The holiday season is a time of togetherness, joy, and comfort, even for the superheroes and villains of the Marvel universe. For decades, Marvel has made it a yearly tradition to give different franchises their own holiday special or release a massive special filled with different Marvel stories.
There's just something appealing about a holiday setting; even the MCU took advantage of it with Hawkeye. These comics can range from silly and downright ridiculous superhero romps during the season to emotional stories that teach the values of the holidays. Perhaps some of these can make for the perfect gift for Marvel fans to receive.
In The Spirit Of The Season - Marvel Holiday Special (1992)
Everyone knows of the brutality that Frank Castle, AKA The Punisher, is known for - including his lack of mercy. Well, in 1993, Frank Castle put aside his lethality a few days before Christmas as a challenge by Micro to avoid killing until the end of the season.
Marvel fans will likely get joy out of seeing The Punisher in a bulletproof Santa outfit taking on criminals. He may not be using lethal methods but Punisher is still brutal. Of course, Frank is not happy about the situation but it makes for one of the more fun yet dark holiday comics.
Ghost Rider X-Mas Special Infinite Comic #1 (2016)
Of course, Robbie Reyes cannot simply enjoy spending Christmas with his younger brother. To prey upon naughty children comes Krampus, the evil antithesis of Santa Claus which forces Robbie to transform into the Ghost Rider.
It's a quick but fun story that features many visuals that will leave an impact. From a flaming muscle car being dragged through the air by a demonic sleigh to Ghost Rider fighting a swarm of beasts tributing Gremlins, it has some incredible moments. Add in a few emotional scenes between Robbie and his brother, and it makes for a well-rounded comic.
Chinese Food For Christmas! - Marvel Holiday Special (2011)
This story starts off as the standard affair for one of these specials; Ben Grimm, AKA The Thing, enjoying some pumpkin spice eggnog while on his way to meet up with other Jewish superheroes such as Kitty Pryde. That's when a monster attacks the streets of New York, forcing him to fight.
It may seem typical but this segment of the special features a surprising twist as to the reasons behind the monster's attacks and thefts. Heroes Of Chanukah ends up ending on a really endearing note and showcases The Thing's soft side.
Eggnog, Toilet Paper, And Peace On Earth - GLX-Mas Special (2005)
Squirrel Girl is not one of Marvel's most adorable heroes but she's so gloriously overpowered that fans can't get enough of her. So Marvel fans will enjoy her in this first story of the Great Lakes X-Men holiday special as she takes on MODOK alongside Commander Dum Dum Dugan.
The story retains the comedy that she's known for with her optimistic attitude that can make anyone smile. To help Squirrel Girl in battle, she has trading cards of Marvel heroes and villains to give her knowledge. Obviously, it doesn't take itself too seriously and sometimes silly fun is all that's needed.
Ant-Man's Big Christmas (2000)
Ant-Man's Big Christmas focuses on the more obnoxious side of reunions around holidays. Ant-Man and Wasp decide to help out a fan, a child who has relatives set on ruining his life and Christmas. Each of the relatives ends up getting their just desserts via shrinking-related pranks.
The comeuppance of each relative is both funny and satisfying but it's also enjoyable to see these heroes simply help out a child going through trouble. It's similar to with its many painful yet funny traps, it's a little twisted to get joy seeing people get pranked by Ant-Man but it never goes too far with it and it even ends on a touching note.
A Matter Of Faith - Spider-Man Holiday Special (1995)
After saving a woman from falling off of a bridge, Spider-Man is scolded by her. It turns out she was trying to kill herself because after being evicted, she no longer sees value in her life. So Spider-Man makes it his mission to help her, to prove to her that she matters.
Obviously, this is a play on a holiday classic still filled with important life lessons. Of course, It's A Wonderful Life didn't feature a flamethrower-wielding supervillain but it's still an effective tribute to that film that ends on a really nice note.
Jubilee's Story - Merry X-Men Holiday Special (2018)
The Merry X-Men Holiday Special tells twenty-five different stories all written by the famous X-Men writer Chris Claremont. There are many great short stories that it's easy to recommend the whole book to but the best is the story told in multiple chapters across the whole anthology.
Jubilee just wants to spend Christmas in Hawaii with her baby son Shogo but she's swept into a mall made by Arcade to kill contestants. Jubilee's interactions with her son as she fights robots in a mall are a delight and
Losin' The Blues - Marvel Holiday Special (1994)
Another standout story starring Ben Grimm, this time he meets a young Jewish girl who has lost all holiday spirit due to the more oversaturated Christmas holiday. So Ben and the girl go through the city with the lovable rock monster trying to explain that the season is not just about Christmas or Hanukkah.
There's no giant threat that appears out of nowhere, no demonic cult transforming the mall into hell on Earth or some supervillain attack. Instead, it's a slow-paced but intelligently written conversation between two people about the importance of the season to many people.
A Miracle A Few Blocks Down From 34th Street - Marvel Holiday Special (1991)
The first and one of the most iconic of the Marvel Holiday Special series due to the inclusion of the actual canon Santa Claus in the Marvel Universe. On the hunt for a very powerful mutant detected by Cerebro, the X-Men discover that it is none other than Santa Claus. Not some reinvention of Santa done in a Marvel-style but he looks, acts, and sounds like the Santa Claus seen in holiday movies.
His power level is displayed when he turns of the Brotherhood Of Mutants into toy figures. That is as ridiculous as it may seem but at the same time, Marvel managed to make the twist seem plausible via the simple explanation of a mutant.
Yes Virginia, There Is A Santron - Marvel Holiday Special (2005)
The other stand-out story in the 2005 edition is where a young woman rebuilds an Ultron robot to look like Santa Claus. Much to the surprise of no one reading, it begins to hunt down the Avengers who are all having a Christmas party. The Santron is a bizarre villain but it leads to the tragic story behind its creator.
This story shows why the idea of Santa Claus means so much to kids and why even as adults, it doesn't hurt to keep the spirit of Santa Claus and Christmas in the heart. Like many other Marvel Holiday Special stories, this story brings out the human side of these larger-than-life characters.