Tag Archives: bill finger

Gotham Weekly With Alex And Joe: Episode Three And A Half

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Neal Adams Batman TMNT Adventures #6 ExclusiveWelcome to Gotham Weekly’s first unscheduled recording!

Our hosts were chatting over messenger about a couple of Batman related things, and decided to just stop and record the conversation. Among the topic of conversation was the announcement of the Titans series, the exclusive C2E2 Batman #21 and Salt City Comic Con Batman/TMNT Adventures #6 (left) variant covers, the recent Bruins/Senators Stanley Cup Playoff series, and the upcoming Hulu documentary Batman And Bill, because Alex finally watched the trailer (included below). This comic strip by Ty Templeton, this book by Marc Tyler Nobleman. 

There was also a bit of chatter about the upcoming SSSC guest Graham Nolan and his co-creation Bane… honestly, we were all over the place. There was no agenda.

We may have forgot we were recording at times.

For links to the interviews and features mentioned in the podcast scroll past the trailer.

 

SUPERMEGAFEST 2016: Interview With Graham Nolan

RHODE ISLAND COMIC CON 2015: Interview With Kevin Conroy

Marc Tyler Nobleman Talks To Us About His Work In Getting Bill Finger’s Name Recognized

I Hate Bob Kane

And as a bonus, the first article Alex ever wrote: Bill Who?

 

Underrated: Graphic Novel Biographies

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This is a column that focuses on something or some things from the comic book sphere of influence that may not get the credit and recognition it deserves. Whether that’s a list of comic book movies, ongoing comics, or a set of stories featuring a certain character. The columns may take the form of a bullet pointed list, or a slightly longer thinkpiece – there’s really no formula for this other than whether the things being covered are Underrated in some way. This week: Graphic Novel Biographies.

 

Biographies aren’t always the first thing you think  of when you think of graphic novels, and vice versa. But the thing is a graphic novel is a fantastic way to tell a person’s life story, or a portion there of, that isn’t often used as much as it could be. Graphic novel biographies are a wonderfully unique way of telling a story that you really can’t capture the same way with a prose book. By utilizing the graphic novel format, the creative team have the opportunity to bring the story to life with picture, or temper  the harshness of what the biography’s subject went through so that the reader can take more of the story in (seriously, imagine the first entry with realistic artwork). Or the artwork can tell give you a subtlety that’s missing in other mediums as you’re more readily able to spend time pouring over the images in front of you. Yeah, I think it’s safe to say that I think graphic novels are an underrated method of telling a biographical story.

So I present to you here a short list of graphic novel biographies. 

A few things before we start; firstly, these biographies are all told primarily in the graphic novel format, but they my not encapsulate  the entirety of the subjects life. Secondly, because I’ve got eclectic taste these selections may not be for everybody so be prepared for some potentially foolish claims. Lastly, this isn’t a complete, or inclusive, list and it is completely subjective.

mausMaus (Pengiun)
Lets’s be honest here, Maus is far from underrated as a comic book. It’s one of the prime examples of excellence in the medium, and for good reason; this is a book that tackles the harsh realities of life in a concentration camp, and is still every bit as relevant now as it it ever was. So its far from underrated as a comic, but as a biography? It’s not often thought of in that way, especially by non comics fans.  Granted, this book takes a spot in this weeks Underrated simply because it’s a graphic novel that really exemplifies the mediums power, but also because when those outside of comics think of a biographical tale seldom does a graphic novel crop up. It’s for this reason that Maus is on the list.

Andre The Giant: Closer To Heaven (IDW)
You don’t need to be a wrestling fan to appreciate this story, but I won’t deny that it helps. I am not a wrestling fan any more (though I still appreciate the talent these men and women have to do what they do), but I found Closer To Heaven is an incredibly touching tribute to a great man. A giant who entertained millions of people around the world, while suffering an incredible amount of pain because of his gigantism. Andre is a truly inspiring figure, and this is a fantastic way to honour his story. It’s not the only biography of Andre released in graphic novel form, but it is the only one that I have read.

