The meaning of Christmas is about family and religion. The celebration of the birth of Jesus, who came to bring lasting peace and joy to all the world.
This makes the business of comic books and comic book publisher pale by comparison. Will Marvel turn a profit? Will Big E survive? How long will Jim Shooters stay with Golden Books?
None of this matters this time of year. What matters is the meaning behind the Christmas season.
I heard a commentator on the radio remark "how few television and movie programs really deal with the Christmas season" The commentator went on to remark that there was not a single Christmas related show on any major television network on Christmas Eve. Not, "Miracle on 34th Street"., not a single version of "A Christmas Carol", and not a single major network, neither commercial nor cable, is showing a single Christmas related movie or an original television show that deals with Christmas. Also not a single movie at the movie theaters deal with Christmas. (OK, 101 Dalmatians peripherally deals with Christmas, but that's not what the story is about).
Something is wrong with the major entertainment corporations of North America. Something is wrong when you have to show your Christmas Specials the day after Thanksgiving, or even the week after Thanksgiving. In my opinion, the true meaning of Christmas is lost.
And, unfortunately, comic books follow suit. Christmas means people with money, so let's put out some specials for Marvel, it's cool new stories and art by Lee and Liefield. DC also has their end of the year specials. I do not know of a single major or independent publisher that tackles the meaning of Christmas. I know what you're going to ask. Can this meaning be captured in comic books? Any medium that can tell a story, can also tell a Christmas story. Usually the season is marl a 'background" setting, so that viewers can relate to stories taking place at that time of year. Then the character's in the comic are going through the same "em-Christmas" excursions as the rest of us. This makes the more real, more human, and easier to relate to. The titles play the theme for family values, helping others and sharing. All excellent virtues, and all relatively "safe" in today's marketplace.
I have personally read very few "real" Christmas stories are told in Comic books. Count yourself fortunate if you have a Classics Illustrated version of "A Christmas Carol" Lacking that issue,
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