“The Man Who Built Supergirl & the Marvel Family — Bill Schelly on Otto Binder”

In this 2016 conversation, acclaimed comics historian Bill Schelly takes us deep into the life and legacy of Otto Binder, one of the most influential — and too often overlooked — writers in the history of American comics and science fiction. Schelly discusses his expanded biography, Otto Binder: The Life and Work of a Comic Book and Science Fiction Visionary, and lays out why Binder’s fingerprints are all over the Golden and Silver Age. We cover:Binder’s prolific run on Shazam!/Captain Marvel in the 1940sThe creation of Mary Marvel, the Marvel Family, and Mr. Tawny the Talking TigerHow Binder built classic villains like Mister Mind and crafted the landmark Monster Society of Evil sagaHis leap to DC Comics in the 1950s, where he co-created Supergirl, The Legion of Super-Heroes, the Bottled City of Kandor, and helped reshape the Superman mythosBinder’s parallel career in science fiction, and how his SF instincts informed his storytelling across both mediumsWhy his influence still resonates with modern superhero comicsThis is a must-listen for anyone who cares about comics history, forgotten giants of the medium, and the creators who quietly built the universes we all take for granted. ► SUBSCRIBE for more deep-dive interviews, comic history talks, and archival creator conversations.