It’s a holiday spectacular at the Fire and Water Podcast Network! Join Paul Kien, Ryan Daly, Rob Kelly, Brett Young, Chris Franklin, and Shawn M. Myers as we discuss DC Special Series #21 – The DC Super-Star Holiday Special! Follow the Christmas Star for tales starring Batman, Jonah Hex, Sgt. Rock, the Legion of Super-Heroes and DC’s mystery title hosts! We hope you and your family and loved ones have a happy, healthy, and safe Holiday Season – and it starts with this podcast!
This month’s instocktrades.com selections:
https://www.instocktrades.com/products/aug131308/walt-disney-donald-duck-hc-xmas-box-set-
https://www.instocktrades.com/products/sep191955/island-of-misfit-toys-gn
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“Cloud Dancer ” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
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At the risk of having a blackened stocking, the subscription adverts for the following DC Dollar Comics — DETECTIVE COMICS, G.I. COMBAT, SUPERMAN FAMILY, and WORLD’S FINEST — are already on the BATMAN FAMILY REUNION #490 supplemental page…
https://fireandwaterpodcast.com/podcast/bfr-subs/
Paul and Shawn, you guys make a great podcasting team. And it was great to hear all the other Network All-Stars on this holiday special.
I never had this particular issue, but I did have the Legion story in the Best of Digest that I think Shawn mentioned. I also have it and the Batman story collected in the DC Universe Christmas TPB from 2000. Both are fun tales and the Legion one is right up there with some of the best Christmas comic book stories ever. As someone who is “a person of faith”, I wholeheartedly agree with Shawn’s praise for it which tells me that Paul Levitz, JLGL (PBHN), and Dick Giordano got it right.
As an aside, IMHO this year’s DC Holiday Special entitled “I Saw Ma Hunkel Kissing Santa Claus” is very strong effort with stories featuring Ma Hunkel, Captain Marve (I just can’t bring myself to call him “The Captain”), Animal Man, The Atom (Ray Palmer version) and Doctor Light the female version), Supergirl, and Martian Manhunter as standouts.
Glad to hear that the Dynamic Duo of Kien and Myers will be returning in 2026. And “Catch You Later Calculator” sounds fine to me. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays.l
I totally agree about the 2025 DC Holiday special being excellent, especially the standouts you mentioned.
Wow, a very special episode of Special Cast! And not like those disturbing ‘very special episodes’ of sitcoms back in the late ’70s/early ’80s in which creepy adults make passes at children or someone ruins their life by smoking one of those *gasp* marijuana cigarettes (which I believe the kids are calling ‘joints’ these days…)
Seriously, though, I commend you on putting together a really fun show, Paul.
Somehow – even though 1979 was possibly my favorite year for comics ever and I was picking them up left and right – this one slipped past me. So the only story in it that I’ve read is the one with the Legion, as about a year later – like Super Captain above – I picked up the Best of DC Digest that included it.
But what a story it is. While I wouldn’t go so far as to say it’s my favorite ever, I can see why someone would say that: it’s a thoroughly enjoyable Xmas story, and my lord the art is simply magnificent.
In conclusion, great show Paul and damn near every single other F&W host. Hope you all enjoy the holidays!
I definitely bought this off the spinner rack and had in my youth but it was lost in some parental purge along the way.
Some of these stories are just great.
I mean nothing says Christmas like slinging the two dead bodies of some ornery galoots over a horse!
But the Legion one is the one I know best. I *think* this is where we learned Colossal Boy was jewish, marking a new element to his character.
And I do think this one goes for a prettier penny than many of these holiday anthologies because of the ‘first Frank Miller Batmen’-ness of it all.
Great show all around with a great cast of podcasters! Happy Holidays!
Wonderful episode Paul! It was a pleasure to join in on such a fun episode, but I really enjoyed hearing everyone else discuss the stories with you. This is a really strong special, and I don’t think there’s a “dud” in the bunch, and certainly not a dud in amongst the co-hosts! It was particularly great to hear you and Shawn together again, and I’m really looking forward to “See You Later, Calculator” (great title, Shawn) and the Monthly Planet feature coming next year!
