There certainly are a lot of fascinating sights and exhibits for us to write about. 
New York World's Fair Comics #2 is an issue of the series New York World's Fair Comics (Volume 1) with a cover date of July, 1940.
Synopsis for "Superman at the 1940 World's Fair"
Clark and Lois are sent to do a story on the World's Fair, and stumble upon a jewel thief (Blackie Sarto) who is trying to steal a priceless emerald.
Appearing in "Superman at the 1940 World's Fair"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
- Blackie Sarto (Single appearance)
Locations:
Items:
- Madras Emerald
Synopsis for Red, White, and Blue: "The War Games"
A discredited meat producer is poisoning the Army's current meat supply so that they will get their contract back. Red, Whitey and Blooey stop them with their usual hijinks and banter.
Appearing in Red, White, and Blue: "The War Games"
Featured Characters:
Antagonists:
- Mr. Crabbe (President of rival meat company);
- Guile
- Savage
Other Characters
- T. R. Tapley (President of Tapley Meat Company);
Locations:
Synopsis for "Slam Bradley at the 1940 World's Fair"
A chance sighting of a mysterious yacht, while on the parachute jump, leads Slam and Shorty to help rescue the kidnapped Princess of Robaria, who is in America to sign papers allowing her nation to sell the Robarian crown jewels.
Appearing in "Slam Bradley at the 1940 World's Fair"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
- Grinaldi (Single appearance; dies)
- The Count (Single appearance)
- Andrea (Single appearance)
Other Characters:
- Baron Severin (Single appearance)
- Miss Mason (Single appearance)
- Princess Ileana, of Robaria (Single appearance)
Locations:
- New York City
- Flushing Meadows, Queens
- old fishing shack by Long Island Sound
- Oceanic Hotel
- Robaria (Mentioned only)
Synopsis for "Zatara at the World's Fair"
Zatara puts on his own exhibit at the fair, and in the process nabs a pickpocket (Slippery Jed), some armed robbers, and a jewel thief. Then he randomly takes his audience on a trip to Mars and flies them through the centre of the sun, only to reveal that it was all an illusion.
Appearing in "Zatara at the World's Fair"
Featured Characters:
Antagonists:
- Slippery Jed (Single appearance)
Other Characters:
Locations:
Synopsis for Hour-Man: "... At the World's Fair"
Rex Tyler is sent to run an exhibit for his chemical company, and ends up stopping some crooks from ransacking a rich guy's house while he's out on horseback, fox-hunting. After turning the tables on the bad guys, the Hour-Man releases the head crook to be hunted down by his intended victim.
Appearing in Hour-Man: "... At the World's Fair"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
- Mr. Bannermain
Antagonists:
- Joe, burglar (Single appearance)
- Mike, burglar (Single appearance)
- 3rd thug
Other Characters:
- Gerald Rochester (Single appearance)
- Rose Rochester (Single appearance)
- Meadows, bugler
- other fox hunters
Locations:
- New York City
- Flushing Meadows, Queens
- Rochester Estate
Items:
Synopsis for Sandman: "... Goes to the World's Fair"
While attending the World's Fair, Dian Belmont is kidnapped by "Blackie" Saunders, "Slugger" Slade, and "Butch." Wesley Dodds goes to New York to investigate. A witness leads him to Slugger Slade, a vengeful gangster with a grudge against D.A. Belmont. As the Sandman, Wesley breaks into Slade's mansion and rescues Dian. He then obtains evidence to convict Slade of other crimes. Dian and Wes then return to the Fair.
Appearing in Sandman: "... Goes to the World's Fair"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
- Dian Belmont (See Notes.)
- Larry Belmont
- Agatha, Dian's Aunt (Single appearance)
Antagonists:
- "Slugger" Slade
- "Blackie" Saunders
- "Butch"
- 4th thug
Other Characters:
- G-Man
Locations:
- New York
- Belmont Mansion (See Notes.)
- New York City
- 61 Bedford Place
- Manhattan
- Flushing Meadows, Queens
- LaGuardia Field
- Long Island
- Slade's Estate
Items:
Vehicles:
- Dodds' Private Biplane
- (closed cockpit racer)
- Dodds' Red Roadster
Synopsis for "Johnny Thunderbolt at the World's Fair"
Johnny decides to treat Daisy to a day at the Fair, but his wallet is stolen aboard the subway, an act the pickpocket must have regretted for the rest of his life. Johnny's powers get somewhat overhauled so that now, when he says his magic words, his wishes are actually enforced by thunderbolts, and people who don't do what he says get zapped.
