Bob Kane his first adventure strip, "Rusty and his Pals". In early 1939, DC's success with the seminal superhero Superman in "Action Comics" prompted editors to scramble for more such heroes. In response, Bob Kane conceived "the Bat-Man." Kane said his influences for the character included actor Douglas Fairbanks' film portrayal of the swashbuckler Zorro; Leonardo da Vinci's diagram of the ornithopter, a flying machine with huge bat-like wings; and the 1930 film "The Bat Whispers", based on Mary Rinehart's mystery novel "The Circular Staircase" (1908). Bill Finger joined Bob Kane's nascent studio in 1938. An aspiring writer and part-time shoe salesperson,
Ghost Rider (comic book) Ghost Rider (comic book) Ghost Rider is the name of multiple comic book titles featuring the character Ghost Rider and published by Marvel Comics, beginning with the original "Ghost Rider" comic book series which debuted in 1967. Marvel Comics debuted the character Carter Slade in its western title "Ghost Rider" #1 (cover-dated Feb. 1967), by writers Roy Thomas and Gary Friedrich and original Ghost Rider artist Ayers. The comic lasted 7 issues, until "Ghost Rider" #7 (October 1967). Following the western title, the first superhero Ghost Rider, Johnny Blaze, received his own series in June 1973, with penciller Jim Mooney