Impressive podcast most impressive. And Merry Christmas. Oh wow Shawn is back . I almost want to break into the song Tiffs back. The song on Tiffany the 80s pop queen well one of them. Any way this was her 90s CD or was it a tape? Got it and Shakespeare’s sister hormonaly yours at the same time . Anyway glad to see Shawn on this one.
Celebrating here. Anyway, cool comic I hadn’t read this one but have the other one. About Christmas. Moving right along. Cool. Cover. The composition that has the hero’s lead your eye the tittle. Oh wait I had the treasury. Any way way. Only in comics can a normal man like Jonah get shot in the chest and shake it off. Well save that one time I got shot in the head 3 times, but that was a 22 I was 16. And drunk . In the wrong part of town.
And seeing the blood come out my fade smelling the smoke and ears ringing not fun. Ah well. Anyway glad he helped the kid. Though oh a pet raccoon. Oy had to chase one out my yard once. Not pet mayoral candidate. Oy then again neither is a deer but what eve. Any way decent Christmas story. Really not sure how he lit the Dynamite. But what eve.
Next
Ah an ok Bays story think the other Bat Man show covered it once, but geez Bruce what ya got real avs of steel? I’ve seen boxers take some oh crap shots, but never to ware they broke a man’s hands. Is he taking tiger blood? Maybe Kritonon blood? Any way the suits are all 70s cool no complaints. I know shocking.
The muscle is a bit on the well over 40s crowd probably bad As, but ya really all still doing the wet works job? Oy vey. Ah the star bit makes the ending fit for Christmas story. Er guess it works well enough. All the other Horror hosts gathering is a nice touch. Though geez Cain not only did you kill your brother, but ta also committed crimes of fashion. With a green jacket and orange shirt.
Is he trying to give people nightmares about tacky clothes. Great a young Stacy London probably woke up in a cold sweat after having to see his god awful outfit. Not enough Cain is the first murderer. But, he had to dress like that too. Ah the witches of witching hour comic liked the idea. Used the name for a fan fiction but called it the Sister hood of the witching hour with Madame Zanadu, Marry “Zed” Martin, and Enchantress as detectives.
Weirdly in that fanfiction Kane was tgeir secretary. Any way the Santa story the comic shows is fun enough. Santa putting a miserable Shidler and his place was fun. Next
Huh Rock working with Nuns how was this not a Clint Eastwood movie? I like Rock and Easy Company, but that’s all I got. Next
The LSH story is fine glad they remembered colossal boy was Jewish. But, the story had no Cosmic Boy? What what? That’s just wrong. Was Comet Queen a member yet? If show them she should have been there too.
As one of the Great LSH members. Geez Lighting Lad is in this why is Sparky Pug in all the LSH stuff? This then the Cartoon. Oy vey. What we need the Pat Boon version of Black Lightning. Any way cool comic. Merry Christmas happy Hanukkah and I guess Kwanzaa and all other holiday celebrations to all and can’t wait for the next podcast
A wonderful episode.
Here are my secret questions :
1. Do you have a Christmas tv episode you watch every year ?
2. Favorite Christmas special ?
Mine is the uwf Christmas episode it’s on YouTube and Santa clause is coming to town .
University of West Florida?
I believe Bucky meant the Universal Wrestling Federation one back in 1986…
Aha, thanks Isamu. Pals of The Grapplers!
No episodes. On the Specials, Santa Claus is Coming to Town; Merry Christmas, Charlie Brown; and Rudolph are all favorites. Oh, and the original Grinch. I have trouble making decisions making decisions at Christmastime, Bucky!
Great episode, guys! And Paul, glad to see you made it across the eastern seaboard in record time. Did NORAD escort you like they do Santa?
This was one of my favorite holiday issues, and one of the best. Not a bad story in the bunch.
Like many of us, I did get certain special books for Christmas — the Batman and Superman from the 30s to the 70s, the superhero encyclopedia volumes, and the big Secret Origins of DC SuperHeroes. The last one I know I still have, and may be what lead to my love of the JSA, with all the golden age origins.
It was fun to hear this Batman Family Reunion reunion. If I may share a few favorite versions of various Christmas carols ….
“The Little Drummer Boy/Peace on Earth” by Bing Crosby and David Bowie — glam rocker and straight-laced crooner, yet their voices melded so well in this song
“I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus”, by John Cougar Mellencamp — took a cute novelty song and rocked it
“Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer” by Postmodern Jukebox — I love the retro spins they put on songs
Happy holidays to all, and looking forward to more episodes like this in 2026. Paul, do you have some special specials from the Bicentennial lined up for the Sesquincentennial?
