New York World’s Fair Comics #1 (1939)
The first of many DC heroes created by Garner Fox debuts in a very special book: as the title implies, it was published in conjunction with the 1939-1940 World’s Fair, held in Queens, New York.
It’s also the setting of several stories in the book, starting with its biggest star Superman.
To give you an idea how fast things settle into more familiar ground after his first story, his looks and his relationship with Lois are much more typical.
I will briefly talk about the other stories in the book, but I have to mention that the cover of the second (and last) issue is presumably the first published picture of Superman, Batman and Robin together!!!
(Robin had not yet debuted when issue 1 was published)
Untitled
by Gardner Fox & Bert Christman
(under the pseudonym “Larry Dean”)
For completion’s sake: Sandman’s first appearance is also given as Adventure Comics #40, which is cover-dated July 1939.
“New York World’s Fair Comics” is believed to have hit the newsstands a couple of weeks earlier.
Notice that according to that narration box, the Sandman is wanted by the police of two continents without having committed any crime.
Sounds legit.
Our protagonist is a billionaire inventor who created the New Raygun(patent pending).
If you know anything about Sandman you might be wondering: doesn’t he typically use a gun that shoots sleeping gas? You know, THE WHOLE REASON he’s called the Sandman?
It might be because he’s selling the invention to the government.
However he feels something’s fishy, so he carefully hides a key part of the plan.
And just in time, because the rest of the plans are IMMEDIATELY stolen thanks to a convenient blackout.
While the others search for the thief, Wesley changes into a spiffy suit.
The artwork is great at showing off the darkness. Very atmospheric.
By exploring the government facility, Sandman discovers a Secret Service agent who has been kidnapped.
His dialogue makes me wonder if the agent was supposed to become a regular character, but this is his only appearance.
The agent gives Sandman the name of a spy who was supposed to meet him, so he decides to board his yatch.
Sandman, I admire the boldness of providing fanservice for the ladies in 1939, but your coat is your most distinguished feature!
Jokes aside, this is another great sequence for the artwork.
Spying on the thieves, Sandman witnesses them discovering they lack the most crucial part of the New Raygun(patent pending) blueprints.
For international spies, these guys suck at their job. They don’t spot the Sandman hanging around on their boat while they wait for their contact to arrive!
When the reinforces arrive, they’re no match for the Sandman’s gas gun.
I thought the gas gun was his signature! But apparently he also leaves sand around.
I’m just saying, this moment would hit differently if you were still wearing your coat.
They guy helping the spies is Wesley Dodd’s business associate.
Again, he receives no serious opposition.
As if there was any doubt, the motive was money.
Then Sandman informs the police…
…and he just mails the plans!!!
All in a night’s work.
The New Raygun(patent pending) is exhibited at the World’s Fair (WTF!?) and I guess everyone is wondering why the heck is Sandman wanted in two continents if he doesn’t break any laws.
And that’s it for the Sandman’s first story.
We will meet Gardner Fox A LOT in those hero origins, but tragically Allen Christman has very few credits: he will join the Navy soon, and die in 1942 at the age of 26 when the plane he was piloting was shot down.
In addition to the Superman story I showed at the beginning, here’s some of the other protagonists (in addition to A LOT of pages that explain everything about the World’s Fair).
No Batman in the issue. But Bob Kane still shows up.
Zatara is also here, and by this point he’s already grown his moustache.
Historical significance: 8/10
Sandman will join the JSA and create his own legacy.
Silver Age-ness: 0/10
We don’t even lean what the “New Raygun” actually DOES.
Does it stand the test of time? 7/10
Not bad! As previously mentioned I’m not a big fan of the detective stories of this era, but this one feels surprisingly modern. No characterization and the backstory ranges from nonexistent to shaky, but the atmosphere is great!
Compare it to the Crimson Avenger, or even to Batman’s first story, and this is far more dynamic. What a tragedy that Christman died so young, judging from this story he had the potential to be one of the greats.
How close is this to the modern character? What modern character?
I won’t go into Sandman’s whole history, considering it’s incredibly complex… especially if you take into consideration his (somewhat limited) connection to the more famous Neil Gaiman character.
In terms looks, he just has to settle on a color scheme but he’s pretty much there.
It’s such a simple yet effective design! Truly timeless. You just can’t go wrong with a guy with a coat, a hat and a gas mask.
Which makes it even more frustrating that his OTHER Golden Age look is crap. Even the Jack Kirby artwork couldn’t save this one.
Also, while the retrospective WILL cover the sidekicks that are significant in their own right… I draw the line at “Sandy the Golden Boy”.
What I always liked about the Sandman was the simplicity of his costume. The reader didn’t have to swallow any malarky about the hero wearing his costume under his civilian clothes, mufti which somehow was able to conceal costume boots and, if a cape, prevent it from bulging unseemingly. Not to mention how uncomfortable it would have to be in the summer.
Even if the hero kept his costume in his car or in his briefcase, it had to take a few minutes to take off his civilian duds and put his costume on. Minutes he couldn’t waste in a crisis.
But the Sandman avoided all of that. Wesley Dodds simply wore the standard double-breasted business suit of the day—and, in those days, men wore suits everywhere. All Dodds needed to go into action as the Sandman was a gas mask and an opera cape. He could keep those in the trunk of his car, along with his gas gun. He could be ready for mystery-man business in less than a minute.