Marvel Comics is celebrating the holidays this year with the one-shot Spider-Man: Holiday Spectacular #1. It’s a tale that features nearly every corner of the Marvel Universe, be it the Fantastic Four, X-Men, and Avengers. Focusing on Spider-Man, the one-shot will give you the warm and fuzzies while reminding us that Spider-Man is a connective glue that binds all these superhero groups.
Rainbow Rowell writes a feel-good comic this week that’s light and filled with character moments. The story starts in the Baxter Building, where Thing and the first family celebrate Hanukkah. The family element is alive and strong, whether it’s The Thing’s adopted kiddo giving Spider-Man some props or the eclectic group of heroes who show up for the party. In an excellent group shot, we get to take in all the heroes present, chatting away, and it’s a fun double-page splash to pinpoint all the characters.
From there, Spider-Man bounces over to the Impossible City for an Avengers party. This sequence in the comic carries with it a funny running joke of people at parties being a personal buffer. It’s the kind of fun social quirk that many will relate to, and it’s fun how Rowell makes Spidey the buffer, or in some cases, others are the buffer to keep Spidey distant, though in a polite sort of way.
A scene drawn by Nathan Stockman.
Credit: Marvel
The third sequence takes Spider-Man on a short but cute team-up with Daredevil, and the final sequence is devoted to the X-Men. Now headquartered in New Orleans, it’s nice to see Marvel keeping up to date with locations and character arcs, even if this is a timeless sort of holiday special. Fans following Gail Simone and David Marquez’s Uncanny run will appreciate the attention to detail with characters in these scenes.
All along the way, the issue reminds us that Peter loves his Aunt May and wants to spend the holidays with her, but an impromptu vacation takes her away for Christmas. Rowell uses Aunt May in a cute and heartwarming way to close out the issue.
This issue is split between four artists: Luciano Vecchio, Paco Medina, Nathan Stockman, and Bob Quinn. Matt Milla colors the entire issue, connecting them all in a visually bright superhero comic. The artists take natural breaks between each sequence, with Vecchio starting us off with the Fantastic Four, and Medina taking over with the Avengers, and so on. All of these artists have a clean, cartoonish style that makes the entire reading experience quite easy with no jarring art changes. Stockman’s Daredevil sequence is the shortest, but it’s also the sweetest of the bunch, while Medina and Quinn pull extra duty with so many characters to draw. All in all, the endearing quality of this comic is fully backed up by the artists involved.
Spider-Man: Holiday Spectacular #1 is the kind of comic that reminds you why Spider-Man endures — heartfelt, funny, and deeply human, it radiates seasonal cheer while celebrating the relationships that make the Marvel Universe feel like one big family. Rowell and the art team deliver a holiday special that’s cozy without being cloying and brimming with character-driven charm.
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