صناع باتمان: بوب، وبيل، وفارس الظلام

by Rik Worth, أحمد سليمان (Translator)

في أوائل القرن العشرين، بدأ ظهور القصص المصورة يجذب انتباه الأطفال والبالغين على حدٍ سواء.
ثم في الثلاثينات، تطورت صناعة الكوميكس برمّتها ومعها ثقافة الجماهير. وتبوأ محارب غوثام المقنّع “باتمان” مكانة عالية بنهاية عقد الثلاثينات، ليحجز لنفسه مقعدًا وسط الشخصيات الأقرب لقلوب الجماهير.

ولكن، هل تعلم من هو صاحب الشخصية؟ وهل تدري كيف تصدّر كين مشهد الصانع الوحيد لباتمان، في الوقت الذي أُجبِر فيه بيل فينجر –شريكه في صنع باتمان– على أن يبقى في الظل.
هل تعلم كم المعاناة التي تكبدها صناع الكوميكس والصحفيين وأفراد عائلة فينجر لينال التقدير الذي يستحقه؟

هذا أول كتاب نثري يركّز على هذه العلاقة بين فينجر وكين، بالتوازي مع عدد من الشخصيات الثانوية، في واحدة من أكثر الفترات إثارةً في تاريخ القصص المصورة. إن كتاب “صنّاع باتمان: عن بوب وبيل وفارس الظلام” يجمع كل شيء نعرفه عن هاتين الشخصيتين اللامعتين، مع سرد ماتع لقصة كل من هما جنبًا بجنب. ويجمع معًا هذه الخيوط ضمن سياق وخلفية أوسع، حيث طفرة الكوميكس والعصر الذهبي لباتمان.

كما يبحث الكيفية التي شيّد بها كل من كين وفينجر عالم “غوثام” وقاطنيه، مشتبكًا مع الإرث الذي تركه المبدعون السابقون. كوميكس

Genres: Comics, Biography, History, Nonfiction

320 pages, Paperback

Published January 1, 2023

Reviews

[Briar's Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Creators of Batman: Bob, Bill and the Dark Knight is an incredible read that I highly recommend for fans of the comic book industry.

I absolutely LOVE DC Comics. Their movies, their comics, and all of the merchandise gets my inner nerd so thrilled. I've loved DC my whole life, so it was only natural for me to want to learn a little more. This book was the perfect collection of background information on how Batman came to being. I knew about Bill Finger, but I never knew the whole story behind it. Bob Kane made Batman, yet he never gave enough credit to Bill Finger. It wasn't all Bob Kane, that was obvious. As more and more came out over the years, people started to appreciate Bill Finger more. Unfortunately, he didn't get all of the love while he was alive.

I was one of the people sitting in the theatre watching Batman V. Superman: Dawn of Justice and grinning like the Joker when I saw Bill Finger's name appear. It made my heart so happy that he got some of the love he truly deserved with creating one of entertainment's most famous superheroes.

Rik Worth's work is incredible. This compilation of information and pictures is one of the best non-fiction books I've read. I binged this entire book, which isn't something I normally do with non-fiction. It's not biased, but you can form an opinion pretty easily based off the work itself.

Overall, I highly recommend this book! It's one of the best non-fiction books I've ever read.

Five out of five stars.

Thank you to NetGalley, Pen & Sword and White Owl for providing me a free copy of this book in exchange of an honest review.

[Stephen · Rating 4 out of 5]

thanks to the publishers and netgalley for a free copy in return for an open and honest review

enjoyed this complex relationship between the co creators of batman and how Batman developed into the comic star on the big screen and TV and how it was hard within the comic industry if not major and the cut throat processes.

[Dave · Rating 4 out of 5]

Essentially the story of a man who had an idea for a hero, but not too much else and a man he meets who fleshes out the idea and ends up writing stories about the hero, but never gets the acclaim and fame for it like the first guy. This is the story of Bob Kane and Bill Finger.
Worth fine tunes the legacy of Batman from concept through fame and popularity of the hero who in some regards has passed even Super-man with fandom.

