The last time I saw Jerry Robinson—who created The Joker and suggested that Batman’s sidekick should be named Robin—was in July at the San Diego Comic-Con. He was in Artists Alley, surrounded by admirers. I unfortunately had work to do, with no spare time to wait in a line, so we didn’t get to speak. But he looked happy, and I was glad to see he wasn’t being ignored. Luckily, that happens a lot in both science fiction and comics—our elders, our living treasures, are often swarmed.

The last time I had a substantial conversation with Robinson, however, was in 2008, also at the San Diego Comic-Con. And one of the things I did during that conversation—without meaning to, I assure you—was make him feel old, by telling him about the first time we’d met—on January 5, 1972.

If you’re a comics fan of a certain age, that date will have meaning for you. If not, let this refresh your memory …

Robinson wasn’t there to be part of the show. Instead, he was in the audience, likely looking forward to a relaxing evening with his peers watching the Marvel Bullpen crack themselves up on stage. Until the annoying 16-year-old that was me came along to mess up his plans. I assume I recognized him from one of the two comic conventions I’d been to previously—the 1970 and 1971 Phil Seuling July 4th weekend cons—and so I came forward, thrusting my sketchpad and marker toward him.

He could have told me to get lost … but didn’t. He was kind enough to do this sketch of Robin telling me that he hoped I’d join him in comics.

Amazingly, the Boy Wonder’s wish came true, which is something I never anticipated back then as a lowly fan, because a few years later, I did join the comics field, as an Associate Editor of Marvel’s British books.

So in 2008, when I told him about that night—which at the time was 36 years earlier—I felt bad for inadvertently making him feel old. Who wants to be told by a large gray-haired guy that he first met you when you were a little kid? But I apologized for that while thanking him for his long-ago gesture.

At some other early con—I no longer remember which—Robinson also drew me this Batman sketch.

I’ll leave it to others to give you the encyclopedic details about why Robinson mattered—and considering his credits, an encyclopedia is necessary—so I’ll just leave you with the thought that he was a nice guy to a punk kid, a nice guy to the grown man that kid became, and … heck, just a nice guy!