Jingle Belle
Encyclopedia
Jingle Belle is a cartoon character created by Paul Dini
. She's Santa Claus
' spoiled teen-age daughter. The stories depict Jingle's usually contentious relationship with her famous father.
Jing appears in a number of comic books, all written by Dini and illustrated by a wide roster of comic artists, including Stephen DeStefano, Bill Morrison, J. Bone
and Sergio Aragonés
. The books were first published by Oni Press
, starting in 1999. The summer 2001 one-shot special, "Jingle Belle: The Mighty Elves" was nominated for an Eisner Award
for Best Humor Book. There has also been a spin-off
series, Mutant, Texas: Tales of Sheriff Ida Red
. From 2004 until 2007 the series was published by Dark Horse Comics
. In 2008, the character moved to Image Comics
's Top Cow Productions
as the first title in a new line of comics all created by Dini, Dinicartoons.
In 2000 Jingle Belle appeared in a series of animated shorts, available on JingleBelle.com. There is also a lot of Jingle Belle merchandise, including a Jingle Belle statue, a Christmas ornament
, a lunch box
and a t-shirt, featuring artwork by Bill Morrison.
The name Jingle Belle is a reference to both the Christmas song "Jingle Bells
" and the Memphis Belle
, a B-17 bomber whose pin-up-style nose art inspired the character. "Belle's Beaus", a 2004 story set partially during World War II
somewhat acknowledges this link.
A fifth volume, Stocking Stuffers, was scheduled for December 2010 publication by Top Cow, but was removed from the publication schedule and most of its contents combined with the 2010 Top Cow Holiday Special. A solo reprinting of the Harvey Award-nominated story "Grounded" will appear in December 2011's Jingle Belle: Gift Wrapped one-shot along with four new stories.
Jingle Belle appears in Matt Groening's style in "The Simpsons Winter WingDing #1". She introduces a new gift to Santa Claus, which turns out to be The Robot Santa from Futurama.
Paul Dini
Paul Dini is an American writer and producer who works in the television and comic book industries. He is best known as a producer and writer for several Warner Bros./DC Comics animated series, including Star Wars: Ewoks, Tiny Toon Adventures, Batman: The Animated Series, Superman: The Animated...
. She's Santa Claus
Santa Claus
Santa Claus is a folklore figure in various cultures who distributes gifts to children, normally on Christmas Eve. Each name is a variation of Saint Nicholas, but refers to Santa Claus...
' spoiled teen-age daughter. The stories depict Jingle's usually contentious relationship with her famous father.
Jing appears in a number of comic books, all written by Dini and illustrated by a wide roster of comic artists, including Stephen DeStefano, Bill Morrison, J. Bone
J. Bone
J. Bone is an Eisner Award nominated Canadian comic book artist and writer who has worked on such titles as DC Comics' Batman: The Brave and the Bold and Super Friends...
and Sergio Aragonés
Sergio Aragonés
Sergio Aragonés Domenech is a cartoonist and writer best known for his contributions to Mad Magazine and creator of the comic book Groo the Wanderer....
. The books were first published by Oni Press
Oni Press
Oni Press is an American independent comic book publisher based in Portland, Oregon. It was founded in 1997 by Bob Schreck and Joe Nozemack with the goal of publishing the kinds of comics and graphic novels they themselves would want to read...
, starting in 1999. The summer 2001 one-shot special, "Jingle Belle: The Mighty Elves" was nominated for an Eisner Award
Eisner Award
The Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards, commonly shortened to the Eisner Awards, and sometimes referred to as the Oscar Awards of the Comics Industry, are prizes given for creative achievement in American comic books. The Eisner Awards were first conferred in 1988, created in response to the...
for Best Humor Book. There has also been a spin-off
Spin-off (media)
In media, a spin-off is a radio program, television program, video game, or any narrative work, derived from one or more already existing works, that focuses, in particular, in more detail on one aspect of that original work...
series, Mutant, Texas: Tales of Sheriff Ida Red
Mutant, Texas: Tales of Sheriff Ida Red
Mutant, Texas: Tales of Sheriff Ida Red is a four-issue comic book miniseries created by Paul Dini and illustrated by J. Bone, published by Oni Press in 2002. The stories take place in a mythical West Texas town changed by a release of atomic power and mystic forces.The lead character is Sheriff...
. From 2004 until 2007 the series was published by Dark Horse Comics
Dark Horse Comics
Dark Horse Comics is the largest independent American comic book and manga publisher.Dark Horse Comics was founded in 1986 by Mike Richardson in Milwaukie, Oregon, with the concept of establishing an ideal atmosphere for creative professionals. Richardson started out by opening his first comic book...
. In 2008, the character moved to Image Comics
Image Comics
Image Comics is a United States comic book publisher. It was founded in 1992 by high-profile illustrators as a venue where creators could publish their material without giving up the copyrights to the characters they created, as creator-owned properties. It was immediately successful, and remains...
