"Yes: the Dark Knight went to Yale." That is the verdict of the Yale Alumni Magazine. Inspired by our "Superheroes in Court!" exhibit, the magazine devoted the cover and three articles in its March/April 2011 issue to Batman's J.D. from the Yale Law School, set out in our exhibit and here in the Yale Law Library Rare Books Blog (by far the most-viewed post in the history of our blog, with over 7,000 views as of today).

The issue contains three articles on the Caped Crusader and Yale:

• In "Holy Eli, Batman!", graphic artist Chip Kidd examines the evidence. He discards the Yale connections from the 1960s television show as "meaningless," especially for "true Bat-geeks" who despise the campy show for turning their hero into "the ultimate costumed laughingstock." However, he accepts the diploma on Bruce Wayne's office wall at face value, and concludes that Yale's emphasis on community service is entirely consistent with Batman's role as "an urban steward."
• Kathryn Day Lassila '81, the editor of the Yale Alumni Magazine, tracked down and interviewed the artist who drew the Yale Law School diploma in "Why Batman Went to Yale."
• My Law Library colleague Fred Shapiro, a regular contributor to the Yale Alumni Magazine, reviews memorable Batman quotations in "Bruce Wayne's Verbal Legacy."

The credit for discovering Batman's Yale Law School diploma goes to the Hon. Mark Dwyer, Judge of the Court of Claims (Supreme Court of the State of New York) and a 1975 graduate of the Yale Law School. Dwyer himself credits a fellow law student for showing him the comic, and acknowledges the help of William Lee Frost, Yale Law 1951.

MIKE WIDENER
Rare Book Librarian

A video of Mark Zaid's exhibit talk, "Superheroes in Court! Law, Lawyers and Comic Books," is now available here, in the Yale Law Librarians channel at Vimeo.com. Zaid's 52-minute presentation, recorded on Sept. 30, 2010, gives a brief overview of the history of comic books, and then delves into the various ways law and lawyers have been depicted in comics, as well as the influence of law on the comic book industry in areas such as copyright, trademark law, and censorship. Thanks to Dan Griffin of Yale Law School's Information Technology Services, the video includes Zaid's PowerPoint images. The video can also be viewed via the Law Library's online catalog, MORRIS.

An report on Zaid's talk is available in Scoop, a free e-newsletter for comic book collectors.

If that's not enough, you can also listen to an interview with Mark Zaid, Dale Cendali (an intellectual property law attorney and comic book collector), and myself that aired on WNPR-FM's "Where We Live" on October 4. Many thanks to the host, John Dankowsky, and the program's producer, Josie Holtzman.

The exhibit, "Superheroes in Court! Lawyers, Law and Comic Books," is on display Sept. 4-Dec, 16, 2010 in the Rare Book Exhibition Gallery, Level L2, Lillian Goldman Law Library, Yale Law School.

MIKE WIDENER
Rare Book Librarian

  "Superheroes in Court! Lawyers, Law and Comic Books" was curated by Mark S. Zaid, Esq., and coordinated by Mike Widener, Rare Book Librarian. It is on display Sept. 4-Dec, 16, 2010 in the Rare Book Exhibition Gallery, Level L2, Lillian Goldman Law Library, Yale Law School.

The illustration: Detective Comics no. 240 (Feb. 1957). Personal collection of Mark S. Zaid, Esq.

