Writers: Mikey Way & Jonathan Rivera
Artist: Piotr Kowalski
Colorist: Brad Simpson
Letterer: Joshua Reed
Cover Artists: Piotr Kowalski with Brad Simpson
Special Thanks: Ian Sattler
Publisher: Dark Horse Comics
Price: $3.99
Release Date: December 4, 2024
Peter Rockwell is depressed. Overworked and mourning his father, every day is a struggle to get by. While he is losing touch with his family, Christmas looms. Can Peter get through the holidays and get back in touch with his family? Let's grab a glass of eggnog, leap into Christmas 365 #1, and find out!
Story
The kitchen in Peter's house is a hive of activity. Alice steers little Steven and Susan through breakfast while arguing with Tina about propriety in teenage relationships. Steven is more interested in terrorizing Susan than eating. Peter's oldest child is upset with her dad for missing her high school play. Alice reminds Peter that he's letting them down. Peter vows to be better. But her loving suggestion feels like another demand.
Before Peter enters the office, the assault begins in Christmas 365 #1. His manager insinuates Peter must step up. Victor increases the pressure by purchasing the boss a gift over the proposed spending limit for employees. Then Victor promises a proposal revision by day’s end, despite shorter holiday hours. Once again, Peter arrives late to be with his family.
In Mikey Way and Jonathan Rivera’s story, Peter and his father always made a big deal out of Christmas. But Peter couldn't face celebrating the holidays without his dad. Steven preys on Susan's fears that their dad will skip Christmas this year. So when they get to the mall, Peter lifts Susan onto his shoulders while they wait to see Santa. Walking alongside, Steven may be more interested in his tablet than Santa. But Peter notices the wonder in his youngest daughter's eyes.
In Christmas 365 #1, Peter Rockwell struggles with the demands of parenthood. His daughter’s joy helps him remember how Christmas used to make him feel. So, Peter lets go of his inhibitions and notions of respectability. Instead, he does something to reawaken the child inside him and revive his love for the holiday season. Other adults won’t understand, but Peter wants to turn his life around for his family.
Art
Piotr Kowalski kicks off Christmas 365 #1 with a dream sequence. As Peter walks through a storybook town, trying to return home, a malicious snowman and other outdoor decorations pursue him. The inking captures details and shadows, whether caught in folds of fabric or shimmers on glass. The boss’s office evokes M’s in classic James Bond movies. Amid the fine woodwork, loaded bookshelves, and an upholstered door, a portrait of a frowning woman hangs behind the boss. Later, Peter pulls open a drawer in his cubicle, removes a framed childhood photo with his father, and replaces it on a bookshelf.
Brad Simpson contrasts muted colors with their brighter cousins to give Piotr Kowalkski’s art a lived-in quality. He intensifies Peter's nightmare by tinging the surrounding outdoor Christmas decorations in red. Simpson brightens the beige, brown, and gray home with plants and the undecorated Christmas tree. Tan, beige, and maroon warm the boss's office. Gray, lavender, and blue cool Peter’s cubicle. The same bright red, green, and yellow in the gold framed photo surround Santa at the mall, helping Peter associate Christmas with happiness and familial celebration.
Joshua Reed decorates sugar cookie dialogue balloons with coal-colored uppercase letters. He adorns a radio news report with scalloped cookie-cutter edges. After crowning domestic chaos with a yellow sound effect, he outlines white narrative boxes with red and green to enhance Peter’s Yuletide eureka in Christmas 365 #1. Thanks to Dark Horse Comics for providing a copy for review.
Final Thoughts
Christmas 365 #1 tackles the difficulties of navigating the depression accompanying the holiday season with sitcom humor and a reminder that the best gifts are the times we share with those we love.
Rating 9.4/10
To preview interior art see my review at Comic Book Dispatch.
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