Another fine episode with a lot of great guest hosts. Pulling this off must have been a logistical nightmare
Good to hear you and Shawn together again.
In my home growing up it was always “stockings first” on Christmas morning. We were allowed to go through the stockings while our parents slept a little longer. It was also the time of the “Life Savers Holiday Book” which had a disturbing number of Life Savers rolls that no kid should ever have all at once.
Shawn, I hope you complete your run of “The
New Adventure of Superboy”. Keep an eye out for my one and only letter printed in one of the letter’s pages. I’ve never gone back through my collection to look for it because (1) the ramblings of my 12 year old self would be embarrassing and (2) my name was misspelled as “CIUTO” because it was a handwritten letter and my penmanship was always a “C-minus”
Oh almost forgot.
https://youtu.be/dt9NBZvotjg
There the Tiffany sing I thought would fit the return of Shawn.
What a special treat, Paul, you visiting all the relatives for Christmas! But why was Shag on the outs, is he the little podcaster that Santa Paul forgot?
Now, what was that about having someone waiting in the blue room? Do you not mean the green room?
Paul, you and Brett were talking about Jeff Parker’s DC Santa Claus Christmas special with all the heroes, and said there was going to be another one this year. Well actually, the first one came up two years ago and the sequel was last year, maybe you were recording this last year?
Anyway, what can I say about this comic, it’s a classic and everyone agrees. Oh for the days when DC would fill a comic with stories by proven talent.
You’re right on the timing of Silent Knight, Martin. The years are blending together!
Wonderful episode, as always. I picked this up in the late 1980’s as part of my hunt for all Legion material that I could find. I do so love the Legion story. I remember the first time I read it I skipped all the stories that didn’t feature super-heroes. Not so on subsequent re-reads.
I’ve always loved Christmas comics and even have a spreadsheet I add to whenever I find an appearance of Christmas in a comic story. In back to back Christmas mornings I found the DC Christmas treasuries poking out of the top of my stocking. Wonderful memories.
Great episode, Paul and gang! I love getting to hear Paul and Shawn (even if he misspells his name) together. So joyous!
The mention of how often Denny went back to the well on the star saving the day in Batman Christmas stories cracked me up. It reminds me of the SNL gag about A Christmas Carol – “Scrooge is visited by 3 ghosts, Dickens?! I guess Tiny Tim isn’t the only one who needed a crutch!”
Merry Christmas! The Legion story is my favorite Christmas super-hero story of all time and I’m not really a Legion fan. In fact, as far as I’m concerned, the three greatest Christmas stories of all time are the Nativity, A Christmas Carol and Star Light, Star Bright…Furthest Star I See Tonight.
So, when are you doing the DC Giant Superheroes battle Super Gorillas?
It is totally appropriate and a terrific Christmas gift for the listeners to have a line-up of Network All-Stars for this issue themed around the Christmas star! And the return Shawn Myers! And the announcement for exciting new podcast segments! It’s an embarrassment of Christmas riches.
I bought this comic off the shelf and have loved it ever since, but it also confused me. The stories herein–especially the one with the exploding spaceship–taught me that the Christmas star appeared every year at Christmas. It wasn’t long before I learned that this is only true in the DC Universe. Astronomers have posited hypotheses about what the Star of Bethlehem might have been (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star_of_Bethlehem). They usually revolve around a comet or a planetary conjunction. No one but DC says it happens every year, though.
Regarding Shawn’s mom putting an orange in the bottom of the stockings, as a participant in the Florida economy, I fully approve. Median income is a lot higher than it used to be, so I think back before our time, fruit in the Christmas stocking was widely considered a treat. “Hey, kids! Enjoy this delicious way to prevent scurvy!”
In our family, we also start with stockings. For us, they are the gift appetizer, not the dessert.