Thanks to the following individuals for their help in making this exhibit a success:

• Terry Allen
• Arnold T. Blumberg, Geppi's Entertainment Museum, Baltimore
  
• Janet Conroy, Public Affairs, Yale Law School
• John Dankosky, WNPR/Connecticut Public Radio
• The Hon. Mark Dwyer (Yale Law School '75), Court of Claims, Supreme Court of the State of New York
  
• Jackie Estrada, Exhibit A Press
• Brent Frankenhoff, Comic Buyers' Guide
• Paul Herman, The Robert E. Howard Foundation
• Josie Holtzman, WNPR/Connecticut Public Radio
  
• Shana Jackson, Lillian Goldman Law Library
• Louis James
• Thomas C. King, DC Comics
• Steve Korte, DC Comics
• Liliane McClenning, Lillian Goldman Law Library
• Steven McClenning, graphic designer
• John Schwartz, New York Times
• Fred Shapiro, Lillian Goldman Law Library
  
• Daniel Sisgoreo, Yale Daily News

Thanks also to all the blogs and online periodicals who spread the word about our exhibit, including:

• 06520: the news blog of the Yale Alumni Magazine
• 3 Geeks and a Law Blog
  
• ABA Journal
  
• Americana Exchange
• Arts Beat - New York Times
• Bad at Sports: Contemporary Art Talk
• Before It's News
• The Bunburyist
• Clancco Art and Law
  
• Comic Book Legal Defense Fund
• Comicdom
  
• Comics Alliance
• ComicsDC
• Comics Cavern
  
• Edinburgh Legal History Blog
• Engl 386: The Graphic Novel
• Fastcase
  
• Fine Books Blog
• Graphic Policy
  
• iurisdictio-lex malacitana
• Law Librarian Blog
  
• Legal History Blog
• LISNews
• Major Spoilers
  
• Margeaux Taylor's Blog
• Marquette University Law School Faculty Blog
  
• Philobiblos
• PLI Librarian
  
• P.S. Practice Source
• Seattle University Law Library Blog
• Washington Lawyers for the Arts
  

For further reading...

• William H. Hilyerd, Hi Superman, I'm a Lawyer: A Guide to Attorneys (& Other Legal Professionals) Portrayed in American Comic Books: 1910-2007, 15 WIDENER LAW REVIEW 159 (2009). Available online via SSRN.
  

Bruce Wayne, a.k.a. Batman, just might be a graduate of Yale Law School. On page 16 of Detective Comics no. 439 (March 1974), one can see a framed "Diploma of Law" from Yale University on the wall of Bruce Wayne's study, on the right side of the panel:

Here is an enlarged detail of the diploma:

The diploma seems to have been granted by "Yale University at Gotham."

You can judge for yourself, by visiting our exhibit, "Superheroes in Court! Lawyers, Law and Comic Books." We have acquired a copy of Detective Comics no. 439 and added it to the exhibit, along with an enlargement of the diploma. We welcome your theories on Bruce Wayne's alma mater.

Thanks to the Hon. Mark Dwyer, Judge of the Court of Claims (Supreme Court of the State of New York) and a 1975 graduate of the Yale Law School, for bringing this to our attention.

 "Superheroes in Court! Lawyers, Law and Comic Books", curated by Mark S. Zaid, Esq., is on display Sept. 4-Dec, 16, 2010 in the Rare Book Exhibition Gallery, Level L2, Lillian Goldman Law Library, Yale Law School.

The Lillian Goldman Law Library, Yale Law School Invites you to an exhibition talk...

SUPERHEROES IN COURT! LAWYERS, LAW AND COMIC BOOKS

By Mark S. Zaid, Esq., Guest Curator

Thursday, September 30, 2010
1:00 - 2:00 p.m.
Room 129, Sterling Law Building
127 Wall Street

By day, Mark S. Zaid, a Washington, D.C. attorney, is a nationally recognized expert on national security law and freedom of information issues. He has made hundreds of appearances as a guest commentator on TV and radio, and testified before Congress. Like his comic-book heroes, Zaid has an alter-ego as a comic book collector and dealer. He is also an advisor to the Overstreet Comic Book Price & Grading Guides and a co-founder of the Comic Book Collecting Association.

Almost all the items in the Law Library's current exhibition, "Superheroes in Court! Lawyers, Law and Comic Books," are from Zaid's personal collection. The exhibition was recently featured in the New York Times, and is on display until December 16 in the Rare Book Exhibition Gallery, Level L2, Lillian Goldman Law Library.

