Christmas Covers - December 18

 

Zombie Santa smokes a cigar atop an undead reindeer on the cover of the Wormwood, Gentleman Corpse Christmas Special (2017) by Ben Templesmith.

For each day of December until Christmas we're featuring a Holiday-related comic book cover. This year we're celebrating the dark, dreary, and twisted side of the holiday, as befits 2020. 

Come back tomorrow, and every day this month, for a new Christmas cover.

Just 7 more 'get-ups' until Santa!

(2019: Her Christmas Romeo)

(2018: Action Comics #1005)

(2017: Wendy Witch World #23)

(2016: Bugs Bunny's Christmas Funnies #4)
(2015: Superman's Christmas Adventure) 
(2014: Doctor Who #12)
(2013: Archie Double Digest #246)
(2012: Teen Titans #13)
(2011: Tivoli med vänner #11)
(2010: Looney Tunes #97)
(2009: Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer #4)
(2008: Walt Disney's Comics and Stories #364)
(2007: Guy Garder: Warrior #39)
(2006: Impulse #45)
(2005: Adventures of Superman #487)
(2004: Mutt & Jeff #32)

Christmas Covers - December 17

 

These dueling Santas have no time for Peace on Earth nor Good Will Toward Men on the cover of MAD #68 (1962) by Don Martin.

For each day of December until Christmas I'm featuring a Holiday-related comic book cover. This year we're celebrating the dark, dreary, and twisted side of the holiday, as befits 2020.

Come back tomorrow, and every day this month, for a new Christmas cover.

Just 8 more 'get-ups' until Santa! 

(2019: The Simpsons Winter Wingding #10)

(2018: Batman and the Outsiders #19)

(2017: Harley Quinn #10)

(2016: World of Archie Comics Double Digest #64)

(2015: Scooby-Doo #67) 

(2014: Katy Keene #29) 

(2013: The Spirit #13) 
(2012: Critters #11) 
(2011: Star Trek: The Next Generation #2)
(2010: Heathcliff #6)
(2009: Gold Digger X-Mas Special #2) 
(2008: Little Dot #29)
(2007: Classics Illustrated #53)
(2006: Patrick The Wolf Boy Christmas Special)
(2005: A Patty Cake Christmas)
(2004: Superman #165)

 

 

12 Songs of Christmas, Day 10

The second part of the Christmas story in Matthew (chapter 2) doesn't get a whole lot of play in Christmas carols. Yes, there's "We Three Kings" which details the wise men from the East visiting Jesus and giving gifts, but the rest of the story—how Harod assisted the wise men in finding Jesus and wanted them to report back to him so that he could eliminate the perceived threat to his rule; and when the wise men were warned by an angel to not tell Harod, Harod then went on a campaign of infanticide and killed every male child in Bethlehem under the age of two—is mostly ignored in song around the holidays.

It's easy to see why this is so: it's not exactly the kind of feel-good festiveness that we want in our caroling. Outside of the notable "Coventry Carol" no other song comes to mind. Except this one.

Appearing on their 1999 Christmas album, indie rock band Low's "Long Way Around the Sea" is a plaintive, simple but deeply affecting song about the wise men's entire journey, not just their visit to the Christ child.

In this video, musicians from the Ontario-based mega-church perform Low's "Long Way Around the Sea" in a woodland setting. It is both sad and touching.

 

 

 

Christmas Covers - December 16

 

Look out Santa! That naughty child has left a bear trap for you on the cover of Panic #1 (1954) by Al Feldstein.

For each day of December until Christmas I'm featuring a Holiday-related comic book cover. This year we're celebrating the dark, dreary, and twisted side of the holiday, as befits 2020. 

Come back tomorrow, and every day this month, for a new Christmas cover.

Just 9 more 'get-ups' until Santa! 

