Jerry Robinson facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Jerry Robinson |
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Robinson at the 2008 Comic Con International in San Diego.
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| Born | Sherrill David Robinson January 1, 1922 Trenton, New Jersey, U.S. |
| Died | December 7, 2011 (aged 89) Staten Island, New York, U.S. |
| Area(s) | Penciller, Inker, Letterer |
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Notable works
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Batman Robin Joker |
| Awards | National Cartoonists Society Award
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Jerry Robinson (born Sherrill David Robinson; January 1, 1922 – December 7, 2011) was a famous American comic book artist. He is best known for his amazing work on DC Comics' Batman comics in the 1940s. Jerry helped create two very famous characters: Robin and the Joker. He also worked hard to protect the rights of comic book creators. In 2004, he was honored by being added to the Comic Book Hall of Fame.
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Jerry Robinson's Early Life
Jerry Robinson was the youngest of five children. He was born in Trenton, New Jersey. His mother, Mae, was a bookkeeper. His father, Benjamin Robinson, was an entrepreneur, meaning he started businesses.
Benjamin came from Western Russia in 1895. He wanted to avoid forced military service and unfair treatment because he was Jewish. Jerry's parents opened the first movie theater in Trenton. Jerry studied at Columbia University for two and a half years before focusing on comics.
Jerry Robinson's Career in Comics
Starting Out with Batman (1939–1943)
In 1939, Jerry Robinson was just 17 years old. He was a journalism student at Columbia University. That's when Bob Kane, who helped create Batman, discovered him. Kane hired Jerry to work on the new Batman comic. Jerry started as an inker, adding ink lines to drawings, and a letterer, writing the words.
Batman quickly became a huge hit. Jerry soon became the main inker for Batman. He worked with George Roussos, who inked the backgrounds. They even got a studio space in Times Square! Besides Batman, Jerry also worked on Target and the Targeteers comics.
Creating Robin, the Boy Wonder
Around early 1940, Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger wanted to add a sidekick to Batman. Jerry Robinson suggested the name "Robin". He got the idea from Robin Hood books he loved as a kid.
The new character was an orphaned circus performer named Dick Grayson. He became Bruce Wayne's (Batman's) young ward. Robin first appeared in Detective Comics #38 in April 1940. Robin's popularity led to many other sidekicks in comics.
Introducing the Joker
Batman's main enemy, the Joker, also appeared around the same time. He debuted in Batman #1 in Spring 1940. Many comic historians believe Jerry Robinson created this famous villain. He was inspired by actor Conrad Veidt in the 1928 movie The Man Who Laughs.
Jerry also played a big part in creating Bruce Wayne's butler, Alfred Pennyworth. He also helped create the villain Two-Face. In 1943, Jerry took over penciling the daily Batman newspaper comic strip.
Later Work and Advocacy (1944–2007)
After working on Batman, Jerry Robinson created other comics. From 1944 to 1946, he had a studio with his friend Mort Meskin. Jerry also drew for textbooks. He later became a newspaper cartoonist. He created True Classroom Flubs and Fluffs and a political cartoon called Still Life.
Jerry didn't just see himself as a comic book artist. In the 1950s, he drew covers for Playbill magazine. He also drew political cartoons for 32 years. He was very proud of this work.
Jerry was the president of the National Cartoonists Society from 1967 to 1969. He also led the Association of American Editorial Cartoonists.
In the mid-1970s, Jerry strongly supported Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster. They were the creators of Superman and were fighting DC Comics for fair recognition and payment. Jerry, along with artist Neal Adams, helped them. Because of their efforts, DC Comics agreed to pay Siegel and Shuster for life and credit them for Superman.
In 1978, Jerry founded CartoonArts International. This company helps cartoonists from all over the world. In 1999, Jerry created a manga series called Astra.
In 2007, DC Comics hired Jerry as a "creative consultant." He was also interviewed for Superheroes: A Never-Ending Battle. This documentary about superheroes was shown on PBS in 2013.
Jerry Robinson's Passing
Jerry Robinson passed away peacefully in his sleep on December 7, 2011. He was 89 years old. He lived in Staten Island, New York. He was survived by his wife, Gro, and their two children.
Books by Jerry Robinson
In 1974, Jerry Robinson wrote a book called The Comics. It was a detailed look at the history of newspaper comic strips.
Awards and Recognition
Jerry Robinson received many awards for his work:
- National Cartoonists Society Award for Comic Book Division (1956)
- Newspaper Panel Cartoon Award for Still Life (1963)
- Special Features Award for Flubs and Fluffs (1965)
- Milton Caniff Lifetime Achievement Award (2000)
- Inducted into the Comic Book Hall of Fame (2004)
- Sparky Award for lifetime achievement from the Cartoon Art Museum (2011)
- Inkpot Award (1989)
See also
In Spanish: Jerry Robinson para niños
