Santa Claus

Revision as of 10:34, 19 December 2006

"Superman's Christmas Adventure," a free Earth- Prime giveaway. Story by Jerry Siegel and Jack Burnley, 1940.

Act No. 105 cover art by Wayne Boring & Stan Kaye

The patron saint of children and bearer of gifts at Christmas, a big, fat, jolly old man who lives in the North Pole and, on Christmas Eve, soars through the skies in a sleigh drawn by magic reindeer, climbing down chimneys to fill stockings hung at fireplaces with Christmas gifts.

When the unscrupulous Jasper Rasper concocts a heinous scheme to drug Santa Claus and sabotage Christmas, Superman intervenes to thwart the plot and rescue Christmas for the children of the world. (Act No. 105, Feb 1947: "The Man who Hated Christmas!") (TGSB)

In an adventure related in April 1959, having been transformed into an old man through an experimental vitamin serum at the Metropolis Research Center, Superman takes a job as Santa Claus in the toy department of Stacy's Department Store. While employed by Stacy's and considerably enfeebled by the serum, Superman uses his wits to foil a robbery (Act No. 251/1: "The Oldest Man in Metropolis").

In March 1984, Superman witnesses an attempted robbery of an old man dressed as Santa Claus, by a boy whose toy gun is emitting low-level radiations and hypnotizing him. As Superman takes the boy to his Fortress of Solitude at the North Pole for analysis, "Santa Claus" exclaims: "That does it! Next year I join the SALVATION ARMY!"

Using a psyche-psiphon, Superman frees young Timmy Dickens from his hypnotic trance and uncovers a plot by the Toyman, but not before he is rendered unconscious by an energy beam in the icy Arctic snow. Superman and Timmy are rescued by those other residents of the North Pole... Santa Claus and his elves!

Superman subsequently confronts the Toyman, becoming engaged in the "fight of his life" against an army of toys armed with green kryptonite. The deadly toys are no match for a second army of toys made by the supreme toymaker himself though, as Santa aids Superman from his hiding place in the Toyman's chimney. (DCCP No. 67, Mar 1984: "Twas the Fright Before Christmas!")

Santa Claus has appeared in the following Superman Chronicles

(Act No. 105, Feb 1947: "The Man who Hated Christmas!")

(Act No. 251/1, Apr 1959: "The Oldest Man in Metropolis")

(SF No. 216, Mar 1982: "Santa's Super-Assistant!")

(DCCP No. 67, Mar 1984: "Twas the Fright Before Christmas!")

External Links

• "Christmas with Superman!"–a Super Collection of Christmas Themed Superman Stories
• Santa Claus entry at the Wikipedia
• Santa Claus Through the Ages