Batman and Bill review

It really was just a matter of time before I wrote a post about Batman, and with it being his 80^th anniversary this year, there’s no better time to write about him. Specifically, about his creation, which is very easy to find out – created by Bob Kane in 1939, first appearing in Detective Comics #27. Straight forward, you’d think. But it’s not technically true.

I first came across the Batman and Bill (2017) documentary when I was researching for one of my university assignments. I was sure I had heard of most the films and shows associated with Batman at that point, so I was surprised when I saw there was this documentary I had missed. Anything Batman related is a must see for me, and if I could justify watching it when I should have been working by calling it research, then that was just a bonus.

I went into watching Batman and Bill thinking I would learn about how some man named Bill Finger was involved with the creation of Batman, like it and then move on to the next film on my list. What I didn’t expect was to feel such a connection to people I’ve never met before, not only to the point of crying but also buying a t-shirt to show my support, because everyone needs to know about Bill Finger and what he did.
If you are a fan of Batman, or even if the most you know about him is he’s just some man who dresses up like a bat to fight crime, that is thanks to Bill Finger. He is a man not many knew existed before this documentary came out, yet has been involved in so many people’s lives, all over the world since 1939.

Author Marc Tyler Nobleman was the man who showed the world who Batman’s secret co-creator was. He is described on his website as being an “Author of books for all ages, speaker, and pop culture archaeologist” (https://www.noblemania.com/) and it was while he was researching for a book he was writing about Batman, he came across the name Bill Finger. As he continued to look, the more he uncovered.
As he says in the documentary, “There are sometimes tragic stories behind those iconic characters”.
The story went from one of informing, to one of getting justice for Bill Finger.

I don’t want to ruin the twists and turns that happen in the documentary by writing about it here, as I think everyone should watch it and find out for themselves. Nobleman says, “The story is so good, anyone wearing a Batman t-shirt would want to know it.” And I full heartily agree.

Though I may not speak about them, there are more people involved that helped with this documentary. Athena Finger, specialists in the comic industry, those who directed and produced it and many more. They all played a part, some more than others, to bring the truth to us about this important man.
AsNobleman says, “No story from history ends in a period, they all end in a dot dot dot. We’re just waiting for someone to find the next part.”

I just hope, as a writer, I can one day have even the smallest bit of the creative talent Bill Finger had. Not only that, but I also hope that I can become as determined and fair a writer as Marc Tyler Nobleman is.

The Batman and Bill documentary is available on Hulu to watch. You can also purchase the book Bill the Boy Wonder online.