Bill the Boy Wonder: The Secret Co-Creator of Batman [Hardcover]

Marc Tyler Nobleman (Author), Ty Templeton (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 1, 2012

Every Batman story is marked with the words “Batman created by Bob Kane.” But that isn’t the whole truth. A struggling writer named Bill Finger was involved from the beginning. Bill helped invent Batman, from concept to costume to character. He dreamed up Batman’s haunting origins and his colorful nemeses. He named Gotham. Despite his brilliance, Bill worked in obscurity, his name never appearing on a Batman comic. It was only after his death that fans went to bat for Bill, calling for DC to acknowledge him as co-creator of Batman. Their fight for justice continues to this day.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Gr 3-5-This eye-catching biography of Bill Finger is quite unique. It's the first picture book written about the co-creator of the comic-book character Batman. And until quite recently, Finger wasn't recognized, as Bob Kane accepted full credit. From the cover depicting a bust of Finger set against the backdrop of Batman, and the end pages that include the shadow, quotes, and teasers to the story, to the engagingly told story, this biography will be a hit. The illustrations are done in colorful, classic comic-book style, with text offset in boxes. The story begins with a young Jewish man, Milton Finger, changing his first name to Bill because of discrimination. It proceeds to his chance meeting with Kane and his uncredited collaboration. After 25 years of writing increasingly creative adventures for Batman, his contribution was discovered, though Kane was still reluctant to share credit. Finger died rather poor and largely unrecognized. After his death, a comic-writing award was named in his honor. The easy-to-read text is short and interesting. An author's note presents more detailed information on Finger and Nobleman's complex and thorough research. This title will appeal to children because of their interest in superheroes and their creators, and will be a draw for teachers as a read-aloud for language arts or social studies as an engaging look at a pop art icon. Source notes, a selected bibliography, and three photos round out the book.-Christina Dorr, Hilliard City School District, OHα(c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

About the Author

Marc Tyler Nobleman is the author of Boys of Steel: The Creators of Superman, which received multiple starred reviews and was named an American Library Association Notable Book. Due to discoveries Marc made in his research, the book also landed on the front page of USA Today. Marc never dressed as Batman for Halloween, but he was Robin twice (and Superman three times). Today he lives with his family in Maryland. He reveals his research secrets and promotional gambles at noblemania.blogspot.com. Ty Templeton is a Canadian cartoonist who has written and drawn for Batman, Superman, Spider-Man, The Avengers, The Simpsons, Star Trek, Planet of the Apes, and countless other comic books. When not writing and drawing, he has also worked as an actor, a musician, a teacher, a comedian, a magician s assistant, and a security guard, if you need to know every job. He is joyfully married to Keiren Smith, with whom he shares four children and three cats. Visit Ty at tytempletonart.wordpress.com.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 48 pages
• Publisher: Charlesbridge Publishing (July 1, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1580892892
• ISBN-13: 978-1580892896
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 0.4 x 11 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #281,825 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

I'm the author of more than 70 books including the picture books "Bill the Boy Wonder: The Secret Co-Creator of Batman" and "Boys of Steel: The Creators of Superman." Both are the first standalone biographies on their respective topics, and both are Junior Library Guild Selections.

"Bill the Boy Wonder" has been covered by "Entertainment Weekly," "Forbes," NPR's "All Things Considered, "Washington Post," "WIRED," and MTV; the bombshell it reveals led to a TED Talk.

"Boys of Steel" is an ALA Notable title that received multiple starred reviews and appeared on the front page of "USA Today."

I blog behind-the-scenes tales of book research, promotion, and more at http://noblemania.blogspot.com/.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Pointing the Finger at Bill When Asked "Who Created Batman?" June 6, 2012

By Rene Thompson

Format:Hardcover

In 1966, at the usual age of seven, I began collecting comic books. It was all Batman's fault. To put it in historical perspective, 1966 was the year of Batmania and I was a Batmaniac...one of hundreds of thousands throughout the US.

My other favorite comic book at the time was GREEN LANTERN. It was the first comic I ever write a letter to although it was never published. I was particularly intrigued to see an issue with a second, red-clad, caped Green Lantern said to be from another Earth! He became a favorite and I anxiously awaited his rare appearances in GL and JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA.

