Visiting Author Shares Secrets of Batman and Superman with Anderson Students
Visiting Author Shares Secrets of Batman and Superman with Anderson Students
On Thursday, March 10, 2022, author Marc Tyler Nobleman presented to the entire student body in three sessions at Anderson Middle School. Mr. Nobleman is an author, researcher, cartoonist and film writer. His focus for the visit was on the research he completed while writing two of his books, “Boys of Steel: The Creators of Superman” and “Bill the Boy Wonder.”
“Boys of Steel: The Creators of Superman” tells the story of two young men who wrote the story of the first superhero, the years it took them to find a publisher and the mysteries that were uncovered in the process. Mr. Nobleman did extensive research on these writers, including visiting their childhood homes to take photos where they likely wrote and drew. Details uncovered during the research (the upstairs window where one of the authors worked, for example) were incorporated as images in the book. About his writing process he shared, “I had to first start not as a writer, but as a detective.”
Mr. Nobleman focused his storytelling about “Bill the Boy Wonder” on the hide and seek process he follows while researching. He shared that just like the childhood game, you have to keep seeking what is hiding in history to uncover the truth. Through his research on Bill Finger, the true originator of Batman, Mr. Nobleman was able to change history. The book tells the story of the unknown author (Bill) who brought Batman, Robin, the Joker, the Penguin and more to life. His research followed Bill Finger’s writing career, co-author claims, marriages, death and next of kin. Mr. Nobleman shared about his relentless pursuit to find the truth and anything he could about Bill Finger to right a wrong. Mr. Nobleman’s work won a major settlement for Bill Finger’s family after his death and is featured in a documentary on Hulu called Batman & Bill.
Mr. Nobleman’s presentation was funded by the Berkley Education Foundation as an Innovation-Grant, the AMS PTSA, and from Anderson’s read-a-thon and book fair. In their BEF Innovation-Grant application, the AMS English Department shared how this presentation connects with the curriculum: This enrichment project aligns with grades 6-8 standards across the curriculum. It meets the standards for English Language Arts (ELA) in research – to build and present knowledge; in writing – text types and purposes, informative and explanatory text; in reading informational text – author development, contrast, point of view. It also aligns with the social studies curriculum including analysis of primary and secondary sources, distinguishing among fact, opinion and reasoned judgment, and comics history. For science standards it aligns with integration of knowledge and ideas, hypothesis and fact finding.
After the presentation students had a chance to ask questions including, “What was the artifact that was the hardest to find?” “Why did Bill write when he knew he wasn’t getting credit?” and “How long did it take you to do your research?” Students also worked on reflections after the presentation sharing their thoughts on pieces of paper that will hang in the media center.