(2019: X-Factor #27)

(2018: The Transformers #41)

(2017: Faith's Winter Wonderland Special)
(2016: Tippy Teen #2)

(2015: Hellblazer #49) 

(2014: Mars Attacks the Holidays) 

(2013: Whizzer and Chips #89123)
(2012: Four Color #205)
(2011: Doctor Who #12)
(2010: Swan vol. 15)
(2009: The Transformers #250)
(2008: Tantalizing Stories #2)
(2007: Funny Pages vol. 2 #43)
(2006: Katy Keene #33)
(2005: Bone Holiday Special)
(2004: Walt Disney's Comics and Stories #76)

 

12 Songs of Christmas, Day 9

 

There aren't many well-known covers of Andy Williams iconic 1963 Christmas song "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year"—probably because that version is so iconic. The most notable version is Johnny Mathis's 1986 recording—because he's Johnny-freaking-Mathis and he makes every Christmas song sound good!

 

Here then is rock band First to Eleven's cover from last year. Not only do they turn it into a rock song, they also move it to a minor key and it sounds downright sinister in places. While it was recorded in 2019, it perfectly fits the mood of Christmas in 2020.

 

 

Christmas Covers - December 15

 

The world may be ending, but nothing can stop Batman, Wonder Woman, Harley Quinn, and Kamandi from celebrating the holidays' on the cover of DC's Nuclear Winter Special #1 (2018) by Yanick Paquette & Nathan Fairbrain.

For each day of December until Christmas I'm featuring a Holiday-related comic book cover. This year we're celebrating the dark, dreary, and twisted side of the holiday, as befits 2020. 

Come back tomorrow, and every day this month, for a new Christmas cover.

Just 10 more 'get-ups' until Santa! 

 

(2019: Shazam! #2)

(2018: Walt Disney's Donald Duck Adventures #30)

(2017: Teen Titans Go! #49)

(2016: DC Rebirth Holiday Special #1)  

(2015: Jughead and Archie Comics Double Digest #17) 

(2014: Archie #662) 

(2013: Walt Disney's Comics and Stories #4) 
(2012: Mike #11) 
(2011: Santa Takes a Trip to Mars) 
(2010: Christmas with the Super-Heroes #1 )
(2009: Kollektivet Julealbum 2007) 
(2008: Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer #7)
(2007: Donald Duck & Co. #49/1964)
(2006: 2000 A.D. #763)
(2005: Incredible Hulk #378)
(2004: Batman #45)

 

12 Songs of Christmas, Day 8

Wham!'s "Last Christmas" was released in 1984, at the height of the British pop duo's popularity. The song was popular for a couple of years around Christmastime, but eventually faded away to seemingly join nearly every other holiday original by popular music acts in the dustbin of history.

But then twenty years later it started to become big again; although it had been covered a handful of times in the interim, "Last Christmas" was suddenly cool again, and by this point has practically become a holiday standard!

Last year Emilia Clarke & Henry Golding starred in a movie of the same title that prominently featured the song (as well as other Wham! and George Michael songs). At the end, the Mother of Dragons herself performs the song; this YouTube clip is not the abridged performance that appeared in the movie, but a full version that was edited together.

 

 

12 Songs of Christmas, Day 7

 

Remember when over a thousand people getting together didn't seem super terrifying? 

 

Return with us then to 2014—a simpler time—as The Piano Guys are joined by Peter Hollens, David Archuleta, and The Tabernacle Choir in a performance of "Angels From the Realms of Glory."

 

This rendition is set to the French carol tune "Iris," which is the traditional tune for the text in the U.K. (in the U.S. "Regent Square" is the more common tune, while "Iris" is typically used for "Angels We Have Heard on High").

 

 

Christmas Covers - December 14

 

A monstrous Brood is about to ruin the holidays for Kitty Pryde on the cover of X-Men Classic #47 (1990) by Steve Lightle.

For each day of December until Christmas I'm featuring a Holiday-related comic book cover. This year we're celebrating the dark, dreary, and twisted side of the holiday, as befits 2020. 

Come back tomorrow, and every day this month, for a new Christmas cover.

Just 11 more 'get-ups' until Santa!

