Superman’s Christmas Adventure #1 (1940)
by Jerry Siegel & Jack Burnley
Since the hero origins retrospective is in the 40s already, what better time to review the very first appearance of Santa Claus in DC Comics?
Slow news day at Metropolis, it seems.
For reference, this is the front page of the New York Times on Christmas Eve 1940.
But I’m sure there’s a bombshell story about toy trains just waiting to be reported.
I like to think Clark is stuck here just because he simply loves toy trains well into his adulthood.
Which makes sense, Superman deals with trains A LOT.
Although sometimes I think Superman doesn’t like trains very much.
But no, the real story is about a boy too poor to get presents.
Also notice he doesn’t say his name or address to Clark, he just knows it.
That would be a perfect setup for Superman’s radio serial, where A LOT of episodes were about the Daily Planet launching a campaign against racism or corruption.
But don’t worry, things are going to get crazy soon enough.
Before we get to Santa, however, we have Superman spying on a spoiled boy complaining about his presents. This is explicitly before Christmas, so he’s also opening his presents early.
And then SUPERMAN KIDNAPS A CHILD.
Yep. That just happened.
As if that wasn’t creepy enough, he then spies on a little girl.
As you probably realized, this was all just to show to the spoiled rich kid that poor people exist.
If the story ended here, there wouldn’t be much to talk… it’s a sweet and extremely basic plot.
But I did promise you absurdity and Santa Claus, didn’t I?
Ladies and gentlemen, meet our villains: Dr. Grouch and Mr. Meaney.
And yes, those are their REAL names.
Dr. Grouch and Mr. Meaney are angry at Santa because he gives away toys, but they’d prefer to use his factory for products they can sell.
Notice one of the toys is a Krypto-Raygun™, which is a bit weird.
Kryptonite won’t be invented in the radio show until 1943 and in the comics until 1949. One might think that’s simply a reference to Krypton, except the first Kryptonite story is ALSO the first story when Superman himself learns he’s from Krypton!
[EDIT: see the comments for way more information]
Dr. Grouch and Mr. Meaney are already incredibly rich. It’s not about the money: the concept of giving away stuff offends them on a personal level.
Okay I get the toy gun, but… why exactly do Santa’s elves have electric rods!?
Santa proves too much for these two, so their next target is the Daily Planet.
Early Golden Age stories have a very weird relationship with thought balloons. The way we see then today hadn’t been firmly established yet.
Notice that Dr. Grouch is apparently famous enough for Lois to instantly recognize him, and that despite being rich a-holes with their own flying fortress their master plan is setting fire to the Daily Planet without using any henchmen.
Once they leave Clark uses super-breath to take out the fire, and apparently Mr. Meaney is also sufficiently famous to be the only other suspect.
You have to give it to these guys, they’re relentless.
If taking over Santa’s worship was THIS easy, why did you flee to Metropolis the first time!?
Of course Lois Lane managed to sneak into their ship before they left, so they end up Lois Lane-ing her.
Are these guys a threat to Santa or not? Make up your mind, comic!
Don’t worry about Lois Lane, she’s fine. This is how they flirt.
Oh for the love of… Lois, is it too much to avoid being kidnapped for five minutes!?
Seriously, she’s kidnapped LITERALLY TWO PANELS AFTER SHE WAS RESCUED!!!
The THIRD attack on Santa’s workshop (!!!) involves kidnapping his reindeer as well.
This looks like a job for Superman, SOMEHOW.
Kind of weird that he doesn’t get the message through super-hearing. Even in 1940, it should already be sensitive enough.
And there you have it: the first time Superman met Santa Claus.
I’ve said enough that Golden Age are extremely efficient, and that’s typically a compliment… but this can be taken to absurdity. THIS IS TWO PANELS LATER.
So all the potential tension has already vanished, since Superman has solved the case in no time.
OR IS IT?
This means, of course, that Superman is the one to deliver presents on Christmas Eve. Get used to this because it basically happens in every single Christmas story featuring Santa.
Notably, Santa is the one who forgives Dr. Grouch and Mr. Meaney.
And that’s the real meaning of Christmas, folks: give presents to everybody or one of them may end up kidnapping your pets and setting fire to your workplace.
Plus I suspect Lois is thankful because this whole experience has taught her a new kink.
And so we end bringing the story back to its beginning, with the rich kid giving away presents.
Historical significance: Milk / Ho
Santa is 100% canon for DC Comics. And it’s not just pre-Crisis.
Silver Age-ness: Cookies / Ho
Things will get weirder in future encounters with Superman.
Does it stand the test of time? Coal / Ho
This is almost a Golden Age Captain Marvel story. Not a bad thing in itself, but FAR to simplistic to be done today even as a children’s tale.
To be fair, even as a guy who doesn’t particularly care for Christmas, this was fun.
And that is all! There are so many Christmas stories featuring Superman (and other DC characters) that I may end up making this a yearly tradition.
Enjoy your holidays, otherwise Superman may kidnap you during the night and force you to spy on little kids.
