Everyone thinks Bob Kane created Batman alone—his name’s been on every comic, movie and action figure for 75 years.
But what if Batman’s true origin story was actually comics’ greatest heist?
What if someone else created not just Batman but Robin, The Joker, Catwoman, the Batmobile and the name “Gotham City”?
Trailer for “Batman & Bill”
Watch “Batman & Bill”
You can watch “Batman & Bill” on Hulu at https://www.hulu.com/movie/batman-bill-74e2e518-151c-4ee0-9635-1dfdf551374a.
It’s a Hulu Original so it should stay there.
Ratings:
- My Rating: 92/100
- IMDB Rating: 7.9/10
- Rotten Tomatoes Ratings: 90/100 (Users); 88/100 (Critics)
Release Date: May 6, 2017
My Review of “Batman & Bill”
The Setup
This documentary explores the untold story behind Batman’s creation. While Bob Kane’s name has been attached to Batman for over 75 years, “Batman & Bill” reveals how Bill Finger was the uncredited genius who shaped nearly everything we love about the Dark Knight but died in obscurity.
Director’s Note
Directed by Don Argott and Sheena M. Joyce, the team behind “The Art of the Steal,” “Rock School,” and “Believer.” Their signature style of investigating untold stories and fighting for justice shines through in this comic book detective tale.
You Can’t Make This Sh*t Up
- For over 75 years, Bob Kane was the only name credited as Batman’s creator—even though he admitted privately that Bill Finger did most of the work
- Bill Finger named Bruce Wayne, wrote the first Batman story, created not just the Batman character but Robin, the Joker, Catwoman, the Batmobile, and the name “Gotham City”. Yet he died broke and buried in an unmarked grave
- Marc Tyler Nobleman tracked down Bill’s only known living heir, his granddaughter Athena Finger, who had no idea her grandfather co-created Batman until Nobleman contacted her
More Highlights from the Doc
- The doc shows the lengths Nobleman went to: scouring census records, visiting old neighborhoods, cold-calling relatives, and even flying across the country just to confirm one lead
- Bill Finger died in 1974. His funeral was attended by a handful of people. No obituary. No fanfare. He was working as a ghostwriter in comics and TV
- The film blends animation, archival footage, and interviews to trace both Finger’s tragic life and Nobleman’s relentless advocacy
- Bob Kane’s original Batman looked nothing like the character we know—he had red tights, no gloves, and stiff wings. It was Finger who redesigned him into the dark, iconic figure
- DC Comics refused to give Finger official credit until 2015, when the credits for “Batman v Superman” and “Gotham” finally read: “Batman created by Bob Kane with Bill Finger”
Cameos
- Comic book giants like Kevin Smith and Michael Uslan (executive producer of every Batman movie since 1989) appear and express outrage over Finger’s treatment
- Fans at Comic-Con share raw, emotional reactions to hearing Bill Finger’s story—some even break down in tears
Lesser-Known Details from the Doc
- Nobleman discovered that Finger had written episodes of The Green Lantern and 77 Sunset Strip, but never received on-screen credit there either
- Bill Finger’s only son, Fred Finger, died young—making it even harder to trace any living family
- Kane locked down a deal with DC in 1939 that made him the sole credited creator—despite agreeing early on that Bill Finger was his key collaborator
- DC initially offered to add a tribute to Finger only in the back pages of comics—not on the title page where Kane’s name had always appeared
- A key breakthrough came when Nobleman found Fred Finger’s obituary, which listed Athena Finger as a survivor—a clue that had gone unnoticed for decades
Wrap Up
“Batman & Bill” is a detective story about a detective’s creator. It shows how one man shaped our vision of a cultural icon yet was erased from history. What makes it powerful is that it doesn’t just expose an injustice—it actually helps correct it. By the end, you’ll be outraged at how long Bill Finger went without credit and amazed at what it took to finally right this wrong.
Thanks for reading!
Rob Kelly, Chief Maniac, Daily Doc