Marc Tyler Nobleman's Blog, page 128
June 2, 2012
"Comics Interview Super Special: Batman—Real Origins of the Dark Knight"
This 1989 edition of David Anthony Kraft’s magazine comprises a meaty collection of material that alternately bolsters and insults Bill Finger.
Here are a few examples, most from the Bob Kane interview:
The names of all the main players are bolded—except Bill Finger’s. Surely only an oversight, but a disappointing (and odd) one.Bob did not even know when his onetime partner died: “I guess in the ‘60s.” (Correct answer: 1974.)Bob: “I’m a very honest person with a lot of integrity” (Correct answer: No, you weren’t.)Shockingly, Bob is quoted as saying this: “Bill Finger created some of the villains: I believe he created Penguin. Catwoman, I think he came up with. I came up with the Riddler and the Joker. Maybe Penguin was mine—time erodes the memory.” He uncharacteristically credited Bill with creating Penguin and Catwoman but then slipped back into his familiar refrains—and even took back what he just gave.
In one respect, Bob is right—time does erode memory. However, that’s a convenient cover. Bob had been laying claim to most everything Batman all along, so this vagueness seems even more insincere than usual.
Elsewhere between the same covers is the lone print interview with Bill’s son Fred; in it, Fred relays the story he’d been told of how his dad (and mom!) created the Penguin. Jerry Robinson has credited Bill with creating all of the classic villains except the Joker (see next paragraph); in any case, there is no question that Bill wrote the first Joker story. And no less reputable a source than editor Julius Schwartz gave Bill sole credit for the Riddler.
Later in the issue is an anecdote about Bill telling DC Comics writer/editor/continuity guru E. Nelson Bridwell that he recalled when an excited Jerry Robinson told him (Bill) about a new character called the Joker. Bill liked the idea but not the playing-card-styled drawing and produced a photo of Conrad Veidt in the 1928 silent film The Man Who Laughs—which does strongly resemble the Joker as he looked in his debut and subsequent early appearances.
Given Bridwell’s legendary encyclopedic comics knowledge and what seems like a reputation for integrity, this seems like a particularly reliable account of this oft-disputed creation story.
Here are a few examples, most from the Bob Kane interview:The names of all the main players are bolded—except Bill Finger’s. Surely only an oversight, but a disappointing (and odd) one.Bob did not even know when his onetime partner died: “I guess in the ‘60s.” (Correct answer: 1974.)Bob: “I’m a very honest person with a lot of integrity” (Correct answer: No, you weren’t.)Shockingly, Bob is quoted as saying this: “Bill Finger created some of the villains: I believe he created Penguin. Catwoman, I think he came up with. I came up with the Riddler and the Joker. Maybe Penguin was mine—time erodes the memory.” He uncharacteristically credited Bill with creating Penguin and Catwoman but then slipped back into his familiar refrains—and even took back what he just gave.
In one respect, Bob is right—time does erode memory. However, that’s a convenient cover. Bob had been laying claim to most everything Batman all along, so this vagueness seems even more insincere than usual.
Elsewhere between the same covers is the lone print interview with Bill’s son Fred; in it, Fred relays the story he’d been told of how his dad (and mom!) created the Penguin. Jerry Robinson has credited Bill with creating all of the classic villains except the Joker (see next paragraph); in any case, there is no question that Bill wrote the first Joker story. And no less reputable a source than editor Julius Schwartz gave Bill sole credit for the Riddler.
Later in the issue is an anecdote about Bill telling DC Comics writer/editor/continuity guru E. Nelson Bridwell that he recalled when an excited Jerry Robinson told him (Bill) about a new character called the Joker. Bill liked the idea but not the playing-card-styled drawing and produced a photo of Conrad Veidt in the 1928 silent film The Man Who Laughs—which does strongly resemble the Joker as he looked in his debut and subsequent early appearances.
Given Bridwell’s legendary encyclopedic comics knowledge and what seems like a reputation for integrity, this seems like a particularly reliable account of this oft-disputed creation story.
