Michael Uslan
Encyclopedia
Michael E. Uslan is the originator of the Batman
movies and was the first instructor to teach "Comic Book Folklore" at an accredited university. Uslan is a native of Cedar Grove, New Jersey
.
and was an avid comic book collector from a very young age, owning a collection that included the second Batman and first Superman comic, among others. His collection spanned more than 25,000 comics. He attended Ocean Township High School. While still an undergraduate and a graduate at the same time at Indiana University School of Law - Bloomington, attempting to break into the film industry by sending off over 130 résumés (typed on a typewriter), Uslan "developed a course idea for the Experimental Curriculum program at I.U."
"has been teaching a one-hour credit experimental course on comic book history and art," while he (Uslan) was "having fun with an I.U. Free University course on "The Comic Book Hero"." Stern and Uslan discovered they shared interests, and when Stern "couldn't stand teaching the course any longer," Uslan took it over and changed it into one that took
Uslan intended that his course on comics gives students the full three hours of college credit, on a par with "history, physics, or chemistry." Requiring (as an undergraduate) a sponsor in order to be eligible to teach, Uslan found a "progressive and enthusiastic" one in the form of Henry Glassie
, a professor in the Department of Folklore, who, as a "leading expert in the field of folklore" was able to see Superheroes as the somewhat logical descendant to Norse
, Egyptian
and Greek Mythology
.
Challenged by the Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences about the nature of his course ("So you want to teach a course on comic books at my university, do you?!"), Uslan received approval to teach his comic book folklore class by having the Dean recall the beginning of Superman and then pointing out that the Dean just recited the story of Moses. (Uslan has also suggested that the Dean was himself a comics fan, and was struck by the original artwork Uslan took along to the meeting at which his proposal was ultimately accredited.) Uslan's course, by then-titled "The Comic Book in Society," thus became "the first accredited course on the serious study of comic books."
Uslan won fame for his comic book class by anonymously calling the local newspapers and when a reporter got on the phone, Uslan shouted, "There is a comic book class at IU! What Communist is responsible for this garbage?! Are you telling me my tax dollars are going towards THIS?" and then hung up. TV crews filmed the first five meetings of the course, by then called "The Comic Book in America," including John Chancellor
's NBC News
. Intending to invite different speakers each semester, Uslan found that Denny O'Neil was voted for by the class so often that he became the regular invitee (Uslan notes that Bob Rozakis
was among those passed-over in favor of O'Neil).
Press coverage led to Uslan being invited to lecture at a number of colleges and high schools, as well as participate in talk shows on radio and TV (his first television appearance was alongside writers Steve Englehart
and Gerry Conway
). It also led to phone calls from Stan Lee
, and eventually to a job offer from DC Comics
. Uslan also wrote a textbook dealing with his course, The Comic Book in America (Indiana University, 1971).
) of all of the modern Batman films to date, starting with Tim Burton
's 1989 film
, and continuing to 2008's The Dark Knight
and also includes various feature-length films based on the Batman: The Animated Series
and The Batman
. Uslan envisioned a dark Batman, not the sort of Batman that came from the "funny books," as reflected in the 1960s TV series
starring Adam West
.
When Uslan initially pitched the idea to producers, he was turned down. The justification from producers was that Batman was based on a comic book, and it did not have much success in the box office. He was turned down for various reasons, one most curious and nonsensical was a executive that argued that Batman and Robin wouldn't work as a film because the studio's previous flop Robin and Marian
starring Sean Connery as an elderly Robin Hood failed to find success.
Uslan views the 1989 Batman film
directed by Tim Burton
and starring Michael Keaton
as the Caped Crusader as being most representative of the earliest take of the character by Bob Kane
and Bill Finger
from 1939. Meanwhile, Uslan considers the second Tim Burton/Michael Keaton Batman film, Batman Returns
(1992) as serving more as an embodiment of the "almost soulless, very dark, almost vampiric" comics of the 1990s. Uslan considers the Joel Schumacher
directed Batman Forever
(1995) starring Val Kilmer
taking over for Michael Keaton as being the closest in spirit of the Dick Sprang
drawn, Bill Finger
-written stories (featuring not only Batman, but also Robin
as played by Chris O'Donnell
in Batman Forever) of the 1940s and 1950s. Finally, Uslan sees the second Joel Schumacher directed Batman film (this time, starring George Clooney
as the Dark Knight instead of Val Kilmer or Michael Keaton), Batman & Robin (1997) as being most representative of the Batman of the mid-1960s (à la the campy
TV series starring Adam West).
in most of his projects.
