Merry X-Lapsed - X-Men (vol.2) #109 (2001)

Merry X-Lapsed!  Day Four

X-Men (vol.2) #109 (February, 2001)

"Ceremonies"

Writer - Chris Claremont

Pencils - Tom Derenick

Inks - Rick Ketchum & Norm Rapmund

Colors - Liquid!

Letters - Richard Starkings & Comiccraft's Saida Temafonte

Edits - Pete Franco, Mark Powers, Joe Quesada

Cover Price: $3.50

Welcome to Day Four of Merry X-Lapsed - and Merry Christmas Eve!

Today we're talking about the end of Chris Claremont's return to the X-Books around the turn of the century, and reading the "soft-pilot" to his all-new X-Treme X-Men title - it's a bumpy one...

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@acecomics / @cosmictmill / weirdcomicshistory@gmail.com

chrisandreggie.podbean.com

chrisisoninfiniteearths.com

xlapsed.chrisisoninfiniteearths.com/

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Merry X-Lapsed - Uncanny X-Men #143 (1981)

Merry X-Lapsed!  Day Three

Uncanny X-Men #143 (March, 1981)

"Demon"

By - Chris Claremont & John Byrne

Inks - Terry Austin

Letters - Tom Orzechowski

Colors - Glynis Wein

Edits - Louise Jones

Cover Price: $0.50

At the midway point of our vacation from Krakoa, we take a look at... perhaps that "Christmas with the X-Men" book that pops into most of our heads anytime we think about "Christmas with the X-Men" books -- even though, when it comes down to it - it ain't all that Christmassy!

Today we're going to get into the head of the newest X-Man, Kitty Pryde, as she tries to protect her home from the dreaded Wet Bandits... err, N'Garai Demon.  We also meet Captain Aletys Forrester - listen along as I mispronounce THAT name a half-dozen ways, and probably never say it right even once!

We'll also discuss the ending of the Claremont/Byrne era, the not-so-subtle inspiration for this issue... and much more!

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@acecomics / @cosmictmill / weirdcomicshistory@gmail.com

chrisandreggie.podbean.com

chrisisoninfiniteearths.com

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Merry X-Lapsed - Uncanny X-Men #341 (1997)

Merry X-Lapsed!  Day Two

Uncanny X-Men #341 (February, 1997)

"When Strikes a Gladiator!"

Writer - Scott Lobdell

Pencils - Joe Madureira

Inks - Tim Townsend

Letters - Richard Starkings and Comicraft

Colors - Steve Buccellato and Team Bucce!

Edits - Jason Liebig, Mark Powers

Cover Price: $1.95

Our Holiday Week rolls on... and we haven't even left Rockefeller Center yet!  Today's comic, Uncanny X-Men #341 (1997) clearly takes a few of its cues from X-Men #98... just with a bit more turn-of-the-century sorta flare.

We'll talk all about Cannonball's recent promotion - as well as a quick n' dirty catch-up on who in the hell Joseph is... was... whatever!

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Other Chris and Reggie Episodes Mentioned:

Cosmic Treadmill, Episode 100 - Age of Apocalypse, Part One

https://www.podbean.com/eu/pb-qgwd9-95a77e

Cosmic Treadmill, Episode 101 - Age of Apocalypse, Part Two

https://www.podbean.com/eu/pb-v43sa-961e74

Cosmic Treadmill, Episode 102 - Age of Apocalypse, Part Three

https://www.podbean.com/eu/pb-g5x8j-96fa08

Cosmic Treadmill, Episode 103 - Age of Apocalypse, Part Four

https://www.podbean.com/eu/pb-fdb6n-9793f6

Cosmic Treadmill, Episode 104 - Age of Apocalypse, Part Five

https://www.podbean.com/eu/pb-hci4f-981e2c

Cosmic Treadmill, Episode 105 - Age of Apocalypse, Part Six

https://www.podbean.com/eu/pb-jzuvy-98ba17

Chris is on Infinite Earths, Episode 40 - X-Men (vol.2) #8 (1992)

https://www.podbean.com/eu/pb-mbdib-c2b26b

Chris is on Infinite Earths, Episode 41 - X-Men (vol.2) #45 (1995)

https://www.podbean.com/eu/pb-8u8ia-c3ac9d

Cosmic Treadmill, Episode 144 - The X-Traitor!