June 1, 2012
"Bill the Boy Wonder" reveals…
…Bill’s given first name and why he changed it
…the only known note in Bill’s handwriting, reproduced in its entirety
...who received Batman royalties for Bill’s work
…two Bill quotations from private correspondence (with more to come on this blog)
…Bill’s yearbook photo!
…other previously unpublished photos (with more to come on this blog)
…exactly when and how Bill died…a persistent rumor about Bill’s remains is wrong…and the truth is visually chilling...Bill had a second wife
…the only known mainstream press mention of Bill in his lifetime (The New Yorker)
…the only known time between 1939 and 1963 that Bill’s name appeared in a Batman comic…sort of…
…more than one example of entries from Bill’s famed “gimmick books” (Alvin Schwartz mentioned one online but the others come from Bill’s longtime friend Charles Sinclair)
…one strategy Bill employed to generate ideas
…Bill’s endearing nickname for his son Fred
…what Bill liked to eat late at night
…what Bill kept on his desk (more on that here)
And most startling of all:
…the lone and previously unknown heir to Bill Finger…and therefore Batman: how I found her and who she is
And for all of above, my book is the only print source.
…the only known note in Bill’s handwriting, reproduced in its entirety
...who received Batman royalties for Bill’s work
…two Bill quotations from private correspondence (with more to come on this blog)
…Bill’s yearbook photo!
…other previously unpublished photos (with more to come on this blog)
…exactly when and how Bill died…a persistent rumor about Bill’s remains is wrong…and the truth is visually chilling...Bill had a second wife
…the only known mainstream press mention of Bill in his lifetime (The New Yorker)
…the only known time between 1939 and 1963 that Bill’s name appeared in a Batman comic…sort of…
…more than one example of entries from Bill’s famed “gimmick books” (Alvin Schwartz mentioned one online but the others come from Bill’s longtime friend Charles Sinclair)
…one strategy Bill employed to generate ideas
…Bill’s endearing nickname for his son Fred
…what Bill liked to eat late at night
…what Bill kept on his desk (more on that here)
And most startling of all:
…the lone and previously unknown heir to Bill Finger…and therefore Batman: how I found her and who she is
And for all of above, my book is the only print source.
May 31, 2012
Not only what Finger did, what Kane did NOT do
To those who would argue anything other than Bill Finger’s name first is the only proper Batman credit, we must remind ourselves not only of what Finger did (design the costume, write the first story, dream up the groundbreaking origin, build the bat-motif, write the debuts of Robin, Joker, Catwoman, Penguin, and others) but also what Bob Kane did not do (write a single Batman story).Artist Jerry Robinson, who (professionally) went as far back with Finger and Kane as possible, said that Finger “had more to do with the molding of Batman than Bob.” But you don’t need to take even his word for it since Kane himself admitted as much in his 1989 autobiography.
And this quotation (which I have posted here before but which bears much repeating) from Finger friend and fellow Golden Age writer Alvin Schwartz is perhaps even more telling: “Without Bill Finger, there wouldn’t have been any Bob Kane.”
May 30, 2012
Bill Finger and a potentially gay Green Lantern
Recently DC Comics announced that one of their top-tier male properties, previously heterosexual, would be reintroduced as gay. Comics press speculation points heavily toward Alan Scott, AKA the original Green Lantern, whose original writer was Bill Finger.
1941 Alan Scott debut
2012 Alan Scott re-debut
Just because it’s proving to be an effective PR hook doesn’t mean there wasn’t an organic reason for going this route. As always, what matters most is the story: it must be good.
What would Bill Finger think of one of his creations coming out? Because he died in 1974, we will never know.
However, I suspect he would have been more at peace with it than many of his generation (born 1914) at least in part because Bill’s only child, Fred, was gay, and his first wife Portia had a strong connection to the gay community.
