Marc Tyler Nobleman's Blog, page 14
March 10, 2021
New addition to the Maryland Arts Directory
Thank you again to the Maryland State Arts Council for adding me to the Maryland Arts Directory as a Touring Artist. I’m also under consideration to be added as a Teaching Artist.
Maryland Arts Directory is a free online platform that showcases the high-caliber, diverse, and relevant work of Maryland’s artists and arts organizations. If the previous sentence sounds to you like a direct quotation from their site, you are astute.
My Artist’s Statement: “My goal is to inspire people to persist. My presentations are brimming with wit and twists.”
Maryland Arts Directory is a free online platform that showcases the high-caliber, diverse, and relevant work of Maryland’s artists and arts organizations. If the previous sentence sounds to you like a direct quotation from their site, you are astute.
My Artist’s Statement: “My goal is to inspire people to persist. My presentations are brimming with wit and twists.”
March 2, 2021
School visit 2019 vs. now
school visit 2019:
email contract to schoolensure school signs and returns contract make travel plans/reset forgotten passwordsmake sure certain clothes are washedpack those clothespack flash drivepack clickerpack wipes (I was doing this long before COVID)check if state you are going to uses EZ-Passif so, pack EZ-Passforget to pack something (headphones? portable charger? socks?)get in as much family time as you can before you leavecheck in online for flightdoublecheck that your airline rewards number is on the reservation traveldoublecheck that your hotel rewards number is on the reservation enter school address into GPS night before to determine when to leave hotelcatch up on the work you couldn’t do while in transitplace towel on floor so you won’t touch hotel carpet when doing a workout(if it snowed overnight but school was not canceled) build in 5 extra minutes to clean off rental car (10 if it does not have ice scraper)figure out breakfast place on the way with food more edible than what the hotel serves accidentally run over cone kindly reserving your parking spacescan license in school officemeet host check tech fill water bottlesmile at the audiencedo your thingsign bookseat Panera with kids in libraryfist-bump your way out (I was doing this long before COVID; have not high-fived since 2014)return to get flash drive you forgot in the school laptopfill up rental car gas tanksay hi to fellow school-visiting author you bump into at airportgo home
school visit now:
email contract to schoolensure school signs and returns contract remind family not to vacuum or drop anything for the next little bitwalk downstairs to home office(optional) raise standing deskturn on computersmile at the dotdo your thinggo back upstairs
Both have advantages. Both have disadvantages. I love both ways. But, of course, I cannot wait to be back in a school in person.
email contract to schoolensure school signs and returns contract make travel plans/reset forgotten passwordsmake sure certain clothes are washedpack those clothespack flash drivepack clickerpack wipes (I was doing this long before COVID)check if state you are going to uses EZ-Passif so, pack EZ-Passforget to pack something (headphones? portable charger? socks?)get in as much family time as you can before you leavecheck in online for flightdoublecheck that your airline rewards number is on the reservation traveldoublecheck that your hotel rewards number is on the reservation enter school address into GPS night before to determine when to leave hotelcatch up on the work you couldn’t do while in transitplace towel on floor so you won’t touch hotel carpet when doing a workout(if it snowed overnight but school was not canceled) build in 5 extra minutes to clean off rental car (10 if it does not have ice scraper)figure out breakfast place on the way with food more edible than what the hotel serves accidentally run over cone kindly reserving your parking spacescan license in school officemeet host check tech fill water bottlesmile at the audiencedo your thingsign bookseat Panera with kids in libraryfist-bump your way out (I was doing this long before COVID; have not high-fived since 2014)return to get flash drive you forgot in the school laptopfill up rental car gas tanksay hi to fellow school-visiting author you bump into at airportgo home
school visit now:
email contract to schoolensure school signs and returns contract remind family not to vacuum or drop anything for the next little bitwalk downstairs to home office(optional) raise standing deskturn on computersmile at the dotdo your thinggo back upstairs
Both have advantages. Both have disadvantages. I love both ways. But, of course, I cannot wait to be back in a school in person.
