Whether it’s super-hero comics or Archie or alternative and underground books, Santa is a universally recognized figure who can be brought in to share a story or two with Superman or Spider-man and bring a smile to the reader's face.
In fact, Father Christmas has a long tradition of making guest appearances in comic books. In the Marvel Universe, St. Nick is even considered to be a very high level mutant.
In this blog post, I want to look at some significant comic book appearances of everybody’s favorite symbol of the gift giving season: Saint Nicholas.
So what is Santa’s very first comic book appearance? What’s the most collectible comic featuring jolly old Santa?
Glad you asked, I poked around and did some research up at the North Pole (where the Santa archives are housed) and came up with the following info:
The Rainbow #98 (December 25, 1915) – First Full Appearance of Santa in Comics (?)
The first comic strip featuring Santa may be this children’s illustrated comic newspaper from the Amalgamated Press: The Rainbow. Issue #98 published on December 25, 1915, features Santa on the cover and in a story. That means that Santa’s very first appearance in comics goes all the way back to what is called the ‘Platinum age’. Platinum age comics, like the Katzenjammer Kids and The Rainbow, were really sequential strips appearing mostly in newspapers. These go back to the 1890s but Santa, of course, is older than that. If this 1915 appearance in ‘Rainbow Comics’ #93 is truly his first full length appearance in a comic strip then he appears in the Platinum Age. I couldn’t find any cameos or appearances earlier than that, but Santa did appear in advertisements e.g. ‘Coca Cola posters’. No sales data available for The Rainbow #98 and probably not very common.
Santa Claus Funnies (Whitehall, 1939) – First Golden Age Santa Claus
The first comic that I can find mentioning Santa as a Golden Age character (1938- c. 1956) is the Whitehall title Santa Claus Funnies. Published by the Whitehall Pharmacal co. in 1939 this is the first comic book appearance of Santa Claus as a central feature in a comic book and not as an advertisement or marketing campaign. Why a pharmaceuticals company was publishing comics in the first place is probably a fair question, unfortunately not one I have an answer for. A 9.0 sold in August 2007 for $83.65 and an 8.5 sold in January of 2008 for $115.00.
Santa Claus Funnies #1 (Dell 1942) – Dell’s Classic Santa Stories Begin
Santa’s adventures were continued by Dell Comics immediately after his first series was published by Whitehall. The Dell comic would run until 1961 as a four color anthology, collecting stories from many different writers and artists. It led to twenty years of Santa Comics spanning the Golden Age and up till the early Silver Age. In January of 2010 an 7.5 certified copy sold on Heritage for $119.50.
Superman's Christmas Adventure #1 (1940) – First Santa Appearance in a DC title
Santa’s first appearance in DC Comics also happened in the Golden Age. DC’s Golden Age is all about Superman and Santa makes his first appearance with the Man of Steel. In the comic Supes has to save Father Christmas. Superman's Christmas Adventure was actually a promotional or merchandising giveaway comic and had three different covers (first Golden Age cover variant?). The different covers were: Superman saving Santa, Santa Claus and a Christmas tree, or Superman and a Candy Cane.
Action Comics #105 (February 1947) – First Santa in DC continuity
Superman’s Christmas Adventure was a publicity stunt, but it wasn’t long before Santa actually appeared in the DC Universe. This issue of Action Comics features a plot with Santa and Superman teaming up to protect Christmas. In the story Supes helps Santa lose weight to slide down the chimney. Apparently, ‘fat shaming’ wasn’t verboten or even frowned upon in the 1940s. Last known sale of this comic was October 2016 on eBay. Condition: 2.5 CGC certified. Sale price: $230.00.
Strange Tales #34 (February, 1955) – First Appearance of Santa in the Marvel Universe
This takes us to the first Santa appearance in Marvel Comics. It happens in the Silver Age but when Marvel is still Atlas comics. Issue #34 of Strange Tales is the place. In a story called “Moment of Glory” written by Stan Lee and drawn by Pete Tumlinson. An 8.5 certified copy sold on Heritage Auction for $776.75 in June of 2008.
Honorable mentions: Modern comics featuring Santa are legion. Here are three that you may already own and if not, should be on your radar:
Lobo Paramilitary Christmas Special #1 (January 1991)
Lobo tries to kill Santa in a twisted Christmas story of a massacre at the North Pole.
DC Comics Presents #67 (March 1984)
It’s Santa and Superman versus the Toyman in this Holiday issue.
Marvel Holiday Special #1 (December 1991)
Santa is revealed to be an Omega Level mutant.
