Foraging For Comics:

Have yourself a (House of) Merry little X-Mas.

ULTIMATE FANTASTIC FOUR #26
Written by MARK MILLAR
Pencils & Cover by GREG LAND
"TOMB OF NAMOR"
Learn the hidden history of the lost continent of Atlantis! Plus, the biggest battle ever, as Ultimate Namor takes on the entire Ultimate FF in a pitched battle! Somebody's going to be fillet of fish when it's over. All that and a surprise ending that changes everything. You'll know what we mean when you read it! Part 3 (of 3)

Awwww... they're gonna kiss!

SPIDER-MAN/BLACK CAT: EVIL THAT MEN DO #4 & #5 (of 6)
Written by KEVIN SMITH
Pencils & Cover by TERRY DODSON
The wait is over! Finally! No, really. You demanded it, you got it: The conclusion to the series you though would never be finished. When Felicia wakes up behind bars-accused of the murder of the mutant menace known as Klum--there's only one man (well, two actually) who can save her: Peter Parker and Matt Murdock. But to save their friend, they're gonna need a little insight into the powers and psyche of the man who put her in the slammer in the first place, insight that can be provided by someone who really understands what makes him tick. Need a hint? Bamf.

Oh, just make your own joke.

GHOST RIDER #4 (of 6)
Written by GARTH ENNIS
Pencils & Cover by CLAYTON CRAIN
"The Road to Damnation," Part 4 of 6: The Demon Kazaan wants to build a pipeline to hell - and the evil oil baron Earl Gustav is only too glad to oblige. It's up to Ghost Rider to stop him. But first, he'll have to deal with the archangel Ruth.

And if that's not bad enough, he's also illegally downloading episodes of Lost.

MARVEL KNIGHTS 4 #25
Written by ROBERTO AGUIRRE-SACASA
Penciled by MIZUKI SAKAKIBARA
Cover by TONY HARRIS
THE RESSURECTION OF NICHOLAS SCRATCH Part 1 [of 3]
There is an order to everything. A balance to the world and the nether-realms beneath the world. And now that balance is being tipped, as dark forces gather like a storm. The occult mutants known as Salem's Seven are once more banding together. But this time, it's to bring their father, the nefarious Nicholas Scratch, back to life. If they should somehow succeed...pray for the Fantastic Four's souls!

Because five guys on the Internet demanded it!

MARVEL SPOTLIGHT: JOHN CASSADAY/SEAN MCKEEVER
Welcome to the All-New, All-Different MARVEL SPOTLIGHT, showcasing that other great commodity of Marvel Comics: its creators! SPOTLIGHT will bring loyal readers closer to Marvel's top talents, starting this month with the Eisner Award-winning pair of writer Sean McKeever (GRAVITY, SENTINEL) and artist John Cassaday (ASTONISHING X-MEN). Marvel junkies can expect in-depth extras and timely features - including sketches, character designs and script materials! Probing interviews and engaging commentary! An all-out exploration of what makes these creative types tick - everything you ever wanted to know, and a lot of stuff you didn't know you wanted to know! NO ads, NO reprints!

Interesting idea. But will it sell?

MARVEL ZOMBIES #1 (of 5)
Written by ROBERT KIRKMAN
Penciled by SEAN PHILLIPS
Cover by ARTHUR SUYDAM
Torn from the pages of Ultimate Fantastic Four! On an Earth shockingly similar to the Marvel Universe's, an alien virus has mutated all of the world's greatest super heroes into flesh-eating monsters! It took them only hours to destroy life as we know it-but what happens when they run out of humans to eat?!? Follow their search for more food-and witness the arrival of the Silver Surfer!

Okay, high goddamn five on that title!

GLX-MAS SPECIAL
Written by DAN SLOTT
Penciled by MATT HALEY, GEORGES JEANTY, MIKE WIERINGO, MIKE KAZALEH, TY TEMPLETON & PAUL GRIST
Cover by PAUL PELLETIER
Marvel's own Milwaukee-based Misfits are back-in their very own, double sized X-mas special! Sure, they survived the GLA mini-series, but can Squirrel Girl, Mr. Immortal, and pals survive... the HOLIDAYS?!? 6 all-new features of mockery, morbidity, and merriment-- including the return of Grasshopper, Deathurge... and the Yuletide tyranny of Dr. Tannenbaum?! By Dan Slott (GLA), Georges Jeanty (Gambit), Paul Grist (Jack Staff), Mike Kazaleh (Ren & Stimpy), and special guest, Mike Wieringo (Friendly Neighborhood something-or-other).

*That's* an unusual art team.

MARVEL TEAM-UP #15
Written by ROBERT KIRKMAN
Penciled by PACO MEDINA
Cover by PHIL HESTER
The heroes of the Marvel Universe are no more. Spider-Man? Wolverine? Captain America? Iron Man? Gone--but the people of the world still need saving--they still need heroes.

Okay, I like the mix of some old-school B-Listers with newbies like Gravity and Arana. Being self-referential, are we, Kirkman?

NEW AVENGERS #14
Written by BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS
Pencils & Cover by FRANK CHO
SECRETS & LIES PART 1 (OF 2)
Spider-Woman's dark secrets revealed!! Captain America catches her double-dealing the Avengers and corners her! How did Spider-Woman get her powers back and to whom does she answer? It's all here!!
A Spider-Woman-focused storyline? Sounds like a job for superstar, award-winning comic artist FRANK CHO!