March 1, 2021
Proving people wrong
Friend and fellow writer and illustrator and superb presenter and other things Mike Rex recently reached out to suggest an especially eclectic topic for a picture book. I thought it sounded really fun and I can see kids loving it. Both of us are loaded up with other projects so neither of us is planning to pursue the idea at the moment, but in case Mike ever chooses to, I’ll be vague: it’s about a creature. And it’s a true story.
I was flattered Mike thought of me for this (I am generally flattered anytime anyone thinks of me for anything). He explained why (and allowed me to quote him here):
“Not sure if it’s picture book material...but then again you’ve made a career of proving people wrong with that!”
Though I probably shouldn’t lead with that in pitches, I’m again flattered.
I was flattered Mike thought of me for this (I am generally flattered anytime anyone thinks of me for anything). He explained why (and allowed me to quote him here):
“Not sure if it’s picture book material...but then again you’ve made a career of proving people wrong with that!”
Though I probably shouldn’t lead with that in pitches, I’m again flattered.
February 28, 2021
Nothing worthwhile comes easy
Bill the Boy Wonder: The Secret Co-Creator of Batman was rejected 34 times over three years, then helped correct a high-profile cultural injustice.
Batman & Bill (2017) was the third attempt at making a documentary about Bill Finger. The first two attempts (2008 and 2011) failed.
Convincing New York City to honor Bill Finger took more than five years.
Don’t give up.
Batman & Bill (2017) was the third attempt at making a documentary about Bill Finger. The first two attempts (2008 and 2011) failed.
Convincing New York City to honor Bill Finger took more than five years.
Don’t give up.
February 27, 2021
Non-Jewish bakery in Germany lends a hand
My wife set out to surprise our daughter, currently in school outside Hamburg, Germany, with hamantaschen (triangular cookies commonly filled with fruit and traditional for Purim). Sadly, it seems the area has no Jewish bakeries.
Daniela contacted a few “secular” bakeries to ask if any would help.
The one to accept the challenge happens to be in Hamburg’s infamous red-light district (also famous as the place where the Beatles began to rise to international prominence).
The owner said “Send me the recipe and I’ll send her the hamantaschen.”
Turns out this unassuming bakery in this unlikely location has a history of doing good in other ways. Next time you’re in Hamburg, please give them some business.
Daniela contacted a few “secular” bakeries to ask if any would help.
The one to accept the challenge happens to be in Hamburg’s infamous red-light district (also famous as the place where the Beatles began to rise to international prominence).
The owner said “Send me the recipe and I’ll send her the hamantaschen.”
Turns out this unassuming bakery in this unlikely location has a history of doing good in other ways. Next time you’re in Hamburg, please give them some business.
February 25, 2021
Bill Finger graphic biography in Brazil
In January 2019, I received a lovely email from a Brazilian entrepreneur and writer named Diego Moreau. At the end of 2018, he and his business partner, Douglas Freitas, started a publishing house for books and comics. It’s called Skript.
Their first title, Teatro do Pavor (Theater of Dread) was an anthology of short stories about the myths of Brazilian folklore.
Then they turned their attention to Gotham folklore.
Later that year, they published Bill Finger—A verdadeira história do Cavaleiro das Trevas (Bill Finger—The True Story of the Dark Knight). It was co-written in Portuguese by Diego and Douglas, illustrated by Sandro Zambi.
It’s exhaustively researched and laden with rich art and new approaches. The dedication is humbling (and evocatively presented).
An English version is on its way.
Here is a scene with Bill’s granddaughter Athena and me, and no, we had not just gotten engaged. 😊
I can’t wait to share more about the book when the time is right.
In the meantime, here are three of my favorite passages from Diego’s emails over the months:
“My daughter asked me to send you a pic of one of our cats. His name is Gotham. She and my wife chose the name in order to tell me: ‘Diego, Gotham needs you.’”“About my daughter, while we were choosing her name, there was Selina on the list. My wife politely pretended she did not see it.”“If I have any question, I'll lit up the Bat-Signal for help.”
