Last week, we told you about how THE HUFFINGTON POST revealed both the cover and top five items in this year’s “MAD 20.”

In case you’re unfamiliar, the “MAD 20” is what we here at the offices call MAD Magazine’s annual “20 Dumbest People, Events and Things” of the year issue.

This year’s issue may not hit newsstands until Tuesday, but exclusive previews of various items that made the list have been popping up all over the Internet over the past few days in places like THE WALL STREET JOURNAL’s SPEAKEASY BLOG, POPMATTERS, MAXIM, AIN’T IT COOL NEWS, IGN, MTV GEEK, HOOPS HYPE, COMIC BOOK RESOURCES and NEWSARAMA.

We asked MAD’s Vice President and Executive Editor John Ficarra to tell us why he believes this year’s MAD 20 would be the perfect gift to receive this year. After a long, long, long wait, he finally thought of a list of five reasons:

1) Rolled up, it’s long and cylindrical, making it literally a perfect stocking stuffer — unlike, say, an anvil.
2) There’s nothing better than an issue of MAD if you need kindling to start a fire to roast your chestnuts.
3) Everyone knows it’s always better to give than to receive, especially if it’s your issue of MAD you’re unloading.
4) It sends a very clear holiday message: “Next year, don’t include me in your freakin’ ‘Secret Santa,’ okay?!?”
5) What finer way to celebrate the true meaning of the season than 56 pages of biting satire, insightful parody and fart jokes, fart jokes, fart jokes?!?!?

So this holiday season, don’t be an idiot like us and give the gift of the MAD 20. And while you’re at it, pick up a copy for yourself too. You look like you could use it.

If you missed the first two issues, MY GREATEST ADVENTURE is an anthology-style miniseries that follows the adventures of three different characters: Robotman, Garbage Man and the alien Tanga.

In “Uncanny Valley, Part 3,” written by Matt Kindt and illustrated by Scott Kolins, Robotman’s journey leads him to an exotic island where he’ll find his ally, Maddy. But when the two of them are attacked by a monstrous creature, will they have what it takes to survive?

In “Depraved,” written and pencilled by Aaron Lopresti and inked by Matt Ryan, Batman offers his services to Garbage Man’s cause to figure out and expose the corrupt truths behind the Titan Research Facility.

And in “Inquisitive,” written and drawn by Kevin Maguire, Tanga enlists the help of a local alien to help find the answers she’s looking for about the faraway planet where she finds herself.

MY GREATEST ADVENTURE #3 is in stores today.

It’s a special holiday issue of BATMAN: THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD starring Ragman!

With Chanukah around the corner, the season should be full of celebration and cheer. But yet, there are parts of Gotham City that are struggling harder than ever before.

When an evil corporation hires a band of criminals to drive citizens out of one of Gotham’s neighborhoods to try to buy all its property, it’ll be up to Ragman to save the day. And while he teaches Batman a thing or two about Gotham City, Ragman himself will learn the meaning and value of everyday miracles from a local Rabbi looking to save his community’s synagogue.

BATMAN: THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD #14 is a heartwarming holiday tale for all ages. From the creative team of Sholly Fisch, Rick Burchett and Dan Davis, the issue is on sale today.

If you’re still looking for a gift for your favorite comic book fan, AIN’T IT COOL NEWS is providing a comprehensive resource. Also featuring such items as Wonder Woman pajamas, Batman slippers and other superhero paraphernalia, their holiday reading recommendations include DC COMICS-THE NEW 52 Omnibus and BATMAN: THE BLACK MIRROR.

On the Omnibus: “There are more than enough stories here to keep you reading through all of that holiday vacation time, plus the gorgeous stock and hefty weight legitimizes this as a more than acceptable coffee table book for even the most judgmental and fastidious of wives.”

On BLACK MIRROR: “While the main mystery of an unknown force terrorizing Gotham, the Batfolks and Commissioner Gordon is good, the back-up story in each issue was fantastic and was an actual honest-to-God supplement to the main story. Jock was simply at his finest, creating panel designs and page layouts unseen in comics history. As for the hardcover, it has all of the wonderfulness I just mentioned along with a peer into Snyder’s brain pan to see how he creates such wonderful stories.”

Earlier today, we linked to all of the exclusive previews of the fourth issues from DC COMICS-THE NEW 52 that are going on sale tomorrow.

Below, take a look at all the previews that ran (sorted alphabetically and separated by cover), compiled here in one easy location for your convenience.

Back in October, Diamond announced that 2012’s Free Comic Book Day t-shirt would feature a custom design by legendary artist Jim Lee. Recognizing that FCBD was – at the time – still a full seven months off, it was a tantalizing tease for those of us anxiously awaiting a glimpse at Lee’s design.

But while we still have to wait until May to pick up our shirts (and our free comic books!), we’ve got a special holiday surprise today: a first look at Jim’s art. It’s an homage to a classic piece by José Luis García-López, re-imagined with Jim’s redesign of the JUSTICE LEAGUE for DC COMICS-THE NEW 52.

The shirt will be solicited in January 2012′s Diamond PREVIEWS catalog, with proceeds going to support FCBD marketing and promotional efforts.

Rising star Jeff Lemire has taken the comic book world by storm as a writer and artist. His quirky sensibility and emotional storytelling are captivating (even when the stories turn creepy or violent). So, what better gift to give this holiday season than … the works of Jeff Lemire?

