This Is The Best Christmas Comic Ever (And You Probably Haven’t Read It)

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The holidays are a favorite time of year for many people, filled with celebration and togetherness. It’s a season for enjoying time with loved ones and being cheerful. There’s plenty of entertainment too, from holiday movies and music to special TV shows that help everyone get into the spirit. Comics are also a popular part of the holidays, with many festive stories for superhero fans and others to enjoy. However, there’s one particular Christmas comic that’s truly special – and likely one you haven’t discovered yet.

Forget the famous 1991 Marvel Christmas special with Santa as a super-powered mutant! We’re talking about something even more unique: the Green Lantern: Larfleeze Christmas Special. It’s a single-issue comic book about Larfleeze, arguably the greediest Green Lantern, and surprisingly, it’s a truly heartwarming and festive Christmas story.

Larfleeze Christmas Special Isn’t a Typical Christmas Story

Published in 2011 and created by Geoff Johns with art by Brett Booth, Green Lantern: Larfleeze Christmas Special tells the story of Larfleeze, the Orange Lantern, visiting Earth after discovering Santa Claus and Christmas. Driven by his ring’s power – which comes from intense greed – Larfleeze is intrigued by the idea of someone giving gifts to everyone. But when Christmas morning arrives and he doesn’t receive any presents, he goes on a quest to find Santa, ultimately learning the true meaning of Christmas along the way.

At first glance, the story seems like a typical Christmas tale about discovering the real spirit of the holiday, but it’s actually more complex. Larfleeze’s initial impression of Christmas isn’t entirely off-base. He sees a holiday centered around possessions, with a ritual of exchanging gifts in return for treats like cookies and milk – all done to prepare for Santa’s arrival. The focus on gifts is even highlighted when Larfleeze causes chaos in a crowded department store. From an outside perspective – represented by Larfleeze – Christmas can appear superficial and focused on material things. This raises an interesting point: what conclusions would an alien, especially one driven by greed, draw about the Christmas holiday?

Even with Green Lantern Hal Jordan stepping in when Larfleeze goes to the North Pole to find Santa, the story avoids becoming predictable. While Hal does have to explain the true meaning of Christmas – that it’s about giving, not receiving – the story goes deeper. Hal helps Larfleeze examine his own motivations. The story concludes with Hal sharing Larfleeze’s collected possessions with others, bringing joy and ultimately giving Larfleeze a taste of the Christmas spirit he’s been missing, as he experiences the happiness of giving. Before leaving, Hal encourages Larfleeze to reconsider everything on his extensive wish list, asking himself what he truly needs. The story ends on a poignant note, with Larfleeze reaching the part of his list where he requested his family, and realizing he’s completely alone.

There’s a really heartbreaking moment with Larfleeze that always gets to me. It’s powerful because it’s so sad. You find out he had a really tough childhood – he was separated from his family young and forced into slavery. That trauma really messed him up, making it hard for him to connect with people and even causing him to ‘hear’ the possessions of those he served, which just fueled his greed. Eventually, he becomes an Orange Lantern, and that power just amplifies everything – his greed turns him into someone who literally steals the souls of his victims and turns them into an army of constructs. The story hints that the orange light has corrupted him, that he’s not truly a monster at heart. And that final moment in the special? It really suggests that, underneath everything, he just wants what we all want, especially around the holidays: to be with loved ones.

Larfleeze Christmas Special Is a Beautiful Mix of Funny and Serious for the Holidays

The Larfleeze Christmas Special stands out from other holiday comics because it balances heartfelt emotion with the character’s inherent silliness. It surprisingly gives depth to a character known for being a bit of a joke, and thoughtfully explores the true meaning of the holidays. The story manages to critique the commercial side of the season while also acknowledging that the holidays can be a sad time for many. For readers who are grieving, Larfleeze’s wish for a family is particularly poignant, offering a moment of relatable reflection rather than simply focusing on loss.

The Green Lantern: Larfleeze Christmas Special is a truly wonderful holiday comic. It’s the kind of story you’ll want to read every year – cozy up with some treats and enjoy the tale of how the greediest Green Lantern finally gets what he wants, only to discover that there are things more valuable than possessions. It’s a heartwarming story that will remind you to cherish the people you love.

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2025-12-09 18:24