https://www.podbean.com/eu/pb-p2ewa-c3110d

--

@acecomics / @cosmictmill / weirdcomicshistory@gmail.com

chrisandreggie.podbean.com

chrisisoninfiniteearths.com

xlapsed.chrisisoninfiniteearths.com/

facebook.com/groups/90sxmen

Merry X-Lapsed - X-Men #98 (1976)

Merry X-Lapsed!  Day One

X-Men #98 (April, 1976)

"Merry Christmas, X-Men"

Writer - Chris Claremont

Pencils - Dave Cockrum

Inks - Sam Grainger

Letters - Joe Rosen

Colors - Janice Cohen

Edits - Marv Wolfman

Cover Price: $0.25

Merry X-Lapsed, friends!

Today we're starting a Holiday-themed week, during which we're going to take a look as some seminal (and not-so seminal) X-Mas with the X-Men tales!  We kick things off with Chris Claremont's first Christmas-themed issue, (not-yet Uncanny) X-Men #98 (April, 1976) - Our heroes are just trying to enjoy their Christmas Eve at Rockefeller Center... but, unfortunately for them - the Sentinels are Back... and, we're going to talk all about it!

Also: Wolverine reveals that his claws ain't no glove gimmick... and, that he shares shoe polish hair-care tips with Eddie Munster!  Lots to chat about today - let's start the celebration! 

--

@acecomics / @cosmictmill / weirdcomicshistory@gmail.com

chrisandreggie.podbean.com

chrisisoninfiniteearths.com

xlapsed.chrisisoninfiniteearths.com/

facebook.com/groups/90sxmen

Chris and Reggie's Cosmic Treadmill, Episode 121: Limited Collectors' Edition C-24 (1973)

Chris and Reggie's Cosmic Treadmill, Episode #121

Limited Collectors' Edition C-24 (December, 1973)
"New Giant Adventures of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer"
By Sy Reit & Rube Grossman
Edits - Larry Nadle & Whitney Ellsworth
Cover Price: $1.00

If my memory is right, today will be the last day of Christmas on Infinite Earths... in July.  I hope it's been moderately enjoyable... I know it's helped me come up with interesting (to me) ways to continue sharing content without the constant urge to punch my laptop screen in every time I try and upload images to Blogger!

Really, Google... ya gonna fix this crap?  Or just keep blaming the phenomenon on your userbase?  It ain't like you need us.  What's really troubling to me right now is that Podbean is currently undergoing a very similar dashboard "facelift".  Let's just hope it ends up being a little bit more friendly than this one.

Chris and Reggie's Cosmic Treadmill, Episode 81: Ambush Bug Stocking Stuffer

Chris and Reggie's Cosmic Treadmill, Episode #81

Ambush Bug Stocking Stuffer #1 (1986)
"I Knew I Shoulda Taken That Left Toyn Back in Albakoyky"
"Night of the Living Doll"
Plot & Pencils - Keith Giffen
Script - Robert Loren Fleming
Inks - Bob Oksner
Colors - Anthony Tollin
Letters - John Costanza
Editor - Julius Schwartz
Cover Price: $1.25

Keeping it Christmassy for a couple more days during this muggy and miserable month.  Boy is it hot outside!

Chris and Reggie's Cosmic Treadmill, Episode 70: Christmas With the Superheroes #1 (1988)

Chris and Reggie's Cosmic Treadmill, Episode #70

Christmas With the Superheroes #1 (1988)
"Wanted: Santa Claus - Dead or Alive!"
"The Man Who Murdered Santa Claus!"
"The TT's Swingin' Christmas Carol!"
"Star Light, Star Bright... Farthest Star I See Tonight!"
"Twas the Fright Before Christmas!"
"The Silent Night of the Batman"
Writers - Denny O'Neil, Len Wein, Bob Haney, Paul Levitz, E. Nelson Bridwell & Mike Friedrich
Pencillers - Frank Miller, Dick Dillon, Nick Cardy, Jose Luis Garcia-Lopez, Curt Swan & Neal Adams
Inkers - Steve Mitchell, Dick Giordano & Murphy Anderson
Letterers - Ben Oda
Colorists - Glenn Whitmore, Helen Vesik & Jerry Serpe
Editors - Len Wein, Julius Schwartz
Cover Price: $2.95

Keeping our Christmas on Infinite Earths... in July festivities rolling along, today I'm sharing Reggie and my first Holiday special... DC Comics' Christmas With the Superheroes #1 from 1988.


