Christmas comes but once a year. Unfortunately, so does Grant Morrison and Dan Mora’s Klaus. So, grab a cup of holiday cheer, settle into your favorite chair and indulge in this masterful tale of epic battles, second chances and redemption. (Warning: contains minor spoilers.)
Written by Grant MorrisonCover by Dan Mora
Illustrated and Colored by Dan Mora
Lettered by Ed DukeshireWarrior. Legend. Gift-giver. Klaus is many things to many people worldwide, but this year he is the defender of Earth, alongside a host of other wintery warriors, as a threat of galactic proportions invades the planet and endangers all humans, naughty and nice alike.
First off, “Klaus and the Crying Snowman” #1 is truly a one-shot. Though it definitely builds on the character Morrison and Mora first unveiled in the original miniseries, there’s nothing you need to know or remember to fully appreciate this self-contained 50-page epic. So, if there’s even the slightest feeling that you’re too late to the party, no worries. Hop on Klaus’s sleigh and enjoy the wild, wonderful ride.
Like a lot of yuletide tales, this one begins quietly. Sam, the titular snowman, stands awash in pale yellow light, accented by soft blue shadows. The mood is decidedly wintry, even melancholy, as Sam tries to piece together his fragmentary memories of recent events. Or maybe, he concedes, it was all just a dream. Either way, as he references in passing a “war with the comet people,” it becomes abundantly clear that this isn’t going to be your grandfather’s Christmas story. Indeed, Klaus chimes in to remind Sam of their journey to the Towers of Animatropolis on Titan and a previous battle with the Tree-Monster that first kicked off their adventure.
Here, Morrison’s script and Mora’s artwork transition perfectly. With a single word, “Remember…” and the wintry blue hue that Mora established at the outset, we are seamlessly transported back in time, right into the thick Klaus’s one-on-one battle with the otherworldly Tree-Monster, a flailing, ram-horned beast with a single, menacing eye.
Whereas the opening pages were reflective and subdued, suddenly there’s no time to think. Klaus – as well as the reader – is thrust into the heart of the action. Over several highly efficient, pulse-pounding pages, the book’s backstory is quickly recapped, new characters are introduced, the Tree-Monster is vanquised and the stage is well set for the epic showdown to come.
In truth, Morrison’s script can get a wee bit heavy-handed and overly expository at times, especially when he’s explaining the 1500 year cycle of Hrym, the Nightborn, lord of that which lives not, but the artwork keeps things moving and Mora’s character designs are exquisite. In fact, I would love to read a one-shot about Master Yule-Goat’s adventures, if not an entire series. Meanwhile, there’s also a touch of sly humor to keep things grounded and plenty of musclebound eye-candy in the form of the perpetually shirtless Father Frost. Not to mention a neon-tinged, hallucinogenic flashback panel about the Lunar Civil War and an incredible two-page spread evoking this self-contained comicverse’s iterations of Asgard and Ragnorak.
It might sound like a bit of a hodgepodge, but Morrison’s story structure, rhythm and timing are absolutely rock solid. With clear, solid beats he manages to weave past, present and future into a single, continuous whole. And there’s so bloody much to look at, once you pick it up, you’ll be hard-pressed to put it down. Mora’s pages and panels are crammed with information, but incredibly, don’t feel cluttered. His color palette, in particular, helps the reader keep things straight, supported by Ed Dukeshire letters, which do an excellent job of signposting the various strands of dialogue and narration.
Ultimately, this story feels much bigger than its page count would suggest. On one hand, it’s splashy, vibrant and massive, colorfully telling the epic tale the Gift Givers coming together “to succeed where the Norse gods failed.” On the other hand, it’s an intimate, character-driven story about understanding, seeing the goodness in everyone and getting a second chance, whether it’s earned or not. It’s like a wild, trippy mashup of superhero themes and the perennial holiday classic It’s a Wonderful Life, with Klaus in the role of Clarence and a snowman as George Bailey, the banker. It’s also way cooler than that, much more nuanced and multilayered. This is a book to be savored, shared and carefully tucked away in your box of Christmas decorations so that you can pull it out and enjoy it year after year.
Final Verdict: 8.6 – Whether you celebrate Christmas or not, treat yourself to “Klaus and the Crying Snowman” #1, a bold, imaginative yuletide tale that balances the epic grandeur of interplanetary conflict with a tender, human-centered story of redemption and getting a second chance.