BillTheBoyWonderFrBill The Boy Wonder: The Secret Co-Creator Of Batman (Charlesbridge)
Perhaps the most powerful book on this list that isn’t Maus, Bill The Boy Wonder tells the story of Bill Finger, and his integral role in creating Batman that went largely known know, and entirely uncredited, until last year. This is a must read for any fans of Batman who want to know the true origin story of the caped crusader, and for those who want to read the book that helped Bill Finger get the recognition he deserves.

Dark Night:  A True Batman Story (Vertigo)
Telling the story of the night that legendary Batman writer Paul Dini was mugged, this book is honestly hard to read at times thanks to it’s frank and honest depiction of one man’s struggle to overcome one of the mot traumatic nights of his life, and how Batman inspired him to get back up.

TS_March_cvrMarch (Top Shelf Productions)
This is a bit of a cheat because March is actually a three volume graphic  novel that tells the story of congressman John Lewis, a congressman in the state of Georgia. Each volume in this series is amazing, and delivers to an incredible reading experience about an American icon. Brett has an incredible series of reviews on this modern classic that can all be found within the first paragraph here, so if you want to know why you should read these books then read those.

 

 

 

There we have it – some of the best of the graphic novel biographies. Not all are underrated in the typical sense as relates to this column, (Mausfor example is one of the most respected graphic novels around), but all are worth reading. There are without a doubt other graphic novel biographies that I missed, so there’s a good chance there will be a second (or third) part to this list eventually.

In the meantime, Underrated will return to highlight more comic book related stuff  that either gets ignored despite it’s high quality, or maybe isn’t quite as bad as we tend to think it is.

Immigration And Comics. It’s Our History.

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ck-rocket-from-krypton-croppedA version of this originally ran January 2016.

You’d have to have been living under a rock to have avoided the refugee and, to a lesser extent, the immigration discussions occurring this past week due to the executive order signed by President Donald Trump.

As an immigrant myself, it’s a discussion that I’ve been paying some attention too.

First things first, though, is that I should clarify that my situation in no way resembled the plight of those from Syria or other war-torn regions. As a white man immigrating from the United Kingdom it would be offensive to those refugees to say that I know what they’re going through. I don’t.

I genuinely hope that I never will.

Indeed, I have been present in my new country when people start talking about “the immigrants” taking their jobs because they didn’t consider me an immigrant.  This was shortly after asking about my accent. I may be a white guy, but my accent sure isn’t from this side of the pond. That’s about as much prejudice as I have ever encountered on my end, directly, and while I found it exasperatingly funny at the time, it does go to  show the general sense that a (very) few have toward immigrants (at least in my experience, but as I said, mine is not the same as the Syrian refugees. Not even close). Even comparing a refugee to an immigrant is a slippery slope; while some immigrants such as myself arrive in a new country of their own volition, some undoubtedly feel forced out of their homes, due to escalating conflicts or tensions at home. But either way, the immigrant has a little more freedom to make the decision. A refugee has no choice in the matter; they just want their family to feel safe.

And the type of safety that the Syrian refugees are currently seeking, and the scale of the horror’s they are running from is something that many of us have no personal experience with. Hopefully we never will, but that doesn’t preclude us from having some empathy for them, either.

My family have lived in England for as long as I am aware (my Aunt traced my grandfather’s line back to around the 1700’s, give or take), so I can’t knowingly claim that there is any immigration within my family’s past (myself aside), but that’s not necessarily true of people living on this side of the pond.

There are millions of people in North American who can trace their families back across the years and the oceans to other countries, when their ancestors left their home lands for fear of persecution or simply to hope for a better life.

This is especially true when it comes to some of the early and/or influential members of the comic book community.

The Thing KirbyIndeed, many of the greatest names in American comics are often the first generation born in the new country, such as Art Speigelman (the author of Maus), Bill Finger (co-creator of Batman, Green Lantern, and many many others), Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster (the men who created Superman). Even Bob Kane‘s (Batman‘s other co-creator) parents were of Eastern European Jewish descent. The point I am attempting to make here is that the sons of Jewish immigrants created some of our biggest super heroes, and some of our greatest stories.

And what of their creations? 

