Line #10 Creator/RobertKanigher


1	[[quoteright:326:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/kanigher.jpg]]
2	[[caption-width-right:326:Kanigher as drawn by his friend Creator/JoeKubert]]
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4	Robert (often just "Bob") Kanigher (1915-2002) was one of the most prolific and influential writers ''ever'' at Creator/DCComics, in a career that spanned five decades.
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6	He started writing in his teenage years - enough that he was able to write the book ''How To Make Money Writing'' with authority at the age of just twenty-eight. He also wrote in every medium available to the jobbing writer in the 40s, but it was in comics that he made his name.
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8	His first (recorded) comics work was for Fox, writing the original Dan Garrett ComicBook/BlueBeetle, and soon after, the best-selling ''[[ComicBook/{{Shazam}} Captain Marvel Adventures]]'', before joining All-American Comics, which would eventually become DC. He wrote [[ComicBook/JusticeSocietyOfAmerica the Justice Society]], and then became the editor and writer of ''ComicBook/{{Wonder Woman\|1942}}'', a title he would guide from 1946 all the way to '68. He also wrote what's often considered the first story of the [[UsefulNotes/TheSilverAgeOfComicBooks Silver Age]], introducing [[ComicBook/TheFlash Barry Allen as the new Flash]], created stalwarts like ComicBook/MetalMen, ComicBook/BlackCanary and Batman villain ComicBook/PoisonIvy, and at one point or another, wrote probably ''every single DC hero''.
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10	His greatest success and lasting legacy, though, would come from DC's war comics. In '52, Kanigher (who claimed to be a veteran but according to other information had never served in the military having been rejected and classified 4-F)[[http://www.dialbforblog.com/archives/907/]] began editing and/or writing DC's five war comics.[[labelnote:*]] ''GI Combat'', ''Our Army At War'', ''Our Fighting Forces'', ''All-American Men of War'' and ''Star-spangled War Stories''.[[/labelnote]] He introduced perhaps the most memorable war-comics protagonists, [[ComicBook/SgtRock Sgt. Frank Rock and the men of Easy Company]]. Not only that, he also introduced the [[ComicBook/TheHauntedTank Haunted Tank]], GI Robot, ComicBook/TheLosers, ComicBook/EnemyAce, the ComicBook/CreatureCommandos and the ComicBook/UnknownSoldier (mostly with frequent collaborators Russ Heath and Creator/JoeKubert on art). He would write Frank Rock and Co. regularly till his retirement. His influence in American war comics is immeasurable, particularly in the transition from gung-ho action stories to more [[WarIsHell downbeat and philosophical]] stories. Even writers primarily coming from the British war comics tradition, like Creator/GarthEnnis, have written his characters and acknowledged his influence.
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12	In his writing career, Kanigher was also notorious for [[TakeThatAudience his particular sarcasm answering letter columns]], his [[BreakingTheFourthWall tendency to show up in his own comics]] to [[BitingTheHandHumour mock editorial decisions]] and his [[{{Jerkass}} volatile temper]] (though his collaborators still regard him highly). Oh, and his formula to ''Make Money Writing''? It's write a lot.
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15	!Tropes present in Kanigher's work:
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17	* AuthorGuestSpot: He did this on occasion, as noted above.
18	* TakeThatAudience: Kanigher was known for answering his own letter columns and often getting ''really'' sarcastic at fan nit-picking.
19	* TakeThatMe:
20	** The last issue of "Creature Commandos" feature Kanigher himself being shot into space alongside the Creature Commandos.
21	** In the backup story of ''Wonder Woman'' #158, his decision to RetGone most of the Silver Age silly characters is portrayed as a murder and he's also derided as a madman for, of all things, [[FelonyMisdemeanor wearing a yellow bowtie]]. Also, Ross Andru and Mike Esposito are depicted as bowing and saluting him while calling him "master".
22	* WarIsHell: The central message of his war books (though arguably it often fell into DoNotDoThisCoolThing, because going too far into WarIsHell could get you in trouble, as Creator/ECComics had found out.)

Context Creator / RobertKanigher