As a film and TV producer, in addition to his many DC Comics
film credits (in addition to all the Batman films and the two Swamp Thing
films, Uslan executive produced
the Swamp Thing
TV series, 2004's Catwoman
and 2008's The Spirit
film, among others), Uslan has "produced a surprisingly diverse list of film and television." These include Three Sovereigns for Sarah (1985), starring Vanessa Redgrave
, part of the American Playhouse
series on PBS dealing with the Salem Witch Trials
and the children's geography
-teaching TV show Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego?
.
Uslan is also a producer on the in production Captain Marvel
feature Billy Batson and the Legend of Shazam.
Uslan was also an associate producer on Disney's National Treasure
films.
He created and executive produced (with Ben Melniker) 1980s cartoon Dinosaucers
. He also wrote a few episodes on the series.
' The Shadow (on which he is planning a feature film with Sam Raimi
) and publishing competitor Charlton Comics
' Charlton Bullseye.
With only some brief (foreword) writing and editing stints in between Uslan scripted the 2009 6-part story, "Archie Marries Veronica", "draw[ing] upon his lifelong love of Archie
comic books."
Most noteworthy he also initiated Stan Lee
's Just Imagine...
and contributed short-stories with renowned artists like John Severin
, Gene Colan
and Richard Corben
to it.
He wrote some The Spirit comics, even before producing the feature film
.
(rare books and manuscripts library), a collection which (according to his wife Nancy) "filled three rooms of their house."
Uslan was the honorary speaker at the 2006 Indiana University
commencement ceremonies, held on May 6, 2006.
.
In 2009 he was awarded the West Point Cadet Choice Award for the Character Bruce Wayne in the Dark Knight.
In 2011, He was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award by the Peace River Film Festival.
Batman
Batman is a fictional character created by the artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger. A comic book superhero, Batman first appeared in Detective Comics #27 , and since then has appeared primarily in publications by DC Comics...
movies and was the first instructor to teach "Comic Book Folklore" at an accredited university. Uslan is a native of Cedar Grove, New Jersey
Cedar Grove, New Jersey
-Climate:Cedar Grove has a humid subtropical climate, with warm/hot humid summers and cool/cold winters. The climate is slightly colder overall during the summer than in New York City because there is no urban heat island effect....
.
Early life
Uslan was born in Deal, New JerseyDeal, New Jersey
Deal is a borough in Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 Census, the borough population was 750.Deal was incorporated as a borough on March 7, 1898, by an act of the New Jersey Legislature, from portions of Ocean Township....
and was an avid comic book collector from a very young age, owning a collection that included the second Batman and first Superman comic, among others. His collection spanned more than 25,000 comics. He attended Ocean Township High School. While still an undergraduate and a graduate at the same time at Indiana University School of Law - Bloomington, attempting to break into the film industry by sending off over 130 résumés (typed on a typewriter), Uslan "developed a course idea for the Experimental Curriculum program at I.U."
Teaching
Uslan recalls that Roger SternRoger Stern
Roger Stern is an American comic book author and novelist.-Early career:In the early 1970s, Stern and Bob Layton published the fanzine CPL , one of the first platforms for the work of John Byrne...
"has been teaching a one-hour credit experimental course on comic book history and art," while he (Uslan) was "having fun with an I.U. Free University course on "The Comic Book Hero"." Stern and Uslan discovered they shared interests, and when Stern "couldn't stand teaching the course any longer," Uslan took it over and changed it into one that took
Uslan intended that his course on comics gives students the full three hours of college credit, on a par with "history, physics, or chemistry." Requiring (as an undergraduate) a sponsor in order to be eligible to teach, Uslan found a "progressive and enthusiastic" one in the form of Henry Glassie
Henry Glassie
Henry H. Glassie III is a folklorist and emeritus College Professor of Folklore at Indiana University Bloomington. With specializations in folk art, folklife, vernacular architecture and material culture, Glassie has written nearly twenty books on folklore of the areas of Ireland, Turkey,...
