Line #7 Creator/BillFinger


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8	-> ''"Bill Finger was instrumental in developing many of the key creative elements that enrich the Batman universe, and we look forward to building on our acknowledgement of his significant role in DC Comics’ history,"''
9	-->-- '''Diane Nelson''', President of DC Entertainment, 2015.
10
11	Milton "Bill" Finger (February 8, 1914 – January 18, 1974) is the original writer of ''ComicBook/{{Batman}}'', a character which, together with Creator/BobKane, he developed for the comic book ''ComicBook/DetectiveComicsNumber27'', published by National Allied Publications, which would eventually become Creator/DCComics. By personality, Finger was shy and retiring, and not very well equipped to deal with DC's management; due to this, Bob Kane became the dominant spokesman for Batman and ultimately negotiated a contract for the character with the stipulation that Batman always be undersigned as "Created by Bob Kane". While for most of his career he would downplay Finger's contributions, Kane later admitted in his final years that Finger was the co-creator of Batman and that he played an "unsung role" in his creation (while never fully owning up to the fact that he was the one who did the un-singing). DC Comics, while honoring the letter of Kane's byline, would eventually and publicly acknowledge Finger as a co-creator of Batman and his RoguesGallery ("Created by Bob Kane with Bill Finger").
12
13	The origins of Batman, as per recent research, began when Bob Kane came up with the initial name of the character and the first design, that of a brunette in red tights and a domino mask. In need of a writer, Kane came into contact with Finger who provided the lion's share of the more defining ideas. As per Jim Steranko and Ty Templeton, it was Finger who came up with the name of Gotham City, many of the defining ideas for the final design of Batman -- chiefly TheCowl and the dark palette -- and the name of Batman's alter-ego, Bruce Wayne, named after Revolutionary soldier "Mad" Anthony Wayne, [[note]]the same soldier who inspired [[MeaningfulRename actor Marion Morrison]] to rename himself Creator/JohnWayne[[/note]] which he felt provided Batman a Patrician heritage. Bob Kane also admitted that it was Finger who developed the idea of Batman as a "scientific detective".
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15	Finger was TheMovieBuff and based several aspects of Batman and his RoguesGallery on films made in the 30s. As a writer, he wrote many key Batman stories, namely ''Detective Comics #33'' -- Batman's iconic OriginsEpisode, -- whose details have remained virtually unchanged, despite myriad reboots and adaptations. Likewise, it was Finger who wrote "The Man Behind the Red Hood", the first Joker origin story which Creator/AlanMoore [[CanonWelding welded]] into ''ComicBook/TheKillingJoke'', as well as ''Robin Dies at Dawn'' which Creator/GrantMorrison reused for CanonWelding in [[ComicBook/BatmanGrantMorrison their run on Batman]]. Finger also wrote many of the iconic first appearances of ComicBook/TwoFace, [[ComicBook/TheScarecrow Scarecrow]], ComicBook/TheRiddler, ComicBook/{{Catwoman}} and Clayface [[note]]The original Basil Karlo edition[[/note]]. In addition to this, Finger also co-created Alan Scott, the first Franchise/GreenLantern, ComicBook/{{Wildcat}}, and ComicBook/LanaLang in ComicBook/{{Superboy}}. He's also technically the creator of the Batgirl mantle since he created [[ComicBook/{{Batgirl}} Bette Kane]]. He also wrote two episodes of the 1960's ''Series/Batman1966'' live-action TV series.
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17	By the late 1960s, Finger's career had hit the skids and he struggled to find steady work. According to Charles Sinclair, his friend and occasional screenwriting collaborator, Finger spent much of this period as a consultant on government training and educational films which helped keep him relatively financially stable. In a dark irony, he died the same month a B-movie quickie he wrote was released in January 1974, ''[[Film/ItLivesByNight The Bat People]]''. He also wrote ''Film/TrackOfTheMoonBeast'', which was released two years after his death, and ''Film/TheGreenSlime'' (both co-written by Sinclair); the latter three films would get notoriety as ''Series/MysteryScienceTheater3000'' episodes.
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19	Finger became more outspoken about his contributions to Batman in the 60s and 70s, but died before the beginning of the creator's rights movements of the 70s and 80s where Creator/JerrySiegelAndJoeShuster, Creator/JackKirby and others would become a rallying point for comics fans and scholars. As such, it took many years for Finger's reputation as Batman's [[MyRealDaddy most vital creative voice]] would be widely accepted. The Bill Finger Award launched by Mark Evanier and Jerry Robinson (Joker's original artist) is named in his honor.