[Alex Nagler · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Batman - Created By Bob Kane"

For years, those words were the creator byline for Batman. The Dark Knight Detective had one creator, everyone knew that, because that one creator gladly took credit for the creation of the World's Greatest* Detective. He went so far as to have it be his gravestone. But Bob didn't work alone, a fact that contemporary readers are now familiar with, as all issues of Batman and Detective Comics make it clear that Bob Kane created Batman with Bill Finger. Rik Worth takes a deeper look at the lives, careers, and fallings out of two high school kids from The Bronx. A worthwhile read for those who knew nothing of the man responsible for Batman not being a Da Vinci-esque bird and for those who have seen the Hulu documentary alike.






*The true World's Greatest Detective is Detective Chimp. Even Batman admits that.

[Leigh F · Rating 3 out of 5]

So as a huge Batman fan I knew I needed to be a reviewer for this novel.

Here are my thoughts:
It was an interesting read, many areas flew off the page and it was fascinating to hear the back story of the men who created my favorite super hero, and then there were the parts that dragged. Thankfully for any true Batman fan you will like me be able to push through the slow parts and really dive into the story.

[G. Salter · Rating 5 out of 5]

The writer does a great job of taking what is probably one of the most controversial stories about the 1930s Golden Age of superhero comics, and telling the story in a way that captures what is already known while also providing unexpected new facts. Definitely worth reading.

[علي الصباخ · Rating 3 out of 5]

الكتاب يحتوي على الكثير من الخفايا والأسرار حول واحدة من أعرق شخصيات الكوميك "باتمان"، وكذلك الكثير من الأمور فيما يخص صناعة الكوميك.
الكتاب ممتع للمهتمين بالشخصية، لكن عند الوصول إلى منتصفه يصبح مملًا.

[Genevieve Paquette · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was so excited when I saw that my "wish" was granted on Netgalley. This is the first time that's happened, and I was beyond delighted. Thank you to the author, publisher and Netgalley for letting me read this ARC.
I'm a Batman fan. After the original Captain Marvel and Mary Marvel (ok, and maybe Plastic Man), he's my favorite superhero. Reruns of Batman '66, and the original run of Batman the Animated Series were a formative part of my childhood, no exaggeration. So I was particularly interested in learning more about Batman's origins, and the men who made him. I wasn't let down.
To me, this read like one of the best Master's dissertations of that year's class. Which is totally fine by me, except that I kept finding myself looking for citations and footnotes.
This was an interesting and surprisingly upsetting read. When you're a kid, you think, wow, how great would it be to write/draw comic books for a living? But then you hear or read something like this. Man, the industry is brutal. It's always heartbreaking to learn that so many artists and writers end up living in poverty while their creations make other people millions. The fact that a charitable organization exists solely to help out former comic artists and writers is... sad. It's sad.
But I digress. The author did the best he could with the material he had available, piecing together a convincing account of the creation of Batman, and the lives of Bob Kane and Bill Finger, doing his best not to demonize the former and paint the latter as solely a hapless victim. It's a complicated history, and he managed to untangle a lot of it, presenting it in a clear way.
I was left feeling kind of sad, honestly. I feel like I've learned quite a bit, and it was very interesting, but my mind can't help but linger on all the little tragedies that the author chronicles.
A fascinating history, but a serious downer.

[Dan · Rating 4 out of 5]

My thanks to NetGalley and Pen & Sword for an advanced copy of this book.

For a medium that always promised 4 color panels, tales of heroic derring-do, bright futures and "Truth, Justice and the American Way", comic books have a horrible way of treating its creators. From the duo who masterminded Superman, being cheated out of their profits and ignored by their publishing company till past their retirement age, to Jack Kirby suing Marvel for the rights to his own artwork, the list can go on. In The Creators of Batman Bob, Bill and The Dark Knight, author Rik Worth, even the creation of the Caped Crusader Batman has been muddled and confused over the 80 years of the Dark Knight's existence. Since his first appearance in Detective Comics #27 Bob Kane has claimed sole credit for the design, idea, stories and everything related to the Batman, leaving important contributions from Bob Finger, easily considered a co-creator, Jerry Robinson, Dick Sprang and others out of the narrative.