, a professor in the Department of Folklore, who, as a "leading expert in the field of folklore" was able to see Superheroes as the somewhat logical descendant to Norse
Norse mythology
Norse mythology, a subset of Germanic mythology, is the overall term for the myths, legends and beliefs about supernatural beings of Norse pagans. It flourished prior to the Christianization of Scandinavia, during the Early Middle Ages, and passed into Nordic folklore, with some aspects surviving...
, Egyptian
Egyptian mythology
Ancient Egyptian religion was a complex system of polytheistic beliefs and rituals which were an integral part of ancient Egyptian society. It centered on the Egyptians' interaction with a multitude of deities who were believed to be present in, and in control of, the forces and elements of nature...
and Greek Mythology
Greek mythology
Greek mythology is the body of myths and legends belonging to the ancient Greeks, concerning their gods and heroes, the nature of the world, and the origins and significance of their own cult and ritual practices. They were a part of religion in ancient Greece...
.
Challenged by the Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences about the nature of his course ("So you want to teach a course on comic books at my university, do you?!"), Uslan received approval to teach his comic book folklore class by having the Dean recall the beginning of Superman and then pointing out that the Dean just recited the story of Moses. (Uslan has also suggested that the Dean was himself a comics fan, and was struck by the original artwork Uslan took along to the meeting at which his proposal was ultimately accredited.) Uslan's course, by then-titled "The Comic Book in Society," thus became "the first accredited course on the serious study of comic books."
Uslan won fame for his comic book class by anonymously calling the local newspapers and when a reporter got on the phone, Uslan shouted, "There is a comic book class at IU! What Communist is responsible for this garbage?! Are you telling me my tax dollars are going towards THIS?" and then hung up. TV crews filmed the first five meetings of the course, by then called "The Comic Book in America," including John Chancellor
John Chancellor
John William Chancellor was a well-known American journalist who spent most of his career with NBC News...
's NBC News
NBC News
NBC News is the news division of American television network NBC. It first started broadcasting in February 21, 1940. NBC Nightly News has aired from Studio 3B, located on floors 3 of the NBC Studios is the headquarters of the GE Building forms the centerpiece of 30th Rockefeller Center it is...
. Intending to invite different speakers each semester, Uslan found that Denny O'Neil was voted for by the class so often that he became the regular invitee (Uslan notes that Bob Rozakis
Bob Rozakis
Robert "Bob" Rozakis is a comic book writer and editor known mainly for his work in the 1970s and 1980s at DC Comics, as the writer of Mazing Man and in his capacity as DC's "Answer Man".-Biography:...
was among those passed-over in favor of O'Neil).
Press coverage led to Uslan being invited to lecture at a number of colleges and high schools, as well as participate in talk shows on radio and TV (his first television appearance was alongside writers Steve Englehart
Steve Englehart
Steve Englehart is an American novelist. In his earlier career he was a comic book writer best known for his work at Marvel Comics and DC Comics, particularly in the 1970s...
and Gerry Conway
Gerry Conway
Gerard F. "Gerry" Conway is an American writer of comic books and television shows. He is known for co-creating the Marvel Comics vigilante The Punisher and scripting the death of the character Gwen Stacy during his long run on The Amazing Spider-Man...
). It also led to phone calls from Stan Lee
Stan Lee
Stan Lee is an American comic book writer, editor, actor, producer, publisher, television personality, and the former president and chairman of Marvel Comics....
, and eventually to a job offer from DC Comics
DC Comics
DC Comics, Inc. is one of the largest and most successful companies operating in the market for American comic books and related media. It is the publishing unit of DC Entertainment a company of Warner Bros. Entertainment, which itself is owned by Time Warner...
