SCHTICKS & STONES “HOLIDAY SPECIAL” delivers madcap holiday mysteries and hilarious family chaos across three Jewish holidays
SCHTICKS & STONES “HOLIDAY SPECIAL” is writer Aaron Cohen (The Cloak Room, First Dates) and artist Alex Schumacher (The Effects of Pickled Herring, Flash Gordon Adventures! Vol. 2)’s uproarious spinoff of Scott Snyder’s The Cloak Room #3 short story, “Crime & Passover.” The book is also colored and lettered by Ralf Singh, who colored The Cloak Room’s “Crime and Passover”, bringing the entire family back together for this electric new collection! The 28-page comic contains three stories centered around the prominent Jewish holidays of Purim, Passover, and Hanukkah. Each short story dives headfirst into the mishigas that happen when family gatherings collide with holiday traditions. From awkward moments to full-blown comedic disasters, these whodunnits capture the universal insanity that unfolds whenever relatives come together. SCHTICKS & STONES “HOLIDAY SPECIAL” launches on Kickstarter on April 7th, 2026.
SCHTICKS & STONES “HOLIDAY SPECIAL” features three short stories centered around key Jewish holidays. The first short story, “Crime and Passover”, was originally featured in Scott Snyder’s The Cloak Room #3 and focuses on a family mystery surrounding 12-year-old Ben Fineman’s determination to out his cousin Mark as a glory-stealing afikomen thief. The second story, “Rich Dad, Purim Dad”, centers around David Fineman, Ben’s Dad, who takes Purim very seriously, but when he realizes the family heirloom Megillah scroll is missing, it’s up to him and Ben to find out who took it. The only problem – everyone is wearing a costume – and everyone is a suspect! The third story, “Eight”, follows Ben and Mark, who are on a quest to find out what they’re getting for Hanukkah, but apparently so is someone else! When presents and appetizers start disappearing one night at a time, they set out to uncover who’s behind the “crime” before the last night of Hanukkah. With only 8 nights (and 8 pages) to solve the case, they’ll need a miracle! Each story features mystery, humor, and holiday shenanigans that every family can enjoy!
SCHTICKS & STONES “HOLIDAY SPECIAL” is a comic that speaks to anyone who has ever gathered with family to celebrate the holidays. Beyond the specific Jewish traditions, cultural references, and holidays lies something universal: the love that binds families together and the insanity families generate. This collection embraces both the warmth and the madness of those moments, creating stories that feel both deeply personal and widely relatable.
At its heart, SCHTICKS & STONES “HOLIDAY SPECIAL” is a celebration of family, tradition, and the humorous truths we discover about ourselves during these gatherings. Fans of The Cloak Room will recognize the creative team of Aaron Cohen and Alex Schumacher from the anthology’s third and fifth issues, where their collaborations first caught readers’ attention and helped build the duo’s following, already eager to see more of their work. With that built-in fanbase and the universal appeal of its stories, SCHTICKS & STONES “HOLIDAY SPECIAL” is poised to make a strong impact when it launches on Kickstarter.
“SCHTICKS & STONES is a series, and characters, born out of our love and respect for our families, Jewish history, and culture,” explains series writer, Aaron Cohen, “The holiday time is always a time for gathering and making memories, (and fasting and breaking fast…) and we hope these fun, mystery stories can add to people’s family’s holiday traditions as something they can enjoy together. As a longtime fan of animated holiday specials on television, and comics showcasing relatable, loving families in meshuga situations, I really wanted to create the comic I wanted to see when I was a kid – and out in the world now. Something specific to our experience, while showing how that experience is also universal and relatable to others. Family is family – and The Fineman’s are all of us. Welcome to the Schticks & Stones Jew-niverse!”
“The too-cleverly titled SCHTICKS & STONES is a project that has only grown increasingly near and dear to my heart since Aaron (writer and clever titler person) and I began collaborating on Fineman family shenanigans back in 2024,” says series artist, Alex Schumacher, “It was hot off the heels of releasing my debut middle grade graphic novel that also followed the antics of a crazy Jewish family, so it not only felt familiar but like a logical next step. Through our shared experiences, we crafted a brash, absurd, and hopefully inviting fictional family half full of whole truths whose relatability I would like to believe extends well beyond our community. It’s a book I would have loved to find as a kid, not only as a member of the tribe but as a 12–13-year-old trying to figure out where I belong in this world. In some way,s I’m still trying to figure that out. This book brings me one step closer.”
In the comedic and heartwarming spirit of classic Sunday Funnies like Peanuts and Calvin & Hobbes, and cartoon families from The Flintstones to The Simpsons, SCHTICKS & STONES “HOLIDAY SPECIAL” entertains, educates, and holds up a mirror so you can see some of your OWN family in its hilarious reflection.
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