If you know someone who likes family stories, animals, superheroes and the color red, pick up the comic book IGN calls “wondrously grotesque,” ANIMAL MAN issues 1-4 written by Lemire.

If you know someone who likes classic horror monsters who kick butt, pick up the comic book that THE ONION/A.V. Clubs says “combines humor [and] over-the-top action,” FRANKENSTEIN: AGENT OF S.H.A.D.E. issues 1-4 written by Lemire.

If you know someone who likes post-apocalyptic stories, hybrid human/animals, or chocolate, pick up SWEET TOOTH Volumes 1-3 written and drawn by Lemire, the series USA TODAY says is “like Mad Max with antlers. . . . spellbinding and offbeat.”

And if you have money left on your gift cards January 25th, pick up all the above along with SWEET TOOTH Vol. 4 featuring the Endangered Species storyline for yourself!

Earlier today, we gave you a first look at tomorrow’s THE SHADE #3. Now, since it’s the season of giving and we’re feeling festive, we’re showing you one more exclusive asset from the issue. Below, check out Cully Hamner’s awesome variant cover for the issue.

“This cover’s an example of the results I can get when I’m not allowed to romance the art for too long,” Hamner exclusively told THE SOURCE. “I had an extremely short window in which to get it done, and the idea design and execution came really fast, especially considering that I’m not known as a really fast artist. I did the concept sketch in about a half-hour, and I’d guess from starting the drawing to locking the colors was about two, maybe two-and-a-half hours. I had to stay extremely simple in my design and color composition (which, luckily, I had also done in the two previous covers), and the result is an image I really like. I guess the lesson here is that you can’t go wrong with simple and direct!”

“The first three-issue arc of THE SHADE required an artist who’d be as comfortable drawing battles with armored assassins in Germany and giant lizard gods in Australia as he or she would be drawing conversations between two lovers in a bedroom and between two old drinking buddies in a nightclub,” series editor Wil Moss told us. “Thankfully just such an artist was available — the great Cully Hamner!

Ably abetted by color maestro Dave McCaig, Cully revitalized the look of The Shade and Opal City, depicting anything writer James Robinson could think to ask of him with style and ease. Cully’s set the bar pretty high for the artists who have to follow him, but if any group can hold their own, it’s Darwyn Cooke (#4), Javier Pulido (#5-7), Jill Thompson (#8), Frazer Irving (#9-11), and Gene Ha (#12).

But in the meantime, don’t miss THE SHADE #3, where Cully draws the coolest-looking fight between a giant lizard god and a man made of shadows that you’ll ever see. (Trust me, they’re going to be everywhere in 2012.)”

Tomorrow, the next batch of fourth issues from DC COMICS-THE NEW 52 hits stores. Previews of the various issues being released have been running for the past few days across the Internet and we’ve compiled them all here on THE SOURCE for your convenience.

ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY continued their previews of DC COMICS-THE NEW 52 by debuting an action-packed sequence from GREEN LANTERN #4.

USA TODAY ran an exclusive preview of BATGIRL #4 and interviewed series writer Gail Simone. “Where Batgirl struggles to do good with her survival experience, Mirror goes the other way and inflicts his pain on the rest of the world,” Simone said of this issue’s final showdown between Batgirl and Mirror. “It’s about identity and what we do with the lives we are given. That’s a theme that runs throughout Barbara’s adventures. You’re given your fondest wish — what do you do with that gift?”

Need a little more bat to help you get through your Tuesday? COMIC BOOK RESOURCES previewed BATMAN AND ROBIN #4 and IFANBOY previewed BATWOMAN #4.

Or maybe you want something with a little more edge (see what I did there)? IGN has the first four pages of DEATHSTROKE #4, GAWKER’s IO9 has your first look at SUICIDE SQUAD #4 and MTV GEEK previewed GRIFTER #4.

If you’re looking for something slightly more on the dark side, MAXIM has an exclusive preview of DEMON KNIGHTS #4, BLOODY DISGUSTING has a first look at RESURRECTION MAN #4 and PASTE MAGAZINE debuted an interior sequence from FRANKENSTEIN, AGENT OF S.H.A.D.E. #4. “Issue #4 wraps up all the plotlines from the first three issues and sets the next arc in motion,” series writer Jeff Lemire told PASTE. “It’s a big fun science-fiction adventure with lots of monsters killing other monsters. At the end it sets up Frank’s team, the Creature Commandos, with S.H.A.D.E., and we go with that for a few issues.”

Over at UGO, there’s an exclusive preview of SUPERBOY #4. TOR.COM has a look at MISTER TERRIFIC #4 and NEWSARAMA has your first sneak peek at LEGION LOST #4.

And just in case you’re still craving more of DC COMICS-THE NEW 52 after all of that, take a sneak peek at BATMAN #5 below with Chris Burnham’s a-maze-ing variant cover.

To be continued …

In issue #3 of the critically acclaimed miniseries, THE SHADE, Shade’s quest for answers sends him to Australia to locate an old acquaintance named Diablo Blacksmith. But when a dark force who knows all of Shade’s weaknesses appears, will Diablo’s advice be enough for Shade to defeat the monstrous creature?

THE SHADE #3 comes to you from the creative team of James Robinson and Cully Hamner. Look for it in stores tomorrow.