We bring 2022 to a close with a Fantasy Comics Page from a half-century past — welcome to Christmas Day, 1972! Many narrative strips of the period were willing to pause to mark the holiday: you’ll see Buz Sawyer doing a “before and after” outing that allowed snowbound northerners to sigh at the idea of girls in bikinis on beaches in warmer climes … Rex Morgan offering a reverent moment … and Milton Caniff showing that while he was moving Steve Canyon out of uniformed adventures, “Pappy’s” heart was still very much with America’s fighting men. Some strips moved their continuities along while still dealing with the holiday, so here Mark Trail serves up a warm moment between man-and-dog that ends in one of those Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom “Be careful, Jim …” moments, while Mary Worth breaks the fourth wall and interrupts the flow of her ongoing story to deliver an almost Rod Serlingesque cautionary holiday wish.
We couldn’t leave things on such a stern note, so we sprinkled a few gag-a-day strips into the mix. Blondie and Nancy deliver familiar grins, and we wrap up the page with what we think is a laugh-out-loud Andy Capp installment. Hope you enjoy!
However you spend this holiday season, our wish is that you enjoy it in good health and good humor. Many thanks to all our readers; we sincerely appreciate your continued support, and we hope to see you again in this space on New Year’s Day!
