10 Must-Read Comic Book Christmas Specials
6. Honey I Shrunk My Annoying Family - 'Ant Mans Big Christmas'
Like all engaging, relatable Christmas tales, Ant Mans Big Christmas revolves around how the holiday season brings out the absolute worst in everyone. Spousal arguments, neglect and family feuds are all covered in this issue which pits volatile couple Hank Pym (Ant Man) and Janet van Dyne (The Wasp) against the soul crushing realities of The Most Wonderful Time of the Year. To spread good cheer, this issue displays that the Avengers put saving the entire world on hold in order to fulfil childrens wishes.
A youngster named Larry Magruder had sent a letter stating that his family life is totally depressing at Christmas and wishes for Ant Man and The Wasp to appear and, I dont know shrink or something? Whatever his end goal was, this invitation saved Pym from a fate worse than death - visiting The Wasps family for dinner. Starting off as good-natured fun, shrinking member of Larrys family and putting them in situations which let them see what total jackasses they are, things soon take a turn.
Placing a cigar smoking aunt in a box of fish heads escalates into having his cousins tied up and swarmed by fire ants, which understandably becomes a bit too dark for Larry who realises he is essentially torturing his relatives. Young Magruder ultimately chooses the high road and actually talks things through, proving once and for all that even small children have a more nuanced approach to morality than superheroes.