Love Machinery, Six

Christmas edition!

Emma Frost, on the 2004 adjectiveless X-Men Christmas issue:

“That scene actually happened in the story. Iceman, that failure of an accountant and X-Man, threw a snowball that almost hit my nose. Kitty and Rachel gained a new roommate, the style-devoid young savage X-23. Sage restored LeBeau’s eyesight with a kiss—I’m not lying, darlings, it happened. And Lila Cheney, older and somewhat more irrelevant, played some of her minor hits and unreleased tracks.”

Recent Book Sale find. L. Frank Baum (The Wonderful Wizard of Oz) and Charles Santore's The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus. Gorgeously painted and very creative version of Santa's origin; he was a human infant raised by fairies and was eventually called a saint for his kind deeds.

Grail on Funny Komiks # 550, Dec. 1988.
"Amphibia and her family discover the Star of Bethlehem. Argon replaces Santa's sick reindeer in 'Starboy.' Dog people worship the human Holy Family in 'Superdog.' And Niknok re-gifts a rice cooker. It's a pleasantly bizarre Christmas issue!"

Thor and Wasp.
"Odin's beard! Yggdrasil! What have you done to the World Tree, woman?!"
"Scrooge."

Another Book Sale find. The Amazing Christmas Extravaganza, about the world's most over-decorated house. Brilliant, heartwarming stuff by David Shannon.

Iceman on the post-Fall of the Mutants X-Factor issue:
"The Empire State Building's antenna was destroyed during the battle with Apocalypse. I made a Christmas tree to replace it temporarily the next day. I dunno how they cleaned that up after it melted, but I'm betting Damage Control did, and they must've hated my guts for weeks. Scott later discovered that Maddie was alive, but died for real with the X-Men in Dallas. And the kids--Rusty, Skids, Boom Boom, Rictor, Leech, and Artie--personally delivered gifts to children who got hurt during the battle. Aw, it still warms my ice-cold heart."

"Ah, mem'ries! Old bastich didn't go down without a fight, but he fragging got nothin' on the Main Man. I remember that gutting like it was yesterday! Hawr!"