Superman is an alien from another planet who’s family sought refuge for their only child from the end of their world. He is far from native to any country on Earth, yet he has chosen to make the planet his  home. Far beyond just simply moving from country to country, Superman is an interplanetary immigrant that kick started the modern superhero comic. 

And he’s not the only immigrant in comics, either; Supergirl, the Martian Manhunter are but two of the early inter-planetary examples, X-O Manowar is both a geographical and chronological immigrant (it sounds confusing when typing it like that, but the character is as rich and deep as any other on this list). Howard the Duck has been trapped in a world that he’s slowly become accustomed to, but was never his own; and Thor Odinson has been protecting our world for centuries – and even without his hammer he continues to do so. The idea of a hero from the stars come to save humanity (or in the case of Howard the Duck to simply work amongst us) is an idea that as comic book fans we’re all enamored with , and in many cases these interplanetary immigrants have become some of the most beloved, and powerful, characters in the comic book reading world.

Giant-Size_X-Men_Vol_1_1In terms of the more traditional Earthbound type of immigration, the of moving between countries, look at almost the entire second team of X-Men; Banshee, Colossus, Nightcrawler, Sunfire, Storm and Wolverine are all from countries other than the US. You know what that makes them, eh?

If  these characters were ignored because they were immigrants, both of the interplanetary and Earthbound nature,  would comics, nay, popular culture, even have the same face? The Superman symbol is an internationally recognized symbol of truth, justice, and the American Way, and Wolverine is arguably one of the most popular characters to ever appear in a comic book. What if the parents of the previously mentioned creators, and the numerous others I haven’t named who are also descended from immigrants, were trying to escape their living conditions to provide a better life for their families today? Would we still want to turn them away?

If it wasn’t for the sons and daughters of refugees and immigrants the comic book landscape, and perhaps even our way of life would be drastically different than what we’re used too. Before you add your voice to those who say we should close up our borders, take a long hard look at your family history, at the characters you love, and tell me where you would be if the country you call home had refused to admit any new immigrants at any point in the past two or three hundred years.

Would you still be sat here reading this, if your ancestors hadn’t had the opportunity to live a new life in North America?

I Hate Bob Kane

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Batman177

One of the last Batman comics that has an original Bill Finger contribution

I hope that got your attention.

Now before I say anymore, I want to clarify something; I don’t hate Bob Kane, I abhor what he did to Bill Finger. Why? Well a few months ago I came across this article on cracked.com entitled “5 Ways Batman’s True Creator Got Screwed Out Of His Legacy,” and I have to tell you I was very happy when I read the article, because Bill Finger deserves recognition for his tremendous contributions to comics, because, among numerous other things he co-created Batman, and most people don’t know that.

The only thing Bob Kane created alone was the name “The Bat-Man,” and legacy that is built on lies.

When I first started writing about comics online over at Ramblings Of A Comics Fan, the first article that was posted was about Bill Finger (you can read it here if you’re curious).

It was the first article I uploaded, because seventy-five years ago a huge injustice was done Bill Finger when Bob Kane sold the rights to Batman to the company who would become DC Comics in exchange for some cash and the infamous byline “Batman created by Bob Kane,”and I felt the need to add my voice to the growing chorus of those demanding justice for Bill. Now to be fair to DC, you can’t really blame them for not putting Bill‘s name in the byline because at the time DC didn’t know about Bill Finger because Bob Kane didn’t tell DC about Bill, and they have been contractually obligated to keep his name away from the byline (even when I’m sure many of their higher-ups wanted to add Bill‘s name). So his name was never added to the byline, robbing one of Batman‘s creators of the credit, and recognition, that should have been his for more than seventy-five years.

Dectective 27Until recently, that is, with last years reveal that the byline would finally change. More on that later, though.

