Posted in: Movies, NYCC | Tagged: Batman & Bill, Bill Fingher, Bill the Boy Wonder, entertainment, film, hulu, NYCC

Batman & Bill – A Documentary On Bill Finger And His Many Contributions To The Batman Mythos

by Chuck Brouillette

(attached photo credit: left, Athena Finger, granddaughter of Bill Finger & right, Alethia Marietta, Finger Family Attorney)

I know it was only the first day, but on Thursday I'm pretty sure I witnessed the most heroic thing to happen at NYCC 2016.

Batman & Bill is a new documentary film coming to Hulu streaming service in their Hulu Limelight series.

The film creativity documents the part comic writer and creator Bill Finger played in the creation of not only Batman, but also a number of other Batman Family characters. It adapts the illustrative and enlightening book, Bill The Boy Wonder: The Secret Co-Creator of Batman by Marc Tyler  Nobleman.

The film is produced and directed by Don Argott & Sheena Joyce (The Art of The Steal 2009).

These folks along with comic historian Michael Uslan, Athena Finger, granddaughter of Bill Finger, and the Finger family attorney, Alethia Mariotta, we're discussing the process and the pride of producing this film.

For those in the know, or at least those who have picked up a comic book and noted a creator's credit listed or drawn into the art at any point over most of Our Hero's 75+ years, Bob Kane had been the sole legally acknowledged creator of Batman.

That was until last fall when, due in great effort to most of the people I've noted above, DC Comics & DC Entertainment announced the legal acceptance of Mr. Finger as Batman co-creator. With Batman vs Superman: Dawn of Justice marking the first time Bill Finger was creator credited on any Batman property of this caliber.

Dawn of Justice, indeed.

The beauty in all of this is that any and all true super hero comic fans live and love by three precepts. Basic Anatomy, Primary Colors & Noble Intentions. That's why this group particularly shined.

You could see the weight that the previous disservice to her grandfather and his legacy had placed on Athena Finger and her family. And then see her brighten recalling how it felt to finally get the recognition and restitution righted. And later she even laughed when I recommended the possibility of trying an 'A Beautiful Mind Batman' image of some sort – Bats crafting equation on a glass window – after she mentioned being advised to bring some kind of sample of her own bat-art while promoting this film, but being a Math Professor by profession creating art didn't come instinctual to her.

As well, Argott & Joyce made for a perfect Batman team-up. As film documentarian new to the comic world, and it's sometime byzantine and bizarre historical practices, they presented themselves as a couple of sets of clear and objective eyes on this endeavor.

And tried and true comic champions, Nobleman & Uslan provided insight to the nuts & bolts comic history that Nobleman's book documents, and too few comic fans and followers are even aware of.

Be sure to look for Batman & Bill on Hulu in it's Hulu Limelight series.

The good guys win in the end.

Chuck Brouillette is an artist and writer living in Saratoga Springs, NY. You can see how he does both @twitter.com/chuckbrouilette

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