A different reason from the usual life and death battles that bring superheroes together, is the equally tense Thanksgiving dinner. Heroes got to eat, and heroes got to celebrate. In lieu of parades and football games, perhaps peruse a few of these Thanksgiving-themed comic books instead. All of which can be collected for less than the price of a frozen turkey.
THE VISION AND THE SCARLET WITCH #6
With Magneto as a father, a Thanksgiving with Scarlet Witch’s family is sure to get very interesting; which is a scenario that played out in The Vision and the Scarlet Witch #6 (Vol. 2, 1986). Going into this issue, Magneto has sworn off his evil ways and is attempting to make strides at being a better father to Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver; but this doesn’t stop the Avengers from being weirded out when he shows up at the front door. Furthermore, an immediate rift grows between Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver over their emotional wounds from being a part of the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants. How does an Omega-level mutant deal with domestic issues?
With the classic family sitcom setting of the WandaVision series, The Vision and the Scarlet Witch #6 could easily be source material for a holiday episode. At the moment, raw copies can be easily found for around $2.
A modern Thanksgiving-themed comic book is JSA #54 (2004), which is complete with a Norman Rockwell-inspired cover. A gathering of the superheroes isn’t always viewed as a good thing. For the always vigilant Batman, a JSA team Thanksgiving dinner with everyone under one roof could provide the perfect opportunity for an enemy to attack. Even the JSA heroes aren’t immune to family fights; for them, it started with a debate about the meaning of giving thanks. While everyone’s enjoying the festivities, Batman is proven right when Kulak the Sorcerer and the Warlock of Ys brazenly interrupt the dinner.
Compared to the other books mentioned in this article, JSA #54 is possibly the quickest and most lighthearted of a read. With widely available raw copies; the book can be found at sticker price. No CGC graded copies appear to have been sold in the market.
In Spectre #6 (1968), when the Old Quarter district of Gateway City is terrorized by phantom pilgrims, the Spectre investigates the supernatural occurrences. He recounts a tale of how a cult that worshiped the demon Nawor had fled to the New World due to persecution. They ended up settling an area called Rood Point, which later became Gateway City. Back to the present, the phantom pilgrims have returned to complete a ritual to finally summon Nawor.
CGC graded sales for Spectre #6 have been flat for the last decade. While CGC 9.8 graded copies exist, the highest grade to hit the market has been only a 9.4, which most recently sold for $140 in late 2019. For a quick read, a much cheaper option could be raw FN/VF copies that can be found under the $20 level.
Action Comics #454 (1975) isn’t necessarily Thanksgiving-themed, but it does include a lot of eating. The cover could help allay any guilt from holiday feasting; just write it off as the Superman diet. In the issue, when Superman is afflicted with a strange case of lethargy, his solution is to regain his energy by eating a ton of food. Unbeknownst to him, the Toyman has been draining the Earth’s “solar rays” from underground. Questionable comic book science aside, Action Comics #454 is surprisingly affordable; raw copies regularly sell in the $1-5 range, and the latest CGC 9.8 sold for $66 in 2015. Not bad for a unique Action Comics cover.
“Dad used to make the mashed potatoes every Thanksgiving. Trick was a little sour cream, butter and a dash of red pepper.” - Hourman
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