The annals of comic book history are littered with people not getting all the credit they deserve, and Bill Finger isn’t the only person this has happened to over the past seven decades, but his creation – and the characters he created – are the most well-known. Again, to be clear, I’m not saying that Bob Kane didn’t contribute anything to Batman; he came up with the name The Bat-Man (Bill shortened it), and provided the artwork for the first few comics, although he was famous for “borrowing” other artists work with tracing paper, the fact remains that without his initial idea and the resulting collaboration with Bill Finger there would be no Batman. But Bill Finger wrote more than five hundred Batman stories across Detective Comics and Batman, and created (or co-created) almost every hallmark of the Batman mythos we all know and love today. His name never even appeared on the cover of a comic book up until 2014’s Detective Comics #27, although that isn’t unusual; Bill died in 1974, before the practice of crediting comic book creators on the front cover became commonplace.

Bob Kane's original design is on the right.

Bob Kane’s original design is on the right.

The image to the left shows just how much input Bill Finger had from the initial sketch that Kane showed to him (on the right). If you notice the gun, that’s because in the early stories Batman did carry a firearm; it was later that the gun was removed from his arsenal. The image below is an excellent comic from artist Ty Templeton who also illustrated Marc Tyler Nobleman‘s Bill The Boy Wonder: The Secret Co-Creator Of Batman. I highly recommend that you track down the book if you want to learn more about the under-appreciated co-creator of Batman, Bill Finger. Also, you can check out Nobleman‘s blog, specifically this link that has details of his exhaustive research on Finger and his family.

In his book, Marc Tyler Nobleman states that as much as Bob Kane wronged Bill Finger, there is also some fault to acknowledge with Bill Finger‘s lack of standing up for himself and demanding credit for much of his working life that also contributed to a lack of recognition for Finger‘s incredible contributions (in fairness, he did start doing that toward the end of his life). Whether that is true or not, and I have no reason to believe it not to be, as comic book fans we’ve all been taught that “with great power there must also come great responsibility”. Well we read stories every week of heroes standing up for those who cannot stand up for themselves, so now it’s time we do the same for a man who died near penniless in 1974, and who allegedly almost ended up in an unmarked paupers grave.

It is not a pointless crusade. Marc Tyler Nobleman has been fighting for Bill Finger for a decade, and in part because of his efforts in roads have been made.

DC have finally added his name to the byline after decades.

The next time you read a new Batman comic, or watch something that features the Dark Knight released after November of 2015 you’ll see “Batman created by Bob Kane with Bill Finger” as the new byline. It has been a long time coming, and it’s certainly a step in the right direction. And, with what would have been his 102nd birthday on February 8th, a late posthumous birthday gift.moviescreen grab

Bill Finger should be a household name. He should be a legend.

I may only be one person, and I certainly make no claim to be any kind of hero, but I will continue to try to bring awareness to Bill Finger as often as I can.

I hope you will too.

 

A verison of this post originally appeared on Ramblings Of A Comics Fan, written before Bill Finger received the byline credit.

Batman’s Biggest Secret: Bill Finger’s Legacy as Revealed by Marc Tyler Nobleman

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BillTheBoyWonderFrA few weeks ago I attended a slideshow tour of New York City’s Superhero Sites with Danny Fingeroth at the New-York Historical Society Museum. Thereafter, I vowed to continue deepening my knowledge of the comic book world, and begin exploring the factual stories underpinning the industry I admire, but obviously know very little about.

Yesterday, I attended a presentation hosted by the 92nd Street YMCA in New York City: Batman’s Biggest Secret: Fighting for Bill Finger with Marc Tyler Nobleman (author of Bill The Boy Wonder: The Secret Co-Creator of Batman). Who do I spot sitting about four seats away from? It was Danny Fingeroth; a good omen that I am on the right path–sorry, I can be superstitious.

20160209_204210.jpg

If a year ago you had asked me who Bill Finger was, I’d look at you with a puzzled face. DC said Bob Kane created Batman (after all it said so right there on practically every front page of any Batman comic), and that was good enough for me. Now, as of late 2015, it was officially announced to worldwide fanfare, that Bill Finger will be given credit for co-creating Batman with Bob Kane; and the next film (Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice) will include the following credit: Created by Bob Kane with Bill Finger.

Marc is directly responsible for making this happen. His continued detective work, and dogged perseverance, unearthed the last living family relation (a granddaughter Bill Finger never knew), who was able to untangle the legal contractual web that prevented DC from finally give him his proper due for co-creating Batman.

