Tag Archives: Bill Finger

Essential Batman stories every fan should read – part 1

Posted on September 20, 2018 by I.M. Baytor

A while ago, reader Dave Shevlin wrote to me about his latest project of picking somewhere around 30 or so of his favorite Bat-centric tales for an imaginary deluxe volume and challenged me to do the same. The idea would … Continue reading →

Posted in BATMAN COMICS FOR BEGINNERS | Tagged Al Milgrom, Ben Oda, Bill Finger, Bob Brown, Bob Kane, Charles Paris, Denny O'Neil, Dick Giordano, Frank Miller, Glynis Wein, Ira Schnapp, Irv Novick, Jean Izzo, Jerry Serpe, John Costanza, John Workman, Klaus Janson, Lynn Varley, Marshall Rogers, Milt Snappin, Neal Adams, Ray Holloway, Sheldon Moldoff, Stan Kaye, Stan Starkman, Steve Englehart, Terry Austin, Walt Simonson | Leave a comment

Batman vs robot dinosaurs

Posted on August 6, 2018 by I.M. Baytor

Gotham Knights #32 With Jurassic World having become one of the highest grossing movie franchises of recent years, I kept waiting for the inevitable article pointing out that, if you’re into this sort of material, there is a much more satisfying … Continue reading →

Posted in WEBS OF FICTION | Tagged 2000AD, Bill Finger, Bob Wiacek, Burnley, Charles Paris, David V. Reed, David Vern, dinosaurs, Graham Nolan, Jerry Serpe, Julie Schwartz, Julius Schwartz, Mike Grell, Pat Mills, Paul Cooper, Sheldon Moldoff, Silver Age | Leave a comment

COMICS CAN BE AWESOME (May)

Posted on May 3, 2018 by I.M. Baytor

As the world slides into a bigger mess and as the entertainment industry further displays its seedier underside, it is harder to uncritically consume pop culture. That said, I do continue to find a degree of comfort in engaging with … Continue reading →

Posted in GLIMPSES INTO THE PAST | Tagged Bernard Sachs, Bill Finger, Carmine Infantino, Denny O'Neil, Doc Savage, Doug Moench, E.R. Cruz, Jerry Serpe, Strange Adventures, The Shadow, Tony DeZuniga | Leave a comment

Spotlight on Batman’s Z-list villains

Posted on April 18, 2018 by I.M. Baytor

Welcome to Gotham Calling’s 200th post! Solo #7 Back when we reached the first hundred posts, Zack Snyder’s Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice was about to come out and I wrote about a handful of oddball villains whom I … Continue reading →

Posted in GOTHAM CITIZENS | Tagged Alan Grant, Alex Sinclair, Archie Goodwin, Bill Finger, Bob Rozakis, Charles Paris, Chuck Dixon, Dave Taylor, Denny O'Neil, Frank McLaughlin, Glen Murakami, Joe Giela, José Garcia-López, Karl Kesel, Kelley Puckett, Mike Carlin, Mike Parobeck, Mike W. Barr, Norm Breyfogle, Rick Burchett, Rick Taylor, Robert Campanella, Robert Kanigher, Roy Thomas, Sheldon Moldoff, Sholly Fisch, Tom Lyle, villains, Vince Giarrano | 4 Comments

When Batman comics meet courtroom dramas

Posted on May 4, 2017 by I.M. Baytor

From Jimmy Stewart’s captivating performance in Anatomy of a Murder to the shocking reversals in Witness for the Prosecution, from the noirish colonial atmosphere of 1940’s The Letter to the underdog-getting-his-groove-back formula of 1982’s The Verdict, from the gripping climax … Continue reading →

Posted in WEBS OF FICTION | Tagged Batman: The Animated Series, Bill Finger, Bob Kane, Chuck Dixon, George Roussos, Jerry Robinson | 2 Comments

Collections of Batman stories – part 1

Posted on September 1, 2016 by I.M. Baytor

Among the countless Batman books out there – old and new, classic or disposable – there is a whole subsection that strikes me as an ideal gateway for those who have heard of this Bruce Wayne fella but are still … Continue reading →

Posted in BATMAN COMICS FOR BEGINNERS | Tagged Alan Brennert, Andrew Helfer, Archie Goodwin, Batman: The Animated Series, Batman's personality, Bill Finger, Brad Rader, Brian Bolland, Bruce Timm, Chris Sprouse, Chuck Dixon, Gardner Fox, Grant Morrison, Greg Wright, horror, Jeph Loeb, Kelley Puckett, Kevin Nowlan, Lee Bermejo, Martin Pasko, Matt Wagner, Mike Parobeck, Neil Gaiman, noir, Rick Burchett, Rick Taylor, Ted McKeever, Teddy Kristiansen, Tim Harkins, Tim Sale, Todd Klein, Ty Templeton, Walt Simonson | Leave a comment

Remaking The Case of the Chemical Syndicate

Posted on May 24, 2016 by I.M. Baytor

As far as remakes go, I’m of the school of leave-good-works-alone-and-remake-the-bad-ones-instead. To use John Carpenter’s oeuvre as an example (as I often do), I can understand the financial urge to bank on title recognition, but artistically I see no point … Continue reading →

Posted in WEBS OF FICTION | Tagged Alan Grant, Bill Finger, Bob Brown, Bob Kane, Brad Meltzer, Bryan Hitch, Jim Aparo, Joe Giella, Julie Schwartz, Marshall Rogers, Marv Wolfman, Mike Friedrich, Norm Breyfogle, Roy Thomas, Todd Klein | Leave a comment

6 villains you definitely won’t find in Batman v Superman

Posted on January 19, 2016 by I.M. Baytor

This is Gotham Calling’s 100th post, so I’m celebrating by focusing on one of my favorite aspects of Batman lore, namely the unbelievable amount of obscure, silly villains the Caped Crusader has faced over the years. In Gotham City, it … Continue reading →

Posted in GOTHAM CITIZENS | Tagged Bill Finger, Carmine Infantino, Charles Paris, David Vern, Denny O'Neil, Dick Giordano, Eric Jones, Gardner Fox, Joe Giella, Landry Q. Walker, Michael Gilbert, Neal Adams, Sheldon Moldoff, villains | Leave a comment

The Mark of Zorro

Posted on August 20, 2015 by I.M. Baytor

The Dark Knight Returns It’s been fully established by now that Bruce Wayne’s parents watched The Mark of Zorro with him shortly before they were killed. Well, at least in the comics – on the big screen, Tim Burton changed … Continue reading →

Posted in WEBS OF FICTION | Tagged Bill Finger, Bob Kane, James Robinson, movies, Tim Sale, Zorro | 1 Comment

Batman comics and World War II

Posted on June 29, 2015 by I.M. Baytor

Although nowadays movies set in World War II have become mostly synonymous with tearjerker melodramas or grim military epics, this wasn’t always the case. The gravitas of that conflict and the overwhelming consensus about who the heroes and villains … Continue reading →

Posted in POLITICS OF BATMAN COMICS | Tagged Archie Goodwin, Bill Finger, Bob Haney, Bob Kane, Dick Sprang, Don Cameron, espionage, Gary Gianni, George Roussos, Jack Burnley, Jack Kirby, Joe Greene, Neal Adams, politics, World War II | Leave a comment