"Little Nemo in Slumberland" dated December 22, 1907:
Transcript of Tweets by @LittleNemo1905 (SEPTEMBER 19, 2020):
Ok, so it's nearly Christmas time. People are busy; I get it… so I can forgive McCay for his identical character/background composition in the first four panels, I guess. - 1/12
Only the foreground/midground changes as the kids run passed toys and the billows of smoke get bigger and bigger. It isn't too exciting to see them in the same gestural position for four panels, but… Christmas. So… - 2/12
The third tier presents us with the most exciting moment of the strip as the boys turn the corner to see his automobile go *BOOM*! Lookit Santa FLY! - 3/12
Frankly, I think it serves Santa right. Nobody wants Santa driving a car… I want Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner, Blitzen, and Rudolph! What gives Santa! - 4/12
I actually read this as a pretty clear indictment of technology. Santa, who thinks the car will be faster or more efficient then his reindeer, finds out the hard way that technology doesn't always make our lives easier. - 5/12
Maybe a subtle message for the kiddies at Christmas time that they needn't be chasing after a fancy-shmansy new fangled radio (yes, I know it had been around for about 15 years, but that's newish…) or whatever else was popular in 1907! - 6/12
As Santa sits on the ground mad as a kettle that his auto has failed him, he says, "I'll use the Reindeer after this!". Clear message to me that sometimes, the old ways are the better ways. Not a very progressive message, but there you are. - 7/12
This is the second time that the boys could have been found and somehow managed to sneak away… That they decide not to try and catch up with Santa after all is probably good though… I mean, he sure doesn't need the million dollar reward, that's for sure! - 8/12
I'll also note that this strip is a lot wordier than most of the #LittleNemo strips. The conversation really isn't that exciting, as the boys try to catch up and only marginally improves near the end. - 9/12
That his parents scold Nemo for being awake late on (what must be) Christmas Eve is yet another reminder for the youngens of 1907 that if they want Old St. Nick to visit, they'd better stay asleep. - 10/12
By this point, McCay had been a father for eleven years! Maybe this little message was intended for his own children, Robert (11) and Marion (10) Maybe he was just trying to help the other parents of the world? Who knows. Either way. Good for you, Winsor. - 11/12
This is my reading of "Little Nemo in Slumberland" #115. What's yours? - 12/12