Marc Tyler Nobleman's Blog, page 122

August 8, 2012

What did not make it into “Bill the Boy Wonder”...

…has been here all along.

When people ask me how long it took to write Boys of Steel: The Creators of Superman, I say several months’ of research and several months of writing on and off (18 drafts before Random House acquired it, and several more after). What catches people off guard is when I conclude by saying “And I’m still writing it.”

I explain that when I come across interesting information that, obviously, is too late for the book, I post it here. Here’s an example.

That is one of the biggest benefits of blogging and the Internet in general; it allows our stories to continue to unfold with no printers, warehouses, stores, or even paper needed.

Here are key Bill Finger posts that expand on the story I tell in Bill the Boy Wonder: The Secret Co-Creator of Batman (and I will be adding to this):

Bill’s family:

my first Bill post, outlining my big discoveries, the biggest being Bill’s granddaughter; plus one of my 11 “new” photos of Bill (but the grainiest)

Bill’s parents

photo of Bill’s mom and one of my 11 “new” photos of Bill (with first wife Portia)

looking for Bill’s first sister

how I found Bill’s first sister, born in 1918 (and still alive as of this post)

how I found Bill’s second wife

finding some of Bill’s relatives

a Finger in Florida with something to hide

Bill’s friends:

how I found Bill’s longtime friend and writing partner Charles Sinclair

how I found the woman who hosted the Texas seder Bill attended

Bill in the words of those who knew him well

Bill’s peers describing him in superlatives

Bill’s fans excited for a book about him

Bill’s residences:

photo of Bill’s apartment building at 731 Kelly Street, Bronx, where he lived in 1939, the year he co-created Batman (in fact, it may have been in that building!)

photo of Bill’s apartment building at 50 E. 196th Street, Bronx, where he lived 1941-42, during which time he wrote the first stories with Scarecrow, Penguin, and Two-Face

photo of Bill’s apartment building at 125 W. 16th Street, Manhattan, where he lived in the early 1950s, soon before his divorce from first wife Portia

photos of four more of Bill’s apartment buildings:
- 2754 Grand Concourse, Bronx, where he lived 1940-41, during which time he wrote the first stories with Robin, Joker, Catwoman, Batmobile, and Gotham City
- 45 Grove Street, Manhattan, where he lived for much of the 1940s, during which time he created the Riddler
- 31 W. 9th Street, Manhattan, circa 1965, and probably the apartment in which he was living when he first publicly admitted (to Jerry Bails) his role in the creation of Batman
- 340 E. 51st Street, Manhattan, the building in which Bill died in 1974

places Bill visited beyond New York City

other historical figures who had a connection to Bill’s 1940s Greenwich Village apartment

Bill and Batman:

first print appearance of Batman (and I don’t mean Detective Comics #27); timeline of my journey to research, write, and publish a book on Bill Finger

a dictionary is the reason I believe Batman was created in Bill’s, not Bob’s, apartment

why Bill most likely led the charge in creating Robin

Bill’s penchant for writing scripts featuring oversized props

Bob crediting Bill for some of the big villains, and Bill’s influence on the Joker’s look

which came first in 1965, Bill’s historic interview with Jerry Bails or his appearance on the first-ever creators panel at a comic convention?

Bill on whether or not Batman and Robin were gay

DC Comics (slyly) giving Bill Finger and Bob Kane equal claim to Batman

Bill almost received screen credit in Batman (1989)

Bill and comics:

Bill’s notable contributions to Superman

comparing Bill to Superman co-creators Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, and likening them all to thieves

from the Mutual Admiration Society: Bill Finger and Alfred Hitchcock

Bill photos:

my first Bill post, outlining my big discoveries, the biggest being Bill’s granddaughter; plus one of my 11 “new” photos of Bill (but the grainiest)

photo of Bill’s mom and one of my 11 “new” photos of Bill (with first wife Portia)

Bill’s yearbook photo

four of the five known photos of Bill published before I began research


the first published photo of Bill’s first wife Portia, plus inheriting Bill’s scarab paperweight

happening upon a photo of Bill’s desk, circa 1940s

a previously unpublished photo of—and an injustice to—Bill in 75 Years of DC Comics