. Uslan also wrote a textbook dealing with his course, The Comic Book in America (Indiana University, 1971).
Batman films
Uslan is best known as a key producer (another being Benjamin MelnikerBenjamin Melniker
Benjamin Melniker is an American film producer. He is primarily known on his work for the Batman film series and frequently works with Michael Uslan...
) of all of the modern Batman films to date, starting with Tim Burton
Tim Burton
Timothy William "Tim" Burton is an American film director, film producer, writer and artist. He is famous for dark, quirky-themed movies such as Beetlejuice, Edward Scissorhands, The Nightmare Before Christmas, Ed Wood, Sleepy Hollow, Corpse Bride and Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet...
's 1989 film
Batman (1989 film)
Batman is a 1989 superhero film based on the DC Comics character of the same name, directed by Tim Burton. The film stars Michael Keaton in the title role, as well as Jack Nicholson, Kim Basinger, Robert Wuhl and Jack Palance...
, and continuing to 2008's The Dark Knight
The Dark Knight (film)
The Dark Knight is a 2008 superhero film directed, produced and co-written by Christopher Nolan. Based on the DC Comics character Batman, the film is part of Nolan's Batman film series and a sequel to 2005's Batman Begins...
and also includes various feature-length films based on the Batman: The Animated Series
Batman: The Animated Series
Batman: The Animated Series is an American animated series based on the DC Comics character Batman. The series featured an ensemble cast of many voice-actors including Kevin Conroy, Mark Hamill, Efrem Zimbalist, Jr., Arleen Sorkin, and Loren Lester. The series won four Emmy Awards and was nominated...
and The Batman
The Batman (TV series)
The Batman is an American animated television series produced by Warner Bros. Animation based on the DC Comics superhero Batman. It ran from 2004 to 2008, on the Saturday morning television block Kids' WB...
. Uslan envisioned a dark Batman, not the sort of Batman that came from the "funny books," as reflected in the 1960s TV series
Batman (TV series)
Batman is an American television series, based on the DC comic book character of the same name. It stars Adam West as Batman and Burt Ward as Robin — two crime-fighting heroes who defend Gotham City. It aired on the American Broadcasting Company network for three seasons from January 12, 1966 to...
starring Adam West
Adam West
William West Anderson , better known by the stage name Adam West, is an American actor best known for his lead role in the Batman TV series and the film of the same name...
.
When Uslan initially pitched the idea to producers, he was turned down. The justification from producers was that Batman was based on a comic book, and it did not have much success in the box office. He was turned down for various reasons, one most curious and nonsensical was a executive that argued that Batman and Robin wouldn't work as a film because the studio's previous flop Robin and Marian
Robin and Marian
Robin and Marian is a 1976 British/American co-produced romantic adventure period film filmed in Pamplona, Spain starring Sean Connery as Robin Hood, Audrey Hepburn as Lady Marian, Nicol Williamson as Little John, Robert Shaw as the Sheriff of Nottingham and Richard Harris as King Richard. It also...
starring Sean Connery as an elderly Robin Hood failed to find success.
Uslan views the 1989 Batman film
Batman (1989 film)
Batman is a 1989 superhero film based on the DC Comics character of the same name, directed by Tim Burton. The film stars Michael Keaton in the title role, as well as Jack Nicholson, Kim Basinger, Robert Wuhl and Jack Palance...
directed by Tim Burton
Tim Burton
Timothy William "Tim" Burton is an American film director, film producer, writer and artist. He is famous for dark, quirky-themed movies such as Beetlejuice, Edward Scissorhands, The Nightmare Before Christmas, Ed Wood, Sleepy Hollow, Corpse Bride and Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet...
and starring Michael Keaton
Michael Keaton
Michael John Douglas , better known by the stage name Michael Keaton, is an American actor known for his early comedic roles, most notably his performance as the title character of Tim Burton's Beetlejuice . Keaton is also famous for his dramatic portrayal of Bruce Wayne/Batman in Tim Burton's...
