Jerry Robinson American artist, comics specialist Date of Birth: 01.01.1922 Country: USA

1. Jerry Robinson: The Iconic Comic Book Artist
2. Early Life and Career
3. Contributions to Batman and the Comic World
4. Later Career and Legacy
5. Legacy and Passing

Jerry Robinson: The Iconic Comic Book Artist

Jerry Robinson was an American artist and comic book specialist who dedicated his career to creating comics about Batman. He is best known for his creation of the iconic character, the Joker. In 2004, Jerry Robinson was inducted into the Comic Book Hall of Fame.

Early Life and Career

Jerry Robinson was born in Trenton, New Jersey. He developed his passion for comics at the age of 17 while studying journalism at Columbia University. It was during this time that Bob Kane, the creator of Batman, hired Robinson. Initially, Robinson started as a letterer and background detail artist. However, he quickly progressed to drawing secondary characters and eventually became the main artist for the series.

Contributions to Batman and the Comic World

Robinson's time at National Comics (later known as DC) allowed him to collaborate closely with notable figures such as Jerry Siegel, Joe Shuster, Jack Kirby, Fred Ray, and Mort Meskin. In the early 1940s, Kane and Bill Finger decided to introduce a permanent sidekick for Batman. Robinson suggested naming the character Robin, inspired by his childhood hero Robin Hood. Robin became a beloved character and served as the prototype for various sidekick characters in the Golden Age of Comics.

Around the same time, Robinson played a crucial role in the creation of one of Batman's most iconic adversaries, the Joker. While Kane and Finger claimed authorship, many comic history experts credit Robinson for the character's conception. Robinson drew inspiration for the Joker from Conrad Veidt's portrayal of Gwynplaine in the 1928 film "The Man Who Laughs." The debate over the character's true creator continues to this day.

In addition to Robin and the Joker, Robinson also helped conceive other notable Batman characters, including Bruce Wayne's butler Alfred Pennyworth and the villain Two-Face.

Later Career and Legacy

In the 1940s, Robinson formed his own studio, which supplied material to the publishing company Spark Publications. During this period, he worked on various projects and eventually transitioned from superhero comics to newspaper comic strips. From 1967 to 1969, Robinson served as the president of the National Cartoonists Society.

In 1974, Robinson published "The Comics," an extensive study on the history of newspaper comics. He actively supported Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster in their battle against DC Comics for the rights to Superman during the mid-1970s. With the help of Neal Adams, Robinson assisted in securing lifetime payments and recognition for Siegel and Shuster in all Superman-related projects.

In 1999, Robinson ventured into manga comics, launching a series with the help of Shodzine Tanaka and Ken-ichi Oishi. The manga was eventually translated into English.

On May 26, 2007, DC Comics hired Robinson as a creative consultant, although the exact nature of his role was not specified by the company.

Legacy and Passing

Jerry Robinson passed away in New York City on December 7, 2011, at the age of 89. He died peacefully in his sleep. His contributions to the world of comic books and his iconic creations continue to inspire and entertain readers to this day.