I remember the Jonah Hex tale fondly and will reference it on a Fire & Water podcast coming soon! I was blessed to be raised by terrific parents, but youngsters tend to take those sorts of blessings for granted — until they read about Jonah Hex’s dad. I will quibble on one point. I know no one else cares about this semantic point, but it’s a bugbear of mine: Jonah didn’t murder the Tull brothers. He killed them in self-defense! Also, I think the scarf around the hat keeps it on his head in the winter wind. I’m currently visiting a country that (unlike Florida) has a real winter. So, it occurs to me that I hope the scarf is also protecting his ears. Regardless, great coverage of a classic Christmas tale. I especially appreciate Brett’s quick review of Jonah’s origin.
Regarding Frank Miller’s first Bat-tale (and the first appearance of fan favorite Matty Lasko!), I mention that story on my upcoming guest appearance, too. I kind of wish that episode had come out before this one. It would’ve worked as a preview for DC SpecialCast! I notice that poor villain marksmanship is a Christmas present for the second story in a row. Finally, Paul and Chris, I really appreciated your analysis of Miller’s early Batman art, with all its influences.
On the horror host Christmas party segment, I always liked the jeweler/pawnbroker story the best. Like the Jonah Hex story, it mashes up Christmas generosity and compassion with unrelenting retribution. What more could a comics fan ask for? Also, like Paul and Rob, I love the word balloon logos, Cindy in her dress, and the Phantom Stranger’s brief (but influential!) appearance.
It would be a real Christmas miracle if I didn’t have a lot to say about the Sgt Rock tale. The nun saying that “the true shrines are in our hearts” is 100% consistent with Christian scripture. The New Testament says in multiple places that individual believers and the church as a whole are temples indwelt by the Holy Spirit of God (https://www.gotquestions.org/temple-of-God.html). Of course, that has implications about how we treat our bodies and what we do with them. So, I’m happy that I was listening to this while I was pursuing the redemptive power of physical therapy exercises. I really liked Ryan’s points about how the parishioners force the soldiers to conform to the morality of non-combatants, whereas soldiers generally have to conform their morality to the realities of combat. It’s a triumph of peace refusing to yield to war. I think I’ve seen Rock reference his combat antenna before. It’s the DC comics term for high situational awareness combined with an intuition born of experience. It is definitely a thing among people who have spent time in combat or even just dangerous places. The person experiencing it realizes the situation has changed or is somehow out of the norm before he can put his finger on how or why. Often, it’s when the environment gets abnormally quiet or when the locals are behaving differently than you expect. The people who live are the ones who trust their gut and react. To me, this was one more benefit of trustworthy, experienced local interpreters. Their combat antennae were typically outstanding.
You’re right, Paul; I don’t as much about artillery as I do about airplanes. I do know that it is truly more blessed to give artillery rounds than to receive. I’ll share some other scraps of data. The 88mm artillery piece was bigger than most of what we had in the inventory, and the Germans treated the gun like Pete’s Red Hot — they put it on everything, including main battle tanks. It was certainly bigger than anything we had on a tank at this point in the war, and it would cut right through American tanks’ armor. Standalone 88mm guns were certainly the kind of thing you wanted to get rid of before Patton’s armored forces attempted to roll into town. “Flak” became the generic word for barrage anti-aircraft artillery fire — 88s and other guns pointed up, so that the rounds explode over, below, and worst of all through Allied aircraft. Airmen hate flak. But because you inspired me to do thirty seconds of research, I now know that it did indeed start as an official name for the 88mm anti-aircraft gun. It’s a German acronym, from Flieger (flyer) Abwehr (defense) Kanon (cannon).
Ryan, I loved Band of Brothers, too. My daughters got me to watch one episode, and I was hooked. My eldest daughter, Miss Inertia, has gifted me with not only the Band of Brothers book by Ambrose but also memoirs by members of Easy Company. I’m making my way through them.
By the way, Easy Company is a common name because the companies were named after the letters of the World War II phonetic alphabet — D for Dog, E for Easy, etc. The post-war phonetic alphabet NATO uses is mostly different, so now those companies would be Delta and Echo.
The worst art in the book was excellent. The art in the Legion story was about as good as comic art could get in 1979.
I vividly remember Phantom Girl kissing Superboy under the mistletoe. I thought Superboy’ response was perfect. In the gallery pages for this episode, I noticed Superboy had his arm around PG at the end of the story. Ultra Boy better watch out! This story initiated my juvenile crush on Phantom Girl. I’m sure I’ll get over it if I ever achieve adulthood.