Marc began his presentation with the statement that Batman’s biggest secret is not Bruce Wayne as a metaphor for the industry secret (prior to 2015) that Bob Kane alone did not create Batman. He then, in painstaking detail, outlined Bill Finger’s tragic tale with tear-inducing emotion, but also with a sprinkling of light humor to even out the historical narrative.

Bob Kane was an artist, and Bill Finger was a writer. Together the two dreamed a new type of hero in 1939–a costumed Dark Knight who terrorized criminals. However, as Batman grew to become an iconic global super hero, Bob Kane’s fame and wealth grew beyond his wildest dreams, while Bill Finger (whose real name was actually Milton Finger) languished in obscurity and poverty. Marc, together with artist Ty Templeton, wrote a graphic novel, about the true story of how Batman began, and the larger role Bill Finger played in his creation. The book, originally published in 2012, aspired to get Bill the recognition he deserved.

In the audience, sitting right next to me, was an older woman, who during the question/answer session stood up defiantly to defend her friend, Bob Kane. Marc, took it with stride, pointing out that he was not vilifying Bob Kane as a person or private individual, but merely pointing out that as a professional Bob enriched himself on the work of others, and did not assign the proper credit to Bill Finger.

Then later, as I waited in line for Marc’s autograph, I chatted it up with another gentleman in a red polo shirt (his name was Robert van Maanen, and I know this only because Marc had posted an interview with him earlier today on his blog). He told me how Bill Finger, his neighbor, was a very easy going, affable, person who bore no one ill will. He also told me that Bill had a collection of old comics, including original printings of Detective #27, and the first appearance of Captain America with the triangular shield. He even said that National Publications (the precursor company to DC) one time called upon Bill Finger to donate an original copy of Detective #27 for a charity sale, and he did so without thinking about it, despite how he was mistreated by the company.

This was a very emotional night for me, and I had to hold back the tears while listening to Marc’s grim historical account about Bill Finger, his friends, his family, and his ignoble passing away. At least his memory and legacy has been righted by those who pursued the truth behind one of the world’s most beloved character: The Batman.

Happy 102nd Birthday Bill, and may you have many more here on this earth, and wherever your souls rests today.

Also, thank you to Marc and Danny for showing me the way to deeper truths behind the history of comic books; and for you readers who want to know more, visit Marc’s pop culture archaeological blog (where he continues to dig into the history of Bill Finger and his relations), and buy his book, Bill The Boy Wonder: The Secret Co-Creator of Batman (and while you’re at it check out his other works on Superman too) .

Marc Tyler Nobleman Talks To Us About His Work In Getting Bill Finger’s Name Recognized

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bill-the-boy-wonderLast year, DC finally acknowledged Bill Finger as the co-creator of Batman. If you’ve paid attention to any comics featuring the Dark Knight lately, you’ll have noticed a slight change in the byline. Instead of just one name, it now reads “Batman created by Bob Kane with Bill Finger.” A driving force behind Finger finally being officially acknowledged after so many years was Marc Tyler Nobleman, who wrote Bill The Boy Wonder: The Secret Co-Creator Of Batman, and in the process of researching that book he also uncovered some previously unknown pictures, and descendants, of Bill Finger (and you can read more about that here).

Marc‘s book, and school tours, have introduced an entirely new generation of people to the name of Batman‘s co-creator, and his work is essential reading for those looking to find out more about Milton “Bill” Finger.

I was fortunate enough to be able to talk with Marc Tyler Nobleman about his book, his work to get Bill Finger the official credit he has deserved for more than 75 years.

Graphic Policy: Firstly, I want to say what an honour this is for me, personally. Your efforts to bring Bill Finger the justifiable credit for co-creating Batman have been both fantastic and inspiring. Did you ever think that you would get to see that credit printed in a Batman comic, or on the silver screen?

Marc Tyler Nobleman: Thank you for your kind words, Alex. I campaigned so hard for so long to get Bill’s name on Batman stories because I believe Back to the Future: if you put your mind to it, you can accomplish anything. I default to optimist. However, I’m also a realist so I prepared myself for the possibility that it might not happen. That said, I devoted most of my thought energy to the positive.

