Updated on February 26, 2023
Super Hero Squad #12
Written by: Todd Dezago (both stories)
Art by: Marcelo Dichiara (first story), Dario Brizuela (second story)
This month’s issue is a Christmas special, with two stories. In the first, the Squaddies are adjusting to the addition of the Wasp, She-Hulk, and Tigra to their ranks (resulting in Hulk briefly fighting with his cousin when tensions rise), then end up helping Santa save Christmas (after his sleigh crashes into the SHIELD Helicarrier). In the second story, the X-Men enjoy winter festivities, including an elaborate sled race.
A cute Christmas issue. One of the best moments was seeing the Hulk say several lines that mocks the Squad’s previous “all-boys’ club” mentality, showing the attitudes that would lead to such casting—“Bah! Hulk don’t even *want* girls to move in! Hulk don’t even know why silly girls have to be on Squad!” and (while fighting with She-Hulk a few panels later) “Super Hero Squad for *boys*! She-Hulk not a *boy*!” Ah, silly Hulk…
The second amusing part was seeing Wolverine in charge of handling the *bad* kids on Santa’s list.
This seems to be the final issue for “Super Hero Squad,” with the next issue page used this month to promote the Marvel Adventures comics. I suppose with the TV show buried at 6:30 AM on Saturday mornings on Cartoon Network (and a more-serious Avengers cartoon on Disney XD), it probably spelled a shortened lifespan for the SHS comic. Too bad; I liked Super Hero Squad, plus would’ve liked to see more of the team in action now that it has more members (and a more evenly-balanced gender ratio). There’ll be a SHS special out in a few months, however, which might address such.