She's got breasts, she's got breasts, massive glands upon her chest...

NICK FURY'S HOWLING COMMANDOS #3
Written by KEITH GIFFEN
Penciled by DAN NORTON
Cover by AMANDA CONNER
Girl's Night Out! After a male team goes missing in Merlin's captured village, Vampire by Night and Lillith (who hate each other more than life itself) are dropped in, determined to find out what happened to the rest of the Commandos. Will they find the secret? Will they save their squad? Will they rip each other's eyes out? Only Keith knows!

Well, no teenaged male will be able to resist that cover.

RUNAWAYS #11
Written by BRIAN VAUGHAN
Penciled by ADRIAN ALPHONA
Cover by JAMES JEAN
Guest-starring the amazing Spider-Man! Traveling to New York City to help Cloak and Dagger, the Marvel Universe's newest teen heroes run into the Marvel's Universe's ORIGINAL teen hero. 'Nuff said!

That oughta boost sales.

SENTINEL #2 (of 5)
Written by SEAN MCKEEVER
Art & Cover by UDON
Juston confronts an unfamiliar relative about the whereabouts of his mother. And as Juston's father and others search desperately for the runaway hero, something else entirely is out searching for the Sentinel--with orders to destroy on sight!

Tetsuooooooooooo!

WHAT IF: CAPTAIN AMERICA
Written by TONY BEDARD
Penciled by CARMINE DI GIANDOMENICO
Cover by TONY HARRIS
WHAT IF...CAPTAIN AMERICA FOUGHT IN THE CIVIL WAR?
At a time when America was tearing itself apart, and the very meaning of our nation was being rewritten in blood, one soldier fought to save the Union and build a better future. Learn the story of Union Army Captain Stephen Rogers, and the twist of fate that transformed him into Captain America, even as it birthed his greatest enemy, the White Skull.

Why has this not been done before now?

WHAT IF: DAREDEVIL
Written by RICK VEITCH
Pencils & Cover by TOMMY LEE EDWARDS
In an alternate world, we find the story of a blinded child with special senses who lived in feudal Japan. Growing out of the shadow of his father's failure, the blind youth emerged to stand against an evil controlling overlord as the samurai known as DEVIL WHO DARES!

Same as above.

YOUNG AVENGERS SPECIAL #1
Written by ALLAN HEINBERG
Penciled by NEAL ADAMS, BILL SIENKIEWICZ, PASCUAL FERRY, GENE HA, JAE LEE, and MICHAEL GAYDOS
Cover by JIM CHEUNG
Discover the secret history of the Young Avengers when Jessica Jones and Kat Farrell investigate the kids' origins for a special issue of THE PULSE. Who were they and what were their lives like before they met Iron Lad? And what is the future of the team without him? Find out in the YOUNG AVENGERS SPECIAL #1.

Whee! Origin time!

GENERATION M #2 (of 4)
Written by PAUL JENKINS
Penciled by RAMON BACHS
Cover by STUART IMMONEN
DECIMATION Tie-In!
In the wake of House of M, a new generation tries to pick up the pieces. Their lives have been changed forever. One reporter tries to share their stories with the world, but not everyone wants to hear the stories. In fact, someone wants to make sure that these mutants' stories end now.

Aw, man, if Jubes gets depowered, I am gonna be so bummed. Not as bummed as Ryan Kirk, but still.

PUNISHER: THE TYGER
Written by GARTH ENNIS
Penciled by JOHN SEVERIN
Cover by TIM BRADSTREET
DEADLY ONE-SHOT!
Long before he waged a one-man vendetta against organized crime, long before he was a young lieutenant waging war in the jungles of 'Nam, Frank Castle was a 10-year-old boy growing up on the mean streets of Brooklyn. When a classmate commits suicide in the aftermath of an unspeakable act, young Frank uncovers a secret dark enough to blacken the purest of hearts. Thus begins his first journey on the road that will eventually turn him into the man known as the Punisher, a journey that will bring him face to face with the Tyger: a creature not made by God, but just as vital to the world as anything He created.

Great, so a ten-year-old Punisher is gonna kill a guy to watch him die? Garth, you fucking scare me.


SUPREME POWER: NIGHTHAWK #4 (of 6)
Written by DANIEL WAY
Pencils & Cover by STEVE DILLON
"The Joke's Over": The homicidal clown known as the Whiteface has been painting the town red - with blood. When a trail of corpses leads him to the lair of his mysterious adversary, Nighthawk finally gets what he wants: ringside seats to Whiteface's unquenchable madness. It's the strangest show on earth.

No, really, Whiteface. Totally original character, honest.

CAPTAIN AMERICA & THE FALCON: SECRET EMPIRE TPB
Written by STEVE ENGLEHART & MIKE FRIEDRICH
Penciled by SAL BUSCEMA
Cover by JOHN ROMITA SR.
The Secret Empire was rarely more secretive or empirical than in this classic arc that sets Cap against a conspiracy out to frame and replace him in the American mind! And pay CLOSE attention to the man behind the curtain (or mask, as the case may be)! Corruption and cover-ups conclude with Cap quitting the Avengers, paving the way for his days as Nomad! With Nick Fury, the Black Panther and Banshee! Guest-starring the X-Men (back before it was cool) and featuring an early re-telling of Cap's origin! Collects CAPTAIN AMERICA AND THE FALCON #169-176.

I'll save you $20: It's Nixon.

That's all this month. Full solicits are here. Happy hunting.