as the Caped Crusader as being most representative of the earliest take of the character by Bob Kane
Bob Kane
Bob Kane was an American comic book artist and writer, credited as the creator of the DC Comics superhero Batman...
and Bill Finger
Bill Finger
William "Bill" Finger was an American comic strip and comic book writer best known as the uncredited co-creator, with Bob Kane, of the DC Comics character Batman, as well as the co-architect of the series' development...
from 1939. Meanwhile, Uslan considers the second Tim Burton/Michael Keaton Batman film, Batman Returns
Batman Returns
Batman Returns is a 1992 American superhero film directed by Tim Burton. Based on the DC Comics character Batman, it is the sequel to Burton's Batman , and features Michael Keaton reprising the title role, with Danny DeVito as the Penguin and Michelle Pfeiffer as Catwoman.Burton originally did not...
(1992) as serving more as an embodiment of the "almost soulless, very dark, almost vampiric" comics of the 1990s. Uslan considers the Joel Schumacher
Joel Schumacher
Joel T. Schumacher is an American film director, screenwriter and producer.-Early life:Schumacher was born in New York City, the son of Marian and Francis Schumacher. His mother was a Swedish Jew, and his father was a Baptist from Knoxville, Tennessee, who died when Joel was four years old...
directed Batman Forever
Batman Forever
Batman Forever is a 1995 American superhero film directed by Joel Schumacher and produced by Tim Burton. Based on the DC Comics character Batman, the film is a sequel to Batman Returns , with Val Kilmer replacing Michael Keaton as Batman...
(1995) starring Val Kilmer
Val Kilmer
Val Edward Kilmer is an American actor. Originally a stage actor, Kilmer became popular in the mid-1980s after a string of appearances in comedy films, starting with Top Secret! , then the cult classic Real Genius , as well as blockbuster action films, including a supporting role in Top Gun and a...
taking over for Michael Keaton as being the closest in spirit of the Dick Sprang
Dick Sprang
Richard W. "Dick" Sprang was an American comic book artist and penciller, best known for his work on the superhero Batman during the period fans and historians call Golden Age of Comic Books. Sprang was responsible for the 1948 redesign of the Batmobile and the original design of the Riddler, who...
drawn, Bill Finger
Bill Finger
William "Bill" Finger was an American comic strip and comic book writer best known as the uncredited co-creator, with Bob Kane, of the DC Comics character Batman, as well as the co-architect of the series' development...
-written stories (featuring not only Batman, but also Robin
Robin (comics)
Robin is the name of several fictional characters appearing in comic books published by DC Comics, originally created by Bob Kane, Bill Finger and Jerry Robinson, as a junior counterpart to DC Comics superhero Batman...
as played by Chris O'Donnell
Chris O'Donnell
Christopher Eugene "Chris" O'Donnell is an American actor. He has played Robin in two Batman films, Batman Forever and Batman & Robin, Charlie Simms in Scent of a Woman, Finn Dandridge in Grey's Anatomy, Peter Garrett in Vertical Limit, and more recently, Jack McAuliffe in The Company. O'Donnell...
in Batman Forever) of the 1940s and 1950s. Finally, Uslan sees the second Joel Schumacher directed Batman film (this time, starring George Clooney
George Clooney
George Timothy Clooney is an American actor, film director, producer, and screenwriter. For his work as an actor, he has received two Golden Globe Awards and an Academy Award...
as the Dark Knight instead of Val Kilmer or Michael Keaton), Batman & Robin (1997) as being most representative of the Batman of the mid-1960s (à la the campy
Camp (style)
Camp is an aesthetic sensibility that regards something as appealing because of its taste and ironic value. The concept is closely related to kitsch, and things with camp appeal may also be described as being "cheesy"...
TV series starring Adam West).
Other work
Uslan works with Benjamin MelnikerBenjamin Melniker
Benjamin Melniker is an American film producer. He is primarily known on his work for the Batman film series and frequently works with Michael Uslan...
in most of his projects.