MIKE WIDENER
Rare Book Librarian

From the exhibit, "Superheroes in Court! Lawyers, Law and Comic Books", curated by Mark S. Zaid, Esq., and on display Sept. 4-Dec, 16, 2010 in the Rare Book Exhibition Gallery, Level L2, Lillian Goldman Law Library, Yale Law School.

In the early days of comics, publishers sought to secure trademark protection for their titles through "ashcans". Only a few examples would be created with the title's logo, some existing cover art and possibly some interior pages, and a copy would be submitted to the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office for registration. These two rare examples of Flash Comics reflect the importance of timing as DC Comics fended off its rival by just one month thereby forcing Fawcett Publications to have its flagship character "Captain Marvel" star in Whiz Comics.

Flash Comics no. 1 (DC Comics, Dec. 1939). Personal collection of Mark S. Zaid, Esq.

Flash Comics no. 1 (Fawcett, Jan. 1940). Personal collection of Mark S. Zaid, Esq.

Most publishers properly sought copyright protection for their respective works. Unlike "ashcans", which were specially created and not meant to survive, one example of a published comic, such as this Clown Comics Book no. 1 (1945), would be filed with and stamped by the Library of Congress' Copyright Office. Though the Library still retains most of†these "Copyright Deposit Copies," some copies were discarded as excess or even stolen over the years.

Clown Comic Book no. 1 (1945). Personal collection of Mark S. Zaid, Esq.

From the exhibit, "Superheroes in Court! Lawyers, Law and Comic Books", curated by Mark S. Zaid, Esq., and on display Sept. 4-Dec, 16, 2010 in the Rare Book Exhibition Gallery, Level L2, Lillian Goldman Law Library, Yale Law School.

Led by a growing hysteria of anti-comic crusades during the 1940s and 1950s that alleged comic books, particularly those depicting crime and horror, caused juvenile delinquency, and a rash of laws throughout the country such certain comics, the United States Senate began its own investigation. Advocates lined up on both sides to battle, and ultimately the industry, which suffered near collapse, agreed to police its own to stave off government regulation.

U.S. Senate, Committee on the Judiciary, Comic Books and Juvenile Delinquency (1955). Personal collection of Mark S. Zaid, Esq.

American Civil Liberties Union, Censorship of Comic Books (1955). Personal collection of Mark S. Zaid, Esq.

In response to an increasing outcry for censorship of comic books, the industry created the Comics Code Authority to ensure conformance with self-adopted standards. The Code prohibited comics from promoting "distrust of the forces of law and justice" and, among other things, required "in every instance good shall triumph over evil and the criminal punished for his misdeeds." Distributors refused to disseminate comics lacking the official seal of approval and hundreds of titles ceased to exist. By the publication of this 20th anniversary booklet in 1974, the Code's influence had waned significantly, although it remains in effect today.

Americana in Four Colors: Twenty Years of Self-Regulation by the Comics Magazine Industry (New York: Comics Magazine Association of America, 1974). Personal collection of Mark S. Zaid, Esq.

When Mad Magazine entered the scene in October 1952 it did not take long for the comic to gain a loyal and large readership. Many enjoyed its parodies of well-known characters in other comic books. It was published by Educational Comics (EC), acompany both applauded and derided for its impact on the comic book community. Led by Bill Gaines, EC epitomized the morality battle over whether comics were destroying the youth of America and its titles, which focused on horror, crime and science fiction, were directly linked to the formation of the Comics Code Authority.  Because the Code banned the use of "horror", "terror" and "crime" from titles, EC was faced with ceasing publication altogether or ceding to the authority of the Code, neither of which Gaines was willing to do. So that Mad could continue its satire, including of the Code, Gaines modified it from a comic book to magazine format so as to fall outside of the organization’s de facto censorship authority. Mad no. 24 (July 1955) was the first of the new format. The magazine has existed ever since and is now owned by DC Comics.

