Batman & Bill

source: Batman & Bill

I know, this is supposed to be a review of the movie and not a book review. Nobleman includes a lot more detail in his 2012 book that should have been included in this film. A more balanced view of the Kane/Finger dispute. I'm not sure if he tried, but Nobleman should have interviewed key Batman writer Denny O'Neill, who was still alive when this film was made. And Batman artist Neal Adams, one of the best. Adams was all about the creativity rights of comic book artists and writers. I'm sure he would back the campaign to give Bill Finger proper credit. Neal, if you're reading this, please respond and correct me if I'm wrong. Sadly, artistry-wise, Bob Kane was no Neal Adams, but Bill Finger was a writing peer of the late, great Denny O'Neill. To sum it up, Bob Kane was to Bill Finger, as DC Comics was to Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, regarding Superman.

Incredibly touching. After watching a similar documentary on Superman, I was skeptical I would get anything out of this other than some mild entertainment. The two stories are similar but this documentary was so well done, that I was almost moved to tears by the end. I highly recommend this film.

Incredibly well done. This is the story of one man who realized that the cocreator a Batman died alone, penniless, and without credit for what he has done. One man who made it his life's mission to write that wrong. He thereby became Batman for the cocreator of Batman, Bill finger. I kept thinking how perfectly this documentary is done. The music, the interviews, the animations all serve to really move you. If you can get to the end of this with a dry eye, check your pulse :-)

Truly a beautiful story told in a very interesting and emotional way. The success of one of the greatest hero\brand in the world contrast with the story of his recently "discovered" cocreator. Bill Finger's credits is not just a win for his family or his legacy, is a win for what is right and what is fair, after all, isn't that what Batman is all about?

Really awesome documentary about the real creator of Batman. Very well-made.

I can't tell you how overjoyed I am to have just watched "Batman & Bill" and learned of Bill Finger's place in comic book history. Batman has been with me for almost 50 years, through much of my upbringing and adult life. I've loved the comics, TV show, (most of the) movies... but I have to tell you how very much I enjoyed the Hulu documentary and the story that Marc Tyler Nobleman brought to light through his tireless investigative work. It's a story in itself that is worthy of inclusion in an upcoming issue of Detective Comics (if not now, maybe when #1000 comes around in a few years). Neither of the Batman creators (Bill and Bob Kane) are around to tell their own story about what happened in 1939, but the evidence presented here sure points to both men being almost equally important in the origin. If anyone from Mr. Kane's camp, DC Comics, or the Gotham Gazette/Globe/Herald/Chronicle/Free Press wants to present another side to the story, I would be more than happy to listen. In the meantime, I'm just one fan of many who wants to thank Marc and Mr. Finger's granddaughter, Athena, for procuring credit for Bill's creations.

As a huge Batman fan since I was a kid (39 now) I had always known of Bill Finger and his contribution to the character so if you are a true fan a lot of the first half of the doc won't highlight anything you didn't already know. However the second half which tracks down his existing family and the fight to get him officially recognised is worth sticking with it. On the downside I do feel it drags in places and some of it is quite dry but overall it's something every Batman fan should watch.

This is a first for me…reviewing a made for Hulu documentary. Heck, up until very recently, I had no idea Hulu was releasing anything themselves. Fortunately, "Batman & Bill" turns out to be a really exciting and engaging film…one that comic book fans absolutely must see. The problem is that to see it, you need to have Hulu. If you are a comic book lover, you probably know who Bob Kane is. He's been credited for decades as the creator of Batman and during his lifetime he made a fortune because of it. He also achieved a god- like status by some fans. After all, he came up with the story idea, the costume, the Batmobile, the villains and the back story about Bruce Wayne losing his parents to some murderous thieves… right? Well, not exactly according to this film…as well as according to Warner Brothers, the folks who own DC Comics. The story is about another man who created much of what Batman was but was never credited during his lifetime for this…and a man who died pretty much penniless and forgotten. The film does an excellent job explaining who Bob Finger was and how he actually is at least half responsible for creating the comic strip hero…as well as the fight that his granddaughter had to go through to get this acknowledged. It's all quite enlightening…at least for me, a guy who isn't exactly a huge comic book fan. The film is excellent on just about every level. Technically, it's well made. It's obvious they did a lot of research to make the film and, most importantly, the documentary really packs a strong emotional wallop. You find yourself being emotionally pulled into the film and this is also the sign of an exceptional documentary. Well worth seeing…and satisfying to see the man finally getting the recognition he so well deserved.

If you are a Batman fan, this is the best 90 minutes you can spend learning about the history of the Caped Crusader. This is great story telling straight from the heart. The doc contains all kinds of trivia and history you never knew before. From the creation of the Batman character to the most recent movie, you'll find out things you never knew before.