Marvel Just Put a Chilling Spin on the World’s Hottest Comic Book Special

3 weeks ago 12

John Dodge is an MTV Writer for CBR who specializes in movies, television, comics, and pop culture. He has a deep knowledge of franchises like Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Marvel, and DC Comics, along with a passion for indie and horror titles. An expert on obscure productions from the ’80s and ’90s, John is known for his encyclopedic recall of cult classics like Beetleborgs.

The hottest Marvel Comics series of all time just got a whole lot cooler thanks to an underrated villain.

The Marvel Winter Break Special (by Tim Seeley, Tony Fleecs, Nick Bradshaw, Rachelle Rosenberg, and VC's Joe Caramagna) opens to a familiar, yet unnerving, sight: the Savage Land is frozen over by the machinations of Dario Agger and Roxxon. Fortunately, every hero from Rogue to Spider-Man to Captain Marvel is willing to leap into action to save their favorite prehistoric corner of the globe, even if it means stripping down in the middle of the unusually cold jungle.

Marvel Winter Break Special #1

Written by TIM SEELEY & TONY FLEECS
Art by NICK BRADSHAW
Colors by RACHELLE ROSENBERG
Letters by VC's JOE CARAMAGNA
Design by ADAM DEL RE
Main cover art by GREG LAND & RACHELLE ROSENBERG
Variant covers by NICOLETTA BALDARI; IVAN TALAVERA; LEIRIX; and GERARDO SANDOVAL & ERICK ARCINIEGA

The official solicit synopsis for the Marvel Winter Break Special #1 from Marvel Comics reads, "FROM SWIMSUITS TO THE SAUNA! You asked for more Swimsuit Special, and you've got it — sort of!"

"Hit the slopes with YOUR favorite Marvel heroes this winter, with the help of a team of superstar artists — and then warm up in the hot tub... hot springs... hot yoga... lots of places that start with “hot”! FRET NOT, True Believers, we've got equal parts action AND relaxation for your money in this one-shot!"

Marvel Comics' various swimsuit specials and similar comics began with a riff on the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition — the 1991 Marvel Illustrated: The Swimsuit Issue. Over the next four years, four editions of the Marvel Swimsuit Special were published, each featuring various pinups of fans' favorite Marvel Comics characters in exceptionally skimpy outfits.

The popularity of such specials has continued throughout the course of decades, with the last coming in the form of Marvel Swimsuit Special: Friends, Foes & Rivals #1. Not only was this issue also written by Tim Seely and Tony Fleecs, but it also featured the malevolent multinational corporation known as Roxxon as the overarching villain of its story.

Introduced back in 1974's Captain America #180 by writer Steve Englehart and artist Sal Buscema, Roxxon Energy Corporation, formerly Roxxon Oil, has long been an overtly villainous force in the Marvel Universe. Between the company's own endeavors, ranging from hostile takeovers of entire realms to crafting cryptobro facsimiles of the likes of the Mighty Thor, Roxxon has always sought to grow its portfolio at the expense of others, especially if those others consist of the world's foremost superheroes.

The Marvel Winter Break Special #1 is on sale now from Marvel Comics.