Historical Figure
Bob Kane
d. 1998
American comic book artist (1915–1998)
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Biography
Robert Kane was an American comic book writer, animator, and artist who co-created Batman and many other early related characters for DC Comics. He was inducted into the comic book industry's Jack Kirby Hall of Fame in 1993 and into the Will Eisner Comic Book Hall of Fame in 1996.
In Their Own Words (2)
Bill Finger and I created the Joker. Bill was the writer. Jerry Robinson came to me with a playing card of the Joker. That's the way I sum it up. [The Joker] looks like Conrad Veidt — you know, the actor in The Man Who Laughs, [the 1928 movie based on the novel] by Victor Hugo. … Bill Finger had a book with a photograph of Conrad Veidt and showed it to me and said, 'Here's the Joker'. Jerry Robinson had absolutely nothing to do with it. But he'll always say he created it till he dies. He brought in a playing card, which we used for a couple of issues for him [the Joker] to use as his playing card".
1928
Bill Finger was a contributing force on Batman right from the beginning. He wrote most of the great stories and was influential in setting the style and genre other writers would emulate … I made Batman a superhero-vigilante when I first created him. Bill turned him into a scientific detective.
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Timeline
The story of Bob Kane, told in moments.
Born Robert Kahn in New York City to a family of Ashkenazi Jewish descent. Legally changed his name to Kane before starting his career. A high school friend of future Spirit creator Will Eisner.
Batman debuted in Detective Comics #27. Kane got the credit. Bill Finger, who designed the costume, wrote the origin story, and created the supporting cast, went unacknowledged for decades. Kane had negotiated sole creator credit in his contract.
The Batman TV show starring Adam West became a cultural sensation. Kane served as a consultant and basked in the publicity. Finger, who'd co-created the character, was writing for other comics at low page rates.
Died at 83. Not until 2015 did DC Comics officially credit Bill Finger as Batman's co-creator. Kane's autobiography had finally mentioned Finger's contributions, but only after Finger's death.
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