Marc Tyler Nobleman's Blog, page 57
November 10, 2015
Rejections for my cartoons
From 1998-2003 and then in spurts since, I split my time between writing books and writing (plus drawing) single panel cartoons.
Here are four of my favorite responses to submissions—two rejections, one acceptance, and one something else. This was back when things were done on paper, via postal mail.
Punch was an influential, long-running humor magazine in the United Kingdom. In fact, it helped define “cartoon” to mean a humorous illustration.This part of the last line of the letter is what sells it:
“To be honest, I don’t think you stand much chance.”(I went on to license cartoons to Punch fairly regularly till it folded in 2002. I alsobefriended this editor, Steve Way.)
Not all Playboy cartoons have adult themes.I tried unsuccessfully to sell to the magazinefor a while, then sent a note with samples to Playboy CEO Christie Hefner because sheand I both went to Brandeis University(separated by 20 years). Again, the lastline is what made this a keeper.
A bit more than six months later...
(Different editor. First of several cartoons I licensed to HBR. The moral: as long as no one will get hurt, try whatever you want as many times as you want to.)
Here are four of my favorite responses to submissions—two rejections, one acceptance, and one something else. This was back when things were done on paper, via postal mail.
Punch was an influential, long-running humor magazine in the United Kingdom. In fact, it helped define “cartoon” to mean a humorous illustration.This part of the last line of the letter is what sells it:“To be honest, I don’t think you stand much chance.”(I went on to license cartoons to Punch fairly regularly till it folded in 2002. I alsobefriended this editor, Steve Way.)
Not all Playboy cartoons have adult themes.I tried unsuccessfully to sell to the magazinefor a while, then sent a note with samples to Playboy CEO Christie Hefner because sheand I both went to Brandeis University(separated by 20 years). Again, the lastline is what made this a keeper.
A bit more than six months later...
(Different editor. First of several cartoons I licensed to HBR. The moral: as long as no one will get hurt, try whatever you want as many times as you want to.)
November 8, 2015
“Brave Like My Brother” uncorrected proof
My next book out is a WWII novel told in letters, Brave Like My Brother. Love that title—and I can say that, because I didn’t come up with it! (Thank you, Scholastic!)
My copies of the uncorrected proof recently arrived (the only correction I found is a rogue comma that must be terminated) and look precisely like this:
As you can see (even before they see it), I have my own band of brothers.
The book will release in hardcover in the summer of 2016.
My copies of the uncorrected proof recently arrived (the only correction I found is a rogue comma that must be terminated) and look precisely like this:
As you can see (even before they see it), I have my own band of brothers.
The book will release in hardcover in the summer of 2016.
November 7, 2015
Bill Finger in print as Batman co-creator…in 1966!
My friend Steven Thompson made a startling discovery…the earliest known instance of Bill Finger being listed in print as equal partner to Bob Kane in creating Batman. In fact, Bill’s name appears first.
Zooming in:
To quote Steve:
Zooming in:
To quote Steve:
There’s no writer listed and I thought it was a wire service report but there are local theater references. Of course, they could have been edited in locally TO a wire service report. I used to work for a newspaper and I know that was done fairly often. BUT...I couldn’t find it in any other papers available through Newspapers.com which means it MAY have actually been local in Kansas.
November 6, 2015
Hurricanes and fire alarms vs. SCBWI conference
On 10/24/15, I had the privilege of speaking and mentoring fellow writers at the SCBWI Mid-Atlantic 2015 conference in Virginia. I spoke once to the general assembly and met with ten aspiring writers for 15 minutes each to discuss their picture book manuscripts.
I had it easy.
The only thing that went wrong for me was that the PowerPoint was glitchy due to a temperamental connection. It got to the point that an event organizer and a hotel rep had take turns manually holding a cable in place or else the screen would go blue or go bust.
Meanwhile, keynote author Kathi Appelt had valiantly tried to get out of Texas only to be thwarted by the historic Hurricane Patricia. So she turned around from the airport, went home, and delivered her charming keynote by Skype...
...during which the hotel fire alarm went off. And stayed on for longer than any fire alarm I recall—must have been five minutes and felt even longer due to the piercing sound. (This was the second time I’d been at an author event dramatically interrupted by a fire alarm…)
Kathi weathered that snafu like she’d weathered the weather, and the audience loved her more.
During my talk, I show a photo of Bob Kane’s grave, and an eagle-eyed attendee noticed that it happened to be his 100th birthday. I asked that we not sing “Happy Birthday” to him. Everyone understood.
Thank you to Erin Teagan, Val Patterson, and everyone else who enabled me to be there and who overcame these stressful surprises with grace. Good show!
Some reaction from the attendees:
I had it easy.
The only thing that went wrong for me was that the PowerPoint was glitchy due to a temperamental connection. It got to the point that an event organizer and a hotel rep had take turns manually holding a cable in place or else the screen would go blue or go bust.
Meanwhile, keynote author Kathi Appelt had valiantly tried to get out of Texas only to be thwarted by the historic Hurricane Patricia. So she turned around from the airport, went home, and delivered her charming keynote by Skype...
...during which the hotel fire alarm went off. And stayed on for longer than any fire alarm I recall—must have been five minutes and felt even longer due to the piercing sound. (This was the second time I’d been at an author event dramatically interrupted by a fire alarm…)
Kathi weathered that snafu like she’d weathered the weather, and the audience loved her more.
During my talk, I show a photo of Bob Kane’s grave, and an eagle-eyed attendee noticed that it happened to be his 100th birthday. I asked that we not sing “Happy Birthday” to him. Everyone understood.
