Wednesday, December 23, 2015

Who's the Best... Santa Claus Comic Cover?


Doug: Do you have a favorite Santa Claus cover? Or, how about an interior appearance?

 


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12 comments:

Rip Jagger said...

I don't know if it's a fave, but the first one that came to mind was the cover of Creepy #59 by Sanjulian. A gruesome cover indeed. After that I'd likely give the nod to Panic #1.

Here's an address for the former:

http://www.comics.org/issue/27116/cover/4/

And here's one for the latter:

http://www.comics.org/issue/11104/cover/4/

Rip Off

December 23, 2015 at 7:05 AM
Humanbelly said...

Always hated that Peter Parker cover. Sort of the epitome, to me, of the pandering "aren't we dark/hip/edgy/anti-establishment/kewl" path the whole industry was happily embracing at the time. IIRC, that Santa was mugger or burglar or somethin. . .

Like the She-Hulk cover, though! Jen was always one of the most "real"-seeming, enjoyable female characters in the Marvel U for me-- one of those, like Spidey, that seemed able to write herself.

I think. . . I think the JSA series had a Santa cover at one point? Possibly battling w/ Ma Hunkle--?

HB

December 23, 2015 at 8:23 AM
Redartz said...

HB- I totally echo your comments on the Peter Parker cover, and on She Hulk. Recently picked up that very issue of "Shulkie" at a flea market; cover price (gotta love that).

Appreciate the Archie Christmas cover, Doug! I was always a fan of those Christmas specials, "Christmas Love-ins" (boy, that sure sounds 1971), andcall the others. And there were many of them! With, per the topic today, many appearances by St. Nick.

Oh, must mention a favorite Santa issue: Sugar and Spike 26. Great stockings cover with the kids, and of course they encounter Santa inside. A charming Sheldon Mayer winner...

December 23, 2015 at 12:33 PM
Anonymous said...

Yeah, that Spectacular cover always seemed a bit weird to me...

Of course, it's probably not as bad as this.

(I think the story is about the Easter Bunny hiring Lobo to kill Santa Claus...what was that you said about dark and edgy, HB?)

Mike Wilson

December 23, 2015 at 1:09 PM
dbutler16 said...

I don't know if it's the best Santa cover or not, but JLA #110 immediately jumped into my mind when I read the title of this post.
http://vignette4.wikia.nocookie.net/marvel_dc/images/e/eb/JLA_v.1_110.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20081227181018

December 23, 2015 at 3:03 PM
Edo Bosnar said...

Not my favorite Xmas cover, but I had that issue of Bizarre Adventures. There's a few pretty good stories in that one as I recall.
My personal favorite is The Giant Superhero Holiday Grab-Bag from 1976. And don't tell me it doesn't count: the Thing's right there in a Santa suit! I just have so many fond memories attached to that book.

Another cover with an actual Santa on it - well sort of, anyway - is one I just saw today for the first time at our friend Pete Doree's site: Jonah Hex #34.

December 23, 2015 at 3:32 PM
Anonymous said...

I'm not sure if it's original or from a comic book, but the cover of the new Back Issue Christmas issue has a great Spidey and Kingpin as Santa theme!

starfoxxx

December 23, 2015 at 3:41 PM
pfgavigan said...

Hiya,

That issue of She-Hulk was and remains one of my fondest comicbook moments. The story was nicely paced with Byrne at the top of his game.

But as to the ones presented here, I have to say that my favorite is the Jack Davis Howard the Duck, something I had no idea even existed. It might seem blasphemous to suggest this, but I now dearly wished Davis and Gerber had the chance to produce a story together.

Hey Mister (Mike) Wilson <>: That issue of Lobo going after Santa Claus stands out in my memory as one of the last times I ever picked up a comic with those creators names on it. Yeah, I know I've missed good work from Griffen, Grant and Bisley, but I also figure if they could produce that thing there was no telling what other monstrosity they might produce.

Seeya,

pfgavigan

December 23, 2015 at 5:11 PM
William said...

"The Brave and the Bold" #148. This is one of my all-time favorites which features a great Christmas team-up between Batman and Plastic Man.

When the two heroes first meet, on the inside of the book, Plas is dressed as a sidewalk Santa. The story starts out in snowy Gotham City, and ends up in sunny Florida. Which is something I can relate to. And it was especially fun for me as a kid, because very very few Christmas specials ever involved the sunshine state.

Plus it has Santa on the cover.

http://img2.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20081223140842/marvel_dc/images/7/71/Brave_and_the_Bold_v.1_148.jpg

December 23, 2015 at 6:02 PM
Anonymous said...

@pfgavigan: I've never actually read any Lobo comics and it sounds like I haven't missed anything; about the only Lobo stuff I've seen is in those issues of Justice League where they end up on Apokolips. I think Lobo was originally meant as a joke...a parody of "grim and gritty" characters like Wolverine...but people ended up taking him seriously; an early variation of Poe's Law, I guess?

Speaking of monstrosities, I just saw this over at EscherGirls.

Mike Wilson

December 23, 2015 at 6:25 PM
The Prowler said...

I'm with Edo! I love that Holiday Grab Bag. It was my first Marvel Treasury Edition. (Real G-D Bears to scan but C'est la vie).

I think with any Christmas money I get, I'm gonna take another stab at some of the Panini Digests!!! Ah, who am I kidding, y'all know it's gonna go to hooch and hookers! Then again, 2016 could be the year that I complete Marvel Triple Action and Marvel Super Action. And master combat judo. And figure out that dry rub. And take the "A" train to get to Harlem. (Remember when Iron Man didn't have a nose!?!)

(Christmas time is here
Happiness and cheer
Fun for all
That children call
Their favorite time of year

Snowflakes in the air
Carols everywhere
Olden times
And ancient rhymes
Of love and dreams to share).

December 23, 2015 at 8:11 PM
Edo Bosnar said...

William, excellent choice on that B&B cover; you can never go wrong with Aparo as far as I'm concerned.

December 24, 2015 at 3:05 AM

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