"Little Nemo in Slumberland" dated December 07, 1924:
Transcript of Tweets by @LittleNemo1905 (SEPTEMBER 05, 2021):
I find it particularly hilarious that even back in 1924 weathermen were so notoriously inaccurate in their predictions that it was fodder for McCay's jabs! - 1/13
I wonder if kids would've found this as funny as the adult readers surely did? It's probably that the injection of the Santa Clause angle is for them, while the weather angle for adults? - 2/13
It's pretty impressive that McCay found a way to blend these together so seamlessly. There something here for everyone to like! - 3/13
Now, I'm particularly interested in how the weatherman created the snow… or, better put, did the weatherman even create the snow? - 4/13
He claims that he's going to create the blizzard, but then (seemingly) has nothing to do with its creation at all! - 5/13
In a slow panel-by-panel progression, the clouds in the background begin to form a face and upper torso that hurls snowballs at the group. - 6/13
Is this person to be understood as the weatherman? It would be a bit strange and unclear if so, they are both in panel 3 as separate entities, so I think it's less than likely that they're the same. - 7/13
But, the question then becomes… who is this being? My guess is Boreas, the Greek God of the cold North Wind: - 8/13
We know how much groundwork has been laid previously to draw connections to Greek and Roman myth, so I think it's a safe bet at least as a starting point. - 9/13
I'm also interested in the ruthlessness of Santa Clause here… I mean, his snow plough refuses to stop for people on the street? That's sort of… naughty. - 10/13
I do enjoy the callback to the Santa's automobile… Way back in 1907, we first learned that Santa drove a car occasionally instead of his sleigh: - 11/13
So, when Flip says he knows that Santa drives a car… well… it's because he does. - 12/13
This is my reading of "Little Nemo in Slumberland" #440. What’s yours? - 13/13
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