(2019: Flare #30)

(2018: Disney Princess #16)

(2017: World of Archie Double Digest #73)
(2016: Four Color #178)  

(2015: Walt Disney's Comics and Stories #99) 

(2014: Tezuka Magazine Leo #3) 

(2013: Action Comics #762) 
(2012: On a volé le courrier de Petit Père Noël) 
(2011: Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies Comics #87) 
(2010: Sal y Pimienta #151) 
(2009: Sugar & Spike #50) 
(2008: Tom-Tom, The Jungle Boy #3)
(2007: Sugar & Spike #68)
(2006: Sugar & Spike #38)
(2005: Sugar & Spike #26)
(2004: Sugar & Spike #32)

 

Christmas Covers - December 13

 

Irwin cannot afford Christmas presents this year with his skimpy royalty check on the cover of Hey Kids! Comics! #5 (2018) by Don Cameron and Howard Chaykin.

For each day of December until Christmas I'm featuring a Holiday-related comic book cover. This year we're celebrating the dark, dreary, and twisted side of the holiday, as befits 2020. 

Come back tomorrow, and every day this month, for a new Christmas cover.

Just 12 more 'get-ups' until Santa!

(2019: Bugs Bunny's Christmas Funnies #1)
(2018: Santa Claus Funnies)
(2017: Marge's Little Lulu #7)
(2016: Comic Cavalcade #19)
(2015: Blue Bolt v. 3 #7) 
(2014: Red Ryder Comics #137) 
(2013: Robbedoes #2017)
(2012: Cheryl Blossom Special #3) 
(2011: Batman #239)
(2010: Pelle Svanslös Jul-album 1960)
(2009: Robbedoes #2436)
(2008: Sugar and Spike #44)
(2007: Love Hina vol. 6)
(2006: Green Lantern: Mosaic #9)
(2005: Jonah Hex #34)
(2004: Starman #27)

12 Songs of Christmas, Day 6

"I Saw Three Ships" is a traditional English carol. Here it is performed "Pirate Style" by pianist/violinist Jennifer Thomas. Pirates and Christmas don't really go together, but here it works!

 

12 Songs of Christmas, Day 5

Here's family vocal group Cimorelli singing "Jingle Bells," a cappella and in a minor key. Which seems like it would be really hard; not that singing in minor is hard per se, but in my experience signing a song in minor that you are so used to singing in major is super difficult!

 

Christmas Covers - December 12

Poor Zero is trapped in Christmastown on the cover of Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas — Zero's Journey Book 2 (2019) by Kei Ishiyama.

For each day of December until Christmas I'm featuring a Holiday-related comic book cover. This year we're celebrating the dark, dreary, and twisted side of the holiday, as befits 2020. 

Come back tomorrow, and every day this month, for a new Christmas cover.

Just 13 more 'get-ups' until Santa!

(2019: My Little Pony 2019 Holiday Special)

(2018: Tom and Jerry #239)

(2017: The Simpsons Winter Wingding #7)

(2016: Buster and Monster Fun Christmas 1977)  

(2015: Grimm Fairy Tales Presents Robyn Hood 2015 Holiday Special) 

(2014: Spooky #28) 

(2013: Spider-Girl #54) 
(2012: Batman #33)
(2011: Mad #68) 
(2010: Sugar Buzz #4)
(2009: Clerks Holiday Special) 
(2008: Eternal Romance #3)
(2007: Liberty Meadows #24)
(2006: Veronica #6)
(2005: Dell Movie Classic #725)
(2004: Treasure Chest vol. 23 #8)

 

 

Christmas Covers - December 11

 

Erm, this is the cover for Rob Espinosa's A Christmas Carol (2009), and I'm afraid to ask...

For each day of December until Christmas I'm featuring a Holiday-related comic book cover. This year we're celebrating the dark, dreary, and twisted side of the holiday, as befits 2020. 

 
Come back tomorrow, and every day this month, for a new Christmas cover.

Just 14 more 'get-ups' until Santa!