Diego and Gotham
Congrats to the Skript team. Thanks for spreading word about Bill in such an inviting way.
Their first title, Teatro do Pavor (Theater of Dread) was an anthology of short stories about the myths of Brazilian folklore.
Then they turned their attention to Gotham folklore.
Later that year, they published Bill Finger—A verdadeira história do Cavaleiro das Trevas (Bill Finger—The True Story of the Dark Knight). It was co-written in Portuguese by Diego and Douglas, illustrated by Sandro Zambi.
It’s exhaustively researched and laden with rich art and new approaches. The dedication is humbling (and evocatively presented).
An English version is on its way.
Here is a scene with Bill’s granddaughter Athena and me, and no, we had not just gotten engaged. 😊
I can’t wait to share more about the book when the time is right.
In the meantime, here are three of my favorite passages from Diego’s emails over the months:
“My daughter asked me to send you a pic of one of our cats. His name is Gotham. She and my wife chose the name in order to tell me: ‘Diego, Gotham needs you.’”“About my daughter, while we were choosing her name, there was Selina on the list. My wife politely pretended she did not see it.”“If I have any question, I'll lit up the Bat-Signal for help.”
Diego and GothamCongrats to the Skript team. Thanks for spreading word about Bill in such an inviting way.
February 23, 2021
Another Boy of Steel with “Boys of Steel”
Turns out a college friend’s daughter’s boyfriend is a super-son—in fact, the son of the first-ever superhero, Superman.
His name is Alex Garfin. He’s an actor portraying one of the twin sons of Superman and Lois Lane in a show debuting tonight, Superman & Lois.
In September 2020, my college friend asked to buy a signed copy of Boys of Steel: The Creators of Superman to give Alex as a gift/study guide. I said I’d be happy to mail a book but that I wouldn’t charge anyone doing a solid for the Kent family. (Well, I don’t charge anyone. I’m not a bookstore.)
Oddly, this is the third time I’ve sent Boys of Steel to a Superboy. And like the others, Alex was game for some Steel photography.
His name is Alex Garfin. He’s an actor portraying one of the twin sons of Superman and Lois Lane in a show debuting tonight, Superman & Lois.
In September 2020, my college friend asked to buy a signed copy of Boys of Steel: The Creators of Superman to give Alex as a gift/study guide. I said I’d be happy to mail a book but that I wouldn’t charge anyone doing a solid for the Kent family. (Well, I don’t charge anyone. I’m not a bookstore.)
Oddly, this is the third time I’ve sent Boys of Steel to a Superboy. And like the others, Alex was game for some Steel photography.
February 21, 2021
The first time books saved my life
No, not in a melodramatic movie-of-the-week way. I was not on the verge of self-destruction. It was more literal.
When I was 3 or 4, I wandered off at the mall. My terrified parents soon found me safe…sitting on the floor of a bookstore, surrounded by books, lost not only in a shopping center but also in a book.
No photo of that, of course, but here’s a proxy (the first known photo of me with a book):
Though I still love reading and (no surprise) grew to love writing, I wouldn’t go so far as to say that books have saved me at any point since because I have had the blessing of a mostly trauma-free life. But something doesn't have to save you to help build or fulfill you.
When I was 3 or 4, I wandered off at the mall. My terrified parents soon found me safe…sitting on the floor of a bookstore, surrounded by books, lost not only in a shopping center but also in a book.
No photo of that, of course, but here’s a proxy (the first known photo of me with a book):
Though I still love reading and (no surprise) grew to love writing, I wouldn’t go so far as to say that books have saved me at any point since because I have had the blessing of a mostly trauma-free life. But something doesn't have to save you to help build or fulfill you.
February 19, 2021
Best of the blog 2020
This blog launched on 2/19/08.
Every February 19, I share the posts of the previous 12 months that I feel are most worth a look.