Download

This was one of our longer episodes... as we were looking at like skatey-eight hundred creators and a half-dozen stories.  This was also my longest ever blog post to that point... and, actually, it very well still might be!  I still haven't published that "full-length" Bizarro World piece yet, so I think this one still might take the length-crown!

With that said... Just as with yesterday, if podcasts ain't your thing, there is a text-n-pics variation on this discussion that you can check out if you decide to click the cover below!  While you're at it, you might wanna check out my discussion of Christmas With the Superheroes #2 (1989)!

Chris is on Infinite Earths, Episode 7: JSA #55 (2004)

Chris is on Infinite Earths, Episode #7

JSA #55 (February, 2004)
"Be Good For Goodness Sake"
Writer - Geoff Johns
Pencils - Leonard Kirk
Inks - Keith Champagne & Wade Von Grawbadger
Colors - Hi-Fi
Letters - Jared K. Fletcher
Associate Editor - Stephen Wacker
Editor - Peter Tomasi
For Jordan Marquis
Cover Price: $2.50

With everything going on in the world and personally... it took me until the 17th of the month to realize we're in July!  Well, we have a little tradition at this here site... that I'd hate to let pass us by, perhaps this year more than ever.

I tell ya, if there were any year where we (or I) need a little bit of Christmas on Infinite Earths... in July, it's 2020.

BIZARRO BREAK #6 - Batman Smells

BIZARRO BREAK #6 (Batman Smells)
Writer - Patton Oswalt
Art - Bob Fingerman
Colors - Dave Stewart
Edits - Joey Cavalieri
Special Thanks - David Cross & Bob Odenkirk

Boy, this Bizarro World book has turned out as being something of an "embarrassment of riches" when it comes to Christmas stories!  Two outta six so far!

This one comes to us from that dude from The King of Queens... and, I'm sure other stuff too.  I've only ever read one other comics thing from Oswalt, but if I'm being honest, it's probably been every bit of twenty years since then.  It was JLA: Welcome to the Working Week... and, gun-to-my-head, I couldn't tell ya a single thing about it.

Let's look at a shorter subject from the man, and see if that other one might be worth revisiting somewhere down the line...

--

We open with a rather stinky-looking Batman preparing to enter this evening's adventure into his Bat-Log.  Oh, by the way... it's Christmas!  Alfred heads over to take the dictation.  Apropos of nothing, there has been great care taken into copious amounts of bat-poop being strewn around the cave... like, it looks like hundreds of melted-down candle-stubs.  Anyhoo, Batman's story begins... with a skirmish with Killer Croc in the sewers.  Croc manages to best the Bat, dumping him into... well, some very smelly sewage.

A call comes through that the Joker is up to no good, and so, before we know it... Robin arrives on the scene to pick up Batman and hit the trail.  During the ride, however, Ra's al Ghul makes a cameo appearance in order to cast an "Avian Vengeance Spell", which I didn't realize was part of his repertoire... but, we'll allow it.  Whatever the case, it causes Robin to... lay an egg.  D'ya see where this is headed yet?  D'ya?

This egg-laying causes Robin to lose control of the wheel... and, turning tight, sends one of the wheels of the Batmobile flying.  At which time, the Joker is more than able to escape pursuit.  D'ya geddit yet?

Alfred takes his seat at the Bat-Computer, and asks Bruce to start again from the beginning.  Batman decides to just give him the "quick" of it, claiming he'll fill in the rest of it later.  That "quick-version" is... well, pretty familiar if you ever rode the school bus around Christmastime as a kid.

--

This was fun!  Pretty cute and clever idea for a project such as this.  Honestly, in my 30+ years of reading comics, I'm actually sooooorta shocked that this is the first time I'd ever seen a riff on the ol' "Jingle Bells/Batman Smells" song in a comic!  Maybe I'm missing some obvious prior references in the Bat-Books... or heck, maybe I'm just a little too dense to have picked up on them.