GP: During your quest (can I call it a quest?) to have Bill officially recognised you unearthed some previously unknown photographs of Bill. Did you ever expect to find anything like that?

MTN: I did feel confident I could find at least one or two photos, but I don’t think I stopped to consider that I might find as many as I did (at least 13). Early on I realized that the only way I’d have a chance of succeeding is by locating people who were close to Bill but who did not work in comics. If they were in the industry, their photos would most likely already be public.

GP: In your book, Bill The Boy Wonder: The Secret Co-Creator Of Batman you imply that some of the responsibility for Bill’s lack of credit at his own feet. Do you think that if he’d stood up for himself earlier than he did he may have been credited before now?

MTN: I’m not programmed for hypotheticals.

GP: Do you feel that you’ve achieved what you set out to achieve for Bill with the “Batman created by Bob Kane with Bill Finger” credit, or is there still more to do?

MTN: Yes and yes: obtaining official credit was the driving force for me but the cultural obligation to tell Bill’s story is a lifelong job. Also, the man needs a permanent memorial, all the more so because he has no gravestone, and I’ve been working on that since before the book came out. It’s not familiar territory for me but I’m finding my way. Stay tuned!

GP: You visit a lot of schools giving talks about the research involved in two of your books; the already mentioned Bill The Boy Wonder: The Secret Co-Creator Of Batman as well as your biography on Joe Shuster and Jerry Siegel, Boys of Steel: The Creators of Superman. How receptive are the kids to the history of the creators?

MTN: Profoundly so, I’m happy to report. I’ve been to schools where kids have made a board game about Siegel and Shuster and where kids have written letters to Bob Kane as Bill’s son Fred. Hearing Bill’s story, kids reveal the best of humankind—their desire to go out and do good in the world becomes palpable (and hugely inspiring). Kids have asked me questions that have almost brought me to tears.

GP: I think one of the strongest aspects of Bill The Boy Wonder… is its accessibility. I’m guessing that was done to increase awareness of Bill Finger with a younger audience?

MTN: Thank you. Yes, I wrote the book for all ages but with special emphasis on a younger audience. Unlike me, they can learn the truth about this icon before they grow up. We should always pay attention to whoever has created something we love. It’s hard to direct thanks into an abyss.

GP: Any plans to release an updated version of Bill The Boy Wonder now that his name is included in the byline?

MTN: The final words of my book: “Will his name ever be added to every Batman story? Batmanians are keeping their Fingers crossed.” Part of me wants to leave the book that way—it’s an instant time capsule. And it will encourage some readers to do further reading. Another part of me, of course, wants to revise it. Too soon to say which part of me will get his way.

GP: Brett (Graphic Policy’s blogger-in-chief) wanted me to ask: I’ve always wondered if folks knew what they were a part of when they were creating all of these characters and if there was some idea they’d last so long and be so loved?

MTN: I found no documentation of what the Bill and Bob of 1939 (the year of Batman’s debut) thought about posterity, but I think it’s safe to assume neither could have foreseen this character being around in a decade, let alone seven. Comic books were barely considered an art form then.

GP: I think it’s important to recognize the contributions that the early creators had to the comic book and pop culture landscape. How important do you think it is for publishers to acknowledge the men who built their characters? Do you think that we, the fans, have just as much responsibility in asking for that recognition – whether it be in bylines, or an official recognition?

MTN: I think it’s obvious that I feel it is vitally important to credit anyone for anything s/he contributes to society! And yes, now more than ever, fans have the power to share their opinion easily and on the world stage. Take it from me: stating your case sensibly and steadily can make a difference.

GP: After reading through your extensive research notes on your blog, do you have any plans to release another book detailing either the search for Bill, or all of the information you were able t unearth, or will that stay largely  on your blog?

MTN: Given how many people have asked if I will write a longer book on Bill, I should…but too early to say. For now, the material on my blog isn’t going anywhere.

GP: And finally, pirates, ninjas, cowboys or ninjas, and why?

