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Joe Samachson

Writer · Died June 2, 1980, aged 73 · Trenton, New Jersey, USA

Joseph Samachson (1906-1980) was an American scientist and author, primarily of science fiction and comic books. As a writer, Samachson translated a number of scientific papers, and in addition to his scientific work, earned a well-deserved reputation as an author, writing books for young people such as Mel Oliver and Space Rover on Mars, which was also published in a Dutch translation. Joe Samachson started working for DC Comics in 1942 on the title Action Comics and soon he moved on to titles like Detective Comics, Batman, Adventure Comics and more. He wrote scripts for comics and characters notably including Batman, Sandman, Aquaman, Green Arrow, Airwave, Shining Knight, Starman, Robotman, Vigilante and Zatara. He is often cited as the creator of the character Martian Manhunter along with artist Joe Certa, and the character Tomahawk along with artist Edmund Good.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
October 13, 1906
Died
June 2, 1980 (aged 73)
From
Trenton, New Jersey, USA
Works as
Writer
Titles
18 on MovieCove
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 65 days to Oct 28Down 27% in 30 days

What are Joe Samachson's films like?

Across their 9 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Self.

Themes

share of theme weight
Bonds
32%
Self
28%
Morality
27%
Survival
6%
Society
6%
Justice5 titles, browse their movies with this themeLoyalty3 titles, browse their movies with this themeFriendship3 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity2 titles, browse their movies with this themePurpose2 titles, browse their movies with this themeSurvival2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 8 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Stylized: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their stylized movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

Grounded 0 · Stylized 4 · Heightened 4

Intense: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their intense movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

Gentle 1 · Charged 1 · Intense 6

Shifting: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their shifting movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

Steady 2 · Shifting 6 · Whiplash 0

Some laughs: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their some laughs movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

A split, not a type: Straight-faced 5 · Some laughs 1 · Funny 2

Even-paced: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their even-paced movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 0 · Even-paced 6 · Relentless 2

Engaged: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their engaged movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

A split, not a type: Casual 5 · Engaged 3 · Full focus 0

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 8 · Open-ended 0 · Ambiguous 0

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Thrilling
8
Tense
4
Joyful
4
Hopeful
2
Dread
1
Other
4

How their films linger

Fun4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteRousing5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 1 with a twist

  • Happy7
  • Bittersweet1
  • Tragic1

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Joe Samachson's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 11 of their 18 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on HBO Max (8).

Subscription and free streaming for Joe Samachson's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

18 credits, 18 with a MovieCove page.

Career shape

A full career of 14 titles from 2010 to 2024.

Biggest box office

Reign of the Supermen (2019)

$4.2K worldwide

Highest rated

Justice League: Doom (2012)

Midcredits 93rd

Most popular right now

Kite Man: Hell Yeah! (2024)

By role

only this rolewith another role
Writing8 of 14: 8 only writing, 0 with another role · typical Midcredits score60thOther crew6 of 14: 6 only other crew, 0 with another role · typical Midcredits score72nd

By decade

2010s9 · crew2020s5 · crew

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored.

How do Joe Samachson's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 71st percentile, the median of all 12; across their 8 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 69th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

69thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 8

Approval · how many liked their films

60thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 8

Reach · how many have seen their films

91stpercentile
Typical film, the median of 8

Midcredits score across 18 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up5
  • 50th to 74th8
  • 25th to 49th3
  • Below 25th2

Shape of the crowd

9 of their 18 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved4
  • Crowd Pleaser9
  • Mixed5

Most divisive · writer

Teen Titans Go! (2013)

88th percentile spread · 37% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · writer

Young Justice (2010)

Midcredits 98th · 92% liked

Reviewers score the dialogue 57/100 and the plot and story 48/100 in their films, across 8 reviewed titles. The element that speaks to their work as a writer.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Is Joe Samachson's work okay for kids?

Across up to 6 MovieCove titles with content scores, violence & gore and frightening / intense run heavier than most films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore5 titles58–92 · median 67 · intenseheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity6 titles16–38 · median 31 · mildnear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity5 titles20–72 · median 39 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs4 titlesmedian 22 · mildMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense6 titles28–58 · median 50 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 39

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted. The band's colour is the severity of their median, named beside it.

Who does Joe Samachson work with?

People who share at least 2 of Joe Samachson's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Joe Certa shares the most, 9.

Directors

Writers

  • Joe Certa9 titles    See all 9 shared titles with Joe Certa
  • Jerry Siegel7 titles    See all 7 shared titles with Jerry Siegel
  • Joe Shuster7 titles    See all 7 shared titles with Joe Shuster
  • Bob Kane6 titles    See all 6 shared titles with Bob Kane

Actors

Composers and editors

Producers