Bill mysteries:

looking for Bill’s first sister

how I found Bill’s first sister, born in 1918 (and still alive as of this post)

Bill’s yearbook photo

Bill was 4-F in World War II—here are the records to prove (though not explain) it

Bill and alcohol

Bill’s death

Bill mementos:

the first published photo of Bill’s first wife Portia, plus inheriting Bill’s scarab paperweight

finding out the true colors (literally) of the document revealing Bill’s involvement in the creation of Batman

Bill’s famous gimmick books were discarded

the only known note in Bill’s handwriting

the only three comic book scripts Bill wrote known to still exist

the last two known comic book scripts Bill wrote

Bill insults:

Bill did not drive, plus the earliest hijacking in print of Bill’s Batman legacy

the laughable travesty of Real Fact Comics #5 (1946)

Bill’s worst enemy—Bob or himself?

a previously unpublished photo of—and an injustice to—Bill in 75 Years of DC Comics

Bill outside of comics:

Bill’s yearbook photo

Bill’s writing outside of comics

Bill’s radio

Bill’s favorite composer

Bill was 4-F in World War II—here are the records to prove (though not explain) it

Bill did not drive, plus the earliest hijacking in print of Bill’s Batman legacy

how Bill almost won a car (even though he didn’t have a driver’s license)

Bill worked out


Bill’s death

birth anniversary posts:

2009 (the known Bill interviews, including two I helped rediscover)

2010 (Bill was born in Denver)


death anniversary posts:

2009 (no obituary, no funeral)

2010 (tribute from Amazing World of DC Comics #1)

2011 (Bob’s good choice)

2012

plus:

all known print tributes to Bill
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Published on August 08, 2012 04:08

August 7, 2012

Unlikely influences on my first book

In 1996, my first book came out. It was an activity book based on a character I did not create, a rabbit named Felix. This little guy originated in Germany and is still very popular there. The activities were themed around two subjects, geography and history.

In 1999, the sequel came out, and despite the usual pattern, it was better than the first—much longer, too. In fact, it contained the first book and added four new sections: holidays, telling time, the environment, and space. It also contained several features I felt made it stand out: a star code to indicate complexity of each activity, a subject index (yes, in an activity book! about a rabbit!), a skills index, and a contest to create an activity for the next activity book (which still has not come).

Recently I came across a list I made at the time that indicates what influenced me while writing this. (Yes, an activity book can have influences, apparently.) Reading this list will either A) make you curious enough to seek out the long-out-of-print book or B) cause you to consider me legally (or at least textually) insane. What's more, I have now expanded the list. (So I guess you're going with choice B.) Here it is:

No Jacket Required by Phil Collins (page 12) *"All I Need Is a Miracle" by Mike + the Mechanics (page 27)"The Time Warp" from The Rocky Horror Picture Show (page 41)The Twilight Zone episode "Time Enough at Last" (page 46)"Talk of the Town" section of The New Yorker (page 53)Baby the Rain Must Fall (1965 movie I still haven't seen; page 55)License to Drive (never saw that one either; page 57)"One Thing Leads to Another" by the Fixx (page 60)"Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?" (page 64)Coins in the Fountain by John Hermes Secondari (page 73)* "Take Me Home" by Phil Collins (page 103)Foster's beer slogan "Australian for beer" (which I renamed "Australian for Fun"; page 112)Slippery When Wet by Bon Jovi (here called "Slippery When Wetland"; page 117)Tool Time from Home Improvement (page 128)Olympics tagline "thrill of victory" (page 132)card game Set (finding various kinds of patterns; page 132)"Love Among the Ruins" by Robert Browning (page 133)"A Hard Day's Night" by the Beatles (pages 148-9)Rashomon (four Native Americans tell the same story from their respective points of view; pages 166-7)"Sunshine on My Shoulders" by John Denver (page 183)Name That Tune (page 194)"Live, from New York, it's..." from Saturday Night Live (page 203)Rabbit Redux by John Updike (page 224)The World According to Garp by John Irving (page 232)"Chain of Fools" by Aretha Franklin (page 247)"Lions and tigers and bears, oh my!" from The Wizard of Oz (page 249)"As Time Goes By" from Casablanca (page 252)The Anti-Coloring Book (in general)
Some influenced the title while others influenced the concept of an activity. Which do you think is the most outlandish?
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Published on August 07, 2012 04:21

August 5, 2012

Summer Author Institute at Frostburg (MD) State University

On 7/10/12, I had the honor of presenting to teachers and graduate students who signed up for their "Meet the Author" program. After an intimate, conversational presentation that spilled into a second hour, several of the participants kindly took me to lunch where they ran the risk of seeing a piece of lettuce get stuck in my teeth. (But I default to salads for lunch when I'm working; carbs = sleepy.)