Not a whole heckuva lot to say here, other than I had a good time with this.  The art wasn't exactly my favorite... and I could'a done without the almost-passionate prolific placement of the poop.

Overall, a very fun diversion... and another fine chapter in this collection!

BIZARRO BREAK #3 - Jing Kal-El

BIZARRO BREAK #3 (Jing Kal-El)
"Jing Kal-El"
Writer - Andy Merrill
Art - Roger Langridge
Colors - Matt Madden
Edits - Joey Cavalieri

Time for another #BizarroBreak... and, wouldja lookit that, a Christmas-flavored one at that!  I wasn't expecting to dip into a Holiday story until July or so... but, I ain't gonna complain!  In fact, the Bizarro World collection has a few Christmas stories... including one we'll look at in a couple weeks called "Batman Smells".  Hmm...

Anyhoo, without further ado... let's take a look at Superman: Red Son... if it weren't written by an edgelord!

--

It's Christmas Eve... on Krypton, and it turns out... this is the day where it all comes apart.  Jor-El and Lara do the thing... ya know, loading the tot into the rocket, bingo-bango... Krytpon goes boom.  Tale as old as time, right?  Well, here's the rub.  In this version of the story, the tiny rocket doesn't land in Smallville, Kansas... but, the North Pole!

Little baby Kal is discovered by a pair of elves named... err, Dingus and Doofus.  Dingus, really?  They look at the tot, and decide they ought to ask the Queen if they can keep him!

The Queen, naturally, is cool with it... and for a second I thought we were about to veer into Snow White territory.  Thankfully, we do not.  Baby Kal is taken in by the Legion of Elves, and taught how be nice, and never cruel.  And so, Kal grows into adulthood under her kind hand.

As he grew old, he grew especially fond of children... and he began keeping tabs on whether or not they were naughty or nice.  Ya see where this is headed?

The story wraps up with the revelation that baby Kal-El of Krypton grew up to be... Santa Claus!

--

Ah!  This was a lot of fun.  Now, I might just be a sucker for both Superman and Christmas stories, but I thought this was a blast!  It gave us just enough... didn't overstay its welcome, and ended just how it needed to.  I feel like this is the sort of story that could be over-thought and thus, over-written.  We didn't get that here.

Thought it was clever to play out the entire chapter under a revised version of T'was the Night before Christmas... didn't hurt that it also kept the story "on track".  The art was also quite wonderful... I thought for a moment I was looking at Chris Giarrusso's work, which I've always got time for.

Overall, a really good time... and, once again the #BizarroBreak proves to be one heckuva "palette cleanser"!

Tomorrow: Kicking off Wasteland #3 (sorry)... Hey, where y'all going?!

Adam Strange Holiday Special '09

DC Universe Holiday Special '09 (Adam Strange)
"Auld Lang Syne"
Writer - Shannon Eric Denton
Pencils - Nick J. Napolitano
Inks - Dan Green
Colors - Allen Passalaqua
Letters - John J. Hill
Editors - Adam Schlagman & Eddie Berganza

Merry Christmas Eve, Friends!

Today we (finally) wrap this over-long issue up with a story starring everyone's soon-to-be favorite character of all time... who, as it'll turn out... will always have been everyone's favorite character of all time... but we just all forgot until Tom King reminded us!

I'll take the bullet here, and go on record as stating I couldn't give a flying fig about Adam Strange.  So, I'm not one of those people who have already rated the upcoming series a 10 outta 10!

Anyhoo, we wrap up our Holiday journey with... not a Christmas (or even Hanukkah) story... but one about New Year's Eve!

--

We open with Adam Strange arriving back on Earth ready to spend New Year's Eve with his wife and daughter.  Only problem there is, no sooner does he get back than he's called into action... fighting some laughable demon critter.  When he finishes up with that one... several more threats start popping up on his radar... and so, he's in for a very busy night.

Adam arrives at the location where he was supposed to meet with his family, and laments the fact that he'd missed ringing in the New Year... only, it's just 9:31 P.M.... so, he didn't?  I mean, dude's got a watch, right?  How would he not know?  Anyhoo... Alanna greets him and they kiss in front of their daughter.  The End?

--

Well, that was something...

