This read far too much like an old textbook and I found myself both skimming pages and starting to dose off while trying to read

Batman is my favorite superhero, so when I saw the title I decided to jump in. This is the fascinating true story of Bob Kane, Bill Finger, and the challenges of creating Batman. Readers with interest in superheroes, comic books, and the comic book industry will enjoy this book, I sure did!

I was a little disappointed when I first recieved this book because I had thought this was a graphic novel format of the history like others I had read in the past. Despite this I still think the background is rather interesting. I grew up watching Batman (not reading) but always enjoyed it and anytime there is an option to hear the history or background of something I have enjoyed then I will always read it. This book did not disappoint overall.

i really enjoyed learning about the creator of batman, it was a well done biography and was well written. I look forward to reading more from the author.

I read this book without any prior knowledge of Batman's origins or the history of comic books, yet found it to be accessible, informative and enjoyable. While not the most riveting of reads, the author does a commendable job of presenting a lot of information with a lot of names without losing the reader.

Rik Worth tells the story of how Batman came to be, with an emphasis on the figure of Bill Finger and the other individuals who were instrumental in the process, but who have only more recently escaped the large shadow of the oppressive Bob Kane. Attempts are made to paint the personalities of the two men, yet we don't end up with much more than that one seemed to be domineering and selfish while the other was weaker and very much not a go-getter.

I learned a decent amount, particularly about the wider world of comic books and their creators. For a relatively short book, it communicates a lot.

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. It's probably a bit too high for my library, but I would definitely recommend it for older YA readers and up.

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.

I loved this book! I don't typically read nonfiction but I've loved comics, especially DC since I was a kid. Reading Batman's history was fascinating and I know that it was nice to see that the other authors of Batman get the recognition they deserve.

Worth wrote this wonderfully and at no time did I feel like it was dragging, I just kept reading.

Overall, fantastic book that I would rec to every comic lover. 5/5.

This book ended up not being what I expected it to be. In reality it turned out to be better than I thought it might be. It starts a little slow during the first few chapters, but gets better once Batman and their amazing universe takes off. Like many fans before reading this I had no idea who Bill Finger was. Turns out they had a pivotal role in helping create this character. Yet for decades they were put behind Bob Kane’s shadow and therefore over the years became forgotten. This book also lets you know the bad times this character faced and gives insight to some directions Batman could have ended up going in. As this book came to a close this co-creator finally starts to get the credit they deserve.

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.

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.

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!

This book I couldn’t get to open and when I realised it had already archived, apologies, but I’ll be buying myself as I really want to read this

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.

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.

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 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.

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...

It 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. I appreciate the author noting these things, though, as I feel it is important to bring it to light.

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.

This is a biography worthy of being added to any library that serves teens, those interested in comics, and those who like biographies…so really, all of them. Very readable and not too long, so it should hold the reader’s attention. Will recommend.

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!

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.