I was one of three authors speaking during the weeklong event. The participants were divided into smaller groups, each of which had to create a project on its author. Here are glimpses of how the poor group stuck with me managed to overcome that in style:


This is a puzzle based on one of the stories in Vanished: True Stories of the Missing. (This one.)

Thank you to Frostburg for this most fun invitation. Hope to be back that way again.
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Published on August 05, 2012 04:15

August 4, 2012

How I sign my superhero books

The title spread of Boys of Steel: The Creators of Superman is ready-made with a cheeky signature spot: within a word bubble coming from Superman.

(Technically, since Superman is "speaking," the signature should be his name...but no one seems to mind.)

At first I didn’t see the same potential in Bill the Boy Wonder: The Secret Co-Creator of Batman…but with only the third book signed, I found a comparable (if slightly more difficult) approach for Batman.


(It's supposed to call to mind the Bat-Signal.)
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Published on August 04, 2012 04:00

August 3, 2012

"Booklist" on "Bill the Boy Wonder": "bold...dynamic"

Booklist 8/1/12

“Bold...dynamic...a fitting tribute.”
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Published on August 03, 2012 04:11

August 2, 2012

Finger food

Possibly being served at any Bill the Boy Wonder: The Secret Co-Creator of Batman signing you attend:





fingerling potatoes
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Published on August 02, 2012 04:25

July 31, 2012

Buster Jones is bustin' loose

Last year, I ran a series called “Super ‘70s and ‘80s”; it comprised original interviews with 100 “lost” stars of superhero/cartoon entertainment of the 1970s and 1980s.

One of my fervent hopes was that this series would lead to some of the 100 being invited to comic book conventions as paid guests to meet fans, in many cases for the first time. (Remember, they were “lost.”)

So far, it’s happened twice to my knowledge. The first time: I helped Michael Bell get booked at an Ohio convention (though he was one of the few on my list who had already done cons and was still active in the business).

The second time was especially sweet because it was Buster Jones, who portrayed Black Vulcan on Super Friends, as well as beloved characters on other shows. In Buster’s interview, he openly discussed how things had been tough. He has a pension but after Hanna and Barbera died (2001 and 2006, respectively), he had not gotten any voice work. From his mother he inherited the house in Tennessee that he was born in, and he is holding onto it in case he ever needs a place to live. (He’s currently in Los Angeles.)

After reading the interview, Peter Sinclair, one of the organizers of a Transformers convention called BotCon, contacted me for Buster’s contact information. I asked if Buster would be paid and Peter said yes. So with Buster’s permission, I put the two in touch.

Buster checked with an agent to see if a paid con appearance would be a union violation, and was told no. So in April, BotCon flew Black Vulcan to Dallas for three all-expenses-paid days of baptism by fandom.

It was the first pop culture convention Buster signed at.

But it was not the first he attended. That was one in San Diego mere weeks before Dallas; he went as an observer and did not tell anyone there who he was.

He almost didn’t make to Texas. For several days prior to BotCon, Dallas was vexed by tornadoes (six of them). Once there, Buster saw no signs of damage.

And he’d not been in Dallas since 1967 when he attended college (and experienced racism) there. He said there were streets he as a black man was not allowed to go down.

BotCon was crowded and Buster’s signings lasted three hours a day. He signed the con programs. I wish I could’ve seen it. Buster found the experience fun but exhausting. I asked if he remembered any of his castmates and he said he was excited in particular to see old friend Dan Gilvezan.

A highlight: the cast members who were there did a live reading of a Transformers cartoon script written specially for the convention.

I asked about Buster’s stammer. He said it would go away when he was doing one of two things: drinking and voice acting. As for the latter, he thinks it has to do with the fact that he’s reading rather than speaking extemporaneously.