People helping other people was a theme of these stories almost as much as the Star of Bethlehem. Like Shawn, I was pleased that the Legion tale expressed it so explicitly. Christ-followers obviously doesn’t have a monopoly on people helping other people. Almost all religions stress that principle. But it is a core tenet of the Christian faith, even if we Christians don’t always act like it, so I love when it’s associated with Christmas. Jesus said “Love your neighbor as yourself” was the second greatest commandment in scripture. Only the commandment to love God with all your strength, soul, and mind was above it. When someone then asked who counted as a neighbor, he told the parable of the good Samaritan and told his audience to behave like the Samaritan did. In the middle of his teaching about kindness, he struck a blow at racism by using someone from a hated minority as the role model for helping others. And both the Old and New Testaments repeatedly teach us to help the poor and disadvantaged. James, the brother of Christ, even wrote that true religion was caring for widows and orphans and keeping oneself uncorrupted by the world.
Regarding Shawn’s point that “There’s an outside existence bringing these people together.” As a theist, of course I agree wholeheartedly with that intuitive understanding of the universe.
Shawn also correctly said “helping people makes you feel good.” There’s an entomologist / biologist named E.O. Wilson who studied why some animals (ants, dolphins, people, etc.) help others when there’s no direct benefit to themselves or their offspring. He concluded that there is a biological advantage to looking out for not only ourselves and those who carry our genes, but our entire species and even other species. So, according to his theory, we’re wired for empathy. When some people tried to use Wilson’s work to argue there was no God, Wilson rebuked them. I think he was cagey about his own beliefs for much of his life, but he said nothing in his theory precluded God also designing us to have empathy — maybe because it reflected His character. Anyway, like Shawn said, I owe a lot to people who’ve helped me, and I appreciate the reminder to be grateful.
I remember this as the issue that revealed Colossal Boy was Jewish. I think Hembeck even did a strip about Gim Allon going to Hebrew School now because thanks to Paul Levitz, he had to learn Judaism. I was thrilled to see the practice of any specific faith in DC. They usually shied away from that sort of thing. But I especially appreciate seeing that Judaism was alive and well in the thirtieth century. The character development for Gim and diversity for the Legion were nice bonuses. Of course, I used fewer words when I was seven, so I’m pretty sure I just said “Colossal Boy’s Jewish! Cool!”
Superboy came across as a small town traditionalist getting grumpy at these futuristic, big city ways. As a kid, I found him a little annoying. I was also a small town traditionalist, but I was still much more impressed at the 30th century glitz than teen Clark was. I also wasn’t sure he was being a good guest with his complaining. However, Paul, the points you make about how he’s acting like a real teenager make me appreciate him and the writing a lot more.
Well, fourteen pages in my notes app probably covers it, unless I’m going to comment on the feedback, too. Terrific work by every comic creator, guest, and host involved. Thank you and Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Happy Holidays — whatever you celebrate, may this season and 2026 be happy for you and your loved ones.
Hey, moderator! The version of my comment that I can see has none of the “carriage returns” I put in, so it’s an unbroken wall of text with no white space. If that’s the way it will publish, please delete it. I’ll break it up into multiple comments and try again tonight. Thank you!
It’s fine Cap. I’ve got it. Thanks for the thoughtful comments. Merry Christmas!
Thanks, Paul! You’re saving the day just like the heroes in these stories. And also Rudolph!
And Merry Christmas!
Merry Christmas, Cap!
This one is probably best remembered for the Frank Miller Batman story but reading it years later it really gets upstaged by the Legion story and the surprise appearance of the Phantom Stranger. was Superboy being a bad guest? Yes. after all he did get to kiss Phantom Girl and get to put a Christmas tree up. Surprised Wildfire didn’t tell him off.
Anyway, Merry Christmas!
This was an excellent episode and I’m excited to revisit this classic holiday issue. It truly was special. I am equally excited for the Monthly Planet announcement.
I’m proud to say I wrote to “Ask the Answer Man” as a kid and Bob Ro answered my question. However, I used a silly pseudonym from Schoolhouse Rock (not kidding) and am kicking myself to this day for signing it “Rufus Xavier Sarsaparilla.” (What was I thinking?!?)
Great show, like always. Happy holidays, everyone!