Christmas Links!

Hoo boy, I let the time get away from me again, so here’s the big stuff:

 

 

First up, Kerry Callen and I drag the holidays kicking and screaming into the new 52 with an all-new Great Comic That Never Happened: Santa Squad! Thrill to the edgy new origins of Krampess, Blood Red Rudolph and Frost, and just be glad I couldn’t think of a way to Christmas up the clown car joke.

Next…

 

 

If we can take a break from Christmas and all its attendant reindeer games, there’s something else that happens this time of year. Specifically, the Winter Solstice and the solemn occasion where Destro honors the giant pink Cthulhu monster that lives in his basement. Join me for the occasion, won’t you? It’s a good one, and I’ve been waiting an entire year to write this one up — just like I’ll be waiting another year to write up the episode of Hercules where he’s hanging out at the birth of Jesus.

But then!

 

 

In the final Christmas-themed Ask Chris column of 2011, I talk about two different origins for Santa Claus, as envisioned by Rankin/Bass! In one, there’s an evil government that hates toys. In the other, there’s an axe that shoots magic laser beams. Your guess is as good as mine as to which one’s weirder.

And finally…

 

 

Speaking of strange origins and Santa Claus, Benito Cereno and Anthony Clark have brought you a comic about poop-themed Christmas traditions from Catalonia. I had almost nothing to do with this one other than just being the guy who uploaded the pictures after Benito sent them to me, but it’s totally worth reading, if for no other reason than it’s likely the only Christmas comic you’ll read with the line “poop us some candy, poopman!”

And with that, Merry Christmas to all!