TreasuryCast #76 – Giant Superhero Holiday Grab-Bag

Rob welcomes back fellow network all-star Chris Franklin to discuss MARVEL TREASURY SPECIAL: GIANT SUPERHERO HOLIDAY GRAB-BAG, starring Spider-Man, Daredevil, Black Widow, The Fantastic Four, and more!

Check out images from this comic by clicking here!

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16 responses to “TreasuryCast #76 – Giant Superhero Holiday Grab-Bag

  1. I’m 24 minutes into this outstanding episode, and I just have to be a pedantic springbutt and tell you that this Sub-Mariner/Daredevil story was NOT in Son of Origins. The Daredevil story in that is the one with the blind Vietnam vet and the awesome Colman art. Maybe this one was in Bring on the Bad Guys, since that’s a gap in both my knowledge and my collection.

    Now that I’ve given the world another example of my own character flaws, I’ll return to listening. Merry Christmas, True Believers!

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    1. Captain–

      You are correct, it’s not in there. I’m confounded–I remember reading it in some sort of collection, but I cannot figure out what it was!

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        1. I was thinking Son of Origins too, until Captain reminded me of the awesome Brother Take My Hand. Pretty sure it was in a collection of team-ups and dust ups called something like Marvels Greatest Battles. Lost that one years ago, oh how I wish I had it now!

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          1. Yes, it appeared in Marvel’s Greatest Superhero Battles (first published in 1978). More on that wonderful book in my comment below…

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        2. You know, Dean Colman. Did outstanding work for Marble Comics on Darkdevil and Major Liberty, but he’s best known for his work on Nosferatu. I thought he also did a great job on Batty-Man, Wondrous Woman, and the uncanny, underrated Spirit District miniseries over at GC. I know you’ve heard of him. He’s Bryan Haley’s favourite artist.

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  2. The story was in “Marvel’s Greatest Superhero Battles” (the FF versus the Hulk story is also in that collection 🙂

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  3. Yes, the DD vs. Namor and Thing vs. Hulk stories have nothing to do with the Christmas, but it seems fitting to me that they were included in this Christmas Treasury. That’s because both stories were also included the Fireside reprint book Marvel’s Greatest Superhero Battles, which I received as a Christmas gift (in 1979 I think), so I immediately associate every story in that book with the holiday. And Superhero Battles was by far the absolute best of the Fireside books (and that’s saying something, because they were all so great).
    Otherwise, I liked that Chris mentioned all of the wisecracking the Thing did in those two issues of FF. I found that one of the many things that make that story so memorable. My personal favorite line is when the FF and Avengers are getting to know each other in a bit of down time, and Thing comes up to Thor and says something like, “Hey, Curly! Is that get-up of yours for real?”
    By the way, not only did Roy Thomas drop the ball on Spidey’s solo confrontations with the Sandman, so did you guys: besides ASM #4 and Annual #1, he also fought Sandman in ASM #s 18-19 (o.k. he was mainly running away from him in the first issue, but they ended up tussling in the second issue, which also featured the Enforcers and Human Torch).
    Anyway, great show as usual, gentlemen. It’s too bad that there’s apparently no more superhero Christmas treasuries to discuss…

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  4. Another great podcast! I wonder if that interior art piece includes the Vision because when this collection was originally being put together, Marvel intended to include the Avengers story “Even an Android Can Cry”? However, for whatever reason, they did not use it in this book. Marvel did eventually include it in Giant Superhero Holiday Grab-Bag #13, which you covered in episode 30 of the podcast. It’s at least marginally a Christmastime story, so it would have worked here. But I would guess that ultimately the decision was made to make sure there was a Fantastic Four story in this treasury, which meant going with the two-part FF/Avengers/Hulk story.

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  5. Great show, thanks to Bob Kelly and Bob Franklin. The December episode of Treasurycast always brings up the same time-honored traditional question: What hell is a blow mold? It is always great to hear from Chris. He’s a fountain of comics history knowledge and always adds to any show he’s on.

    I wasn’t familiar with this Holiday Grab Bag treasury, but I do know nothing says the holidays like someone denying aid for a contracted disease, a dude falling out a window to his death, and a wet guy in briefs beating a blind man unconscious. Maybe it should’ve been called “A Florida Christmas.”

