Marvel Holiday Special #1
Marvel Holiday Special 2006 stands as the third installment of the revived 2000s anthology run and represents an evolution in the format by introducing a sustained narrative framing device — an A.I.M. office holiday party — that tied its otherwise standalone short stories into a single comic experience. The issue continued the series tradition of using seasonal anthologies to showcase corners of the Marvel Universe that rarely intersected, pairing Doctor Strange's manservant Wong with the human-sized Fin Fang Foom in a story that built directly on continuity established in the Fin Fang Four one-shot. It also kept alive the series' broader cultural role of spotlighting diverse holiday traditions and Marvel Universe worldbuilding through its in-universe Official Handbook profile of Santa Claus.
In "The Mole Man's Christmas," the usually reclusive and scheming Mole Man finds himself on a very different kind of mission—stealing toys for his children, only to be caught red-handed by the Fantastic Four. Written by Mike Carey and brought to life by Mike Perkins’s expressive art and Laura Martin’s vivid colors, this heartfelt holiday tale explores whether the heroes will uphold the law or show mercy to a father in need. Stuart Immonen’s striking cover captures the moment’s emotional weight, making this a standout in the Marvel Holiday Special lineup.
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The 2006 issue was explicitly marketed as a follow-up to the Harvey Award-nominated 2005 Marvel Holiday Special, giving the revived anthology line a sense of prestige continuity. The creative team was assembled from talent who had worked together in adjacent Marvel anthology contexts: writer Scott Gray and artist Roger Langridge had previously collaborated on the Fin Fang Four story in Marvel Monsters, making their pairing here a natural extension of that comedic, cartoony sensibility. Writers Mike Carey and Shaenon Garrity also returned from the 2005 edition, lending the 2006 book a consistent creative voice across the short-story format.
Trivia · 8 facts
- Published February 2007 (cover-dated 2006); a 48-page, saddle-stitched, one-shot anthology with a glossy cover and newsprint interior pages.
- Cover art by Frazer Irving; interior pencils by Mike Perkins, Roger Langridge, and Ron Lim.
- Written by Mike Carey, Scott Gray, Roger Langridge, and Shaenon K. Garrity, with additional contributions by Andrew Farago and Jeff Christiansen.
- Story titles: 'A.I.M. Lang Syne' (framing story), 'How Fin Fang Foom Saved Christmas,' 'A is for Annihilus' (Thing story), and 'Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe: Santa Claus' profile.
- The issue introduced an A.I.M. office holiday party as a structural framing device — a new formal wrinkle for the anthology format.
- 'How Fin Fang Foom Saved Christmas' (Gray/Langridge) depicts a human-sized Fin Fang Foom and Wong stopping a Hydra splinter cell's giant robotic Santa Claus from destroying Manhattan; the story follows directly from the continuity of the Fin Fang Four one-shot in which Foom was reduced to human scale.
- The issue includes printable Marvel superhero ornament cut-outs, making it an interactive collectible as well as a story anthology.
- The story 'How Fin Fang Foom Saved Christmas' was later reprinted in Fin Fang Four Return! #1, extending its readership beyond the holiday one-shot format.
Cast · 40 characters
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Full plot ⚠ may contain spoilers
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Albert Potter is busted by the Fantastic Four while trying to steal toys for his kids. Will they turn him over to the police, or will they have a change of heart?
Plot details indexed by the Grand Comics Database (CC BY-SA).