The book is well researched with a lot of stories about and facts to bolster the argument, which does not seem to be in much doubt anymore. There is also a lot of information on the early days of comics and how they developed into what they are today.

Was it ego, a lust for the glory, cash or just a fear by Mr. Kane that he had only one shot, that after all the other things he tried nothing seemed as relevant as a young boy swearing vengeance on criminals for his murdered parents. The book leaves this open to interpretation, which is only fair as none of the major players are around. A very interesting book, not only for the history of one of my favorite comic book characters, but about art, collaboration and its creation.

[Randi (Rampant Reading Reviews) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an advanced copy of The Creators of Batman: Bob, Bill, and the Dark Knight through Netgalley so I could share my review with you!

Batman, The Dark Night, Gotham’s Hero. Though the caped crusader goes by many names, he has defined American pop culture for nearly a century. Yet, very few people talk about Batman’s true origin story. No, not the one where his parents are killed and he swears vengeance. This is the story of the two young men who created Batman, busting into a comic industry with a character that would captivate imaginations worldwide!

You can get your copy of The Creators of Batman today from White Owl Books!

My Recommendation-
If you’re a comic buff who can’t get enough of the history behind today’s favorite heroes, you have to check out The Creators of Batman! This book gives an in-depth yet engaging peek into the history of comics!

[Tony S · Rating 5 out of 5]

So having followed and read Batman for so many years I knew very little about how Batman came about and the creation of the character apart from the main stream media information so this makes for a fascinating read. This book is well researched and delves deep into the character and its creators. In many ways the story is tinged with some sadness in the creation with the cocreator not getting the recognition that he deserved for so many years.. The book does not just look at the creation of Batman but also the history of the genre as a whole and how the industry started and progressed.
If you like the genre then this is certainly a must read to see the developments of both characters and the genre as a whole - I certainly discovered so many things I did not already know.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

A dive into the personal histories of the two men who had the most to do with the creation of Batman, exploring their early lives, their creation of Batman, and the fallout from it. One man achieved widespread success, and for many years was the only one credited with the creation, while the other received little to none of the fame for most of his life and died poor. This book is dense with good information about all the major players in early comic creation, and dives deep into how these people and the culture/world surrounding them changed comics throughout history. For any die-hard fans of Batman, or anyone who is curious about how modern day comics came to be, this will be an informative read.

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a digital advanced readers copy from Net Galley.

I initially requested this book because I thought it was a graphic novel, and then I thought it was a young adult book so I was all over the place before I even started reading. That said, as a comic book fan, I enjoyed it immensely. Worth does a good job of providing just enough background of the early days of comic books that the reader feels informed but not overwhelmed. Even with a passing knowledge of how many early creators were given a raw deal, I still learned a lot about the ins and outs of the comic industry and how things have changed - or not changed - over time. I do think sometimes Worth does maybe a little too much editorializing or leading the reader to a certain opinion, but I do also like and agree that he looks beyond the simple Kane = bad guy, Finger = good guy. Would definitely recommended for older YA readers and up.

[Mirza Baig · Rating 3 out of 5]

While I went into this ARC with certain expectations, I was totally surprised by its in-depth detailing behind the emergence of the comic industry and not just Bob Kane and Bill Finger. As a comic book fan, I was thoroughly engrossed and intrigued how author Rik Worth brought to light on some artists and writers, who I had never even heard off, especially considering their massive contributions to the medium. Yes, like most I too felt terrible how Bill Finger was treated, and how Bob Kane used his authoritative stature to get ahead in life akin to what the late Steve Jobs (Apple) did. However, the only drawback which caused by difficulty in finishing was author Rik Worth's prolonged analysis's on certain events, which I personally felt was unnecessary, and only ended up adding on to the pages. Nevertheless, for Batman fans (like myself) especially the ones looking to go back to his creation, this sure is a fascinating read.

