Enjoy the Thanksgiving Day Parade, Part 6: He seems to have an invisible touch

The Joker is invisible (highlight that space for the answer!) and causing mayhem at the Thanksgiving Day Parade! Maybe it should be called novemberhem?


from Detective Comics #138 (DC/national, August 1948), script by Bill Finger (?), pencils and inks by Dick Sprang
Luckily, the Batman, the Most Realistic Crime-Fighting Character in Comics, also takes an invisibility formula and pursues the Joker up a giant parade balloon of himself! Man, you gotta admire the Batman franchise for not getting silly until 1966, right? When both are captured, Robin detects which one is the real Batman um, you could feel for which on has on a mask and pointy ears) by asking one question! What do you think that question was?


Q: "Who's the greatest criminal henchman of them all?"

A: "Gabe!"


from the Batman and Robin serial (Columbia, 1949), directed by Spencer Gordon Bennet; riffed by Michael J. Nelson, Kevin Murphy, and Bill Corbett of RiffTrax

Enjoy the Thanksgiving Day Parade, Part 5: Na na na na na na na na Balloons

from "Thanksgiving" in Batman: Li'l Gotham #1 (DC, June 2013), script by Dustin Nguyen and Derek Fridolfs, painted art by Dustin Nguyen, letters by Saida Temofonte

Enjoy the Thanksgiving Day Parade, Part 4: Would You Like a Ride? I'm a Beautiful Balloon

from "Flee to Your Grave" in The Unexpected #170 (DC, November 1975), script by George Kashdan, pencils and inks by Ernie Chan
Yes, Terror from the Macy's Non-Branded, You-Can't-Sue-Us Thanksgiving Day Parade! And it all began the night before in a mad scientist's lab. Seriously, within the pages of DC's horror/chiller comics, what doesn't?


This changes Professor Travers into the amazing Green-and-Purple Monster-Man, star of so many DC comics during the 1970s. Remember All Star Green-and-Purple Monster-Man? Brave and the Bold and the Green-and-Purple Monster-Man? Batman and the Outsiders and also the Green-and-Purple Monster-Man?


Luckily for the Professor's sake, he's able to casually sneak into a Thanksgiving Day Parade amongst the Superman and Batman blimps. Truly, his fame is ballooning! ... Kill me.


At least, until the evil Reese, who did not invent the peanut-butter cup, convinces the police to shoot at the Monster Professor through the giant Superman balloon. Hey cops: helium lives matter!


All's well that ends well with an ironic twist O. Henry would have envied if he had ever written a story about a scientist changed into a giant balloon and cornered in between Warner Bros. licensed characters on the fourth Thursday in November. Truly that tale was indeed one of The Four Million everyday ordinary tales of life in the city.

Enjoy the Thanksgiving Day Parade, Part 3: Cheryl Blossom is literally full of hot air

from "Don't Rain on My Parade!" in Cheryl Blossom Special #4 (Archie, 1996), script and pencils by Dan Parent, inks by Rudy Lapick, colors by Barry Grossman, lettes by Mindy Eisman

Enjoy the Thanksgiving Day Parade, Part 2: All this and they didn't even invite Bouncing Boy

cover of DCU Holiday Special 2010 one-shot (DC, February 2011), pencils and inks by Matt Haley
Welcome to the DC Universe, where, just like us with our parade balloons of Stephen Hawking, Mae Jemison, and Larry Csonka, they celebrate Thanksgiving Day with the likenesses of true-life heroes within their own world! Heroes in shiny, armored costumes who star in popular and successful adventure franchises in film and on television The CW!


from "Hero of Heroes" in DCU Holiday Special 2010; script by Kevin Grevioux, pencils by Roberto Castro, inks by Scott Koblish, colors by Alex Bleyaert, letters by Travis Lanham
Whoa, not so fast, Hal Jordan. We said popular and successful.


You're okay, Flash, seen Tuesday night at 8, 7 Central on the CW.

Enjoy the Thanksgiving Day Parade, Part 1: Soaring! Helium! Air! Zeppelin! Ascend! Macy's!

Mary Marvel got her first grand marshal job
In a parade where everyone could see
Foolin' her elderly mom
It was Thanksgiving of '73



from "The Thanksgiving Thieves!" in Shazam! (1973 series) #10 (DC, February 1974), script by E. Nelson Bridwell, pencils and inks by Bob Oksner

Today in Comics History, Thanksgiving Day: It's Thanksgiving and I'm busy eating stuffing so here's some Thanksgiving comics

Here's hoping your Thanksgiving is full of wonder!



from Wonder Woman (1942 series) #114 (DC, May 1960), script by Robert Kanigher, pencils by Ross Andru, inks by Mike Esposito, letters by Gaspar Saladino

Fake Macy's Parade Alerts from a little stuffed bull on Thanksgiving Twitter

Fake Macy's Parade alert: Upper West Side residents be on watch for Green Goblin balloon attacking Spider-Man balloon.

Staten Island residents be on lookout for Liverpool High School Marching Band, who have gotten very lost.