Since it was Adam Strange, should I get a jump on 2020 and just rate it 10/10 without providing any examples as to why I feel that way?  Tom King outta retweet that, right?  Ehh, maybe not.

This was a page-filler... and not a great one, at that.  Adam has a busy night... and suddenly forgets how to read his watch?  That's literally the whole story.  As with the rest of the lackluster offerings in this Holiday Special, the art is very nice.  I guess that's what I'm gonna hang my hat on here.  Nice art!

Tomorrow: Wrapping the entire special up in sparkly paper with a bow.  It's Christmas!

Ragman Holiday Special '09

DC Universe Holiday Special '09 (Ragman)
"Seeing the Light"
Writer - Rob Levin
Art - Brian Ching
Colors - Michael Atiyeh
Letters - Travis Lanham
Editors - Adam Schlagman & Eddie Berganza

What luck... Hanukkah just started, and here we are... about to discuss a (short) Hanukkah-themed story!  Who ever said this site could never be relevant?  Well... I think it was probably me who said that... but, no matter!

--

This is going to be a weird one to synopsize... because, it's not so much a story, but a vignette.  We've talked a little about Hanukkah over the past several weeks... I wanna say there have been two other Hanukkah stories this year.  In one, Kyle Rayner learned all about the Maccabees and their uprising against the Syrians.  Well, that's kind of the story we get here... only, it's being delivered alongside a battle between Ragman and some street toughs.

Ragman, like the Maccabees before him, is victorious... and makes his way into a Temple.  He is greeted by a Rabbi who calls this latest fight a "miracle" in that he was able to eek out a victory against all odds.

Ragman is then invited to light the final candle on the Menorah... and the Rabbi assures him that better days are ahead. 

--

So yeah... a tough one to synopsize.  But, overall... not a bad little feature!

It's the first story we've had in a number of days that didn't make me roll my eyes... and didn't only exist for the express purpose of making the writer feel superior to those around him.  So, that's a win!

I gotta admit, I don't know diddly-ding-dong-squat about Ragman.  I was nearly as surprised to see him included in this special as I was the B'wana Beast.  But, unfamiliarity does sometimes breed curiosity... and, I'd say this story actually whet my appetite somewhat for further Ragman stories.  That in and of itself tells me that this story, short as it was, was something of a success.

So yeah (again), not much to this one... but sometimes, we really don't need anything more than this.  We don't always need "commentary" or "satire"... sometimes a story can be told in a single scene.  I don't know if this story just had the benefit of appearing after a couple of particularly heinous features... or, if I just plain dug this one.  I guess we'll never know!

Tomorrow: The Final Story in the '09 Special!

Huntress Holiday Special '09

DC Universe Holiday Special '09 (Huntress)
"Naughty or Nice"
Writer - J. Torres
Pencils - Hubert Khan Michael
Inks - Julio Ferreira
Colors - Tom Smith
Letters - Sal Cipriano
Editors - Adam Schlagman & Eddie Berganza

Looks like Huntress is going to be our sole female-led story this time out.  Weird, we've looked at four or so of these Holiday Anthologies here at the blog, and I'm pretty sure only one of 'em had a Wonder Woman story in it!  Not a great showing for one of the "trinity"... and certainly not something that'd happen during "current year", regardless of how boring Wonder Woman might be!

I kid, I kid... no, really... I don't.  It's pretty well documented (here, and only here) that I find Wonder Woman to be, in most situations, almost aggressively dull.  I'm happy we're getting the Huntress here.

--

We open in a candy store, where the shop owner is giving a young fella some side-eye.  Ya see, the child happens to be African-American... and so, the owner thinks he might be up to no good.  He even goes as far as having the poor kid empty his pockets to ensure he didn't steal anything!  Huntress watches this all go down, and wonders if the Candyman should wind up on the "Naughty or Nice" list.  After kicking the kid out of the shop, a white fella enters the scene, who is welcomed with open arms.  Ya see where this one's going?  Naturally, the white dude pulls out a pistol and proceeds to rob the joint!

After robbing the place, the thief steps outside... right into the path of the Huntress... she takes care of him pretty quick.

