In an illustration by artist Ty Templeton, he pitches the alternate history of Batman if co-creator Bob Kane didn’t have Bill Finger at his side. Famously, Finger didn’t receive the credit he deserved for the creation of the Dark Knight, Robin, and his rogues gallery.
For most of Batman’s comic book history, writer and artist Bob Kane had been regarded as Batman’s sole creator. However, comic book fans who knew the true origins of Gotham City were aware Kane’s role in the creative process had been exaggerated. As documented in Batman & Bill, writer Bill Finger hadn’t received the credit he was due for the version of Batman that the world knows today.
In a blog post on TyTempleton.com, comic book creator Ty Templeton wrote and illustrated the alternate history of Batman’s creation in a comic strip titled, “What If Bob Kane Had Created Bat-Man Without Bill Finger?” The alternate history follows a clueless version of “Bat-Man,” wearing Kane’s initially designed red costume with bat wings. Without Robin, the Joker, Commissioner Gordon, or the Batmobile, Bob Kane’s take on Batman lacks Bill Finger’s input. These key components of the Batman mythos were conceived by Finger, who wasn’t considered a co-creator by DC Comics until 2015.
Before Bill Finger conceptualized Batman’s iconic costume with the bat symbol, cowl, cape, and color scheme, Bob Kane imagined a bright red suit with a domino mask and wings on the back. Taking inspiration from a sketch by Leonardo da Vinci, Kane didn’t have ideas for why his Bat-Man looked the way he did. In contrast, Finger’s take was a dark pulp detective hero, which was embodied by the suit. The tongue-in-cheek rendition of Kane’s Gotham City by Templeton emphasizes the lack of ideas he brought to the table, as Batman doesn’t even have Commissioner Gordon to talk with. Without Robin, Alfred, and Gordon, the Caped Crusader is left to his own devices, and doesn’t have any other key figures around to share dialogue.
Fans recognize that Batman’s rogue gallery are one of the best parts about his stories, and Bill Finger was the primary creator of early villains, including the Joker. Since Kane didn’t know how to challenge Batman beyond street crime, Templeton features him taking on a common crook. Since there isn’t a true threat to Gotham, Batman doesn’t have any opportunity to reveal what he is capable of as a vigilante or a detective.
Source: TyTempleton.com
