Santa Claus

Few figures carry as much mythic weight as Santa Claus, and Marvel's version — introduced in Marvel Holiday Special #1 in 1991 by Danny Fingeroth and Ron Garney — brings the jolly legend squarely into the House of Ideas, rubbing red-suited shoulders with the likes of Spider-Man, Captain America, and Thor. Spanning over three decades of Marvel holiday publishing, from Marvel Holiday Special to the irreverent pages of Deadpool: Dead Head Redemption and Howard the Duck Holiday Special, this is a Santa who has earned his place in some wonderfully unexpected company. With a key issue already to his name and appearances stretching all the way to 2024, he's a surprisingly durable corner of the Marvel Universe — proof that even the most iconic figure in folklore gets a little more interesting when Peter Parker might swing through the window.