(2019: Cheryl Blossom #9)

(2018: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #89)

(2017: The Flintstones #31)

(2016: Batman and the Outsiders #19)

(2015: Sweet Rein vol. 3) 

(2014: Sweet Rein vol. 2) 

(2013: Sweet Rein vol. 1) 
(2012: Garfield #8) 
(2011: The Simpsons Winter Wingding #6) 
(2010: Marvel Super Hero Squad #12 ) 
(2009: P.S. Magazine: The Preventive Maintenance Monthly #157)
(2008: More Fun Comics #39)
(2007: The Tick: Big Red-N-Green Christmas Spectacle #1)
(2006: The Best of DC #58)
(2005: Batman #27)
(2004: The Brave and the Bold #148)

 

Amazon Top 50 - December 11, 2020

Here are the Top 50 Comics & Graphic Novels on Amazon Friday afternoon. See About the Amazon Top 50 Lists for more information on how this list is compiled.  (Note: All Kindle Unlimited, FreeTime Unlimited, comiXology Unlimited, & Prime Reading books are removed from the chart.) 

1 (-). The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse
2 (+1). Dilbert 2021 Day-to-Day Calendar
3 (+2). Marvel Encyclopedia, New Edition
4 (+2). My Hero Academia, Vol. 1
5 (-3). The Far Side Theme-a-Month 2021 Off-The-Wall Calendar
6 (+2). Solutions and Other Problems
7 (-). Pusheen 2021 Wall Calendar
8 (+23). The Complete Calvin and Hobbes (paperback)
9 (-). Strange Planet
10 (-). Uzumaki (3-in-1 Deluxe Edition)
11 (-). Cartoons from The New Yorker 2021 Day-to-Day Calendar
12 (+1). Peanuts 2021 Day-to-Day Calendar
13 (+1). Haikyu!!, Vol. 1
14 (+1). The Far Side After Hours 2021 Wall Calendar
15 (-3). My Hero Academia, Vol. 3
16 (+3). Avatar: The Last Airbender—The Search Omnibus
17 (-13). A Wealth of Pigeons: A Cartoon Collection
18 (+2). Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba, Vol. 1
19 (-2). My Hero Academia, Vol. 4
20 (-4). Stranger Planet
21 (-3). Batman: Three Jokers
22 (+13). Death Note (All-in-One Edition)
23 (R). Avatar: The Last Airbender—The Promise Omnibus
24 (-1). My Hero Academia, Vol. 5
25 (-1). Calvin and Hobbes
26 (+6). Toilet-bound Hanako-kun, Vol. 1
27 (-5). How to Tell If Your Cat Is Plotting to Kill You
28 (+10). Critical Role: Vox Machina Origins Library Edition: Series I & II Collection *
29 (+13). Naruto: 3-in-1 Edition, Vol. 1
30 (-1). Haikyu!!, Vol. 2
31 (+18). Sapiens: A Graphic History—The Birth of Humankind (paperback)
32 (+16). Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba, Vol. 2
33 (+4). Primer
34 (+9). Remina *
35 (-1). Berserk Deluxe Volume 1
36 (-8). I'm NOT just a Scribble...
37 (-7). The Odd 1s Out: The First Sequel
38 (-2). The Essential Calvin and Hobbes
39 (-13). My Hero Academia, Vol. 25
40 (R). Non Sequitur 2021 Day-to-Day Calendar
41 (-20). Dune: The Graphic Novel, Book 1
42 (R). Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba, Vol. 3
43 (+1). Garfield 2021 Day-to-Day Calendar
44 (N). The Argyle Sweater 2021 Day-to-Day Calendar
45 (R). Tokyo Ghoul: re Complete Box Set
46 (-13). My Hero Academia, Vol. 2
47 (+3). My Hero Academia, Vol. 6
48 (R). Hunter x Hunter, Vol. 1
49 (R). The Umbrella Academy, Vol. 1: Apocalypse Suite
50 (R). JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Part 1—Phantom Blood, Vol. 1

Items with asterisks (*) are pre-order items.

