RIP Jerry Robinson

Jerry was involved in the creation of Robin, Two-Face, and many other now-iconic members of the Batman cast. It’s a remarkable role reversal to imagine a young artist starting his career drawing Batman stories when many would now count that as a lifelong goal. Robinson then spent the next three decades as a highly regarded political cartoonist, though he was far from done with comics.

Probably his greatest contribution to comics was his tireless efforts to obtain rights for comic creators. Having worked in a time when it was standard for creators to work as contractors, often signing away the rights to their own creations in the process, Robinson was not content to let creators work be taken from them. He was a staunch supporter of Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster in their struggle to gain compensation for Superman, and helped them for many years.

His loss is not only an opportunity to mourn a wonderful artist and creator, but to celebrate someone who stood up for what he believed in and never sat back down. Jerry is an inspiration to every kid out there who longs to become a professional dreamer, and the world is a little sadder without him in it. We would like to extend our sincerest condolences to Jerry’s family and friends.

RIP Jerry Robinson, December 7, 2011.