Part of the legend of Batman is that he’s the world’s greatest detective. Another part of the legend is that Batman is more than a symbol as well as a mask. What else? The legend of Batman was inspired by two legendary masked crime-fighters: Zorro, the Fox who marked his sword of justice for all as the original Caped Crusader, and the Shadow, the original Dark Knight who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of all men.
While he has been considered to be an urban myth, Batman has no limits because he continues to show that anybody can be a hero.
Bob Kane has been hailed by many as the legend of created Batman. However, the Hulu documentary entitled “Batman & Bill” uncovers a bigger urban legend in the form of the late Bill Finger, who’s as every bit of Batman as Marc Tyler Nobleman, the writer that began his own crusade in making sure Bill Finger became the hero that is not only needed, but the hero who deserved the credit for the creation of Batman. To illustrate, if Bill Finger was Batman instead of the Boy Wonder Robin, then Bob Kane was billionaire Bruce Wayne. The documentary showed Nobleman devoting himself to the ideal of unmasking Bill Finger as the legend behind the legend Bob Kane.
For instance, what few may or may know is that Finger wrote for ABC’s “Batman”, where Adam West’s Caped Crusader and Burt Ward’s Robin were right on time – as always – in making justice was never late when the Dynamic Duo of Gotham City went up against the Clock King (Walter Slezak) in season two’s “The Clock King Crazy Crimes” and “The Clock King Gets Crowned”. Unlike Bob Kane, neither Adam West nor Bill Finger never got a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Like Batman, Finger remained under the radar for decades, yet his final years were brooding and tragic.
But, like the Dark Knight, Finger rose thanks to his family and Nobleman. Whereas Batman have heirs like Dick Grayson, Barbara Gordon/Batgirl and Terry McGinnis to continue his work from beyond, Nobleman found an heir in the form of Finger’s grand-daughter Athena, whose namesake was the Greek goddess whose courage and wisdom helps Princess Diana of Themyscira fight for what’s right, might, and just in the name of sisterhood and equality as the one called Wonder Woman. Is that coincidence? Or is that fate? As we all know, Batman and Wonder Woman are the founding members of the Justice League alongside Superman.
After being in the dark for decades, Bill Finger was finally avenged and brought into the light as the co-creator of Batman thanks to Nobleman, who shares Batman’s drive, determination, and dedication (and probably obsession): restoring the balance and making sure true justice was indeed served.
Overall Rating: 4/4 stars ****