For 76 years Bob Kane’s name was the only one credited with Batman’s creation but history has a way of outing the truth and towards the end of his life Kane changed his tune and began to attribute some of Batman’s creation to his childhood friend Bill Finger. Maybe it was a reckoning with his own mortality, maybe it was a visit from three ghosts on a Christmas Eve, but whatever the reason for the first fifty or so years Kane adamantly claimed that he was not only the sole creator of Batman, but that he did the majority of the artwork for it.
Kane went on the record in the pages of the 1960s Fanzine BATMANIA which was produced by super fan Biljo White. With the announced TV Series coming in 1966 new interest was being shined both on the character and his creator. Here is what Kane said in a letter to Biljo’s Fanzine extensively reprinted here;
“First, I would like to commend you on your dedication to perpetuate the legend of “Batman;” through your “Fanzine; Batmania, which I think is a very constructive gesture on your part….We can call this story, “Inside Bob Kane,” or will the real creator of “Batman” sign in, please!
The Myth: Bob Kane is not the sole creator of “Batman.” (I’ve heard this a thousand times in my lifetime), that “Batman” was really created by Bill Finger, Jerry Robinson, Carmine Infantino, Jack Schiff, Julie Schwartz, my publisher, etc., etc., and my housekeeper!
The Truth: All hogwash! I, Bob Kane, am the sole creator of “Batman.” I created “Batman” in 1939, and it appeared, if memory serves me correctly, in Detective Comics as a six or eight page story, and I signed the first strip, “Robert Kane.”
I read your article that you sent to me, “If the Truth be Known,” ”A Finger in Every Plot,” and it seemed to me that Bill Finger has given out the impression that he and not myself created the ”Batman,” as well as Robin and all the other leading villains and characters. This statement is fraudulent and entirely untrue. That is ”myth” and I quote an excerpt from the article written by Jerry G. Bails, “The Cowl and Cape, the utility belt and gauntlets were all Bill’s contribution.”
I challenge Bill to repeat those statements in front of me. I am sorry that I was absent from the comicdom’s convention so that I could have answered him. The truth is that Bill Finger is taking credit for much more than he deserves, and I refute much of his statements here in print The fact is that I conceived the ”Batman`’ figure and costume entirely by myself’ even before I called Bill in to help me write the “Batman.” I created the title, masthead, the format and concept, as well as the Batman figure and costume. Robin, the boy wonder, was also my idea, . . . not Bill’s.
The only proof I need to back my statement is that if Bill co-authored and conceived the idea, either with me or before me, then he would most certainly have a by-line on the strip along with my name, the same as Siegel and Schuster had as creators of Superman. However, it remains obvious that my name appears on the strip alone, proving that I created the idea first and then called Bill in later, after my publisher okayed my original creation.”
Next time we’ll look at the facts.
Superworld Comics has been in business for thirty years, buying and selling vintage comic books! If you’ve got a collection you are ready to part with give us a call at the number listed at the top of the website, and be sure to tune in to Instagram for Superworld Live Shows; Teddy’s Treasure Chest Tuesdays is on at 6pm and Lunch With Jose in on Thursdays at 1pm. Each show features great comic books at bargain prices and check out our website for thousands more books available!