Thank you to Erin Teagan, Val Patterson, and everyone else who enabled me to be there and who overcame these stressful surprises with grace. Good show!
Some reaction from the attendees:
November 5, 2015
Brownstone Intermediate and Gildersleeve Elementary, Portland, CT
On 10/22/15, I got to see a town new to me in my home state: Portland, CT. I spoke at two lovely schools, Brownstone and Gildersleeve.
Brownstone was built in 1932, so naturally I asked if it hid any ghost stories.
I was told yes. The story given as an example was the rumor that the school used to have a bowling alley. They did not state this explicitly, but I am going to believe that phantoms bowl there now...
The auditorium in which I spoke featured two unretouched paintings dating back to the Great Depression, done under the Works Progress Administration.
It also boasted a dinosaur skeleton, but alas, I did not get the story behind that.
In its cafeteria, Gildersleeve posted fun facts about nutrition and foods from around the world. More schools should do this! A huge, daily opportunity for a teachable moment!
Doesn’t Gildersleeve sound like the forgotten fifth house of Hogwarts?
Thank you to both schools for welcoming me!
Brownstone was built in 1932, so naturally I asked if it hid any ghost stories.
I was told yes. The story given as an example was the rumor that the school used to have a bowling alley. They did not state this explicitly, but I am going to believe that phantoms bowl there now...
The auditorium in which I spoke featured two unretouched paintings dating back to the Great Depression, done under the Works Progress Administration.
It also boasted a dinosaur skeleton, but alas, I did not get the story behind that.
In its cafeteria, Gildersleeve posted fun facts about nutrition and foods from around the world. More schools should do this! A huge, daily opportunity for a teachable moment!
Doesn’t Gildersleeve sound like the forgotten fifth house of Hogwarts?
Thank you to both schools for welcoming me!
November 4, 2015
Bill Finger credited in Batman-related comics, week 3
Week 1 of the corrected credit—three titles.
Week 2—six titles (not counting weekly print series where the credit had already appeared).
Week 3—two titles (but one is the big ticket item):
Detective Comics #46(the series in which Batman began)
Batman: Arkham Knight #10
Week 2—six titles (not counting weekly print series where the credit had already appeared).
Week 3—two titles (but one is the big ticket item):
Detective Comics #46(the series in which Batman began)
Batman: Arkham Knight #10
November 3, 2015
Coincidences: Batman, Hollywood Walk of Fame, and family
Bill Finger was name-dropped three times during the ceremony to unveil Bob Kane’s star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame:
18:09 loud applause25:3730:30 by Jim Lee
The woman in the white blouse is the widow of Bob Kane.
By the way…
Bob Kane’s Hollywood Walk of Fame was unveiled on 10/21/15. Bill Finger’s co-creator credit in Batman comics was unveiled…on 10/21/15.
I would not be surprised if DC hoped that the Finger credit would overshadow the Kane star!
(Also on 10/21/15: Marty McFly time-traveled from 1985.)
My personal Bill/Bob coincidence:
My paternal grandfather died in early 1974. So did Bill Finger. My paternal grandma died on 11/3/98. So did Bob Kane. Yes, SAME DAY.
Frank and Bertha Nobleman, August 1962
18:09 loud applause25:3730:30 by Jim Lee
The woman in the white blouse is the widow of Bob Kane.
By the way…
Bob Kane’s Hollywood Walk of Fame was unveiled on 10/21/15. Bill Finger’s co-creator credit in Batman comics was unveiled…on 10/21/15.
I would not be surprised if DC hoped that the Finger credit would overshadow the Kane star!
(Also on 10/21/15: Marty McFly time-traveled from 1985.)
My personal Bill/Bob coincidence:
My paternal grandfather died in early 1974. So did Bill Finger. My paternal grandma died on 11/3/98. So did Bob Kane. Yes, SAME DAY.
Frank and Bertha Nobleman, August 1962
October 31, 2015
A ghostly disclaimer
In 2007, my book Ghost Hunting Handbook came out. Perhaps you missed it (like a ghost itself).
Upon revisiting it recently, I saw that I missed—or rather forgot—something about it…the copyright page has no ordinary disclaimer:
Upon revisiting it recently, I saw that I missed—or rather forgot—something about it…the copyright page has no ordinary disclaimer:
October 28, 2015
Bill Finger credited in Batman-related comics, week 2
Week 1 of the corrected credit—three titles.
Week 2—six titles (not counting print series where the credit has already appeared, namely Batman & Robin Eternal):
Batgirl #45
Batman ‘66 #28
Grayson #13
Justice League: Darkseid War—Batman #1
Robin: Son of Batman #5
We Are Robin #5 (but please all-cap either both names or neither!)
And we haven’t even gotten to flagships Batman or Detective Comics.
We Are Bill Finger.
Week 2—six titles (not counting print series where the credit has already appeared, namely Batman & Robin Eternal):
Batgirl #45
Batman ‘66 #28
Grayson #13
Justice League: Darkseid War—Batman #1
Robin: Son of Batman #5
We Are Robin #5 (but please all-cap either both names or neither!) And we haven’t even gotten to flagships Batman or Detective Comics.
We Are Bill Finger.
October 22, 2015
Speaking to graduate students about nonfiction
Thank you, Susannah Richards, for inviting me to talk with your Eastern Connecticut State University students on 10/20/15 about the blurred lines of nonfiction.
Favorite topic! Fun group! Let’s do it again!
And special thanks for your most kind comment here:
Favorite topic! Fun group! Let’s do it again!
And special thanks for your most kind comment here:
