Comico Christmas Special

FROM THE ARCHIVES (Comics That Time Forgot)

COMICO CHRISTMAS SPECIAL

#1, Comico (1988)

Story: Douglas Wheeler (all)

Letters: Ken Holewczynski (“Living for Christmas”); Bernie E. Mireault (“Too Many Santas”); L. Lois Buhalis (“The Stiflemax Diaries”); Bob Pinaha (“One Winter Day); Steve Haynie (“Traditions Everlasting)

Colors: Joe Matt (“Living for Christmas”); Bernie E. Mireault (“Too Many Santas”); Trishie Schutz (“The Stiflemax Diaries”); Rick Taylor (“One Winter Day”); Steve Oliff (“Traditions Everlasting”)

Pencils: Ken Holewcyznski (“Living for Christmas”); Bernie E. Mireault (“Too Many Santas”); Tim Sale (“The Stiflemax Diaries”); Bill Willingham (“One Winter Day”); Steve Rude (“Traditions Everlasting”)

Inks: Ken Holewcyznski (“Living for Christmas”); Bernie E. Mireault (“Too Many Santas”); Tim Sale (“The Stiflemax Diaries”); Chris Warner (“One Winter Day”); Al Williamson (“Traditions Everlasting”)

Editor: Diana Schutz (“Living for Christmas”, “Too Many Santas”, “One Winter Day”); Michael Eury (“The Stiflemax Diaries”; “Traditions Everlasting”)

The Comico Christmas Special was a one-shot in 1988 containing five stories written by Douglas Wheeler, illustrated by different artists. Wheeler’s stories are all of the eight-page type, and four of the five are set in the future. Each, of course, has a Christmas theme, but only two of the five fall prey to the schmaltzy, overly-sentimental pap that most writers churn out when writing holiday-themed stories.

The first story in the book (“Living for Christmas”) is by the far the best and most original. It tells the story of an incredibly rich CEO who decides that people are really only nice to each other around Christmastime--and therefore decides to have himself frozen in suspended animation for 11 months of each year, revived at Christmastime, and then frozen again after New Year’s Day. This continues for hundreds of years, until something happens to make him rethink his decision. Well-executed, original, and not too terribly sappy, this story is definitely worth a look.

Other stories don’t fare quite so well. “Too Many Santas” is the clichéd story of a child disbelieving in Santa Claus until something happens to make him believe otherwise; similarly, “Traditions Everlasting” is the incredibly saccharine story of aliens discovering the essence of Christmas on a now-dead Earth. “The Stiflemax Diaries,” set in the future when Christmas is forbidden by law to be mentioned anytime other than in December, is somewhat more interesting and has some good humor. “One Winter Day” is a rather slight and insignificant story about shovelling snow.

Unfortunately, the best artists in the Comic Christmas Special were assigned to the worst stories. Although a noble attempt to have a Christmas anthology without super heroes or other already-established characters, the one strong story in the issue doesn’t really make it worth seeking out.