An Editor’s Night Before Christmas, by Mike Gold

 ‘Twas the night before Christmas when all through the house

Deadlines were mounting, so I emailed Herr Claus

The scripts were all posted on the Internet with care

In hopes that the editing elves would soon be there

The artists were nestled, all snug in their beds,

While visions of royalty checks danced in their heads.

And Hauman at his ‘puter while I took my nap

Had just settled down for a long paste-up rap

When out in the ether there arose such a clatter

I sprang from my bed to see what was the matter

Away to the iMac I ran like The Flash

Powered up the router and logged on with a dash

The light of my screensaver turned into snow

The red lights of deadlines now horribly aglow

When what to my wondering eyes should appear

But a miniature sleigh and eight tiny writers so clear,

With a little old driver so lively and newly,

I knew in an instant it must be my pal Julie

More rapid than eagles the staffers they came

And he whistled and shouted and called them by name

"Now O’Neil!, now Meyer! now Goodwin and Giordano!

On Gruenwald! on Feldstein! on Eisner and Orlando!

To the top of the script pile! With blue pens of ball!

Now edit away! edit away! edit away all!"

As I stood in amazement and was turning around

Down the chimney Julie Schwartz came with a bound

He was dressed all in fur from his head to his knee

But his soul was untarnished, believe you me!

A bundle of artwork he had flung on his back

And he looked like an art dealer just opening his pack

A wink of his eye and a twist of his head

Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread

He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work

And edited all my backed-up scripts, then turned with a jerk

And laying his finger aside of his nose

And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose

He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle

And away they all flew like the down of a thistle

But I heard him exclaim, ‘ere he drove out of sight

"Happy Holidays to all, and to all a good-night!"

Mike Gold is editor-in-chief of ComicMix.