The story wraps up with the Candyman inviting that same African-American child back into the store and giving him a bunch of free sweets.  Helena looks on and thinks that she's seen the "worst" the shop owner can do... and now she's considering moving him to the "nice" list.  Wait'll she finds out about that refrigerator full of body parts he's got in his basement!

--

Is it too late to send this one back for a Wonder Woman story?  I mean, barf.

These stories we're reading "after the staples" have been pretty weak... it's almost as though DC feels like most people would give up after reading two or three of the included stories... and that nobody would ever see any of this stuff!  Well, they weren't counting on this idiot blogger, now were they?

So, whatta we got here?  It's a classic (and heavy-handed) "Don't judge a book by its cover" story.  We really could have ceased right after that opening caption... because that's as good as this story was going to get.  It's cliche, it allows us all to feel kind of superior, and... well, it really doesn't do a whole lot more.

As with a lot of these wildly-weak stories we've looked at over the past couple of weeks, the art is really nice.  HKM really makes the best of the four pages he's given... and navigates to a good story with his work.  The most interesting part of this story for me is the fact that this particular candy store had a pretty big Sugar-Free candy section!  As a dude with a sweet-tooth who's (mostly) cut sugar from his diet... that's something I'd definitely appreciate!

Tomorrow: Raggin' around the Christmas Tree (err, Menorah)...

Red Tornado Holiday Special '09

DC Universe Holiday Special '09 (Red Tornado)
"A Night Before Christmas Story"
Writer - David Tischman
Pencils - Adam Archer
Inks - Sandra Hope
Colors - Jonny Rench
Letters - John J. Hill
Editors - Adam Schlagman & Eddie Berganza

It takes some doing to have a Red Tornado story in your Holiday anthology... and for it not to be the most far-out one in the ish!

Let's check in with the Smiths!

--

We open on... Christmas Eve, and Reddy is taking care of some last-minute shopping for his daughter, Traya.  Ya see, the hot toy this season is the Ecko-Gecko doll... and every store in a three-state radius is completely sold-out.  In fairness to those maintaining inventory... it is Christmas Eve, perhaps our John Smith should've considered looking for the hottest toy going a bit earlier.  Or, hell, it's 2009... look online!  Anyhoo, a little old lady saunters up, revealing she has a Ecko-Gecko doll she'd happily part with... for two-hunnid bones!

Reddy scoffs, claiming that to be a 345% increase on the MSRP... so, I guess he's never heard of "war profiteering".  His hesitation provides the opportunity for a fellow shopper to rush up and offer the walleyed old biddy $250!  Ya snooze, ya lose Tornado!

So, ticked off and completely disappointed with humanity, our Red Tornado whips up several cyclones... collecting all of the snow from outside and depositing it right at the exit points of the building... in effect, trapping everyone inside the store.  Let's hope there isn't a fire.

The patrons inside the shop start freaking out, wondering just how they'll get home to their families (and demanding children).  A man with a bushy mustache suggests that this all might be a sign... giving them the time and opportunity to reflect on what Christmas is really all about.  John suggests they all join in and sing carols along with the store's P.A. system.  Really, dude?  Okay.  Anyhoo, a clerk emerges from one of the aisles to calm everyone down and assure them that the Fire Department will soon be there to let 'em all out.

Our story concludes on Christmas Morning, where an excited Traya hops into her parents' bed to wake 'em up and wish 'em a Merry Christmas.  John asks if she wants to see what Santa brought her... to which she says "Nah, I got all day for that..." and would rather spend time being thankful for what she already has.  Bulllllllll...oney.

--

Sometimes, and I'm not sure if this is due to some of the stories we've already read during Christmas on Infinite Earths this year, but sometimes... it's hard to suspend disbelief to fully enjoy a "slice of life" story.  I get that "looking for the hot toy of the season" is a story that has been so overused at this point that it almost writes itself... and I understand how superior we can all feel in the reading, because certainly none of us would act like these ugly, greedy, selfish people in the store... but, c'mon... Red Tornado's in the Justice League.  He couldn't give the Flash a call and have him scoop up an Ecko-Gecko from the factory in China?  We've seen Wally do something just like that twice already this season!

It'd be one thing if this was a story looking to be comedic... but, I didn't get that at all.  This was a commentary on consumerism... in an overpriced comic book they expected people to shell out six bucks for!  From an industry that tries non-stop to whup its ever-shrinking fandom into a frenzy with incentives and variants and gimmicks... is this really the place to look down our collective noses at people who want to buy things?  Not a good look.