I have been told that Bill did struggle with Fred’s homosexuality to some degree, but I don’t know if it was ongoing or only for a period immediately after Bill found out. Despite some indications of semi-estrangement, I do believe that ultimately, the relationship between Bill and Fred was one of mutual respect.
If the character in question does prove to be Alan Scott, it will mean that two of Bill Finger’s sons were gay. Of course Bill didn’t choose the sexual orientation for either, but somehow it still makes him seem progressive, like so much else about his work.
1941 Alan Scott debut
2012 Alan Scott re-debutJust because it’s proving to be an effective PR hook doesn’t mean there wasn’t an organic reason for going this route. As always, what matters most is the story: it must be good.
What would Bill Finger think of one of his creations coming out? Because he died in 1974, we will never know.
However, I suspect he would have been more at peace with it than many of his generation (born 1914) at least in part because Bill’s only child, Fred, was gay, and his first wife Portia had a strong connection to the gay community.
I have been told that Bill did struggle with Fred’s homosexuality to some degree, but I don’t know if it was ongoing or only for a period immediately after Bill found out. Despite some indications of semi-estrangement, I do believe that ultimately, the relationship between Bill and Fred was one of mutual respect.
If the character in question does prove to be Alan Scott, it will mean that two of Bill Finger’s sons were gay. Of course Bill didn’t choose the sexual orientation for either, but somehow it still makes him seem progressive, like so much else about his work.
May 28, 2012
Siegel and Shuster action figures (mail-in bonus: Bill Finger!)
Over the last fifteen years, the range of action figures produced has diversified in wild ways, in part thanks to companies like McFarlane Toys and Accoutrements. It's not just G.I. Joe and Star Wars anymore:
Because of this, and because of Boys of Steel: The Creators of Superman and Bill the Boy Wonder: The Secret Co-Creator of Batman, I was inspired to pitch the idea of superhero creator action figures, starting, of course, with Jerry Siegel, Joe Shuster, and Bill Finger. Shakespeare and Oscar Wilde got the nod, so why not some 20th century creatives with significant cultural impact?
Action figures are traditionally a province of superheroes, so it’s a no-brainer both thematically and strategically to give creators of some of these characters the same treatment. Plus such figures could be put to good use beyond pleasing fanboys.
Jerry Siegel, Joe Shuster, and their families have been involved in litigation over Superman on and off since 1947; Bill Finger never got that far. A portion of proceeds of figures made of them could go toward legal fees or simply into a fund for the heirs. Would not be big money, but every little bit helps.
What do you think?
Because of this, and because of Boys of Steel: The Creators of Superman and Bill the Boy Wonder: The Secret Co-Creator of Batman, I was inspired to pitch the idea of superhero creator action figures, starting, of course, with Jerry Siegel, Joe Shuster, and Bill Finger. Shakespeare and Oscar Wilde got the nod, so why not some 20th century creatives with significant cultural impact?Action figures are traditionally a province of superheroes, so it’s a no-brainer both thematically and strategically to give creators of some of these characters the same treatment. Plus such figures could be put to good use beyond pleasing fanboys.
Jerry Siegel, Joe Shuster, and their families have been involved in litigation over Superman on and off since 1947; Bill Finger never got that far. A portion of proceeds of figures made of them could go toward legal fees or simply into a fund for the heirs. Would not be big money, but every little bit helps.
What do you think?
May 27, 2012
“Short Interviews with Interesting People”
Checkpoint, a new site that promotes “Short Interviews with Interesting People,” kindly interviewed me about Bill the Boy Wonder: The Secret Co-Creator of Batman.
Extra points for titling it “NobleBatman.”
An excerpt:
Extra points for titling it “NobleBatman.”
An excerpt:
What prompted you to write your latest book, Bill the Boy Wonder: The Secret Co-Creator of Batman?
