Behold!

Special Christmas Edition

Marvel Classics Comics #36 (final issue), December, 1978

Cover Artists Bob Hall

“A Christmas Carol”

Writer:  Doug Moench

Penciler & Inker: “Diverse Hands”

Colorists: Francoise Mouly & Mario Sen, Letterer: Diana Albers

Editors: Rick Marschall & Ralph Macchio, Editor-in-Chief Jim Shooter

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Do you REALLY need a synopsis of the plot?

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The story stayed true to the original book, complete with religious references left out of televised versions.

As the name for the penciller and inker shows, this was likely drawn by committee. They did a good job, not bad, but not spectacular. This panel, depicting one of the few action-oriented scenes of the story, still seems tame compared to the typical “Marvel Manner” espoused lo, that previous decade-and-a-half.

Whereas the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come was as you would expect …

The art-by-committee is most obvious with Scrooge himself – his facial features changed from toothless and gaunt to Ben Franklin-esque. At times he looked like William Hartnell as Doctor Who!

But it was drawn moodily and darkly. It looked like it came from DC’s horror line. One expects to see Cain, Abel or Destiny bookending the chapters. It was also wordy, more akin to a DC Silver Age comic than Marvel. But this affected the entire series, if “affected” is the correct word. I certainly didn’t mind…

Like most of the series, it was a canny and thorough version of the story the issue depicted. They even did the Welsh miners and the boat. Almost every movie and TV version of this story skip the Welsh miners, the lighthouse keepers and the boat. Anyone expecting a Marvel or comic booky twist to the story (even if in just style and layout) will be disappointed.

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I loved this series and this was its final issue. Appropriately this is also my final Christmas Edition of Behold the Bronze Age.

Look for more in the new year! Merry Christmas and, of course …

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About the author: Michael Curry is the author of the Brave & Bold: From Silent Knight to Dark Knight, The Day John F Kennedy Met the Beatles and the award-winning Abby’s Road, the Long and Winding Road to Adoption and How Facebook, Aquaman and Theodore Roosevelt Helped.  Check his website for more releases! Thanks for reading!