Should comics starring Batman say "Batman: Created by Bob Kane and Bill Finger." ? (Instead of only Bob Kane) - Gen. Discussion

#1 Posted by Manwhohaseverything (888 posts) - 10 months, 13 days ago - Show Bio

#2 Edited by CrimsonCake (2611 posts) - 10 months, 13 days ago - Show Bio

Bill finger deserves the credit,he made up the costume and his identity.And Bob kane pretty much only contributed this:

#3 Posted by Jorgevy (4731 posts) - 10 months, 13 days ago - Show Bio

yeah from what I've heard and seen in several documentaries, it was actually Bill Finger that did most of the work. So yeah I think he should, definitally

#4 Posted by TheCrowbar (4286 posts) - 10 months, 13 days ago - Show Bio

I accidently hit no

#5 Posted by sinestro_GL (1400 posts) - 10 months, 13 days ago - Show Bio

Actually, I'd like to know why it was just credited to Bob Kane to begin with? Superman had Siegel and Schuster...so why wasn't Finger also credited from the start?

#6 Posted by DocFatalis (1419 posts) - 10 months, 13 days ago - Show Bio

@sinestro_GL: Apparently it's some dirty story and the entire profession accused Kane of being dishonest with Fingers back then, there was an article about that in Wizard a decade ago or so (at least the French one).

#7 Posted by sinestro_GL (1400 posts) - 10 months, 13 days ago - Show Bio

@DocFatalis: It would also be interesting to consider how exactly Bob Kane was able to convince the publishers to only credit him.

I's also like to know what exactly Finger did to defend his contribution to the Bat...

#8 Posted by AKA_TERMINATOR (332 posts) - 10 months, 13 days ago - Show Bio

It seriously depends on who came up with the ideas of the story the way i see it. if they both did than yes both of their names should be on it, but if only one of them came up with the story then that one persons name should only be on that cover.

Just the way I see it.

#9 Posted by DocFatalis (1419 posts) - 10 months, 13 days ago - Show Bio

@sinestro_GL:

@AKA_TERMINATOR:

Here's what Wikipedia has to say:

Credit

Artist Bob Kane negotiated a contract with National Comics, the future DC Comics, that signed away ownership of the character in exchange for, among other compensations, a mandatory byline on all Batman comics (and adaptations thereof). Finger's name, in contrast, does not appear as an official credit on Batman stories or films, even the comics he wrote in the 1940s and 1950s.

Finger received limited acknowledgment for his writing work in the 1960s; the letters page of Batman #169 (Feb. 1965), for example, features editor Julius Schwartz naming Finger as creator of The Riddler, one of Batman's recurring villains.

Additionally, Finger did receive credit for his work for National's sister company, All-American Publications, during that time. For example, the first Wildcat story, in Sensation Comics #1 (July 1942), has the byline "by Irwin Hasen and Bill Finger", and the first Green Lantern story (see above) is credited to "Mart Dellon and Bill Finger". National later absorbed All-American. National's practice in the 1950s made formal bylines rare in comics, with DC regularly granting credit in its comics only to Kane; to William Moulton Marston, creator of Wonder Woman, under his pseudonym of Charles Moulton; and to Sheldon Mayer.

#10 Posted by AKA_TERMINATOR (332 posts) - 10 months, 13 days ago - Show Bio

@DocFatalis: I don't get why they say fingers name does not appear as an official credt. what does that mean that someone else invented batman stories and so forth? im lost.

#11 Posted by johnkmccubbin91 (1585 posts) - 10 months, 13 days ago - Show Bio

Bob Kane created the character Batman and (design) and back story and Finger wrote the story and gave ideas like the cowl for the design. I think he probably should get some credit but Bob Kane should get most of it

#12 Posted by joshuagamer (568 posts) - 10 months, 12 days ago - Show Bio

yes

#13 Edited by krilling (2481 posts) - 10 months, 11 days ago - Show Bio

As far as I know it was Finger who made Bats a hero without superpowers. He should gave him the name Bruce Wayne. He also created Joker.

Of course they should give him some credit.

#14 Posted by ironshadow (1456 posts) - 9 months, 26 days ago - Show Bio

Does anyone know if that image is copyrighted or trademarked or something ? Can someone use that character or does DC/Warner own it ?

#15 Posted by joshuagamer (568 posts) - 9 months, 26 days ago - Show Bio

yes

#16 Posted by Hunter114 (829 posts) - 9 months, 26 days ago - Show Bio

I'm not sure about this one... my opinion has always been that the character and the design are two different things, and that while the design does add something important, it's the history and personality of the character that actually matters. Designs and suits change from artist to artist, but the character always remains the same, at least for the most part. I've just never seen them on the same level, as the idea of the character was created before the artist makes the design.

So the question is whether or not the design makes a difference to the character and whether the artist deserves credit for that contribution... personally I would say no... but I would never call into question the time and effort that's gone into making a character look and feel the way they do... but hey, that's just my opinion

#17 Posted by Jorgevy (4731 posts) - 9 months, 26 days ago - Show Bio

@Hunter114: well, ask yourself, would Batman be the same if that drawing up there (Bob Kane's) had remained? Finger may have not come up with the idea, but the changes he made were crucial for Batman to still exist and be as popular as he is today and as he was in the Golden Age. He made very important changes, if he didn't, the Batman we know today would be completelly different.

But that's just how I see it...

#18 Posted by jinxuandi (581 posts) - 9 months, 26 days ago - Show Bio

The credit for any character's creation (including Batman) should be given to both the writer(s) and the artist(s). Without one, the other would be entirely differently.

@AKA_TERMINATOR: As silly as it sounds to those of us in an age in which it's not unusual for a dozen or more people appear on a credits page, Golden Age creators were often uncredited. Sometimes the creators wanted it this way because they only worked in comics to put food on the table while they continued to look for more professional writing jobs.

#19 Posted by Hunter114 (829 posts) - 9 months, 26 days ago - Show Bio

@Jorgevy:

Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that there's no contribution or that what artists in general do isn't important, it's just that one of the big counter-arguments to that are characters like Hulk, Daredevil etc who's "classic" look is not necessarily their "original" look and then there are characters like Green Arrow (and others I currently can't think of) whose look is taken from somewhere else... but yeah, you do have a point and I understand your point of view... which is why I was conflicted.

The problem is when not all examples of something fit the "rule" - should all the first artists (etc) be given credit in the creation of the character or should none of them be... I don't really see a problem either way, but I'm sure others probably would.

#20 Posted by Glitch_Spawn (14688 posts) - 9 months, 26 days ago - Show Bio

I don't think Batman would be the icon that he is today without both Finger and Kane.

#21 Posted by Lady_Liberty (4745 posts) - 9 months, 26 days ago - Show Bio

Bill Finger was probably the more creative of the two, and honestly had more of an impact on the character in my opinion.

Kane was just far better at business.

#22 Posted by X35 (5090 posts) - 9 months, 25 days ago - Show Bio

Bill Finger is a funny name haha

Online