In 1938, the world was at a critical crossroads, balancing the shadow of impending war with remarkable cultural and technological breakthroughs. The year was defined by the Munich Agreement , where European powers attempted a policy of appeasement toward Nazi Germany, and the horrific violence of Kristallnacht , which signaled a dark escalation in the persecution of Jewish people. Yet, it was also the year that gave us the first appearance of Superman in Action Comics #1 , the debut of the Jefferson Nickel , and the invention of xerography —the process that would eventually revolutionize the modern office.