The original mini-series begins with Klaus, a brooding and formidable hunter, trekking through the frozen wastes of a non-descript medieval fantasy land. The wandering hero stumbles upon the once-happy city of Grimsvig, a town he once held ties to. What was once a warm and cheerful place is now a grim stronghold under the thumb of a cruel authoritarian named Baron Magnus. The people of Grimsvig live in a constant state of fear and hunger; and in all his cruelty, Magnus has even made it illegal to celebrate the Yuletide. After seeing a young boy attacked by one of the city watchmen, Klaus takes it upon himself take down Magnus’ regime and spread some cheer while he’s at it, becoming a symbol of hope to an oppressed people. He’ll do it with the help of his gigantic Wolf companion Lilli and some all-powerful ancient spirits. While Magnus himself isn’t the most imposing foe Santa Claus has faced in a comic, he guards a dark secret that leads to an explosive finale.
After several years in the business, Jason Momoa has become an A-list Hollywood star; from his breakout role as Khal Drogo on Game of Thrones to playing Arthur Curry in Aquaman and Justice League. But the shredded warrior type isn’t the only side of Momoa that the public has grown to love, as various interviews and appearances at fan conventions over the years have proven him to be an incredibly well-humored and cheery man. While previous reports of Jason Momoa playing a beloved holiday character are false, there’s still time for him to portray this admittedly unique take on Santa Claus. While no official confirmation of a film adaption of Klaus: How Santa Claus Began or any of it’s one-off sequel comics has been made, Momoa is the perfect lead for any Klaus movie.
Aquaman, Khal Drogo, Ronon Dex, and Conan the Barbarian are all characters that Jason Momoa are known for playing. They all have little in common with an elderly fat man who flies around on a sleigh and delivers presents to well-behaved children. However, the Santa who appears in Klaus is a far cry from the character’s usual depiction. Klaus is a warrior in his mid-thirties who spends most of the book running across rooftops like Batman while taking down a dictator’s forces by any means necessary. This is a man who battles a giant Krampus on top of his sleigh hundreds of feet in the air. Momoa’s imposing presence and physicality make him the perfect choice to pull of feats like these on the silver screen. But like Momoa himself, Klaus is capable of far more than flexing and fighting. He’s a genuinely kind man who builds intricate toys for children when he’s not protecting them from ancient holiday demons. Who better to play a warm-hearted badass than a warm-hearted badass?
Klaus: How Santa Claus Began is a beautifully drawn fantasy comic that doubles as a bonkers take on an iconic figure and a festive narrative. It’s a book that deserves to become a holiday tradition in the same vein as Miracle on 34th Street or It’s a Wonderful Life. What other story treats its readers to Santa Claus flying around, sword-in-hand, on a sleigh pulled by direwolves? A film-adaption would be well worth making, with or without the perfect casting choice of Jason Momoa.
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