This was certainly not my favorite story in this book... I know what it's trying to "learn" us, but it fails.  It fails as a comedy, because it isn't funny... it fails as satire/commentary, because it's far too unsubtle.  I mean, the only things these ugly consumers were missing were snouts and curly tails.  Our hero throws a tantrum, and potentially endangers everyone who made him upset.  Just not great.  The ending... well, again, I see what they were going for... but, it came across as too unauthentic to properly receive.

Tomorrow: The Huntress decides whether you've been naughty or nice

Deadman Holiday Special '09

DC Universe Holiday Special '09 (Deadman)
"Unbearable Loss"
Story/Art - Scott Kolins
Colors - C.P. Smith
Letters - Jared K. Fletcher
Editors - Adam Schlagman & Eddie Berganza

Who's ready for a... darker Holiday story... that only barely touches on the fact that it happens during Christmastime?

Yeah... me neither!  Let's do it anyway though...

--

We open with a look at the front cover of the Gotham... er, Gazette?  Is that the official newspaper of Gotham?  I dunno... the fact that it's a newspaper is all that matters at the moment.  The headline reads that there are 13 children missing... courtesy of the Scarecrow.  Oh, also... it's Christmas Day.  We're introduced to a homeless boy named William, who is using newspapers to keep warm... and a woman named Karen, who simply-put cannot deal with what the paper reports.

Ya see, this Karen... just so happens to be, the Scarecrow's Mother!  Dang, she looks pretty good for her age!  She blames herself for her son's numerous crime-sprees... and it looks like she's really feeling this one.  Probably because she's just received confirmation of her guilt... via her evil offspring!

From here we get a quick-n-dirty origin story for the Scarecrow.  He was taken from Karen as a baby and raised by his Great Grandmother... who, from all accounts, was a real piece of work.  She basically tortured children... and twisted little Johnny into the psychopath he'd become.

Unable to cope with the guilt, Karen ascends to the top of her apartment building... and dives off!

Here's where Deadman enters the story.  He sneaks into Karen's body... and manages to sorta-kinda save her life... well, her soul, anyway.  Deadman/Karen splash into the water below... which is convenient.  Much easier to finish this story in the water, rather than, ya know... on the pavement.  I wonder how much water-front apartment living in Gotham costs?  Maybe Mrs. Scarecrow is doing really well for herself?

In the drink, Deadman and Karen('s soul) have a chat.  He more or less tells her to let go of all of her guilt... and she cries ethereal tears.

The homeless boy from earlier, William notices Karen's body... and rushes in to help her.  As he pulls her out of the water and attempts to resuscitate her... Deadman tries to impress upon her the value of her life.  And so, she chooses to live.

We wrap up the following day... still really bummed out about the Scarecrow's most recent crime.  Looks like he got away with it... which, doesn't say all that much for, ya know, Batman.  Wandering the streets, she happens across young William... and she offers to take him out for lunch. 

--

Well that was kind of weird, wunnit?

Not so much a Christmas story... heck, feels kind of like an inventory story that, as luck would have it, just happened to include a newspaper that they could date as December, 25!

I feel like I've used the "of two minds" excuse to fence-sit a few times over the past couple of weeks... but, here we are again.  As a story on it's own... it's okay.  It's well-told, and has all of the nuts and bolts of an above-average anthology chapter.  It fits into (the then) continuity, and doesn't really hurt anything.  Sometimes that's all we can hope for!

On the other hand, this kind of illustrates one of my main problems with the Deadman character.  There's really no way Karen should have survived the fall, simply because she "chose life".  There's also the convenience of her just happening to live in an apartment building within inches of deep water.  I mean, I get it... it's a Miracle, yadda yadda yadda... but, again... it's a Deadman story where he can more or less snap his fingers to remove any possible tension or stakes.  As you all may know... that ain't my favorite sort of deal.

Overall though... I dunno, it ended on a high note.  One can hope that maybe Karen decided to take William in, to give her a second chance at raising a productive member of society... and give him a warm place to sleep.  Not bad.

Tomorrow: Rudolph the Red Tor-nay-do...