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21	In 2012, Marc Tyler Nobleman and Ty Templeton created a graphic biography called "Bill the Boy Wonder" that revived interest in Bill Finger's name and reputation. [[http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/dc-entertainment-give-classic-batman-824572 In 2015]], Warner Bros. and DC announced that Finger [[VindicatedByHistory would be credited]] as co-creator of Batman in future projects, starting from the second season of ''Series/{{Gotham}}'', ''Film/BatmanVSupermanDawnOfJustice'' and ''Batman: Return to Arkham''. A 2017 [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YcBDjjY2swE documentary,]] ''Batman & Bill'', sheds more light on Finger's personal life and of Nobleman's efforts to get DC Comics to eventually acknowledge his contributions. In December 2017, Nobleman successfully campaigned to rename [[https://www.bleedingcool.com/2017/12/09/bill-finger-street-sign-batman/ the intersection of East 192nd Street and Grand Concourse]] [[NamedAfterSomebodyFamous as Bill Finger Way]]. The street overlooks Poe Park in the Bronx where Finger would meet with Kane to hash out ideas about Batman, and is considered the place where Batman was truly born.
22
23	!!Works
24
25	!!Creations
26	* ''ComicBook/{{Batman}}''
27	** [[Characters/BatmanTheCharacter Batman]]
28	** [[Characters/NightwingDickGrayson Robin]]
29	** [[Characters/BatmanTheJoker The Joker]]
30	** [[Characters/CatwomanSelinaKyle Catwoman]]
31	** [[Characters/BatmanThePenguin The Penguin]]
32	** [[Characters/BatmanTheRiddler The Riddler]]
33	** [[Characters/BatmanSupportingCast Commissioner Gordon]]
34	** [[Characters/BatmanClayface Clayface I and II]]
35	** [[Characters/BatmanRoguesGalleryPart3 Polka Dot Man]]
36	** [[Characters/BatmanBatFamily Ace the Bat-Hound]]
37	** [[Characters/BatmanRoguesGalleryPart3 Professor Milo]]
38	** [[Characters/BatmanRoguesGalleryPart1 Calendar Man]]
39	** [[Characters/BatmanRoguesGalleryPart1 The Cluemaster]]
40	** [[Characters/BatmanRoguesGalleryPart2 Killer Moth]]
41	* ''ComicBook/{{Superman}}''
42	** [[Characters/SupermanSupportingCast Lana Lang]]
43	* ComicBook/{{Wildcat}}
44	* ''ComicBook/GreenLantern''
45	** [[Characters/GreenLantern1941 Green Lantern I]]
46
47	!! Tropes
48	* HeAlsoDid: Finger has the dubious honor of being one of the writers for the 1967 B-movie ''Snow Devils.''
49	* JokerImmunity: Ironically, Finger was very aware of this trope. He had intended Joker to die in his first appearance because the continued existence of such a dangerous enemy made Batman and the law-enforcement look incompetent. However, ExecutiveMeddling insisted that Joker survive anyway, granting him full immunity in perpetuity.
50	* MyRealDaddy: [[invoked]] Most agree, since "Hijacking Windbag" is a perfectly appropriate description, that it was Bob Kane who came up with the name "Bat-Man", but they also argue that all the elements that made Batman unique and original (the colors of the costume, the name of the city and the RoguesGallery, the detective skills, the Bruce Wayne identity, his origins) come entirely from Finger, yet it is also argued that much of the rogues gallery came from Kane himself, with Two-Face in particular having been his creation exclusively, leaving it up in the air how much came from either of them.
51	* OriginsEpisode: Finger specialized in writing this. He wrote Batman's origin 7 issues into the run, introducing Joe Chill. Likewise the first appearances of ComicBook/ThePenguin, Riddler, Two-Face, Scarecrow and Catwoman. He also wrote the very first origin story of Joker's MultipleChoicePast which later writers have built on.
52	* SuperheroSobriquets: It was Finger who coined Batman's title, "The Dark Knight".
53	* ThouShaltNotKill: Despite writing Batman as willing to kill during the Golden Age, Finger has admitted to regretting that early aspect of the character, and was more than relieved that Batman had evolved to develop his one rule later on down the line.
54	* VindicatedByHistory: [[invoked]] It took 41 years after his death, before Finger would be credited as co-creator on Batman adaptations.
55	* YellowPeril: While he was a good writer, some of the early Batman stuff does suffer from an over-reliance of this trope.
56	----

Context Creator / BillFinger