Mad Magazine no. 24 (July 1955). Personal collection of Mark S. Zaid, Esq.

From the exhibit, "Superheroes in Court! Lawyers, Law and Comic Books", curated by Mark S. Zaid, Esq., and on display Sept. 4-Dec, 16, 2010 in the Rare Book Exhibition Gallery, Level L2, Lillian Goldman Law Library, Yale Law School.

The successful appearance of a new type of comic book character by Detective Comics, Inc. (now D.C. Comics) – a "Superman" – in Action Comics no. 1 (June 1938) sparked the dawn of the Golden Age of comic books. It also spawned copycat creations by competitors such as Bruns Publication, Inc. which published Wonder Comics no. 1 featuring "Wonderman" in May 1939. An injunctive victory for copyright infringement ensured "Wonderman" would never appear again. Detective Comics, Inc., v. Bruns Publications, Inc., 28 F.Supp. 399 (S.D.N.Y 1939), aff'd, 111 F.2d 432 (2d Cir. 1940). This copy of Action Comics no. 5 (Oct. 1938) was used in the litigation to prove "Wonderman" had infringed upon the Man of Steel.

Action Comics no. 5 (Oct. 1938). Personal collection of Mark S. Zaid, Esq.

This telegram from Jack Liebowitz, owner of Detective Comics, Inc., instructed Jerome "Jerry" Siegel, the co-creator of "Superman", to be present in New York to testify in the "Wonderman" infringement trial. This telegram has a dual legal significance as the top markings also denote it as a defendant's trial exhibit in the 1947 lawsuit in which Siegel challenged D.C.'s ownership of "Superman" and "Superboy." Although Siegel entered into a settlement in 1948, he sued again in 1969 in federal court and lost. Due to changes in the Copyright Act which allowed creators and their heirs/estates to recapture creations under certain circumstances, regardless of whether the rights were signed away in prior agreements, Siegel's heirs sued in 2004 in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California and in decisions issued in 2008 and 2009 regained some of the rights. The litigation continues today more than 60 years after it began.

Telegram, Jack Liebowitz to Jerry Siegel, 3 Apr. 1939, From a private collection.

Now operating as National Comics Publications, Inc., D.C. found itself squaring off with Fawcett Publications, Inc. in a 1941 lawsuit challenging publication of "Captain Marvel" (now known as "Shazam"). It took several court decisions, a 1948 trial and 13 years of litigation before "Superman" ultimately prevailed in 1954 when Fawcett agreed to settle amidst a decision to leave the comic book business altogether. This copy of Whiz no. 91 (Nov. 1947) was one of many exhibits introduced during the trial.

Whiz Comics no. 91 (Nov. 1947). Personal collection of Mark Zaid, Esq.

From the exhibit, "Superheroes in Court! Lawyers, Law and Comic Books", curated by Mark S. Zaid, Esq., and on display Sept. 4-Dec, 16, 2010 in the Rare Book Exhibition Gallery, Level L2, Lillian Goldman Law Library, Yale Law School.

Alanna Wolff and Jeff Byrd began taking on their macabre clients in a weekly strip in The Brooklyn Paper in 1979. Creator Batton Lash took his inspiration from the gothic law offices along Brooklyn's Court Street, the hub of The Brooklyn Paper's readership. From 1983 to 1997 the Wolff & Byrd strip ran in The National Law Journal, and the firm got their very own comic book in 1994, with story titles like "It Stalks the Public Domain," "Juristic Park," and "Lawyers in Hell," where Wolff and Byrd literally met a client in hell. Exhibit A Press still publishes the comic today under the title Supernatural Law, along with 16 compilations and an ongoing web comic. The Lillian Goldman Law Library has a complete collection of Wolff & Byrd comics.

Wolff & Byrd: Counselors of the Macabre no. 3 (Sept.1994). Rare Book Collection, Lillian Goldman Law Library.