Appearing in "Johnny Thunderbolt at the World's Fair"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
- Unnamed thief (Single appearance)
Locations:
Synopsis for "Batman and Robin Visit the 1940 World's Fair"
While Bruce Wayne and Dick Grayson visit the New York World's Fair, they learn that the Great West River Bridge has mysteriously collapsed. The duo investigate the disaster. When another bridge is destroyed and a third (the Flavin Bridge) is targeted, Batman and Robin go into action. They learn that a scientist, Dr. Hugo Vreekill, has invented a device which crumbles steel; now he's ready to demand blackmail money from bridge-building companies, starting with the Travers Engineering Corporation. Vreekill has smuggled one of the steel-melting/crumbling devices into State Prison, to free an army of criminals to work for him, so that's Batman's first stop. Batman and Robin arrive in the Batplane at the State Penitentiary just as the breakout is occurring. They stun all the prisoners with gas bombs, beat them up, tie them up, and hop back in the Batplane before the police can arrive and arrest them, (as the wanted vigilantes they still are). Next, it's off to a threatened building (the Monarch Building, still under construction), and finally to Vreekill's lab, where Vreekill grabs a live wire and kills himself, rather than face prison. Batman's response: "He saved the State the job!"
Appearing in "Batman and Robin Visit the 1940 World's Fair"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
- Hugo Vreekill (Dies)
Other Characters:
- Ann (Single appearance)
- Travers (Single appearance)
Locations:
- New York City
- State Penitentiary
Items:
- Batrope
- Hugo Vreekill's short-wave steel-melting weapon (See Notes.)
Vehicles:
Notes
- Published by Detective Comics, Inc.
- This issue was sold at the 1940 New York World's Fair.
- 96-page special, no advertisements, cover price 15 cents.
- Originally un-numbered. Also has no indicia.
- This issue is reprinted in The DC Comics Rarities Archives Vol. 1.
- Batman And Robin Visit The 1940 World's Fair is reprinted in Batman: The World's Finest Comics Archives Vol. 1.
- Apparently nobody bothers to confiscate Vreekill's notes nor equipment and use them to build weapons.
- Batman and Robin appeared last in Detective Comics #40. They appear next in Detective Comics #41.
- Commissioner Gordon appeared last in Batman #1. He appears next in Detective Comics #42.
- Hour-Man appeared last in Adventure Comics #51. He appears next in All-Star Comics #1.
- Rex gets pistol-whipped unconscious.
- Johnny Thunder, the Thunderbolt and Daisy Darling all appeared last in Flash Comics #6. They appear next in Flash Comics #7.
- Sandman Goes To The World's Fair is reprinted in The Golden Age Sandman Archives Vol. 1.
- This is Dian's 1st kidnap. At rescue time, Dian makes a jiu-jitsu move, to get loose from one kidnapper, but three panels later, she faints.
- Wes Dodds flies to New York, from Larry Belmont's mansion. Then he drives to Slade's estate. So Belmont lives someplace outside of NYC, but not on Long Island.
- The Sandman and Dian Belmont both chronologically appeared last in flashback in All-Star Comics #3. He appears next in All-Star Comics #2. She appears next in Adventure Comics #52.
- Larry Belmont appeared last in Adventure Comics #51. He appears next in Adventure Comics #54.
- Slam Bradley appeared last in Detective Comics #40. He appears next in Detective Comics #41.
- Slam gets head-konked unconscious one time in this story.
- Shorty Morgan out-shoots one villain and kills him.
- Superman at the 1940 World's Fair is reprinted in Superman: The World's Finest Comics Archives, Volume 1.
- Superman, George Taylor and Lois Lane appeared last in Superman #5. They appear next in Action Comics #26.
- Zatara appeared last in Action Comics #25. He next in Action Comics #26.
- Also appearing in this issue of New York World's Fair Comics were:
- "Fair Facts About the 1940 New York World's Fair".
- "Hanko the Cowhand" (4 pages) by Creig Flessel.
- "Silly Stuff" by Henry Boltinoff.
Trivia
- First published picture of Batman, Robin and Superman together.
See Also
- Cover gallery for the New York World's Fair Comics series
- Images from New York World's Fair Comics Vol 1 2