MTN: Of pirates, ninjas, or cowboys, I chose knights, of course. In particular Dark ones.

Happy Birthday Bill Finger

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Bill FingerToday would have been Bill Finger‘s 102nd birthday.

I’ve been somewhat vocal about trying to bring awareness to Bill Finger ever since I started writing about comics last year, because his name is not as well known as it should be. Indeed, many people, when asked if they had ever heard about Bill Finger would respond with “Bill Who?”

Bill Finger is the largely unknown co-creator of Batman.

He also contributed much to the Batman mythology in its formative years, from the Batcave and the Batmobile, to much of the Dark Knights supporting cast. And yes, that also includes the Joker, whom Bill had a hand in co-creating.

Today would have been Bill Finger‘s 102nd birthday were he still alive, but sadly he died almost penniless in 1974, and almost ended up in a paupers grave. He died largely forgotten, without ever seeing his name appear on the front of a comic. Well that, at least, has been rectified; DC issued a special seventy five year anniversary issue of Detective Comics #27 in 2014, and Bill Finger‘s name was right there on the cover.

You know where else his name is now? In the “Batman Created By Bob Kane with Bill Finger” byline emblazoned across any media featuring Batman since late last year.

There is also an award named after him, created by his frequent collaborator Jerry Robinson; The Bill Finger Award For Excellence In Comic Book Writing is awarded annually to two writers; one alive and one dead. Mark Evanier, the chair of the awards committee said in 2003 that the premise of the award was “to recognize writers for a body of work that has not received its rightful reward and/or recognition. That was what Jerry Robinson intended as his way of remembering his friend, Bill Finger. Bill is still kind of the industry poster boy for writers not receiving proper reward or recognition.”

On this day Bill Finger would have been 102. Think of him today, and raise a glass to an unsung comic book legend.

Bill Finger Week At Graphic Policy

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Bill FingerThis week sees the 102nd anniversary of Bill Finger‘s birth. Who is Bill Finger, you may ask? Well, dear reader, Milton “Bill” Finger is the only-recently officially recognized co-creator of Batman.

In celebration of his birthday, which is today, February 8th, Graphic Policy has some Finger-related articles and interviews that we’ll be running over the coming week; there are interviews with writer Marc Tyler Nobleman, the author of Bill The Boy Wonder: The Secret Co-Creator Of Batman, and with Eisner Award winning artist Ty Templeton, who illustrated Nobleman‘s book, as well as the viral Batman Without Bill Finger comic strip.

On top of that, there’s a look at Bill The Boy Wonder: The Secret Co-Creator Of Batman, the book that has helped to bring Finger‘s name into the lime light.

We’ll be posting the articles all week, so keep your eyes peeled!

Immigration And Comics

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ck-rocket-from-krypton-croppedYou’d have to have been living under a rock to have avoided the refugee and, to a lesser extent, the immigration discussions occurring these past few months.

As an immigrant myself, it’s a discussion that I’ve been paying some attention too.

First things first, though, is that I should clarify that my situation in no way resembled the plight of those from Syria. As a white man immigrating from the United Kingdom it would be offensive to those refugees to say that I know what they’re going through. I don’t.

I genuinely hope that I never will.

Indeed, I have been present in my new country when people start talking about “the immigrants” taking their jobs because they didn’t consider me an immigrant.  This was shortly after asking about my accent. I may be a white guy, but my accent sure isn’t from this side of the pond. That’s about as much prejudice as I have ever encountered on my end, directly, and while I found it exasperatingly funny at the time, it does go to  show the general sense that a (very) few have toward immigrants (at least in my experience, but as I said, mine is not the same as the Syrian refugees. Not even close). Even comparing a refugee to an immigrant is a slippery slope; while some immigrants such as myself arrive in a new country of their own volition, some undoubtedly feel forced out of their homes, due to escalating conflicts or tensions at home. But either way, the immigrant has a little more freedom to make the decision. A refugee has no choice in the matter; they just want their family to feel safe.

