SPIRIT OF CHRISTMAS
Real Name: Unrevealed (see comments)
Identity/Class: Extradimensional (Heaven) Angel
Occupation: Angel of Peace and Hope
Group Membership: Angels of Heaven
Affiliations: Spider-Man (Peter Parker), mankind
Enemies: Mephisto, unidentified demons
Known Relatives: None
Aliases: None
Base of Operations: Heaven
First Appearance: Marvel Holiday Special 1994 (January, 1994)
Powers/Abilities: As an angel the Spirit of Christmas possessed vast mystical abilities including the power of teleportation, transmogrification and transforming matter. He was presumably immune to aging, conventional diseases and could regenerate from his physical form's destruction or alternatively transform into an energy form to avoid destruction. He possessed the power of flight due to large wings.
Height: 6' (by approximation)
Weight: 150 lbs. (by approximation)
Eyes: Brown
Hair: Blond
History:
(Marvel Holiday Special 1994/1 (fb) - BTS) - Mephisto apparently went after the Spirit of Christmas year after year.
(Marvel Holiday Special 1994/1) - On Christmas Eve the Spirit of Christmas fell from the sky over New York City encased in a ball of fire crashing right through a street and the subway tunnel beneath until he crossed a dimensional barrier to Mephisto's Hell. Spider-Man followed the Angel, stopped a subway from driving into the hole caused by the Angel's impact and then followed a group of demons, who carried the Angel, to Hell. There, Mephisto told him who that the Angel was the Spirit of Christmas while his servant demons nailed the Angel to a rack. Mephisto threatened to destroy the Spirit of Christmas and therefore everything he stood for, but Spider-Man wasn't having it. Mephisto offered Spider-Man to wager his soul for a chance to save the Angel from his trap and leave with him and his soul in case he succeeded. Spider-Man took the offer, but was unable to free the Angel from Mephisto's trap. The Spirit of Christmas was crushed by a spiked bed and Mephisto ripped Spider-Man's soul from his body. Moments later though Mephisto decided to return Spider-Man's soul so he could appreciate how Earth would go to ruin without peace and hope. He teleported with Spider-Man to Earth and was shocked when humans were still kind and sharing joy during Christmas Eve. The Spirit of Christmas re-formed in front of the Hell-lord and Spider-Man and revealed he didn't cause the emotions in humans during Christmas, but drew his power and very existence from them the same way Mephisto did. Mephisto couldn't believe this to be true, but the Spirit of Christmas then pointed out how even Mephisto was infected with the humans' goodness when he returned Spider-Man's soul to him even though the hero would've suffered more if he had lost his soul. Mephisto angrily returned to Hell while the Spirit of Christmas told Spider-Man they didn't have to go after him because this battle had become a ritual between them and would continue the next year. The Spirit of Christmas then teleported Peter Parker home with his Christmas gifts. While Peter kissed Mary Jane in front of their Christmas tree the Spirit of Christmas watched them with a smile on his face.
Comments: Created by Steven Grant (writer) & Pat Broderick (artist).
There are a few possible candidates for the real identity of the Spirit of Christmas including Gavreel, Melchisedek or Valael. All three of them were Angels of Peace.
Christmas literally went to Hell in this story!
Profile by Markus Raymond.
CLARIFICATIONS:
The Spirit of Christmas should not be confused with:
images (without ads)
Marvel Holiday Special 1994, p7, pan2 (main image)
Marvel Holiday Special 1994, p10, pan5 (head shot)
Appearances:
Marvel Holiday Special 1994 (January, 1994) - Steven Grant (writer), Pat Broderick (artist), Reneé Witterstaetter (editor)
First Posted: 12/24/2017
Last updated: 01/03/2021
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
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