsulating the youthful innocence that permeates this merriest time of year.
Green Lantern: Larfleeze Christmas Special (2010) #1
The embodiment of greed on a universal scale, Larfleeze symbolizes a threat to any he deems an adversary. Indeed, powered by the orange power battery, Larfleeze commands the full might of the Orange Lantern Corps in DC Comics. Yet, even the avatar of avarice isn’t immune to the jovial effects of the holiday season, as the holiday best Green Lantern: Larfleeze Christmas Special #1 demonstrates.
Here, fans catch an exultant Larfleeze waking up on Christmas morning. Much to his dismay, Larfleeze finds no presents under the tree. Infuriated at this slight, Larfleeze sets out to locate Santa Claus and discover why he was forgotten. Eventually, during his search, Larfleeze will encounter the Green Lantern Hal Jordan. Channeling the festive energies of the season in this wholesome holiday tale, Hal shows Larfleeze the true meaning of Christmas, concluding with a heartfelt Christmas list entry.
A holiday masterpiece by award-winning creator Lee Bermejo, Batman: Noël articulates the power of belief and how it can spurn profound change in people’s lives. Here, Noël introduces readers to a single father forced into working for the Joker, hoping to raise money for his son’s medical bills. Of note is the flawless choice of character roles, as BatScrooge has grown bitter and sullied from years of getting dirty fighting crime.
Following the traditional Dickens classic, BatScrooge has four “visitors” throughout the night: his deceased partner’s ghost, his famous feline paramour, a mighty hero from Metropolis, and Death personified. Through these deep and impactful interactions, Scrooge finally realizes that immediate change is his only path to salvation and the joy of the holiday season.
Power Man and Iron Fist: Sweet Christmas Annual (2016) #1
Weaving in toys, humanity’s increasing fixation on technology, and an appearance by the Son of Satan, Sweet Christmas Annual adroitly brandishes spot-on humor, action, and festiveness, producing a classic. This holiday comic best focuses on Marvel’s original dynamic duo, Power Man and Iron Fist, back together in a rousing holiday tale.
Without a doubt, joy and good tidings permeate watching Iron Fist, the predecessor to the top-tier Rivals duelist, in protective uncle mode against the demonic Schnuckies’. Or, when Luke Cage demonstrates his true superpower, helping out fellow Avenger and first-time mother Jessica Drew with her wailing infant. In conclusion, with a surprise ending detailing the power of love, Sweet Christmas checks all the boxes this holiday season.
Spider-Man/Deadpool (2016) #12
O’ do thine jubilant choirs rejoice with Spider-Man/Deadpool #12, a festive holiday offering that infuses readers with the seasonal spirit. This witty and violent offering features Marvel’s best Vs Merc and the Wall-Crawler frolicking in the festivities. After Deadpool is kicked out of his holiday party and finds Spidey, the titan Saturn appears and begins beheading all those who defile “his” holiday, the formerly celebrated Saturnalia.
After failing miserably to halt Saturn, the heroes will use “the superpower of all Canadians..ice skating” and good old-fashioned competition, to pit the merriment of Christmas against that of Saturnalia. The winner takes all in this holiday best that witnesses the birth of the most magical bromance, a kinship born from loneliness and a shared taste in ugly Christmas sweaters.
Merry X-Men Holiday Special (2018)
Bursting with festive vibes and fan service, the Merry X-Men Holiday Special shines the seasonal spotlight on Marvel’s merriest mutants. Creatively presented in a digestible format, like the chocolate Advent calendars, Merry X-Men gives fans a daily comic. Indeed, with so many fan faves across the roster, as long as the creative team stayed true to the source, the X-Men’s foray into the holidays was destined for success.
Luckily, Merry X-Men does not disappoint, paying homage to seasonal holiday themes and creatively pairing them with members of the X-Men mythos. Included are tales of Gambit, using his natural talents to deliver a sold-out toy to local kids, a hilarious Deadpool/Jean Grey Christmas tree shopping skit, Magneto’s heartfelt remembrance, and Jubilee’s holiday vacation for the ages. So, whether you’re looking for supercharged snowball fights or Domino’s delights, this holiday special has something for you.
Featuring 10 fantastically festive tales to warm the spirit this holiday season, New Year’s Evil proves good tidings can come from the unlikeliest sources. As a result, this delightfully devilish collection of holiday stories features many of DC’s most renowned villains, like the Joker, Sinestro, and Harley Quinn, partaking in the festive season. However, in my opinion, the standout read in this holiday best is ‘A Coal in My Stocking.’
This cheery entry depicts the omega-level powerhouse Black Adam sieging an icy fortress and counseling a young Kahndaqi girl. While cautioning Antalya against allowing others to see her cry, Adam discovers she misses the wonderment she felt while living at an orphanage in New York, especially Santa Claus. Using the infinite wisdom of Zehuti, Adam sets out to ensure the children of Kahndaq feel the magical joy of the season in a holiday best sure to leave readers smiling.
Batman – Santa Claus: Silent Knight (2023)
When the holiday season in Gotham experiences the emergence of the vile, blood-sucking draug, long thought imprisoned, the seasonal game icon Batman arrives on the scene, enlisting the help of the mistress of magic, Zatanna. Yet, only after an intervention by the mystical woodsman, Santa Claus, do the heroes discover they face his antithesis. After the evil Krampus unleashes all of Santa’s imprisoned monsters, the heroes must unite against harpies, sea serpents, and maleficent phantom zone spirits to preserve the spirit of Christmas.
Notably, providing an engaging backstory betwixt Santa Claus and Krampus, Silent Knight details the entourage effect each had on the other, presented in a festive “good cop, bad cop” dynamic. In particular, the creative team’s depiction of how traditional holiday themes like naughty and nice and gift giving came about gives Silent Knight a tangible feel, marking it a best holiday comic read.
Published: Dec 30, 2024 04:55 am