From the exhibit, "Superheroes in Court! Lawyers, Law and Comic Books", curated by Mark S. Zaid, Esq., and on display Sept. 4-Dec, 16, 2010 in the Rare Book Exhibition Gallery, Level L2, Lillian Goldman Law Library, Yale Law School.

The Young Lawyers was yet another comic book television adaptation issued by Dell Publishing. This two-issue title from 1971 was based on the Golden Globe nominated ABC drama series that aired 24 episodes over one season in 1970-71. The story featured a group of young and idealistic law students in Boston who ran the “Neighborhood Law Office” in an effort to represent the poor, apparently as a forerunner of today’s legal clinics. Since as law students they were obviously not yet admitted to the bar, an established Boston lawyer served as their mentor.

Young Lawyers no. 2 (Apr. 1971). Personal collection of Mark S. Zaid, Esq.

From the exhibit, "Superheroes in Court! Lawyers, Law and Comic Books", curated by Mark S. Zaid, Esq., and on display Sept. 4-Dec, 16, 2010 in the Rare Book Exhibition Gallery, Level L2, Lillian Goldman Law Library, Yale Law School.

The Defenders was a popular television courtroom drama series which aired from 1961–1965. It starred E.G. Marshall and Robert Reed (later of Brady Bunch fame) as father-and-son defense attorneys who handled complex cases. The series addressed topics that still resonate for attorneys nearly a half-century later including capital punishment, custody rights of adoptive parents, the insanity defense, immigration quotas, and visa restrictions. Dell Publishing produced only these two issues of a comic book adaption of the same title in 1962-1963.

The Defenders no. 2 (Feb.-Apr. 1963). Personal collection of Mark S. Zaid, Esq.

From the exhibit, "Superheroes in Court! Lawyers, Law and Comic Books", curated by Mark S. Zaid, Esq., and on display Sept. 4-Dec, 16, 2010 in the Rare Book Exhibition Gallery, Level L2, Lillian Goldman Law Library, Yale Law School.

Mr. District Attorney was a popular radio show created by former law student Ed Byron which aired from 1939 to 1952. It featured a crime-fighting crusading D.A. inspired by Thomas E. Dewey's campaign against racketeering which helped lead to his election as governor of New York. The show's popularity led to a quick comic book appearance in The Funnies no. 35 (Sept. 1939) and the issuance of one of the few non-funny early issues of Four Color by Dell Publishing in 1942. This issue is also one of the earliest examples of a lawyer gracing a comic book cover. The title was later picked up by D.C. Comics and ran for a respectable 67 issues from 1948 to 1958.

Mr. District Attorney was a popular radio show created by a former law student which aired from 1939 to 1952. It featured a crime-fighting crusading D.A. and the show's popularity led to a quick comic book appearance in The Funnies #35 (Sept. 1939). This issue of Four Color is one of the earliest examples of a lawyer gracing a comic book cover. The title was later picked up by D.C. Comics and ran for a respectable 67 issues from 1948 to 1958.

Four Color Comic no. 13 (1942). Personal collection of Mark S. Zaid, Esq.

The storyline of Mr. District Attorney no. 12 began with this introduction:

In this land of ours, under our laws, a person is innocent until proven guilty. And it is my duty as District Attorney not only to prosecute the guilty but to make certain that the innocent go free! And it is my duty, too, to make certain that society shares the guilt and responsibility of a criminal that society, itself, had created! That is why... "I DEFENDED THE MONKEY MAN!"

Mr. District Attorney no. 12 (Nov.-Dec. 1949). Personal collection of Mark S. Zaid, Esq.

From the exhibit, "Superheroes in Court! Lawyers, Law and Comic Books", curated by Mark S. Zaid, Esq., and on display Sept. 4-Dec, 16, 2010 in the Rare Book Exhibition Gallery, Level L2, Lillian Goldman Law Library, Yale Law School.

