Good morning, readers! Boy am I filled with the holiday spirit as write today’s column! ‘Tis the season and sleigh bells are ringing and chestnuts are roasting and… all that stuff. You’ve probably even noticed the little Christmas tree on the left sidebar. Honestly, until this weekend I hadn’t even realized how close we really are to the holiday season. I walked into a department store and the place was positively DRIPPING with yuletide cheer. It was all I could do not to burst into a rendition of "The Twelve Days of Christmas."

(Truth be told , that’s probably my least favorite Christmas song and I would have only done it to torture the poor employees of that department store. Though even if I had sung my actual favorite Christmas song, "Christmastime is Here," from the Charlie Brown Christmas, it probably would have been its own form of punishment. That is the most depressing song ever written.)

Ho, ho, ho, and on with the covers!

NEW AVENGERS #18

Cover by Mike Deodato

Great cover from Mr. Deodato! After a much prolonged absence, Norman Osborn is back and up to no good. And he wants YOU… to make sure the lines in his hair are completely straight!

I mean, really. Have you ever seen anyone in real life with hair like Norman Osborn? I wouldn’t even know what to call that style! The Perfectly Plowed Field? The Rippling Waves? No, no, I’ve got it: The Venetian Blinds. You never know, maybe it’s the next big thing in haircuts (even if it was started by Steve Ditko many years ago; the man was ahead of his time). So do me a favor: next time you go to the barber shop, try saying, "Hey, Mac, give me the Venetian Blinds." See what they say and let me know.

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