's Top Cow Productions
Top Cow Productions
Top Cow Productions is an American comics publisher, a partner studio of Image Comics founded by Marc Silvestri in 1992.-History:...
as the first title in a new line of comics all created by Dini, Dinicartoons.
In 2000 Jingle Belle appeared in a series of animated shorts, available on JingleBelle.com. There is also a lot of Jingle Belle merchandise, including a Jingle Belle statue, a Christmas ornament
Christmas ornament
Christmas ornaments are decorations that are used to festoon a Christmas tree.Ornaments take many different forms, from a simple round ball to highly artistic designs...
, a lunch box
Lunch box
The lunch box, also referred to as a lunch pail or lunch kit, is used to store food to be taken to work or school. The concept of a food container has existed for a long time, but it wasn't until people began using tobacco tins to haul meals in the early 20th century, followed by the use of...
and a t-shirt, featuring artwork by Bill Morrison.
The name Jingle Belle is a reference to both the Christmas song "Jingle Bells
Jingle Bells
"Jingle Bells" is one of the best-known and commonly sung winter songs in the world. It was written by James Lord Pierpont and published under the title "One Horse Open Sleigh" in the autumn of 1857...
" and the Memphis Belle
Memphis Belle (B-17)
Memphis Belle is the nickname of a Boeing B-17F Flying Fortress during the Second World War that inspired the making of two motion pictures: a 1944 documentary film, Memphis Belle: A Story of a Flying Fortress, and a 1990 Hollywood feature film, Memphis Belle...
, a B-17 bomber whose pin-up-style nose art inspired the character. "Belle's Beaus", a 2004 story set partially during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
somewhat acknowledges this link.
Comic books
- Oni Double Feature #13 (Summer 1999)
- Jingle Belle (two-issue miniseries, Winter 1999)
- Oni Press Summer Vacation Supercolor Fun Special (Summer 2000)
- Jingle Belle's All-Star Holiday Hullabaloo (one-shot, Winter 2000)
- Jingle Belle: The Mighty Elves (one-shot, Summer 2001)
- Jingle Belle: Jubilee (one-shot, Winter 2001)
- Jingle Belle: Winter Wingding (one-shot, Winter 2002)
- Jingle Belle (Dark Horse series, four issues beginning winter 2004)
- Jingle Belle: The Fight Before Christmas (one-shot, Winter 2005)
- Jingle Belle: Santa Claus Vs. Frankenstein (Top Cow One-Shot, Winter 2008)
- Jingle Belle: Grounded (as part of the Top Cow Holiday Special, Winter 2010)
- Jingle Belle: Gift Wrapped (one-shot, Winter 2011)
Collected editions
- Jingle Belle: Naughty and Nice (ISBN 1-929998-08-2; collects the original miniseries, the short story from Dini Double Feature #13 and a new color story)
- Jingle Belle's Cool Yule (ISBN 1-929998-36-8; collects Jingle Belle's All-Star Holiday Hullabaloo, Jingle Belle: The Mighty Elves and Jingle Belle: Jubilee)
- Jingle Belle: Dash Away All (ISBN 1-929998-61-9; Winter 2003)
- Jingle Belle (ISBN 1-59307-382-8; collects the four-issue Dark Horse series)
A fifth volume, Stocking Stuffers, was scheduled for December 2010 publication by Top Cow, but was removed from the publication schedule and most of its contents combined with the 2010 Top Cow Holiday Special. A solo reprinting of the Harvey Award-nominated story "Grounded" will appear in December 2011's Jingle Belle: Gift Wrapped one-shot along with four new stories.
Crossovers
- Blue Belles A four page crossover between Jingle Belle and Blue Monday (comic)Blue Monday (comic)Blue Monday is a comic book title by Chynna Clugston. It is published by Oni Press in the form of one-shots and several miniseries, which have also been collected into trade paperbacks. The first four-issue mini-series, Blue Monday: The Kids Are Alright was published in 2000.Blue Monday tells the...
by Chynna ClugstonChynna ClugstonChynna Clugston is an American comic book creator known for her manga-influenced teen comedy series Blue Monday.-Early life:Clugston grew up in Fresno, California and attended the Roosevelt School of the Arts...
who also did the Winter Wingding cover. It was collected in Volume 3 of Blue Monday: Inbetween days.
- A crossover book The Bakers Meet Jingle Belle was released in December 2006 from Dark Horse Comics. It was drawn by noted cartoonist Kyle BakerKyle BakerKyle John Baker is an American cartoonist, comic book writer-artist, and animator known for his graphic novels and for a 2000s revival of the series Plastic Man....
and features a meeting between Jingle Belle and the family of characters based on Baker's homelife.
Jingle Belle appears in Matt Groening's style in "The Simpsons Winter WingDing #1". She introduces a new gift to Santa Claus, which turns out to be The Robot Santa from Futurama.
External links
- JingleBelle.com, the official homepage for Jingle Belle and Paul Dini