This year's roll call:
Finger family mysteries: Bill's mothers and "sisters"first time lapse of the 9.5-block route Jerry Siegel ran to show Joe Shuster his idea for Superman (Cleveland, 1933)a stranger willing to hear me out on the Black Lives Matter movementfirst official credit for various DC superheroesquirky daily activities for families during COVID-19 stay-at-home orders (or anytime)RIP Henry Grimes (jazz pioneer and one of the people profiled in my book Vanished: True Stories of the Missing)oral history of 1990s drama My So-Called Lifeinterview with the actress who co-starred in director Steven Spielberg's first commercial release, the short film Amblin' (1968)RIP Emily Manasch (Bill Finger's half-sister, who died in 2018)
Every February 19, I share the posts of the previous 12 months that I feel are most worth a look.
This year's roll call:
Finger family mysteries: Bill's mothers and "sisters"first time lapse of the 9.5-block route Jerry Siegel ran to show Joe Shuster his idea for Superman (Cleveland, 1933)a stranger willing to hear me out on the Black Lives Matter movementfirst official credit for various DC superheroesquirky daily activities for families during COVID-19 stay-at-home orders (or anytime)RIP Henry Grimes (jazz pioneer and one of the people profiled in my book Vanished: True Stories of the Missing)oral history of 1990s drama My So-Called Lifeinterview with the actress who co-starred in director Steven Spielberg's first commercial release, the short film Amblin' (1968)RIP Emily Manasch (Bill Finger's half-sister, who died in 2018)
February 18, 2021
“Thirty Minutes Over Oregon” draws out art
My college friend/fifth grade teacher Sara Peters told me that Thirty Minutes Over Oregon: A Japanese Pilot’s World War II Story is one of several books in a unit on empathy that she teaches.
A classroom focus on empathy is alone enough to make my heart soar, but there’s more.
The kids were asked to create an artistic response to one of the books. Some of her students at Miller School in Holliston, MA, were moved in some way by the story of Nobuo Fujita, who bombed the U.S. mainland in 1942, then returned twenty years later…to apologize.
Here is their lovely work:
It may be that neither girls nor non-white students are among the Thirty Minutes Over Oregon artists. But I’m thrilled at the range of the other books the class could choose from:
Big Jabe written by Jerdine Nolen, illustrated by Kadir Nelson The Crane Girl written by Curtis Manley, illustrated by Lin Wang Dona Flor written by Pat Mora, illustrated by Raul Colón Mrs. Katz and Tush written by Patricia Polacco My Man Blue written by Nikki Grimes, illustrated by Jerome Lagarrigue Shooting at the Stars written and illustrated by John Hendrix Smoky Night written by Eve Bunting, illustrated by David Diaz Swamp Angel written by Anne Isaacs, illustrated by Paul O. Zelinsky The Village That Vanished written by Ann Grifalconi, illustrated by Kadir Nelson
Stiff competition. I am humbled to be among them.
Thanks again for sharing, Sara. Empathy is not a given. It must be modeled!
A classroom focus on empathy is alone enough to make my heart soar, but there’s more.
The kids were asked to create an artistic response to one of the books. Some of her students at Miller School in Holliston, MA, were moved in some way by the story of Nobuo Fujita, who bombed the U.S. mainland in 1942, then returned twenty years later…to apologize.
Here is their lovely work:
It may be that neither girls nor non-white students are among the Thirty Minutes Over Oregon artists. But I’m thrilled at the range of the other books the class could choose from:
Big Jabe written by Jerdine Nolen, illustrated by Kadir Nelson The Crane Girl written by Curtis Manley, illustrated by Lin Wang Dona Flor written by Pat Mora, illustrated by Raul Colón Mrs. Katz and Tush written by Patricia Polacco My Man Blue written by Nikki Grimes, illustrated by Jerome Lagarrigue Shooting at the Stars written and illustrated by John Hendrix Smoky Night written by Eve Bunting, illustrated by David Diaz Swamp Angel written by Anne Isaacs, illustrated by Paul O. Zelinsky The Village That Vanished written by Ann Grifalconi, illustrated by Kadir Nelson
Stiff competition. I am humbled to be among them.
Thanks again for sharing, Sara. Empathy is not a given. It must be modeled!
