(Image Source: Marvel Comics / Greg Land)
Earlier this year, Marvel Comics revived its Swimsuit Special from the 1990s. Back then, the comics publisher was simply parodying the popular Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue with their own pin-up-heavy publication. However, the new series had a story to go with the skin, to justify the whole production. That spirit continues in the new Marvel Winter Break Special, though the silliness has been cranked up to 11.
On the surface, Marvel Winter Break Special is nothing more than an excuse to publish scanty pin-ups of popular superheroes. The only apparent difference is that this time they are in winter scenes rather than summer ones. However, writers Tim Seeley and Tony Fleecs explain this with a story spinning out of the last Marvel Swimsuit Special.
Last summer, the evil Roxxon corporation published a superhero swimsuit special that was entirely AI-generated. The superheroes responded by giving the public the real thing, in designer swimsuits fashioned by The Wasp herself. Now, Roxxon is trying to mend its image by solving global warming, starting with freezing over the Savage Land.
(Image Source: Marvel Comics / Nick Bradshaw)
This leads Rogue (who has some affection for the jungle in Antarctica after her time living there) to organize a group of heroes to expose Roxxon’s misdeeds, not by destroying their climate control tech, but with a winter-themed photoshoot in the now-frozen Savage Land. Unfortunately, their designer winter wear is trashed shortly after their arrival. This leaves them in their skivvies and working to stop Roxon directly before the Savage Land is destroyed.
Marvel Winter Break Special goes beyond sexy pin-ups
There is no way to seriously justify the fan service at the heart of Marvel Winter Special. So Seeley and Fleecs don’t even try. Instead, they lean into the silliness of the concept. Everything is played for laughs. How superheroes’ costumes always get trashed in the Savage Land. How appealing to fan service is a better way to get the public to protest blatant acts of evil. Gambit drooling over art of his wife in her jungle queen costume, and Gwenpool playing photographer.
(Image Source: Marvel Comics / Nick Bradshaw)
Despite this, all the heroes remain in character, with Captain America complaining about the cold for obvious reasons. Deadpool is left “Donald Ducking” after his pants are inconveniently destroyed. Seeley also gets in a shot at his own retro Rogue: The Savage Land miniseries, which Ka-Zar and Shanna deny remembering as Rogue tries to reminisce.
This humor extends into the artwork as well, with Nick Bradshaw illustrating everything in a light, exaggerated manner. There are a few straightforward pin-ups, such as Elena Casagrande‘s image of Spider-Woman and Captain Marvel enjoying a sauna. Most of them, however, have some comedic element to them, such as Annie Wu‘s splash page of Namor ice skating.
(Image Source: Marvel Comics / Annie Wu)
Marvel Winter Break Special #1 is not high art. It is, however, a welcome bit of comedy that doesn’t take itself too seriously. Or indeed, at all seriously.
Grade: 7/10
Marvel Winter Break Special #1 is now available at comic shops everywhere.
