Christmas Special: Away In a Manger

As I mentioned last night, one of the Christmas traditions around my house is setting up a small nativity scene, and while I’ve got one of the standard models–all white porcelain with a nifty wooden manger–I’ve never actually used any of it, since I prefer to make my own.

Well, that’s not entirely true: I do generally use the manger itself, although I usually end up doing something like putting in Snake Eyes and Scarlett as an ersatz Mary and Joseph (with Duke, Roadblock and Gung Ho as the Magi and Cobra Commander off to the side attempting to kidnap the little Lord), like I did last year. This time around, though, I decided to leave it all on the shelf, and went with something a little more traditional:

 

 

Oh, the adventures those three had on their way to Bethlehem…

Christmas Special: A Holiday Reminder

Here at the Sims household, the tree’s finally up and decorated, the presents are wrapped, and this year’s nativity scene has been built, and that means that it’s time to dust off a few Holiday traditions.

Because really, it’s this time of year that we all reflect on what matters the most, and every year, I like to take a few moments to think about what’s really important. So please, take a moment to remember that Christmas

…belongs to Günther.

 

 

Merry Christmas, everyone! And God Jul, Günther!

Friday Night Fights: Merry Christmas, Darling!

The holidays are bearing down and the gift buying season is in full swing, even in Gotham City! And while I’ve only gotten a few presents wrapped and tagged, I know what somebody wants: Violence!

 

 

 

 

 

Paul Dini and Ronnie Del Carmen’s “The Harley and the Ivy,” originally from the Batman Adventures Holiday Special, can be found in the DC Universe Christmas.

Christmas Special: Right This Very Minute!

With only 22 days left ’til Christmas, some of the more sharp-eyed ISB readers might’ve noticed that I’ve been a little lighter than usual in terms of holiday content, and I have to admit, I’m just not feeling it yet this year.

Maybe it’s just because I don’t have the tree up yet–marking the latest I’ve put it up for as far back as I can remember–but while I’ve been faithfully popping open my Advent Calendar and rocking my favorite Christmas Album, but for some reason, the ol’ zing just isn’t there, and I feel like I could use something to kickstart the holidays.

I guess what I’m saying here is… I need a little Christmas.

 

 

Ah. That’ll do just fine.

Oh, relax! He’s not talking about the real Santa Claus! But I imagine that’s going to require a little bit of explanation.

It all goes down in the pages of Scott Gray and Roger Langridge’s “How Fin Fang Foom Saved Christmas,” from the 2007 Marvel Holiday Special, conveniently reprinted in the Marvel Holiday Digest. Its no secret that I’m a fan of Christmas comics in general–aside from Abe Lincoln covers, they’re one of the few things I go out of my way to collect–but for the past few years, Marvel’s been doing an amazing job with theirs. Heck, 2005’s even includes Jeff Parker’s Santron story, which edges out even the Deadman bit from Christmas With the Super-Heroes #2 as my favorite holiday comic of all time.

Gray and Langridge, however, do one that’s a little less moving and a little more silly, and it’s totally awesome.

As you might have already gathered from the title and the panel above, it’s a story about how Fin Fang Foom saves Christmas by blowing up Santa Claus…

 

 

…but as for why Triple-F is walking around on Christmas Eve in one of Ben Grimm’s overcoat-and-fedora “disguises,” the world may never know. Still, who are we to fathom the motivations of an ancient dragon alien who wears little purple pants and fights Iron Man?

What matters is that he ends up running into Dr. Strange’s live-in manservant and kung fu teacher, Wong, during a Christmas parade, which means that team-up rules are now officially in effect and the probability of an attack by HYDRA has now risen to roughly 97%.

 

 

Okay, look: I know not everyone’s as big a fan of Christmas as I am, but come on. A giant green HYDRA Claus robot rampaging around with a running crew of “elves” with laser guns?

 

 

That is at least eight kinds of awesome.

 

 

Hey, that’s another one of my favorites!

Anyway, as awesome as a giant green Santa robot is, it’s not so awesome that a good ol’ fashioned team-up can’t take it out, and while Fin Fang Foom is a little reluctant to aid the puny humans at first, he eventually learns a little something about the true meaning of Christmas.

Because you see, children, Christmas isn’t about presents, or songs, or even robots. Christmas is about something more. Something deeper. Something… true.

Christmas… is about karate.

 

 

And that’s real.