Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer to May's original story than Marks' song, which had not yet been written. It was reissued in 1951 with the song added. May's brother-in-law, Johnny Marks, adapted the story of Rudolph into a song. Gene Autry's recording of the song hit No. 1 on the "Billboard" pop singles chart the week of Christmas 1949. Autry's recording sold 2.5 million copies the first year, eventually selling a total of 25 million, and it remained the second best-selling record of all time until the 1980s. DC Comics, then known as National Periodical Publications, published a series of 13 annuals titled "Rudolph the
Robert L. May speaks in anapestic tetrameter), written in 1947 but only published posthumously as "Rudolph's Second Christmas" (1992), and subsequently with the title "Rudolph to the Rescue" (2006). The second sequel is entirely in anapaestic tetrameter like the original: "Rudolph Shines Again" (1954). May also published four other children's books: "Benny the Bunny Liked Beans" (1940), "Winking Willie" (1948), "The Fighting Tenderfoot" (1954), and "Sam the Scared-est Scarecrow" (1972). May told his story of the writing of "Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer" in his article "Robert May Tells how Rudolph, The Red Nosed Reindeer Came into Being" from the "Gettysburg Times" published on