[Matt Flick · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Creators of Batman by Rik Worth is a very interesting book. It tells the little known story of artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger, co-creators of Batman. It is a well researched book that brings early comic book history to life. While I agree with many points made in the book, I feel the author definitely had an agenda. He was very sympathetic towards Bill Finger (rightly so in my opinion), but, in my opinion, nonfiction books like this should be a little more neutral and present both sides a more evenly.

I really enjoyed Rik Worth's writing style. I knew a little about the book's subject, but he definitely gave me more information that I did not know. If you are fan of comic books, The Creators of Batman is a great exploration of an important moment in comic book history and I recommend you check it out.

[Vansa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an excellent, nuanced book about the creation of Batman, but it also explores the comic book industry in general, and the more complicated question of attributing credit for inspiration, to an artform as collaborative as comics. The book's narrative also takes in DC and how it evolved, and gives you a look at the lives of Siegel and Schuster as well, and their tragic disputes with DC. It's a fascinating exploration of the business side of comics and neither DC nor Marvel come off well at all. It seems merely a matter of self promotion that has ensured which creator has been adequately recompensed for their work.
As for Batman himself, the book does a wonderful job of tracing all the inspirations and ideas that fed into the creation of the character. Bill Finger's love of both pulps and German Expressionism have played a part in the character's story, and visual aesthetic. ( As I've always thought, clearly Tim Burton has always been the only movie maker who got Batman, and the informing context, unlike others that went too camp or too stern and po-faced) There are quite a few Batman characters that took off on existing villainous characters in The Shadow, and other movies , but as the book takes pains to point out, what the comic creators have done with these is innovative, and not really done in comics before, which relied on far more simple divisions between good and evil. The book mentions that Bill Finger was a trivia magpie and would clip out articles of interest, for him to use in stories- a story with photos on how planes were winched out of underground hangars and flown out directly was the inspiration for the visuals of the Batmobile emerging from the Batcave- something that hasn't changed since its inception! The book doesn't hedge when it comes to dealing with Bob Kane's perfidy( such as it is), but it also doesn't succumb to easy myth making of the true, silent genius overshadowed by the flamboyant, lying showman. The flamboyant showman should have, of course, not stood in the way of attributing credit and making sure of fair financial compensation. Equally, though, without Kane's recognition of both Finger's and Jerry Robinson's genius, they wouldn't have worked on Batman at all. The book's nuanced enough to recognise the tragedy of this without making it a comic book good Vs evil showdown. Absolutely recommended read even if you're not a fan of comics or movies, it's a worthy read of the complicated creation of an art form.
Pen and Sword have published some great books this year, another book published was about Stan Lee, and that was as good as this! Looking forward to other books of this publisher as well, I'm very grateful to have been sent this ARC!

[Michael Mills · Rating 5 out of 5]

Note: I received an ARC of this book via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

Does a terrific job of sifting the contributions made by various individuals which led to the enduring character of Batman as we recognise him today. He is not a figure who arrived fully formed on the page – nor even from one mind – and Rik Worth is impressively fair in teasing out who brought what to him, while remaining sceptical of the easy narratives on offer. Kane was no more a villain than Finger was a tragic failure (or Jerry Robinson overlooked, for that matter), but understanding how those images of the men have been formed is important in understanding the creation of Batman – and, perhaps, something about human nature.

[Ste · Rating 5 out of 5]

(Disclaimer: I know the author)

As someone who is into comics but not a mega-fan, I knew a bit about the Batman authorship dispute - in its most cartoonish form, that Bob Kane, self-titled "Creator of Batman" had stolen the work of his co-writer Bill Finger and taken the credit and wealth while Finger died poor.

This book excellently sets out the world of the early comics industry, and tells the stories of Kane and Finger from their beginnings to their very different ends. It finds the humanity in both and puts a little much needed nuance into the usual hero-and-villain tale - plus some fascinating bits of trivia about the beginnings of DC Comics and their most famous characters.