We've all heard of Batman, and most of us know his creator as Bob Kane... but as the 2017 documentary directed by Don Argott and Sheena M. Joyce, "Batman and Bill," makes clear, there is a lot more to the story. Partially based on the 2012 book, "Bill the Boy Wonder: The Secret Co-creator of Batman" by Marc Tyler Nobleman, the film (available on Hulu) provides a ton of first-hand evidence showing that Bill Finger was actually the key creator of all the most memorable parts of the character. Note: Documentary SPOILERS in this podcast!!! Melinda and Aaron speak with comic book expert Michael Bailey (The Fortress of Baileytude podcast) to discuss Bill Finger's contributions to Batman, and why so many comic book creators from the 30s didn't get the credit they deserved.
Recommended Reading, as referenced in the show:
Men of Tomorrow: Geeks, Gangsters, and the Birth of the Comic Book
The Terrible 25 of Pre-Code Comic Book Horror
Seduction of the Innocents and the Attack on Comic Books
Batman Unmasked: Analyzing a Cultural Icon
The Golden Age of Comic Fandom
The Batcave Companion – check out the chapter – the Ghosts of Gotham
Tales of the Dark Knight: Batman's First Fifty Years 1939-1989
The Official Batman Batbook - 1986 publication
Batman from the 30s to the 70s (comic books, from the 30s to the 70s)
SUPERMAN From the Thirties to the Seventies.
Marvel: Five Fabulous Decades of the World's Greatest Comics