Holiday Reading Room SANTA CLAUS FUNNIES "Santa Claus in Trouble"

Ever hear "hell hath no fury like a woman scorned"?

...well, when that woman is the Ice Queen, even ol' Kris Kringle better watch out!

Some observations...

Boy, the Ice Queen is a real...#itch, ain't she?

Santa has "magic snowshoes"?

Wonder what other kool gimmicks he has lying around the toyshop...

Illustrated by Lea Bing, this never-reprinted story from Dell's Santa Claus Funnies #1 (1942) was the first in a series of annual books featuring not only Kris Kringle, but other Christmas-related characters and stories that ran from '42 to '62.

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Merry Christmas

Santa Claus' World War II-era attempt at updating his transportation...

...doesn't quite go as planned in this wraparound cover from Dell's Santa Claus Funnies #1 (1942).

Unfortunately, the artist didn't sign it, and the experts at various comic indexing sites have been unable to offer possible illustrators.

Personally, I'm thinking Walt Kelly.

(The snarky reindeer are an obvious giveaway)

Any suggestions?

Merry Christmas to All!

And Now, a Note from Santa Himself...

...from Dell's Santa Claus Funnies #1 (1942).

See you tomorrow with a long-unseen cover by a comics legend!

Space Hero Saturdays SANTA CLAUS FUNNIES "Christmas Eve Space Trip"

Is Kris Kringle a Space Hero?

Read this never-reprinted story from Dell's Four Color Comics: Santa Claus Funnies #1274 (1962), and judge for yourself!

Illustrated by Mel Crawford and scripted by an unknown writer, this "was it a dream or not?" tale was typical of the material in the annual Santa Claus Funnies anthology the editors at Dell inserted into the Four Color Comics schedule from 1944 to this final issue in 1962.

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Friday Fun SANTA CLAUS FUNNIES "Santa in Wonderland" Conclusion

When Last We Left Santa Claus and Alice...

The night before Christmas Eve, Santa was disturbed when a little girl named Alice appeared at his door at the North Pole and pleaded for him to "bring Christmas to Wonderland".

The blonde girl lead Santa to the rabbit hole/entrance and showed him mushrooms that reduced both of them in size.

Once in Wonderland, Santa encountered inhabitants including the Mock Turtle and the White Rabbit, who shrank while using a white fan which Claus inadvertently also uses...

This story originally appeared in Dell's Santa Claus Funnies #2 (1943), but was not the cover feature!

It was reprinted in a stand-alone giveaway, Dell's Alice in Wonderland Meets Santa (1951), to capitalize on the release of the Disney animated film Alice in Wonderland, based on the Lewis Carroll stories Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking-Glass!

The reprint's new cover art (as shown at the top of the post) by an unknown artist, shows Alice rendered with the same hairstyle and blue dress as the movie version, rather than the hairstyle and violet dress shown in the comic story.
The other characters on the cover resemble their Disney versions, as well!

Since Dell was then currently-publishing licensed Disney comics (including the comic adaptation of the animated Alice in Wonderland)...

...it's likely the similarity on the cover was permitted!

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Friday Fun SANTA CLAUS FUNNIES "Santa in Wonderland" Part 1

Now HERE'S a crossover team-up you never thought you'd see...

...as Santa Claus meets Lewis Carroll's Alice and travels to Wonderland!

What does Santa find?

You'll have to come back next Friday to find out!

Though the scripter is unknown, the art for this never-reprinted tale from Dell's Santa Claus Funnies #2 (1943) was by George Kerr, who was the primary artist for the comic book tales of Raggedy Ann and Andy and Andy Panda!

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Holiday Reading Room SANTA CLAUS FUNNIES "First Noel" or "First Nowell"?

Is it "Noel"...

...as most spell it these days?

From Dell's Santa Claus Funnies #1 (1942), illustrator unknown

Or is it...

..."Nowell", as seen in Dell's Four Color Santa Claus Funnies #91 (1945)?

Illustrated by Arthur E Jameson.

"Nowell" is the English (British) spelling...and the hymn is of British origin.

"Noel" is the French (and other Old Latin-based languages') spelling.

Presumably it became the standard when the hymn was used in hymnals (which used Old Latin verses for many songs, though I've never heard an Old Latin version of  "First Nowell") in the 18th Century.

Holiday Reading Room SANTA CLAUS FUNNIES "Christmas Carols"

The very first Santa Claus Funnies featured these cool illustrated Christmas carols...

...combining both religious chants...

...traditional folk tunes...

...and contemporary songs!

The artist(s) of these never-reprinted shorts from Dell's Santa Claus Funnies #1 (1942) are unknown.

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Christmas Comic Book Stories