This next one is NOT a float, repeat NOT a float. It's TV weatherman Al Roker.

Please keep your eyes open for Cobra operatives posing as Macy's employees. Key giveaway: Serpentor balloon.

If a helicopter hovers overhead and you see a turkey flying down at you, run. Arthur Carlson's done it again.

Ah-ooga! Watch out for dimensional portals popping randomly throughout parade. Your clue: all balloons are apes.

Ladies and gentlemen, CAPTAIN AMERICA HAS RETURNED TO US, right in the middle of the parade! He's alive!

Warning: that is NOT a balloon that looks like the Macy's store! Dr. Doom has launched Macy's into orbit again.

The east side of Broadway now has a great view of Batman battling Two-Face on top of the Underdog balloon.

PLEASE do not give money to begging rats. They're just trying to raise cash for their invasion plans.

Oh no! Spider-Man has crashed into the Daily Bugle float! And photographer Peter Parker is nowhere to be found!

Beware of street vendors selling bootleg "Ben 9" merchandise.

Hey, look, it's the Scans_Daily float! Looks like they have chainsawed off 1/3 of the DC Comics float!

Please allow the man from the blue box to deal with the rampaging robot men. He's trained in this sort of thing.

If you see Black Lantern Cornelius Vanderbilt, do NOT engage in battle. Alert Green Lantern Horatio Alger instead.

Be certain you're viewing the AUTHENTIC Macy's Parade. Do not be tricked by competing Gimbel's parade.

RUN! That's not an iPod float, it's a Decepticon!

In honor of Thanksgiving, street vendors are adding a quart of chlorine to the hot dog water.

To our TV viewers: that was NOT, repeat NOT, a Viagra balloon. That was a commercial.

Several parade balloons will NOT be seen today due to Broadway Danny Rose shooting them in their warehouse.

If you come into contact with the pink empathic goo, please do NOT think of the giant Stay-Puft marshmal...uh oh.

Even if you DO see her in the crowd, please do not lick Liz Lemon.

Yes, it's a giant Paris Hilton balloon, people. Get over it, we're all adults here.

Please do not block gutters--kindly allow Morlocks and C.H.U.D.s to have a good view of the parade.

Will the owner of the Empire State Building please come to the parade office? Your lights are on.

Ignore the word "TRUMP" hastily-painted over "MACY'S" on parade signage.

It's the Twitter Marching Band! 140 trained musicians! Their music will be repeated by several following bands.

Now here's the Snoopy balloon...he's...oh no! OH THE HUMANI...oh, hey, look, Carrie Underwood!

If you enjoyed any portion of the parade, Superman will turn the earth backwards so you can see it again.

In retrospect, scheduling the New York Marathon on the same day may have been a mistake.

And now, the Dorf Cosplay Brigade...100 trained marchers impersonating Tim Conway's beloved comedy character!

While she is spinning, please stand out of the way of Diana Prince until she has completed her transformation.

It appears that the Macy's Parade has joined forces with the Lord & Taylor Parade to battle the Gimbel's Parade!

And now, the Yancy Street Dancers! And...they're throwing custard pies at that orange gentleman in the crowd.

When in the presence of Michael Bloomberg, it is customary to bow BEFORE kissing his ring.

That's not a parade exhibit of fantastic cars, folks...the Wacky Races are just cutting across midtown today.

Please do NOT accept coupons for "Free Mayorin'" from Ed Koch.

What's THIS? A deadly dirigible? Dangerous doping-gas? Can the Dynamic Duo stop the Clown Prince of Crime in time?

And now, in order to bust this myth, Adam and Jamie will now blow up the Bullwinkle balloon with C4.

On behalf of Macy's and all Macy's employees, we do solemnly apologize for the 'Twilight' float.

No, folks, that's NOT a salute to Satanism...the Danzig tour bus is just on its way to Madison Square Garden.

On behalf of HAMMER director Norman Osborn, please enjoy your complimentary Spider-Hunting-Guns.

And now, popular comics character Ghost Rider! Oh wait, no, Gary Busey was smoking and drinking at the same time.

Update: Macy's Parade and Gimbel's Parade have decided to team up to fight the Amazon.com Parade.

On your left, you'll see the Statue of Lib...you Maniacs! You blew it up! Ah, damn you! God damn you all to hell!

parade attendees: please do NOT feed the Kardashians.

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, THE ROLLING STONES! Oh wait, that's the Veterans of World War I. Never mind.

Please, no one tell Will Smith he is NOT actually the last man left alive in Manhattan.

What the? Peter Potamus?!? I thought we burned that balloon years ago!

Missed the parade? See it tomorrow with new bonus footage added by Industrial Light and Magic! MORE GUNGANS!

The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade has been brought to you by Dolley Madison...neat treats to eat.

And, with the traditional running of the Santas on the Electric Razors, we declare this parade over. Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

A late update: Macy's/Gimbel's Parade 7; Kmart/Walmart Parade 5, in overtime.