We all know that Santa Claus likes to keep tabs on anyone. Pretty much his only job during the year is to watch over (spy) on everyone and make a note of the good and bad things people have done. You do have to wonder if he has any sort of algorithm because when it comes to comic book characters, they sometimes do both good and bad things. How many good deeds can outweigh a bad one?
As a way to look back at some of the things we've seen this year, we were able to glimpse a small portion of Santa's list. We did our best to try to get the entire list but those pesky elves are pretty quick and it really hurts when they punch you in the shins.
This list is by far from complete. Feel free to add any naughty or nice moments you can recall from this past year.
Nice
Hawkeye
Hawkeye is becoming a hero for the people. In the first issue of his series, we saw Clint confront the evil landlord Ivan. He offered poor conditions to the tenants and had it written in the lease that he could triple the rent if he wanted to. To those unable to pay their rent, he threatened to "keel" them, even in front of their kids. After confronting Ivan and his "tracksuit mafia," Clint ended up paying everyone's rent and bought the entire building.
== TEASER ==
He even help save a dog that got kicked into traffic and took him home as his own.
Deadpool
Deadpool may be a mercenary and has killed many times. This year we've seen a different side to Wade Wilson.
In UNCANNY X-FORCE, Wade was almost the glue for the team towards the end. When the Shadow King, Sabretooth and Daken were trying to get Evan to turn into Apocalypse, Deadpool stuck to his side. He took some beatings for him. He even gave him some reading material at the Jean Grey School for Higher Learning to help educate him in a different area.
Deadpool also performed a civic duty in saving the world from a bunch of dead presidents.
Larfleeze
A couple years ago, Larfleeze actually had his own Christmas special. It was pretty much what you expected from the guy with the Lantern of Avarice. In this month's GREEN LANTERN: NEW GUARDIANS, we see Larfleeze is willing to share.
Kyle Rayner is training to master all the different Lanterns and that meant he'd need Larfleeze's help. It took a little persuading on Carol Ferris' part but Kyle's mission continues.
Captain America
How many times has Cap made sacrifices for others. After ending up in a trap set by Arnim Zola, Cap found himself at the mercy of his enemy in the strange Dimension Z. He woke up to find a giant needle being plunged into his chest in order to take his blood and Super Soldier Serum. Cap escapes but doesn't leave alone.
He took the child being experimented on next to him. While he needs to focus on his own survival, he is doing everything he can to protect the "son" of his enemy. That means changing diapers in a world that doesn't actually have diapers. Protecting children is a noble thing to do and Cap will give his life for a child he didn't even know. That is pretty nice indeed.
Naughty
Joker
You would think that Joker would always be on the naughty list. Since he hadn't really been seen in the New 52 until now, he's making up for it. Deep down he might think he has good intentions. He believes Batman isn't living up to his full potential as a crime fighter. He feels Batman's struggle with the Court of Owls shouldn't have been such a problem. He blames Batman's extended family for distracting him. As he constantly has to worry, train and keep tabs on the others, he's losing the edge that he used to have. Joker misses the Batman he used to know from their early days.
Good intentions or not, Joker has killed multiple civilians and police officers, terrorized several and beat up poor Alfred.
Negan (THE WALKING DEAD)
Remember when we saw the Governor as the biggest and most evil person in the THE WALKING DEAD universe? Turns out we now have someone giving him a run for his money. Negan is a vicious man that feels he is entitled to whatever he wants. He had been preying on a nearby community demanding half of any and all supplies they have and come by. Soon Rick's group ended up against them.
If you know Rick Grimes, you know he isn't a man to roll over for anyone. Unleashing his brand of justice against Negan's men resulted in some serious repercussions.
When Rick and a few others were captured, Negan said he was going to be beat one of them to death with his barbed baseball bat he calls "Lucille."
It was a brutal killing. It was what you would come to expect in this series. Negan has been very naughty.
Doctor Octopus
(There are no spoilers from AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #700 below)
Otto Octavius always wanted to be taken seriously for his intellect. We saw before in an issue of INVINCIBLE IRON MAN that Tony Stark even gave him a hard time before they both became part of the world of superheroes. With all the beatings Otto has taken, his body was giving out. He was dying.
The desire to live is understandable but his solution is to take over the body of another. He didn't ask for permission. He simply swapped bodies and is stealing someone else's life, including trying to hook up with their hot ex-girlfriend. Otto is being naughty, bad and just creepy. In AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #699, we saw Peter run through some scenarios that Ock could accomplish while using his body.
Without any mention of what may or may not result in AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #700, on sale this week, we can definitely say that wanting to take another person's body is very naughty. You could also blame him for the end of the series.
Clearly this is not all of the naughty and nice people in comics this year. This was all we could see for sure on Santa's list. Who else do you think should be on there. Hopefully you did not end up on the Naughty part.
Have a safe and happy holiday from everyone at Comic Vine.