Jack Schiff

Jack Schiff (1909^[1] – April 30, 1999)^[2] was an American comic book writer and editor best known for his work editing various Batman comic book series for DC Comics from 1942 to 1964. He was the co-creator of Starman, Tommy Tomorrow, and the Wyoming Kid.

Jack Schiff
Schiff on the cover of Gang Busters #10 (June–July 1949)
Born	1909
Died	April 30, 1999 (aged 89)
Area(s)	Writer, editor
Notable works	Batman Detective Comics

Biography

Jack Schiff entered the comics industry after attending Cornell University.^[1] He got his start at Standard Magazines, editing various pulps.^[3] At DC Comics, he co-created the original Starman with artist Jack Burnley and editors Whitney Ellsworth, Murray Boltinoff, Mort Weisinger, and Bernie Breslauer^[4] in Adventure Comics #61 (April 1941). DC hired Schiff as an editor in 1942 and he oversaw the various Batman and Superman comic book titles^[5] after Weisinger was drafted into military service during World War II.^[6][7] He wrote the story "Case of the Costume-Clad Killers" in Detective Comics #60 (Feb. 1942) which introduced the Bat-Signal into the Batman mythos.^[8] In addition, he edited and wrote the Batman comic strip for the McClure Newspaper Syndicate^[1] and wrote The Vigilante (1947) and Batman and Robin (1949) serials for Columbia Pictures.^[1] He developed a series of public service announcements which ran throughout DC's entire publishing line^[9] from 1949 to the mid-1960s^[10] and scripted the "Johnny Everyman" feature which had been created by Nobel Prize laureate Pearl S. Buck.^[11] He launched comic book titles which were licensed from the popular radio programs A Date with Judy,^[12] Gang Busters,^[13] and Mr. District Attorney^[14] and co-created new characters such as Tommy Tomorrow^[15][16] and the Wyoming Kid.^[17] His introduction of science fiction concepts into the Batman stories met with mixed results.^[18][19] In 1958, he became involved in a legal dispute with artist Jack Kirby over the "Sky Masters" newspaper comic strip and Schiff won the resulting lawsuit.^[20] The following year, he and Dick Dillin created Lady Blackhawk in Blackhawk #133 (Feb. 1959).^[21] DC's upper management removed Schiff as editor of Batman and Detective Comics due to low sales and replaced him with Julius Schwartz in 1964.^[22][23] Mystery in Space and Strange Adventures were given to Schiff as replacements to edit.^[5][24] He retired from DC after 25 years with the company^[1] and his final editing credit appeared in Strange Adventures #203 (Aug. 1967).^[5]

Awards

Jack Schiff received citations and commendations from such organizations as the Anti-Defamation League (1948), the National Conference of Christians and Jews (1953), the United States Office of War Information (1945), and the United States Department of the Treasury (1945).^[1]

Bibliography

As writer

DC Comics

• Batman #10, 13, 15, 21, 26 (1942–1944)
• Detective Comics #60 (1942)
• World's Finest Comics #8, 15–26, 28, 30, 37, 39 (1942–1949)

As editor

DC Comics

• Action Comics #56–118 (1943–1948)
• Adventure Comics #82–194 (1943–1953)
• The Adventures of Alan Ladd #1–9 (1949–1951)
• Aquaman #1–4 (1962)
• Batman #15–163 (1943–1964)
• Big Town #1–3 (1951)
• Blackhawk #108–195 (1957–1964)
• Boy Commandos #2–36 (1943–1949)
• The Brave and the Bold #31–33, 40–41 (1960–1962)
• Buzzy #1–27 (1944–1949)
• Congo Bill #1–7 (1954–1955)
• Challengers of the Unknown #1–27 (1958–1962)
• Dale Evans Comics #1–24 (1948–1952)
• A Date with Judy #1–12 (1947–1949)
• Detective Comics #71–326 (1943–1964)
• Feature Films #1–4 (1950)
• Frontier Fighters #1–8 (1955–1956)
• Gang Busters #1–67 (1947–1958)
• House of Mystery #1–125, 143–169 (1951–1962, 1964–1967)
• House of Secrets #1–56, 66–80 (1956–1962, 1964–1966)
• Leading Comics #6–14 (1943–1945)
• Legends of Daniel Boone #1–8 (1955–1956)
• More Fun Comics #87–107 (1943–1946)
• Mr. District Attorney #1–67 (1948–1959)
• My Greatest Adventure #1–70 (1955–1962)
• Mystery in Space #92–110 (1964–1966)
• Real Fact Comics #1–21 (1946–1949)
• Rip Hunter... Time Master #1–9 (1961–1962)
• Showcase #5–7, 11–12, 15–16, 20–21, 25–26, 30–33 (1956–1961)
• Star-Spangled Comics #16–130 (1943–1952)
• Strange Adventures #164–203 (1964–1967)
• Superboy #1–28 (1949–1953)
• Superman #20–51 (1943–1948)
• Tales of the Unexpected #1–72, 83–102 (1956–1962, 1964–1967)
• Tomahawk #1–81 (1950–1962)
• Western Comics #1–42 (1948–1953)
• World's Finest Comics #8–140 (1942–1964)