GHOST OF CHRISTMAS PAST

Real Name: unknown

Identity/Class: Human spirit/Magic User

Occupation: Christmas Spirit

Group Membership: Ghosts of Christmas

Affiliations: Willie Lumpkin (client), other Ghosts of Christmas
Indirectly: Charlie Boomer, Lila Brown, Freddie Lumpkin, Mrs. Lumpkin, Timmy Lumpkin

Enemies: all Christmas Haters, Willie Lumpkin (somehow he became her enemy too)

Known Relatives: none

Aliases: Ghost of Christmas Present, Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come

Base of Operations: Mobile

First Appearance: Marvel Comics Presents#18/4 (early May, 1989)

Powers/Abilities: time travelling, teleportation, flying and changing dresses very fast

History: The Ghost of Christmas Past lost the address of J. Jonah Jameson and haunted instead poor Willie Lumpkin. She traveled with him first to his worst Christmas Eves in his past, like when his love and his friend decided that they were going to marry each other, or when he was trapped in the closet of the Fantastic Four and they forgot him. Next was Christmas present, and because there is only one spirit assigned, it was the same ghost again in a new dress. She showed Willie what his nephew and his family think: that he is just a crazy old man, who is making up the stories with the Fantastic Four. Next the Ghost showed up with a scythe and dark robe and scared poor Willie nearly to death. The Ghost removed the scary stuff and traveled with Willie into the future, where he watched his funeral after his death through Lockjaw. At the end the spirit just left because Willie was the wrong guy to be haunted. The effect is that Willie now hates Christmas.

Comments: Created by Glenn Herdling and Richard Howell

This issue had two Christmas stories in it and this one was a nice little spoof. The other story was an ad for Sensational She-Hulk. I still hate Christmas. Send me some Ghosts!

I'm not sure that the Ghost was a female...maybe just a long-haired male--Snood.

CLARIFICATIONS:
Ghost of Christmas Past should not be confused with:

• all the other Christmas Ghosts of Past, Present and Future, who were part of such lovely books and movies like: A Christmas Carol, Scrooge, Scrooged, The Muppet Christmas Carol and all the episodes of TV-Series or books or comics or some other kind of media, that feature the same theme--though they could be related...at least a similar group of angels, maybe...

Willie Lumpkin should not be confused with:

• Wilhemina Lumpkin, the niece of Willie @ Fantastic Four III#2 (1/1998)

Charlie Boomer and Lila Brown

Charlie and Lila were friends of Willie from his youth in Glenville, Nebraska. Willie had a crush von Lila, but at one Christmas she and Charlie told Willie that they will get married. This was one of the saddest days of Willie's life and his former friends even mocked him for his wish to become a mailman in a big city.

--Marvel Comics Presents#18/3

Charlie and Lila were both characters from the Willie Lumpkin comic strip Stan Lee wrote in the 1950s. This was their debut in an actual Marvel comic.  

Freddie Lumpkin, Mrs. Lumpkin and son Timmy Lumpkin

Freddie was the nephew of Willie and had a lovely wife and a really smart son. They talked about Willie being senile and having Alzheimer at Christmas dinner. They didn't take his stories about himself and the Fantastic Four seriously. Freddie thought that Willie should retire and wanted him set up at a nice nursery home like the one in Forest Hills (May Parker's nursery home) The next morning Freddie and his family went together with the Fantastic Four to their relative Willie to wish him a merry Christmas.

In an alternate future shown by the Ghost of Christmas they attended the funeral of Willie together with the Inhumans and the Fantastic Four.

--Marvel Comics Presents#18/3

images:

Ghost of Christmas Past body shot: Marvel Comics Presents #18, p26, pan4

Ghost of Christmas Past head shot: Marvel Comics Presents #18, p30, pan3

Charlie Boomer & Lila Brown: Marvel Comics Presents #18, p27, pan9

Freddie Lumpkin and wife: Marvel Comics Presents #18, p30, pan6

son of Freddie Lumpkin: Marvel Comics Presents #18, p30, pan6

Last updated: 06/22/04

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

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Marvel Comics Presents 18 - early May 1989