And the type of safety that the Syrian refugees are currently seeking, and the scale of the horror’s they are running from is something that many of us have no personal experience with.  Hopefully we never will, but that doesn’t preclude us from having some empathy for them, either.

My family have lived in England for as long as I am aware (my Aunt traced my grandfather’s line back to around the 1700’s, give or take), so I can’t knowingly claim that there is any immigration within my family’s past (myself aside), but that’s not necessarily true of people living on this side of the pond.

There are millions of people in North American who can trace their families back across the years and the oceans to other countries, when their ancestors left their home lands for fear of persecution or simply to hope for a better life.

This is especially true when it comes to some of the early and/or influential members of the comic book community.

The Thing KirbyIndeed, many of the greatest names in American comics are often the first generation born in the new country, such as Art Speigelman (the author of Maus), Bill Finger (co-creator of Batman, Green Lantern, and many many others), Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster (the men who created Superman). Even Bob Kane‘s (Batman‘s other co-creator) parents were of Eastern European Jewish descent. The point I am attempting to make here is that the sons of Jewish immigrants created some of our biggest super heroes, and some of our greatest stories.

And what of their creations? 

Superman is an alien from another planet who’s family sought refuge for their only child from the end of their world. He is far from native to any country on Earth, yet he has chosen to make the planet his  home. Far beyond just simply moving from country to country, Superman is an interplanetary immigrant that kick started the modern superhero comic. 

And he’s not the only immigrant in comics, either; Supergirl, the Martian Manhunter are but two of the early inter-planetary examples, X-O Manowar is both a geographical and chronological immigrant (it sounds confusing when typing it like that, but the character is as rich and deep as any other on this list). Howard the Duck has been trapped in a world that he’s slowly become accustomed to, but was never his own; and Thor Odinson has been protecting our world for centuries – and even without his hammer he continues to do so. The idea of a hero from the stars come to save humanity (or in the case of Howard the Duck to simply work amongst us) is an idea that as comic book fans we’re all enamored with , and in many cases these interplanetary immigrants have become some of the most beloved, and powerful, characters in the comic book reading world.

Giant-Size_X-Men_Vol_1_1In terms of the more traditional Earthbound type of immigration, the of moving between countries, look at almost the entire second team of X-Men; Banshee, Colossus, Nightcrawler, Sunfire, Storm and Wolverine are all from countries other than the US. You know what that makes them, eh?

If  these characters were ignored because they were immigrants, both of the interplanetary and Earthbound nature,  would comics, nay, popular culture, even have the same face? The Superman symbol is an internationally recognized symbol of truth, justice, and the American Way, and Wolverine is arguably one of the most popular characters to ever appear in a comic book. What if the parents of the previously mentioned creators, and the numerous others I haven’t named who are also descended from immigrants, were trying to escape their living conditions to provide a better life for their families today? Would we still want to turn them away?

If it wasn’t for the sons and daughters of refugees and immigrants the comic book landscape, and perhaps even our way of life would be drastically different than what we’re used too. Before you add your voice to those who say we should close up our borders, take a long hard look at your family history, at the characters you love, and tell me where you would be if the country you call home had refused to admit any new immigrants at any point in the past two or three hundred years.

Would you still be sat here reading this, if your ancestors hadn’t had the opportunity to live a new life in North America?

Around the Tubes: Weekend Edition

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It’s the weekend, which is awesome. I’m spending it catching up on some reading.

Around the Blogs:

The Mary Sue – Guardians of The Galaxy Gets A New Writer, We Learn Some Interesting Black Widow News – I really wonder how this movie will turn out.

The ComiChron – July 2012 comics sales: Steady as she goes – Great to see things are steady.

Bleeding Cool – DC Comics “Not Having This Conversation” About Crediting Bill Finger On The Dark Knight Films – Interesting.

 

Around the Tubes:

Talking Comics – Hawkeye #1

The Journal of of the Lincoln Heights Heights Literary Society – The Legend of Bold Riley

CBR – Swamp Thing #12

Think Hero – Comic Book Reviews – “ink Hero” Ultimate Spider-Man #13, Hawkeye #1, Swamp Thing #12, Animal Man #12 (VIDEO)

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