As a film and TV producer, in addition to his many DC Comics
DC Comics
DC Comics, Inc. is one of the largest and most successful companies operating in the market for American comic books and related media. It is the publishing unit of DC Entertainment a company of Warner Bros. Entertainment, which itself is owned by Time Warner...
film credits (in addition to all the Batman films and the two Swamp Thing
Swamp Thing
Swamp Thing, a fictional character, is a plant elemental in the created by Len Wein and Berni Wrightson. He first appeared in House of Secrets #92 in a stand-alone horror story set in the early 20th century . The Swamp Thing then returned in his own series, set in the contemporary world and in...
films, Uslan executive produced
Executive producer
An executive producer is a producer who is not involved in any technical aspects of the film making or music process, but who is still responsible for the overall production...
the Swamp Thing
Swamp Thing (TV series)
Swamp Thing, also known as Swamp Thing: The Series, is a science fiction, action/adventure television series based on the DC Comics character Swamp Thing. It debuted on USA Network on July 27, 1990 and lasted three seasons for a total of 72 episodes...
TV series, 2004's Catwoman
Catwoman (film)
Catwoman is a 2004 American superhero film and quasi-spinoff of the Batman film series directed by Pitof and released by Warner Bros. and Village Roadshow Pictures on July 23, 2004....
and 2008's The Spirit
The Spirit (film)
The Spirit is a 2008 American superhero noir film, written and directed by Frank Miller and starring Gabriel Macht, Eva Mendes, Sarah Paulson, Dan Lauria, Paz Vega, Jaime King, Scarlett Johansson, and Samuel L. Jackson. The film is based on the newspaper comic strip The Spirit by Will Eisner...
film, among others), Uslan has "produced a surprisingly diverse list of film and television." These include Three Sovereigns for Sarah (1985), starring Vanessa Redgrave
Vanessa Redgrave
Vanessa Redgrave, CBE is an English actress of stage, screen and television, as well as a political activist.She rose to prominence in 1961 playing Rosalind in As You Like It with the Royal Shakespeare Company and has since made more than 35 appearances on London's West End and Broadway, winning...
, part of the American Playhouse
American Playhouse
American Playhouse is an anthology television series periodically broadcast by Public Broadcasting Service in the United States.It premiered on January 12, 1982 with The Shady Hill Kidnapping, written and narrated by John Cheever and directed by Paul Bogart...
series on PBS dealing with the Salem Witch Trials
Salem witch trials
The Salem witch trials were a series of hearings before county court trials to prosecute people accused of witchcraft in the counties of Essex, Suffolk, and Middlesex in colonial Massachusetts, between February 1692 and May 1693...
and the children's geography
Geography
Geography is the science that studies the lands, features, inhabitants, and phenomena of Earth. A literal translation would be "to describe or write about the Earth". The first person to use the word "geography" was Eratosthenes...
-teaching TV show Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego?
Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego?
Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego? is the title of several edutainment computer games in the Carmen Sandiego series that teach geography. The World games, often marketed as the flagship products of the Carmen series, were created by Brøderbund Software from 1985 to 1996 with another version...
.
Uslan is also a producer on the in production Captain Marvel
Captain Marvel (DC Comics)
Captain Marvel is a fictional comic book superhero, originally published by Fawcett Comics and later by DC Comics. Created in 1939 by artist C. C. Beck and writer Bill Parker, the character first appeared in Whiz Comics #2...
feature Billy Batson and the Legend of Shazam.
Uslan was also an associate producer on Disney's National Treasure
National treasure
The idea of national treasure, like national epics and national anthems, is part of the language of Romantic nationalism, which arose in the late 18th century and 19th centuries. Nationalism is an ideology which supports the nation as the fundamental unit of human social life, which includes shared...
films.
He created and executive produced (with Ben Melniker) 1980s cartoon Dinosaucers
Dinosaucers
Dinosaucers Dinosaucers Dinosaucers (known in Japan as: is an animated television series co-produced in the United States, Canada and Japan. It was created by DIC Entertainment and Madhouse which has done the overseas animation and in association with Ellipse Programmé and Nelvana. This animated...
. He also wrote a few episodes on the series.