“Fans dug meeting him,” Sinclair said. “He seemed to dig it all.” Buster confirmed that. “He dressed very nicely the whole weekend!” Sinclair added.

I realize this is only one convention, one paycheck. But I remain hopeful that Buster, among others, will receive more convention invitations, and I try to bring that about any chance I get.

Your help would also be appreciated. Buster did so many shows and has more fans than he realized. Booking him with other performers from Super Friends or one of his other shows would make him even more of a draw. Please share any suggestions in the comments. Do you know a con that pays for voice actors to appear?
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Published on July 31, 2012 03:59

July 30, 2012

July 29, 2012

Gay old time

On 6/29/12, I had the privilege of being a guest for the second time on The Frank DeCaro Show on Sirius satellite radio.

The first time, in 2008, was in-studio; this time was by phone. And unlike the first time, this time I knew going in that Frank’s show is aimed at the gay community.

The first time, Frank posed a riddle: which superhero is secretly gay, Hal Jordan (Green Lantern) or Oliver Queen (Green Arrow)? I played along and guessed Hal because he accessorizes with a shiny green ring. But Frank zinged me: obviously the correct answer is Oliver Queen.

I was ready for him this time!

Bill the Boy Wonder: The Secret Co-Creator of Batman has three gay connections, all of which we touched on:

1. Bill’s son Fred was gay and for 10 years (1992 to 2002) Fred’s partner was getting Batman money instead of Fred’s only child, Athena (Bill’s granddaughter)

2. Bill actually weighed in on whether or not Batman and Robin were gay

3. Bill’s other big hero creation was the original Green Lantern, who was reinvented as gay in 2012

Thanks for having me again, Frank.
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Published on July 29, 2012 04:10

July 28, 2012

IGN covers "Bill the Boy Wonder"

"It's time to sing the praises of Batman's secret co-creator, Bill Finger."

So says the subhead of a deftly crafted IGN article on Bill the Boy Wonder: The Secret Co-Creator of Batman. Thank you, Joey Esposito! (In fact, that subhead could have been the subtitle for the book itself, though it is already quite long enough, thank you very much.)

Here are some of my favorite (unedited) comments and, where applicable, my responses:

confission44
I don't really think that this article fairly represents Bob Kane. Bob Kane has been quoted in several different interviews giving Bill Finger credit for his part in the creation of batman mythos. If anything dc should get the heat for not acknowledging Finger.

mstrjedi40
Agreed [re: confission44]. I've actually seen three of said interviews where Bob Kane specifically names "Bill Finger" for creating some of the specifics concerning our beloved caped crusader. That and Bob Kane NEVER came off as the type of person to want to steal someone's creative spotlight. DC is more to blame here than B.K. IMO.

my response to confission44:
Yes, but Kane did not publicly acknowledge Finger's role till Finger had been dead 15 years. To me, that is inexcusable.

my response to mstrjedi40:
Again, Kane did not credit Finger till long after Finger's death. What's more, in the 1960s, when Finger publicly revealed his role in Batman (without hostility to Kane, I might add), Kane accused Finger of LYING. Steal someone's creative spotlight? That was Kane's occupation.

FanBoy117
Nobleman and Finger i appreciate the effort u put into creating my favorite hero and comic series Batman;)

Rain_Spider
I read & reviewed this book for the publisher before it was released to the pubic. I gave it 5/5 for it's courage & it's presentation.

confission44
I dislike the fact that marc nobleman makes himself sound like a self righteous person who just wants people to know the truth about Bill Finger's part in Batman's creation, but he is doing it to get paid!!

my response:
We all want to do work we love, and it's a bonus if we can get paid for it. By the way, I spent four years on this project before a publisher made me an offer. There was never any guarantee I would make a dime on this; meanwhile I offer plenty of my research on my blog for free.

Winterdenni
It's a little hard to take this article too seriously, when you consider that almost everything about Batman was directed lifted from Zoro.

my response:
Finger openly cited his influences, and my book acknowledges that as well. And there are, of course, significant differences between Zorro and Batman. I'd say one of the biggest is that Batman has a psychological reason to do what he does.
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Published on July 28, 2012 04:51