Teen-Age Temptations no. 5 (Dec. 1953). Personal collection of Mark S. Zaid, Esq.

Young Romance no. 196 (Dec. 1973). Personal collection of Mark S. Zaid, Esq.

From the exhibit, "Superheroes in Court! Lawyers, Law and Comic Books", curated by Mark S. Zaid, Esq., and on display Sept. 4-Dec, 16, 2010 in the Rare Book Exhibition Gallery, Level L2, Lillian Goldman Law Library, Yale Law School.

Secrets of Sinister House no. 17 (May 1974). Personal collection of Mark S. Zaid, Esq.

The Witching Hour no. 51 (Feb. 1975). Personal collection of Mark S. Zaid, Esq.

From the exhibit, "Superheroes in Court! Lawyers, Law and Comic Books", curated by Mark S. Zaid, Esq., and on display Sept. 4-Dec, 16, 2010 in the Rare Book Exhibition Gallery, Level L2, Lillian Goldman Law Library, Yale Law School.

Crime Detective Comics no. 8 (Jay-June 1949). Personal collection of Mark S. Zaid, Esq.

Crime Exposed no. 2 (Feb. 1951). Personal collection of Mark S. Zaid, Esq.

From the exhibit, "Superheroes in Court! Lawyers, Law and Comic Books", curated by Mark S. Zaid, Esq., and on display Sept. 4-Dec, 16, 2010 in the Rare Book Exhibition Gallery, Level L2, Lillian Goldman Law Library, Yale Law School.

Comic books have been around in modern form now for nearly 80 years and throughout their existence the influence of lawyers, laws and courts has been significant in the development and continuation of the industry. While oftentimes operating behind the scenes, whether as characters in comic book stories or in reality helping craft decisions that lead to the rise or fall of publishing companies, lawyers have repeatedly been recognized as part of this community, as seen in these varied examples of court-room covers published during the 1940s – 1970s.

Action Comics no. 263 (Apr. 1960). Personal collection of Mark S. Zaid, Esq.

Adventure Comics no. 281 (Feb. 1961). Personal collection of Mark S. Zaid, Esq.

Batman no. 163 (May 1964). Personal collection of Mark S. Zaid, Esq.

Blackhawk no. 208 (May 1965). Personal collection of Mark S. Zaid, Esq.

Detective Comics no. 281 (July 1960). Personal collection of Mark S. Zaid, Esq.

Incredible Hulk no. 153 (July 1972). Personal collection of Mark S. Zaid, Esq.

Lawyers have played both fictional and real-life roles in the 80-year history of the comic book industry. Their story is told in an exhibition, "Superheroes in Court! Lawyers, Law and Comic Books," now on display in the Yale Law School's Lillian Goldman Law Library.

The guest curator for the exhibition is Mark S. Zaid, Esq., a Washington, D.C. attorney who specializes in national security law. Much like his comic-book heroes, Zaid has an alter-ego as a comic book collector and dealer. He is also an advisor to the Overstreet Comic Book Price & Grading Guides and a co-founder of the Comic Book Collecting Association.

Almost all of the items on display come from Zaid's personal collection. The comics covers show Superman on trial for murder, and one of the earliest comic books to feature a lawyer on the cover ("Mr. District Attorney", 1942). Other items document the legal battle over rights to Superman, efforts to censor comic books in the 1950s, and copyright issues.

The exhibition is on display Sept. 6 to Dec. 16, 2010, in the Rare Book Exhibition Gallery, located on Level L2 of the Lillian Goldman Law Library in the Yale Law School (127 Wall St., New Haven CT). The exhibition is open to the public. Highlights of the exhibition will appear in installments here in the Yale Law Library Rare Books Blog.

In addition, Mark Zaid will give an exhibition talk on Sept. 30 at 1:00pm in the Yale Law School.

Action Comics no. 359 (Feb. 1968).
Personal collection of Mark S. Zaid, Esq.