Writer
Uslan attempted his first comic writing in 1975 at DC ComicsDC Comics
DC Comics, Inc. is one of the largest and most successful companies operating in the market for American comic books and related media. It is the publishing unit of DC Entertainment a company of Warner Bros. Entertainment, which itself is owned by Time Warner...
' The Shadow (on which he is planning a feature film with Sam Raimi
Sam Raimi
Samuel Marshall "Sam" Raimi is an American film director, producer, actor and writer. He is best known for directing cult horror films like the Evil Dead series, Darkman and Drag Me to Hell, as well as the blockbuster Spider-Man films and the producer of the successful TV series Hercules: The...
) and publishing competitor Charlton Comics
Charlton Comics
Charlton Comics was an American comic book publishing company that existed from 1946 to 1985, having begun under a different name in 1944. It was based in Derby, Connecticut...
' Charlton Bullseye.
With only some brief (foreword) writing and editing stints in between Uslan scripted the 2009 6-part story, "Archie Marries Veronica", "draw[ing] upon his lifelong love of Archie
Archie Andrews (comics)
Archie Andrews, created in 1941 by Vic Bloom and Bob Montana, is a fictional character in an American comic book series published by Archie Comics, as well as the long-running Archie Andrews radio series, a syndicated comic strip, The Archie Show, and Archie's Weird Mysteries.-Character and...
comic books."
Most noteworthy he also initiated Stan Lee
Stan Lee
Stan Lee is an American comic book writer, editor, actor, producer, publisher, television personality, and the former president and chairman of Marvel Comics....
's Just Imagine...
Just Imagine...
Just Imagine Stan Lee is a comic book published by DC Comics. It was the first work by Stan Lee, co-creator of numerous popular Marvel Comics characters, for DC Comics, in which he reimagined several DC superheroes including Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern and The...
and contributed short-stories with renowned artists like John Severin
John Severin
John Powers Severin is an American comic book artist noted for his distinctive work with EC Comics, primarily on the war comics Two-Fisted Tales and Frontline Combat; for Marvel Comics, primarily on its war and Western comics; and for the satiric magazine Cracked...
, Gene Colan
Gene Colan
Eugene Jules "Gene" Colan was an American comic book artist best known for his work for Marvel Comics, where his signature titles include the superhero series, Daredevil, the cult-hit satiric series Howard the Duck, and The Tomb of Dracula, considered one of comics' classic horror series...
and Richard Corben
Richard Corben
Richard Corben is an American illustrator and comic book artist best known for his comics featured in Heavy Metal magazine...
to it.
He wrote some The Spirit comics, even before producing the feature film
The Spirit (film)
The Spirit is a 2008 American superhero noir film, written and directed by Frank Miller and starring Gabriel Macht, Eva Mendes, Sarah Paulson, Dan Lauria, Paz Vega, Jaime King, Scarlett Johansson, and Samuel L. Jackson. The film is based on the newspaper comic strip The Spirit by Will Eisner...
.
Charity and other work
In 2005, Uslan donated his 30,000 comic book collection to Indiana University's Lilly LibraryLilly Library
The Lilly Library, located on the campus of Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana, is a large rare book and manuscript library in the United States.-History:...
(rare books and manuscripts library), a collection which (according to his wife Nancy) "filled three rooms of their house."
Uslan was the honorary speaker at the 2006 Indiana University
Indiana University Bloomington
Indiana University Bloomington is a public research university located in Bloomington, Indiana, in the United States. IU Bloomington is the flagship campus of the Indiana University system. Being the flagship campus, IU Bloomington is often referred to simply as IU or Indiana...
commencement ceremonies, held on May 6, 2006.
Awards
With his co-executive producers, Uslan won a 1995 Daytime Emmy for Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego?, and he was also awarded an Independent Spirit Award at the 2005 Garden State Film FestivalGarden State Film Festival
The Garden State Film Festival is a film festival in the United States held in Asbury Park, New Jersey which showcases over 100 films annually over three days in March or April....
.
In 2009 he was awarded the West Point Cadet Choice Award for the Character Bruce Wayne in the Dark Knight.
In 2011, He was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award by the Peace River Film Festival.