12/08/2023
🖼️: Jerry Robinson’s original concept sketch for DC’s Joker, 1940.
Remembering Jerry Robinson (January 1, 1922 – December 7, 2011): Speaking with The New York Times in 2010, Robinson discussed how the creation of Batman’s greatest enemy evolved. While during his time at Columbia University, Robinson began to work alongside Batman co-creator Bob Kane (1915-1998) and, according to Robinson, they “lived, ate, drank and slept Batman ideas, characters and stories”. Thinking of an opponent for the newly created Caped Crusader, Robinson felt he should have a sense of humor and a clownish look: “I think the name came first: the Joker,” he said. “Then I thought of the playing card.” Robinson recalls the Batman creators Bill Finger (1914-1974) and Kane being happy with his look: “They both went bananas and made the Joker the first story in Batman No. 1”. As one of the major visual influences to the creation of the character, The Joker first appeared in Bill Finger, Bob Kane and Jerry Robinson’s “The Joker” in Batman #1 on April 25, 1940.🃏📚