Robert Kanigher

Infobox Comics creator


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birthdate = birth date|1915|6|18|mf=y
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deathdate = death date and age|2002|05|6|1915|06|18
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nationality = American
area = Writer
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Robert Kanigher (June 18, 1915 - May 6, 2002) was a prolific comic book writer whose career spanned five decades.

Kanigher's career as a writer started early, with his short stories and poetry being published in magazines. He won "The New York Times" Collegiate Short Story Contest in 1932. Kanigher also wrote for radio and authored several plays.

Kanigher's earliest comics work was in such titles as Fox Feature Syndicate's "Blue Beetle", MLJ/Archie Comics's "Steel Sterling" and "The Web", and Fawcett Comics "Captain Marvel Adventures".

In 1943 Kanigher wrote "How to Make Money Writing for Comics", one of the earliest works on the subject. That same year he also wrote "How to Make Money Writing for Radio".

Kanigher joined All-American Comics, a precursor of the future DC Comics, as a scripter in 1945, and was quickly promoted to editor. He wrote for "The Justice Society of America", "Hawkman", "Green Lantern", and edited "Wonder Woman" in addition to scripting the title. He created a number of new characters at this time, including Black Canary, Rose and The Thorn and The Harlequin.

Starting in 1952, Kanigher began editing and writing the "big 5" DC Comics' war titles: "G.I. Combat", "Our Army at War", "Our Fighting Forces", "All-American Men of War", and "Star-Spangled War Stories". His creation of Sgt. Rock with Joe Kubert is considered one of his most memorable contributions to the medium. Later in his career he also created other popular action series features, such as "Enemy Ace", "The War that Time Forgot", "The Losers", "The Unknown Soldier" and, with Russ Heath, "The Haunted Tank" and "Sea Devils". His stories have been republished in Showcase Presents and DC Archives.

In the late 1950s and 1960s, Kanigher had a hand in creating many other characters, including Viking Prince, Balloon Buster, the Metal Men and the "Batman" villain Poison Ivy. Kanigher also scripted the first appearance of the Barry Allen Flash in "Showcase" #4, the comic generally credited with reviving superheroes and launching the Silver Age of Comics. In 1974, drawing on a classic novel, he introduced "Rima the Jungle Girl" to the DC Universe in her own title.

References

* [http://www.comicartville.com/kanigherobit.htm Comicartville Library Tribute to Robert Kanigher]
* [http://www.sfwa.org/news/kanigher.htm Science Fiction and Fantasy Writer's of America Obituary for Robert Kanigher]
* [http://www.toonopedia.com/hauntedt.htm Don Markstein's Toonopedia:The Haunted Tank]
* [http://www.toonopedia.com/sgt_rock.htm Don Markstein's Toonopedia:Sgt. Rock]
* [http://www.geocities.com/galleryofwar/rk-obit.htm Bob Kanigher's Gallery of War]

External links

* [http://podcastx.blogspot.com/2006/04/episode-7-podcast-of-apes.html Podcast X reviews Robert Kanigher's "Wonder Woman"]

succession box | title="Wonder Woman" writer| before=William Moulton Marston
after=Dennis O'Neil| years=1947–1968