The Christmasland Chronicles: ‘NOS4A2’ in Print, Comics, and Television

Written by Juanita ‘Obi-Juan’ Bonner

Prologue

Over the years… particularly the last few… I really haven’t read a ton of novels. Some history, superhero, horror, fantasy and supernatural material here and there, but generally, I veer towards articles, comics and graphic novels. With so much out there, I have endless lists of things I’d like to read, no matter its delivery. Then, of course, there’s television – offering a wide array of fandom for my nerd girl heart to pour over (YES!!). As it happens, it was TV that introduced me to what I now collectively refer to as The Christmasland Chronicles. From the deliciously horrific mind of Joe Hill, what began as a novel chock full of complicated, yet relatable characters, now spans across three mediums of chaos, fear and Strong Creatives (*WINK*) leaving this fan wanting more in every area. Each avenue offers endless possibilities giving one that, “Where do we go from here?”, feeling. To which, I dare any horror fan to take a peek at just one without developing a Manx sized appetite to devour the rest… LOL!! It’s with this in mind that I’d like to take a closer look at each platform. And though I came across these characters completely backwards – TV series, comics then novel – I’ll discuss each medium virtually spoiler-free (YAY!!) in order of their release while jingling all the way… LOL!!  

‘NOS4A2’ – The Novel (William Morrow and Company; 2013)

Following the road (mentally called an Inscape) for two main characters – Victoria “Vic” McQueen and Charles “Charlie” Talent Manx III – this novel does an excellent job of immersing the reader no matter the focus. Clocking in at a whopping 720 pages, I can honestly say the overall structure, makes it seem shorter than it truly is. Slipping back and forth from past to present as well as various character perspectives and locations, gives the pages a case by case feel. Hill is excellent when describing surroundings and is particularly detailed with private thought, allowing the reader to visualize and absorb the disgusts and delights seamlessly. Additionally, its pages are presented in a mostly mini-chapter format allowing one to engage in the intricacies in small, yet deeply disturbing horrific morsels. In general, the story tends to focus more on the protagonist Vic McQueen and spends considerable time fleshing out her psyche, as well as that of her lover Lou Carmody (God, I LOVE Lou!!) and their son Bruce Wayne (yep, that one!) Carmody. Both of which take center stage at some point allowing the reader to see things from their perspective quite often. Hill also does this on a smaller scale with many side characters, giving the overarch a wholistic and comfortable feel. And let’s not forget, as a life-long vampire fan, this is the most interesting take I’ve ever seen. “He believed in his own decency with all his heart. So, it was with every true monster, Vic supposed.” Manx – by far NOT the traditional blood sucker – is just as seductive and insidious. He’s also so self-righteous it’s downright annoying and somehow intoxicating at the same time! All necessary traits of ANY vampire, am I right?
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Finally, the added supernatural elements allowing a Strong Creative, like Vic or Charlie, to wield a tangible object through an imaginary space in the mind, making it as real as the characters themselves, is amazingly diabolical. Yet, as Hill’s words flow off the page, surprising understandable as well. Further, Manx’s twisted version of saving children by way of kidnapping them and taking them to Christmasland is absolutely the delicious evil I didn’t even know I wanted. Ever the subtle background focus, Christmasland and all things Christmas are strung throughout the pages like a pair of dim lights just waiting to be turned up. Candy canes, ornaments, Christmas music and more serve as continuous reminders of evil and I LOVED IT!! It only makes sense that Hill would want to bring these visuals to the page. So… turn it up he did!!

‘The Wraith: Welcome to Christmasland’ – Limited Series (IDW Publishing; 2013-2014)

Serving as a prequel to the NOS4A2 novel, this 7-comic series gives the reader considerable insight into the mind and moral make-up of Charles Talent Manx III. Not only do we get to see behind the curtain of this psychopath in his adult life before Christmasland and what led him there, but we also get a look at his upbringing – horrific on its own and chilling to say the least. We learn how Charlie finds his Inscape for the first time and just how warped his thinking became at a very young age. And it’s no surprise his mother, along with mental and physical abuse; play important roles. Beautifully written with layers upon layers of storytelling throughout, each volume tells us just a little bit more! There is no Vic, Bing, Maggie, or any other characters present in the novel. It’s all Charlie and it’s delicious!! The prologue and epilogue, inspiring my format now, round out Manx himself while the middle five comics take us into Christmasland nestled deep in Charlie’s mind in ways the novel cannot not – visually!!
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Illustrated by Charles P. Wilson III, virtually every page (covers included) is full of quirky tidbits and somewhat exaggerated scenes in a kind of Dr. Seuss gone wrong sort of way… LOL! Pops of red appear throughout adding enhancement to a bloody scene, bloodshot eyes, pointy teeth, and of course, Christmasland. But what I truly love is all the detail provided in the background, particularly in Christmasland itself. Innocent enough from a distance, the deeper you get, the weirder… and creepier… it all becomes. From moving snowmen and a true man in the moon to severed heads and blood thirsty children, you read on with intrigue and fear… unable, or rather, unwilling, to look away!! Thankfully, the television series blends both novel and comic in two epic seasons of delectably chilling and visually stunning horror!!

