Five Classic Christmas Comics

'Tis the season to be jolly, and remember those classic Christmas comics that we see in Mylars in choice comic shops around the world. Oh, yes. If you by chance wander into a shop where they take their fandom seriously, those store owners make sure to display those choice collectible Christmas comics that brighten any store shelf, and make us appreciate the power of nostalgia.

Come with us in remembering 5 particular comics that we think have entered the history books as “timeless.”

Action Comics Volume 1 #105

The most memorable tag line from the book is Superman asking, “What have your reindeer got that I haven't got?” Hard to argue with that line of logic. The Man of Steel can fly faster than a speeding bullet, and those same bullets when aimed at him bounce off his chest. Reindeer aren’t even in the same league. Still, Blitzen is in the running to defend his honor, and Perry White and Santa Claus mix it up with the Kryptonian for this nostalgic tale that was titled "The Man Who Hated Christmas!"

Batman Volume 1 #33

Long before the legendary Frank Miller wrote a grim and gritty version of the Caped Crusader in The Dark Knight Returns, the world’s greatest detective was in comic book adventures that stretched back to the year 1946. Yes, World War II had just ended the year before, and folks were just happy that the bombs had stopped dropping from planes. So Christmas time in 1946 was an extra special time to celeberate with some holiday cheer, and tongue-in-cheek humor which you could see on the cover of Batman #33. A different time to read comics, which featured villains such as Willie the Wagger.

Sensation Comics Volume 1 #38

Who would have thought Mrs. Claus would be pulled in one year to pinch-hit for Santa? Well, as it turned out, it wasn’t Santa’s better half that drove the reindeer team across rooftops. It was none other than Wonder Woman that lugged around a sack of toys. And, yes, she took on the mantle of “Miss Santa Claus” just to keep the record straight. This comic was released in 1942, right smack in the middle of World War II, which accounts for the toy plane, doll, and drum which can be seen poking from the top of Miss Santa’s bag. If such an image were seen today on Facebook or Instagram, the bag would probably be stuffed with X-Box and copies of Battlefield and Assassins Creed.

Panic #1

Now this is when EC Comics was all the rage back in the day. Yes, kids, EC Comics was the powerhouse behind all of those famous pre-code horror books that you’ve heard about, which prompted a book called Seduction of the Innocent to be published, and comic books were fingered as being one of the reasons why youth was being corrupted at an alarming rate. The cover for Panic #1 helps to advance that narrative: Santa’s about to be caught in a bear trap! This first issue of Panic was banned by various local governments, including Boston. Chew on that with cookies and milk.

Animaniacs: A Christmas Special Volume 1 #1

The year was 1994, and Warner Bros. was bringing a new style of animation to television sets, most notably in their wacky television series Animaniacs. This comic capitalized on the property by rolling out the first appearances of Yakko, Wakko, and Dot Warner. Other supporting characters that appeared in the book included Slappy and Skippy Squirrel, Hello Nurse, and Dr. Scratchansniff. This book is basically a retelling of the animation short of the same name from the TV cartoon series in which Slappy reads "Twas the Day Before Christmas" to Skippy on Christmas Eve. A throwback for some of you younger readers who grew up with television always being in full-color, and accompanied with a handy multi-button remote.

So what do you think? Like our little review of Christmas comics from the past? If you have your own books you’d like to share with us, visit us on Facebook or Twitter and send us pics of your favorite holiday books.

Merry Christmas, and Happy Holidays from your friends at PREVIEWSworld!