Marc Tyler Nobleman's Blog, page 73

“Nickelodeon” Magazine piece: Airplane banners

© Nickelodeon; no reuse without permission.

“Nickelodeon” Magazine piece: High-tech lullabies

Written in 2001, this was my first sale to the now-defunct Nickelodeon Magazine. I am astounded that any of the technological references in it do not seem dated.

© Nickelodeon; no reuse without permission.

Public service announcement: this is NOT Bill Finger

Multiple sites—including Google, perpetually—identify this as Bill Finger:


Multiple times I’ve notified them that it is actually Gardner Fox—and I’ve already mentioned it here—yet it remains unchanged.

It’s bad enough that Bill remains officially uncredited for his work, so the least we can do is properly credit his face.

For the record, this is Bill Finger…multiple times.

My Bill Finger tribute in the 2014 Comic-Con souvenir book

An honor that prompted me to jump up and down (once) in my hotel room when I first saw it:

Bill Finger and creators rights in “New York Times”

On 8/6/14, The New York Times ran an article about the rights of comics creators. It was written by Dave Itzkoff, whom I’ve been following on Twitter, so it was especially fun to hear from him. (We’d not been in direct touch before.) And, of course, it’s an honor to be quoted in the Times (my first time)—especially with respect to Bill Finger.

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One of my quotations, however, is missing a pivotal word:

“My doing all this is not because of some belief that I will be able to change things. I know I can’t. But I set out to make the story more well known, so that there is a well of public support, which does have an effect. That can sway people.”

The word gone AWOL is “alone,” which should be inserted between “I” and “will be able to change things.” As is, the statement makes me sound somewhat self-defeatist, which is the opposite of the case.

Though Bill co-created Batman in New York (in 1939), it wasn’t until 1995 when his name first appeared in the city’s (if not the country’s) most distinguished paper. Even then, it was hardly substantial—simply a quotation from his Steranko interview.

It wasn’t till last year (2013) when Bill got an article that did more than mention him in passing.

And this was in response to a mention earlier the same year in which he was originally misidentified as “Joe” Finger.

One of these days, Bill’s name may be in a front-page Times headline as it deserves. Until then, I am happy with any other coverage he can get.

Please do the interview. It’s quick, easy, and generous.

As a pop culture archeologist, I consider it an obligation to help document as much of entertainment history as possible before it’s too late. Everyone—no matter how small a role in how small a production—has a story worth listening to. You just have to ask.

Sometimes multiple times.

But some decline. And some don’t respond at all.

This plea is for you.

Why you should say yes when I ask to interview you for an oral history series:

Exclusivity: You are the hero of your own story. You are the only one with certain knowledge and experience, and this may be the only time you’re asked about it.Graciousness: You have fans you don’t realize you have, no matter how removed you may feel from your role. Any memories you are willing to share will matter to them, no matter how unlikely it may seem to you.Ease: The time commitment versus the goodwill your interview would bring is disproportionate: minimal time now will make many happy over many years.Perspective: I focus on your connection to a pivotal moment in pop culture; it’s not an in-depth probe into your personal life.Benefit: Since my series are typically online, that means free and ongoing mainstream PR for any business or cause you might like to champion. Original content gets discovered and shared and you could ride that wave. Some people I have found and interviewed have then been hired to appear at conventions and sign autographs.Posterity. I believe we should all do our part to preserve the stories we were part of. You never know what cultural events will prove important to a future author, scholar, producer, fan.Quality: Distinguished company. My interviews reveal many ways people are doing good in the world. Fulfillment: Past interviewees report that reminiscing was fun and meaningful—even if they didn’t expect it to be.
Concerned about privacy?

I run your words as is, without editorializing. You are in control; you decide exactly what you want to say and how. (Whenever possible, I conduct interviews by email so you can compose your answers carefully and at your own convenience.)

Concerned about trust?

I am the author of more than 70 books for children and I am regularly invited to speak in schools internationally. A glimpse at my prior work should assure you that I am a professional who respects and protects the people I feature. In some cases, I have been the first person an interview subject has felt comfortable speaking with on record. I don’t give out contact info, of course, or any other details not included in your interview.

“Tantalizingly, [the] story behind the birth of Batman is every bit as intriguing as the caped wonder. … Not only is this thoroughly researched story of artistic injustice intriguing, but the description of how hard the author worked to uncover details about what happened decades ago is inspiring.” 
—Barbara A. Ward, International Reading Association

So if you’ve said yes to an interview, thank you again.

If you’ve said no, please reconsider. I will be grateful on behalf of untold thousands. You will feel good about it after. I have seen this happen time and again.

“Bill the Boy Wonder”: Polish edition

Bill the Boy Wonder: The Secret Co-Creator of Batman is coming out in Poland, in Polish. There, I guess, he goes by “Billy.” (I’m glad they didn’t go with Milton the Boy Wonder.)

Girl in “Relax” by Frankie Goes to Hollywood?

Round 2 of the “Girl in the Video” interview series has wrapped, but the requests continue to come in.

Here is one I had not considered, and which I am sharing (with permission) because of its format:


Any leads, please let me know.

Bill Finger in “The New Yorker” (1965): only press mention in his lifetime

When Bill Finger died in 1974, no obituary ran in the mainstream media; the closest were short pieces in two DC publications, Amazing World of DC Comics #1 (1974) and Famous First Edition: Batman #1 (1975).

It is hard to fathom how the death of the primary creative force behind Batman could go virtually unacknowledged…but alas, at the time, he was not widely known as the the primary creative force behind Batman.

As far as I can determine, Bill’s name appeared in a major publication only once during his lifetime: The New Yorker dated 8/21/65. 


It was a short piece about what is now considered the first “official” comic book convention (owing to the fact that comics professionals attended and spoke at it).

Alter Ego #20 (1/03) covers this convention and it mentions that the esteemed New Yorker did a piece on it. This was a wild little detail hiding in plain sight. Because we know the date of the convention, it was relatively easy (and eminently exciting) for me to track down the article.

An all-too-important but all-too-brief glimpse at a man whom so many now want to get to know, only too late.


 
Should you wish to reference this, please link to this page. Thank you!

Two meetings in Los Angeles

On 7/21-22/14, en route to Comic-Con, I had the pleasure of meeting my agent for unscripted television, David Swift (AKA just Swift or sometimes Swifty), who has been at Don Buchwald and Associates (Howard Stern’s agency) for 14 years. They are lucky to have him and they know it. I signed with him in the fall and this was the first time we met. To say he is a nice (and, well, swift) guy is a serious understatement.


The day before, I was thrilled to have a meeting at Warner Bros. There is nothing more to report just yet, but I hope that changes before long.








1937 letter on display