As a lifelong superhero fan, the chance to write professionally about Batman (like Superman before him) was in the “dream come true” neighborhood. As an author, the chance to write a story about a subject well known in one respect but completely mysterious in another was an exhilarating challenge. As a marketing person, the chance to write a nonfiction book on a subject that hasn’t been the focus of its own book before was strategically appealing.
May 24, 2012
"...so memorable...will make the lasting impression he deserves"
The first official review!
5/15/12
[Emphases mine.]
5/15/12It turns out that Batman—the orphaned, shadowy, well-heeled defender of an embattled Gotham—had another embarrassment of riches: two fathers.
Spend any time with Batman in DC Comics and you will have seen it: “Created by Bob Kane.” Only half true. Cartoonist Bob did come up with a prototype, but it was writer Bill Finger who fashioned Batman into the night-tripping, class-and-trash, hero-and-villain intimidator in the pointy-eared cowl whom we have come to love, the superhero without superpowers. This testament to credit due from Nobleman is seriously researched—as the six-page author’s note attests—yet light on its feet, and the artwork from Templeton has all the lush, emotive brushwork one expects from Batman. But what makes this sketch of Finger so memorable is its intimacy with the characters, the way in which it coaxes out an engaging vulnerability in Finger and, by association, with Batman. “Bob’s greatest talent may have been the ability to recognize other talent. His greatest flaw may have been the inability to honor that talent. Bill’s greatest flaw may have been the inability to defend his talent. His greatest talent was the ability to forge legends.”
Though Finger has been a known commodity to comics cognoscenti for years, this salute in his own format will make the lasting impression he deserves. (Graphic biography. 8 & up)
[Emphases mine.]
May 23, 2012
Reactions to my Nevada Reading Week keynote and workshops
On 2/11/12, I spoke three times at my third Nevada Reading Week Conference in Reno. The theme was “Make a Date with History,” and I felt right at home because I do that for a living.
After, the organizers of the conference send the presenters feedback from the attendees; it comes anonymously on thin handwritten slips.
This year, I gave a diverse, hourlong keynote; a small part of it was my story of trying to publish a story I’m particularly passionate about.
Of all the topics I covered, I was thrilled to see that many people enthusiastically singled out that story, Thirty Minutes Over Oregon.
Here are some of my favorite comments about the book-to-hopefully-be:
Selected transcriptions (Thirty Minutes Over Oregon):
"Very interesting—this is great history no one knows about. I hope it will be published soon."
"I am interested in Thirty Minutes Over Oregon. Hopefully it will be published."
"Want to read Thirty Minutes Over Oregon."
"Especially poignant was the publishing process story of the Japanese [pilot] who bombed Oregon."
"The Japanese bomber story was amazing."
"Hope the Oregon book goes public."
"Loved his story about Thirty Minutes Over Oregon and hope it gets published."
"Interesting Oregon bombing story!"
"The sad story of a great story not yet finding a publisher."
This round bodes as well as the first in assuring me that a sizable and eager audience does indeed exist for this story.
The other keynote feedback I was fortunate to receive was as humbling; a selection:
Selected transcriptions (keynote):
"Wow—Marc was awesome...he has done some awesome research to share with the world."
"Great stories. Human side of writers. Humble. Caring. Genuine."
"Second time I've seen him—just as good as the first! Superheroes are not my thing but Marc made them so interesting."
"Great speaker! What a charming story."
"Great storyteller! Can't wait to read his books!"
"Interesting, inspiring, thorough, and clever."
"Riveting keynote!"
"He is funny! Great presenter!"
"Marc so naturally brought forth his passion...also he certainly show[ed] how caring for others brings satisfaction."
"Terrific comic book and superhero historian."
"Very entertaining. Great details. Interesting information. Very thorough."
"It made me want to buy his books. His humor was fun."
"Loved the show of emotion."
"Quite an entertaining talk!"
"I enjoyed his passion."
"Wonderful humor."
"He was real and used material that was important and relevant to students."
"Excellent. Very interesting!"
"Loved his honesty as a writer."
"Very funny and entertaining...also very passionate."
"Overall terrific presentation."
"Extremely interesting."
Selected feedback on my workshops:
Selected transcriptions (workshops):
"Another excellent presentation by Marc Tyler Nobleman."
"Engaging speaker. Great stories."
"Energizing and delightful."
"Very enjoyable. Will be looking at his blog!"
"Encouraging and creative ideas to use nonfiction in the classroom."
"Marc gives great, specific details. Wonderful presenter!"
Thank you again for having me, NRW. You know I will come back anytime.
After, the organizers of the conference send the presenters feedback from the attendees; it comes anonymously on thin handwritten slips.
This year, I gave a diverse, hourlong keynote; a small part of it was my story of trying to publish a story I’m particularly passionate about.
Of all the topics I covered, I was thrilled to see that many people enthusiastically singled out that story, Thirty Minutes Over Oregon.
Here are some of my favorite comments about the book-to-hopefully-be:
Selected transcriptions (Thirty Minutes Over Oregon):"Very interesting—this is great history no one knows about. I hope it will be published soon."
"I am interested in Thirty Minutes Over Oregon. Hopefully it will be published."
"Want to read Thirty Minutes Over Oregon."
"Especially poignant was the publishing process story of the Japanese [pilot] who bombed Oregon."
"The Japanese bomber story was amazing."
"Hope the Oregon book goes public."
"Loved his story about Thirty Minutes Over Oregon and hope it gets published."
"Interesting Oregon bombing story!"
"The sad story of a great story not yet finding a publisher."
This round bodes as well as the first in assuring me that a sizable and eager audience does indeed exist for this story.
The other keynote feedback I was fortunate to receive was as humbling; a selection:
Selected transcriptions (keynote):"Wow—Marc was awesome...he has done some awesome research to share with the world."
"Great stories. Human side of writers. Humble. Caring. Genuine."
"Second time I've seen him—just as good as the first! Superheroes are not my thing but Marc made them so interesting."
"Great speaker! What a charming story."
"Great storyteller! Can't wait to read his books!"
"Interesting, inspiring, thorough, and clever."
"Riveting keynote!"
"He is funny! Great presenter!"
"Marc so naturally brought forth his passion...also he certainly show[ed] how caring for others brings satisfaction."
"Terrific comic book and superhero historian."
"Very entertaining. Great details. Interesting information. Very thorough."
"It made me want to buy his books. His humor was fun."
"Loved the show of emotion."
"Quite an entertaining talk!"
"I enjoyed his passion."
"Wonderful humor."
"He was real and used material that was important and relevant to students."
"Excellent. Very interesting!"
"Loved his honesty as a writer."
"Very funny and entertaining...also very passionate."
"Overall terrific presentation."
"Extremely interesting."
Selected feedback on my workshops:
Selected transcriptions (workshops):"Another excellent presentation by Marc Tyler Nobleman."
"Engaging speaker. Great stories."
"Energizing and delightful."
"Very enjoyable. Will be looking at his blog!"
"Encouraging and creative ideas to use nonfiction in the classroom."
"Marc gives great, specific details. Wonderful presenter!"
Thank you again for having me, NRW. You know I will come back anytime.
May 22, 2012
Celebrity doppelgangers
Authors’ public presence is usually low-watt compared to other entertainers such as actors and musicians. Most authors do not get recognized on the street. Certainly not this one:
But at some point, most of us hear that we look like someone famous. Over the years, I’ve gotten a broad range. While I was flattered by most of these impressions, frankly, I didn’t see it with any of them beforehand.
According to camp friends in 1987:
Ferris Bueller (Matthew Broderick)
Don’t remember who said it, but heard most of these multiple times (coincidentally, all are comedians):
Bob Saget
Ben Stiller
Jerry Seinfeld
Seth Meyers
According to kids at schools I’ve spoken at since 2008:
Wolverine (Hugh Jackman; I’m laughing, too;
granted I don’t shave every day, but still…)
Superman (yes, laughing again, but honored at the same time)
Oh, to be completist, a high school friend said the guy at the end of this commercial reminded her of me:
But at some point, most of us hear that we look like someone famous. Over the years, I’ve gotten a broad range. While I was flattered by most of these impressions, frankly, I didn’t see it with any of them beforehand.According to camp friends in 1987:
Ferris Bueller (Matthew Broderick)Don’t remember who said it, but heard most of these multiple times (coincidentally, all are comedians):
Bob Saget
Ben Stiller
Jerry Seinfeld
Seth MeyersAccording to kids at schools I’ve spoken at since 2008:
Wolverine (Hugh Jackman; I’m laughing, too;granted I don’t shave every day, but still…)
Superman (yes, laughing again, but honored at the same time)Oh, to be completist, a high school friend said the guy at the end of this commercial reminded her of me:
May 21, 2012
"The Dark Knight Rises" and "Bill the Boy Wonder"
Batman is one of our greatest fictional champions of justice, so it is cruelly ironic that the story of where he came from hides a gross injustice: the man largely responsible for him receives no official credit.
What’s more, co-creator and original writer Bill Finger is the one who first called Batman “the Dark Knight,” yet Bill’s name will not appear in the credits of The Dark Knight Rises (nor did it in The Dark Knight). The nickname “Dark Knight” is so iconic that the word “Batman” doesn’t even need to appear with it; meanwhile, the mind behind it is left in the dark.
Yet I came up with one way to link Bill with the movie and hopefully do some good for my book in the process.
I individually e-mailed the following flyer to hundreds of independent bookstores across the country:
Bill the Boy Wonder: The Secret Co-Creator of Batman publishes July 1.
The Dark Knight Rises opens July 20.
My proposed course of action for the bookstores is simple:
Ask the nearest cinemas if they will hand out the flyer to people who buy tickets to TDKR.
That’s it.
If even the smallest fraction of moviegoers goes for the same-day incentive, I’d consider this effort a success. In part that is because the smallest fraction of the projected audience of the movie—1.939 zajillion—is several nations unto themselves.
As it stands, I couldn’t figure how to extra-sweeten the deal for the cinemas…but they have nothing to lose, either.
Perhaps they’ll view this as value-added, serving their customers some historical perspective with their blockbuster. Perhaps they’ll feel a moral obligation to do their part for Finger when so many (but not Finger) will be making so much on his genius. Perhaps they just like Batman.
Bookstores, if you set the discount, and cinemas, if we provide the flyers, who’s in?
What’s more, co-creator and original writer Bill Finger is the one who first called Batman “the Dark Knight,” yet Bill’s name will not appear in the credits of The Dark Knight Rises (nor did it in The Dark Knight). The nickname “Dark Knight” is so iconic that the word “Batman” doesn’t even need to appear with it; meanwhile, the mind behind it is left in the dark.
Yet I came up with one way to link Bill with the movie and hopefully do some good for my book in the process.
I individually e-mailed the following flyer to hundreds of independent bookstores across the country:
Bill the Boy Wonder: The Secret Co-Creator of Batman publishes July 1.The Dark Knight Rises opens July 20.
My proposed course of action for the bookstores is simple:
Ask the nearest cinemas if they will hand out the flyer to people who buy tickets to TDKR.
That’s it.
If even the smallest fraction of moviegoers goes for the same-day incentive, I’d consider this effort a success. In part that is because the smallest fraction of the projected audience of the movie—1.939 zajillion—is several nations unto themselves.
As it stands, I couldn’t figure how to extra-sweeten the deal for the cinemas…but they have nothing to lose, either.
Perhaps they’ll view this as value-added, serving their customers some historical perspective with their blockbuster. Perhaps they’ll feel a moral obligation to do their part for Finger when so many (but not Finger) will be making so much on his genius. Perhaps they just like Batman.
Bookstores, if you set the discount, and cinemas, if we provide the flyers, who’s in?