‘NOS4A2’ – The Television Series (AMC; 2 seasons; 2019-2020)

NOS4A2 jumped right off the pages to give us the perfect combination of visuals and dialogue needed to make it all seem so real! Adapted by Showrunner and Executive Producer Jami O’Brien (Hell on Wheels; Fear the Walking Dead) with Joe Hill also serving as Executive Producer, this television series is mouthwateringly evil and sadistically dark in the all the right places. Blending elements from its predecessors, the homage is fantastic throughout. Each character from the novel is fleshed out with a deeper intent while the comic visuals convey all the chills. Manx, played by the very talented Zachary Quinto is the tip of the Christmasland iceberg as each character brings their A-game from start to finish. The entire series, as short-lived as it is (Dammit AMC!!), is dripping with spectacular character development and endless possibilities. My favorites brought to life from the novel beyond Manx, though quite hard to choose, are Maggie Leigh (Jahkara Smith), Chris McQueen (Ebon Moss-Bachrach), Vic McQueen (Ashleigh Cummings), Bing Partridge (Ólafur Darri Ólaffson), Wayne McQueen (Jason David) and Lou Carmody (Johnathan Langdon). And, as mentioned in my Must See TV of 2019 article, “Original and mystical horror mixed with the real-life circumstances of the working-class McQueen family just works!!”
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I also love how newly created characters and scenes seamlessly fit with established ones. Of particular interest, other Strong Creatives such as Johnathan “The Hourglass Man” Beckett (Paul Schneider) and their Knives used to pierce the veil. Along with things like the Night Road, where “Access requires a certain darkness of the soul,” and Parnassus, the Inscape safe haven bar filled with all kinds of unsavory characters. Not to mention the Easter eggs for other horror icons (Pennywise and more) seen inside the Parnassus are fantastic. I can only imagine the conversations had between O’Brien and Hill as O’Brien, in regards to Strong Creatives, points out in her interview with flickeringmyth.com, “Some of them are good others not so much and I always loved that because it simply meant there were much more stories to tell.” Agreed Jami… AH-GREED!! My other love is Maggie Leigh and her Scrabble Tiles. Her character is stronger and much more confident than her novel counterpart and I literally can’t get enough of her. Plus, every main character, and even a few side ones, whether they make it out or not, begs for a backstory novel, comic or episode. Sadly, as noted, cut short at two seasons, we end wanting more. But that doesn’t mean it’s incomplete. On that note, a re-watch is definitely in my future!!

Epilogue

​Across all three platforms, the stories of Charles Manx and Vic McQueen are dirty. Not gritty like a cowboy story. Dirty like real life. Messy and imperfect. And most of all, beyond the thrilling supernatural elements, plausible. It’s absolutely inspiring to know that at various times throughout the mediums, I liked one character portrayal more than another only to come back round again at some point. While the novel created Charlie, the comics made him believable, and the TV series made him real. It’s now virtually impossible for me to see one portrayal without thinking of another. Same goes for Bing (and his creepy rhyming… LOL!!), Vic, Maggie, Lou, Wayne and all the rest. But the sheer force behind all three platforms is Christmasland. Aesthetically pleasing on the surface and morbidly cold in detail, it’s absolutely stunning to witness the perversion of something, for all intents and purposes, so wholesome. For me, it says something deeper about our fascination with Christmas and the general commercial and superficial nature of it all. This feeling is unapologetically carried across all three mediums though each has the power to stand alone and with absolute force, I might add. But when blended together, one could spend hours comparing and contrasting which is exactly what I challenge you to do!! Don’t forget the hot cocoa and candy canes… LOL!! *WINK* And finally, if you truly just can’t get enough… looking ahead, or looking back depending on your perspective (LOL!), I’ll be giving a breakdown of each of the 7 comics in the coming weeks so stay tuned!! In the meantime, follow this link for a collection of the NOS4A2 television series episode reviews from our Editor-in-Chief and horror extraordinaire here at Nerds That Geek, John E. Betancourt or reach out to me on Twitter @obi_juanita with your questions or comments. Until next time… remember; ”Fantasy was always only a reality waiting to be switched on.”