Items with dollar signs ($) were part of a deeply discounted Kindle sale this week
N = New listing appearing on list for first time 
R = Item returning to the list after having been off for 1 or more weeks

 

Commentary: 

• The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse, stays on top of the chart this week. Will it remain on top for the rest of the year, or will the Dilbert calendar dethrone it?
• Only one new title this week: The Argyle Sweater 2021 Day-to-Day Calendar. Calendars take up nine spots on the chart this week.
  
• Wash your hands. Wear a face mask when in public, enclosed spaces. Practice sensible social distancing. Read comics!

12 Days of Christmas Music, Day 4

Today we have two advent carols, performed by The Petersens, a family bluegrass band. "O Come, O Come Emmanuel" features a haunting clear lead vocal and tight family harmonies, while their version of "Come Thou Long Expected Jesus" has some interesting rhythmic variants with duples against the 3/4 rhythm.

 

 

(You can listen to The Petersens' entire Christmas album on Spotify.)

Christmas Covers - December 10

 

"Santa" gets pulled back up into the chimney by little gremlin creatures on the variant cover for the Grimm Fairy Tales 2018 Holiday Special by Daniel Liester.

For each day of December until Christmas I'm featuring a Holiday-related comic book cover. This year we're celebrating the dark and dreary side of the holiday, as befits 2020.

Come back tomorrow, and every day this month, for a new Christmas cover.

Just 15 more 'get-ups' until Santa!

(2019: Futurama Comics #64)

(2018: Archie Giant Series Magazine #10)

(2017: Walt Disney's Comics and Stories #171)
(2016: Mickey Mouse Magazine #51)  

(2015: My Little Pony Holiday Special 2015) 

(2014: Green Lantern #109) 

(2013: Dance Class vol. 6) 
(2012: Caravan Kidd Holiday Special) 
(2011: Spider-Man Kids julehefte 2009) 
(2010: Richie Rich Holiday Digest Magazine #1) 
(2009: Pondus - Julen 2003)
(2008: Battle Vixens vol. 9)
(2007: The Bakers Meet Jingle Belle)
(2006: A Distant Soil #26)
(2005: Classics Illustrated #15)
(2004: Action Comics #93) 

 

12 Days of Christmas Music, Day 3

 

"Down in Yon Forest" is a traditional English carol dating back to the Renaissance. It was originally associated with Good Friday, but later verses were added to reference Christmas.

 

This is a lovely acoustic version by Janice Burns & Jon Doran, an English folk duo.

 

 

Learn more about Janice Burns & Jon Doran on their Website.

Christmas Covers - December 9

 

The devil gets coal in his stocking on the cover of Lucifer #13 (2017) by Dave Johnson.

For each day of December until Christmas I'm featuring a Holiday-related comic book cover. This year we're celebrating the dark and dreary side of the holiday, as befits 2020. 

 
Come back tomorrow, and every day this month, for a new Christmas cover.

Just 16 more 'get-ups' until Santa!

 

(2019: Klaus #6)
(2018: Batgirl #18)
(2017: Action Comics #117)
(2016: Garfield #32)
(2015: The Spectre #26) 

(2014: Marvel Two-In-One #8)  

(2013: The Tick New Series #1)
(2012: Pelle Politbil Julen 2010)
(2011: The Disney Afternoon #3)
(2010: The Tick's Big Yule Log Special 2000)
(2009: Funny Stuff #30)
(2008: March of Comics #77)
(2007: Spaceman Discovers Christmas)
(2006: All-American Comics #10)
(2005: Roy Rogers Comics #49)
(2004: Pogo Possum #11)

12 Days of Christmas Music, Day 2

As Christmas carols go, "The Twelve Days of Christmas" is a tough one: It is quite hard to keep it from getting repetitive and boring.

 

A capella group Pentatonix manage to keep things interesting in their new version through rapid-fire genre changes and a video that looks like a Zoom call on steroids. The experience is definitely enhanced by the music video.

 

 See you back here tomorrow for Day 3 of Christmas music!