Batman Joker cartoonist dies aged 89

[The Straight Story]

Batman Joker cartoonist dies aged 89

Comic book industry pioneer Jerry Robinson, who helped create Batman sidekick Robin the Boy Wonder and their arch-nemesis The Joker, has died at age 89.

An editor and friend, Charles Kochman, said Robinson was different from most artists in the field because he worked on every kind of comic genre, from political cartoons to theater illustrations.

"Jerry brought a realism to comics - and a sense of humor," said Kochman, his editor at Abrams Comic Arts, which last year published a book called "Jerry Robinson: Ambassador of Comics."

Robinson not only used his fame and position in the industry to serve as its ambassador but also fought on behalf of other artists and creators - especially to win credit for their work, including the Superman series. Initially, in the 1930s and '40s, publishers owned the rights and would discard drawings after they were used.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/books/booknews/8946086/Batman-Joker-cartoonist-dies-aged-89.html