Jerry Robinson
Jerry Robinson
Sherrill David Robinson, known as Jerry Robinson, was an American comic book artist known for his work on DC Comics' Batman line of comics during the 1940s. He is best known as the co-creator of Robin and the Joker and for his work on behalf of creators' rights...
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionCartoonist
Date of Birth1 January 1922
CountryUnited States of America
began came deck humor image joker knew name time yelled
So once I thought of the villain with a sense of humor, I began to think of a name and the name "the Joker" immediately came to mind. There was the association with the Joker in the deck of cards, and I probably yelled literally, 'Eureka!' because I knew I had the name and the image at the same time.
characters drank slept
We really lived, ate, drank and slept Batman - ideas, characters and stories.
associate bridge cards champion contract family humor name playing soon thinking tradition villain
So, I'm thinking of a name for a villain that has a sense of humor. I thought of 'The Joker' as a name, and as soon as I thought that, I associate it with the playing card, as my family had a tradition of champion playing; my brother was a contract champion bridge player. There were always cards around the house.
background both coming events identity jerry jewish joe keeping led lines medium orphan remarkable secret trace
You look at Superman, the story of an orphan coming to America, keeping his identity secret and even the names, Kal-El and Jor-El, you can trace lines to the background of the creators, Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, both Jewish. Overall, there was a remarkable confluence of events that led to the medium and the Jewish participation.
emerging
We were just emerging from the Depression. Superman started in 1938. Batman started in 1939. So, we were just recovering.
new-york character years
Looking at the Batman pages is like revisiting my youth. My first seven years in New York were the first seven years of Batman itself. While my time on Batman was important and exciting and notable considering the characters that came out of it, it was really just the start of my life.
college doors agency
When comics came along in the 1930s there was a talent pool waiting. And one reason is so many areas were closed to Jews. Colleges, advertising agencies, many of the corporations - the doors that were closed led to the one that was open.
Even though at 17 it was limited, I had a life before Batman.
brother player thinking
So, Im thinking of a name for a villain that has a sense of humor. I thought of The Joker as a name, and as soon as I thought that, I associate it with the playing card, as my family had a tradition of champion playing; my brother was a contract champion bridge player. There were always cards around the house.
hero interesting dull
I always felt that heroes were essentially dull. Villains were more exotic and could do more interesting things.
body days drew proudest six work wrote
I did 32 years of political cartoons, one every day for six days a week, I wrote and drew every word, every line. That body of work is the one I'm proudest of.