    This was a fun collection. Though for a holiday edition, the better stories were the non-Christmas ones. The Wally Wood Daredevil art was so clean and simple, yet told the story so well. Loved it. Although, Namor might want to re-think a fur cape when sitting on an underwater throne. I did appreciate Namor’s insistence on smashing a door when he entered Matt and Foggy’s office and then crashing through the wall to leave. If I had those powers, I’d never use a door. “You’re charging $700 for a 10-peice cookware set?” KA-POW! Right through the William Sonoma front window.

    The Thing/Hulk fight was a masterclass in fighting while quipping. I prefer simple, emo Hulk, but I thought chest and arm hair Hulk worked better for this fight, as he could just play the villain to Thing’s hero. This Hulk is just a dick, but clearly knows the Manhattan transit system pretty well. So, I’ll give him that. Good thing Reed finally overcame his illness. Not only was Reed as dramatic as my Nana used to be when she had a cold but insisted on cooking homemade pot pie for dinner, but Sue’s hair seemed to get bigger as her grief increased. If Reed had stayed ill much longer, Sue would’ve come out of the Baxter Building looking like Julius Erving.

    All in all, a fun treasury. Thanks for a great Christmas episode as always, and happy holidays to one and all!

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  6. THOROUGHLY enjoyed this episode, guys!

    I’ve actually been anxiously waiting for you to get to this issue as I have distinct memories of receiving the Giant Superhero Holiday Grab-Bag on Christmas of 1974. I was 6 years old at the time and I’m guessing if Santa had actually paged through the book and spotted that impactful image (very impactful, indeed) of Black Widow emerging from the shower then I probably would’ve ended up with a Rudolph Treasury instead.

    I’ve held on to my copy and, although it clearly shows the signs of wear and tear, a few years ago I decided to frame it and hang it as part of our Christmas decorations. Even my wife agrees that it is a wonderful addition to our holiday joy! Of course, she never paged through it to see the sexy Black Widow, either.

    Great show! Thanks!

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  7. I’ve never owned a treasury comic until listening to this show. Rob, your enthusiasm for this format won me over and a few months ago, and I went to Ebay to seek one out. Just by chance, my search led me to the very issue you covered in this episode. The cover was worth the purchase alone, I think the back cover of the heroes “running” away is a gag I would love to see revisited.
    I had previously read the Spider-man/Human Torch story, as well as the Hulk/FF/Avengers issues. The first time I saw them however, they were in black and white, as Marvel Essential reprints, just like Chris mentioned. Clearly the treasury format have given me a better view of the artwork. The larger images (not to mention more colorful) stir up memories of things looking bigger when I was younger.
    Highlights of the issue and your episode:
    I am in complete synch with the Misty Knight confusion. I was happy to see her but then thought it wasn’t her only to have the show confirm my initial thoughts. There’s a great What if? story in the idea of Sandman turning into a complete Fantastic Four villain, the other suit is less than impressive but I do like the preprogrammed buttons gimmick. I know this was a Daredevil story but it seems like every Namor story ever happened in this one. I’m an angry man, surrounded by warmongers, I will go make peace in the least peaceful way, and now back to the ocean for another month. I had no idea this was the first appearance of the red costume, considering how things went for him this issue I’m surprised he kept the new look. The Wally Wood art benefited greatly from the larger size. Poor Black Widow comes across as a bigger loser than Spider-man usually does. Like you mentioned, I wonder if any modern writer has ever gone back and dug up the cult leader and thugs that nearly took Natasha out. The Kirby books are gorgeous, although this story really made me realize how Sal Buscema’s Hulk is my definitive look for the character. Kirby’s version of Ben Grimm however is perfect across both issues. The Thing springing out of the water and into a speed boat only to have the Hulk catch up from beneath the surface all on one page! Shut up and take my money. To throw in my favorite Thing quote: “Way for a guy with long hair, you’re a-okay! You’ve even got muscles in your voice!”
    Please bring Chris back whenever you can get him for the show, I could listen to the two of you riff on great stories for hours. Thanks for introducing me to this format and providing such enjoyable show.
    Happy Holidays to everyone.

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  8. Great episode, gentlemen, and such a great Treasury! I bought several Treasuries as a young lad, but none of them captured me quite like the holiday grab bags from Marvel. The covers were always awesome. And for a few cherished years there, like the Archie Christmas digests, I looked forward to them coming out each season because they truly put me in the Christmas spirit.
    As I stated when I was on the show, my Treasuries were the only part of my comic collection that somehow went missing over time. But I’ve managed to recollect all of the Marvel Holiday issues, and I peruse them each December.
    Be well, good sirs, and Happy belated Holidays!

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