I’ve actually been wanting to do this for the past few Christmases, but I never had enough time to put it together. This year, however, I had to make time. Between Christmas and recent events in my home state this time last week it didn’t feel right to break out the heavy fights, especially anything with guns. I moved a Today’s Comic from this afternoon to tomorrow for that last reason. So I finally have this one done.

Being a staunch atheist means that Gene Roddenberry is probably the wrong guy to go to about the holidays. I’m betting that’s why you rarely, if ever, saw the crew of any USS Enterprise celebrating Christmas. Luckily, the comics don’t suffer from that little issue as so we bring us a festive tale straight from the 24th Century. Grab some eggnog from the replicator because it’s time for a Yuletide edition of…

“Double M” round 11

The Battlefield: Star Trek: The Next Generation #2 (DC Comics; March, 1988) “Spirit In The Sky!”

The Promoters: Michael Carlin (writer), Pablo Marcos (penciler), Carlos Garzon & Arne Starr (inkers), Bob Pinaha (letterer), and Carl Gafford (colorist)

The ship is engaged in festivities, since apparently EVERYBODY has a holiday around this time. Go figure. There are also a lot more holodecks than we’re used to seeing, but this comic came out in the early days of the series. To really show you what’s going on, we need to set up some new visitors, the Creeg, are after something that’s made its way onto the Enterprise, and when they find it…

For the ladies!

No, they’re not space nudists. The Creeg feed off of lifeforce, and this entity must be mighty tasty.

“Mommy, why is invisible Space Santa Claus attacking that man?”

It’s actually not an attack, but when Bronder absorbs part of the entity it fills him with a feeling of “wonderful”, which it has also done to Data. And this leads to our official entry, as Geordi, Data, and Bronder lead the crew to find the entity, coming across a number of alien festivities but eventually arrive on the bridge.

For the two of you, maybe.

Yes, just as the Creeg feed off of life energy, the entity feeds on love and possibly belief. I have a colleague in the reviewing game known as Diamanda Hagan who would wince in pain if she saw this.

Did Riker just go “eeeeooo”?

And that’s how Space Santa saved Christmas. Or something.

click to vote in this week’s tournament

Head on over to Spacebooger.com and give your favorite fight a present by voting for it and sending the fighter to the Prize Fight. And if you feel the spirit move you, feel free to join in the competition. One entry left in this tournament but plenty more await.

And in case any of you don’t pop over outside of the fights, a Merry Christmas (or whatever you do around this time) to you all. I need to finish up the “presents” for BW. If you want to show up Monday and Tuesday.