It wouldn't be until a few years later that I heard the name of Bill Finger...on the half-hearted obits that DC ran for him. Turns out he co-created the original Green Lantern that I had enjoyed so much and apparently written some early Batman stories.

That last statement would, of course, turn out to be an understatement.

Over the years, more and more has come out about Bill Finger and the evidence overwhelmingly indicates that he did much more than write some early Batman stories. In fact, by all accounts, in a perfect world, Bill Finger would be listed alongside Bob Kane as Batman's co-creator!

Over time, it's also come out that Bob Kane was rather a self-serving individual who rarely did anything himself when he could get someone else to do it for him. Bob also liked to lie about that and claim he was doing, for example, all the art on BATMAN, even when it was obvious that there were many different styles involved.

Kane could do this because, due to an absolutely unprecedented legal move--the details of which still remain confidential--soon after the Caped Crusader's initial success, Bob negotiated what's believed to be a huge amount of money as well as sole credit on the Batman strip in comics or in newspapers.

To hear him tell it, Bob Kane apparently spent much time using "I created Batman" as a pick-up line. Bill Finger, meanwhile, wrote comics. Lots of them.

He received credit for Green Lantern from the beginning but, by contract, only Kane's name appeared on Batman. What we know now is that Finger took Kane's rudimentary idea for a "Bird Man" hero and refined it visually and structurally into the Dark Knight we know today. Kane himself peppered the early Batman strips with swipes from pulps and Alex Raymond FLASH GORDON strips. The only originality in the whole thing came from Finger.

Finger's contributions began coming out soon after his death but little was ever really known of the man himself. Now comes Marc Tyler Nobleman, the author who a few years back gave us the deceptively insightful illustrated bio of SUPERMAN creators Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, BOYS OF STEEL.

BILL, THE BOY WONDER, THE SECRET CO-CREATOR OF BATMAN, is in a similar format. It's a children's book...only it isn't. Marc did years of research into Finger's life, finding more and more previously unknown bits of information about his life and career, and shares it all here.

The body of the book, illustrated by the wonderful comics writer/artist Ty Templeton, tells the basic tale of Bill's involvement in the creation of BATMAN as we now know it. A more detailed and adult-oriented set of "notes" at the end reveals even more about the mysterious writer as well as about Marc's research itself.

Marc's choice of format is interesting as it gets the word out to even the youngest Batman fans who are likely to find this book in libraries for years to come that "Bob Kane" is not the be-all and end-all he wanted everyone to think he was. In later years, even Kane acknowledged that Bill had a much bigger role in the iconic character's creation than he had previously admitted.

For kids, it's a big colorful picture book with a story both interesting and a little sad. For adult fans, it's a rare chance to get to know more about someone whose work you've admired for years...whether or not you ever heard his name. Who created Batman? Not the easiest question to answer but Marc Tyler Nobleman points his own finger...at Bill.

9 of 11 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A Finger in Every Plot May 16, 2012

By Michael C. Delich

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

This book is a MUST have for every Batman fan and comic reader in general. Finger was a prolific writer, and shaped the Batman into what he has emerged to be. This book is not like the usual bibliography: it is an illustrated bibliography, relating Finger's entry into the writing field and his eventual career, in comic book style, illustrated as a story. Done very effectively and well.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Telling the Story August 12, 2012

By Tara Pinder

Format:Hardcover

I heard the interview on NPR about this book and decided to buy it for my 10 year old grandson. Congrats to Marc Tyler Nobleman for writing about this and giving long overdue credit to Bill Finger. Even to this 61 year old grandmother, Batman has always captured my imagination. Righting wrongs of the rich and powerful and seeking justice for the citizens of his city, Batman has always been a hero.

I love the movies and have always seen the name Bob Kane on the closing credits. Shame on the Kane estate for not sharing that credit (and some of the millions) generated by the Batman legacy with Bill Finger. It is the creative writers and artists that make our world brighter and give us truths and heroes that enrich our lives. They are the ones that should profit from their creations. The fact that this talented man died impoverished and unrecognized for his artistic creations is very sad.

Thank you Bill Finger for the creativity and brilliant writing of the Batman story.

And thank you Marc Tyler Nobleman for creating your interesting and clever book about the Co-writer of Batman, Bill Finger!