CBR: NYCC: The Iconicism of The Batman and The Spirit

[CBR News]

Michael Uslan, Paul Levitz, Denny O'Neill, N.C. Christopher Couch and Danny Fingeroth looked back at the shared origins and legacy of two of comics' most iconic characters.


Full article here.

[siuntres]

"The Spirit" was originally a newspaper strip by Eisner and designed for the format

Hate to nitpick, but that's not really the format of The Spirit stories. It was a magazine sunday supplement, just like PARADE, etc. It was printed on pulp paper, just like any newspaper page, but it was not just a strip of panels, like the typical comic strips you'd see back then, or even today.

The Spirit was a comic book, that came enclosed in sunday newspapers.

[Manchu]

Batman's not just not Jewish, he's also a Republican. I would like to have him on my side, but I wouldn't want to hang out with him.

What a hilarious line. It reminds me of some of the stuff Grant Morrison ahd to say in Supergods about Batman being the capitalist hero.

[Captain Jim]

Hate to nitpick, but that's not really the format of The Spirit stories. It was a magazine sunday supplement, just like PARADE, etc. It was printed on pulp paper, just like any newspaper page, but it was not just a strip of panels, like the typical comic strips you'd see back then, or even today.

The Spirit was a comic book, that came enclosed in sunday newspapers.

I don't think that's a nitpick. You're correct, of course.

[davidd5927]

""There was little time for questions, but one fan asked if there was any truth to the rumor that Kane was underage when he originally signed his contract with DC and thus able to negotiate for a better deal later. "None of this matters," Levitz said, very clear about his feelings."

I posted this question to the panel and felt that Mr. Levitz was a wee bit dismissive in his reply. My point was, if Bob Kane's parents went back to DC and said that their son was not of age and the contract was null and void then DC would not have the character of The Batman. About the "child labor" comment, in Hollywood, the biggest star at the time was Shirley Temple, and she did not sign her contracts, her parents did.

David Donovan
davidd5927@yahoo.com

[DonC]

I have to agree with Levitz. Why would he care about something that happened 30 years before he started with the company?

[Statham]

""There was little time for questions, but one fan asked if there was any truth to the rumor that Kane was underage when he originally signed his contract with DC and thus able to negotiate for a better deal later. "None of this matters," Levitz said, very clear about his feelings."

I posted this question to the panel and felt that Mr. Levitz was a wee bit dismissive in his reply. My point was, if Bob Kane's parents went back to DC and said that their son was not of age and the contract was null and void then DC would not have the character of The Batman. About the "child labor" comment, in Hollywood, the biggest star at the time was Shirley Temple, and she did not sign her contracts, her parents did.

David Donovan
davidd5927@yahoo.com

I don't think it's being dismissive, more that Levitz might not necessarily be able to talk about things that could potentially put him and the company in trouble or cause controversy. Given how easily things get misheard or taken out of context thanks to panels like these, it's probably a good thing he said nothing on the matter.

[thwhtGuardian]

I don't even think he was underage, I'm pretty sure he was in his early 20's when he started working for Eisner & Iger.