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Milton "Bill" Finger〔 (February 8, 1914 – January 18, 1974) was an American comic strip and comic book writer best known as the belatedly credited co-creator, with Bob Kane, of the DC Comics character Batman and the co-architect of the series' development. Years after Finger's death, Kane acknowledged his contributions. Finger also wrote many of the original 1940s Green Lantern stories after co-creating the original Green Lantern (Alan Scott), and would go on to contribute to the development of numerous other comic book series. He was posthumously inducted into the comic book industry's Jack Kirby Hall of Fame in 1994 and the Will Eisner Comic Book Hall of Fame in 1999. His name provided the basis for the Bill Finger Award, founded by Jerry Robinson and presented annually at the San Diego Comic-Con International to honor excellence in comic book writing. ==Early life and career== Bill Finger was born in Denver, Colorado,〔 to a Jewish family. His father, Louis Finger (b. 1890, Austria), emigrated to the U.S. in 1907.〔 His mother Tessie (b. circa 1893, New York City) also gave birth to Bill Finger's sisters, Emily and Gilda.〔 The family moved to The Bronx, New York City, where during the Great Depression Louis Finger was forced to close his tailor shop.〔Nobleman, ''Bill the Boy Wonder'', p. 2 (unnumbered)〕 Finger graduated from DeWitt Clinton High School in The Bronx in 1933.〔 Archive requires scrolldown.〕 An aspiring writer and a part-time shoe salesman, he joined Bob Kane's nascent studio in 1938 after having met Kane, a fellow DeWitt Clinton alumnus, at a party. Kane later offered him a job ghost writing the strips ''Rusty'' and ''Clip Carson''. Early the following year, National Comics' success with the seminal superhero Superman in ''Action Comics'' prompted editors to scramble for similar heroes.〔Nobleman, ''Bill the Boy Wonder'', p. 5 (unnumbered)〕 In response, Kane conceived "the Bat-Man". Finger recalled Kane: Finger offered such suggestions as giving the character a cowl instead of the domino mask, a cape instead of wings, adding gloves, and removing the red sections from the original costume.〔〔Daniels, pp. 21 and 23〕 He later said his suggestions were influenced by Lee Falk's popular ''The Phantom'', a syndicated newspaper comic strip character with which Kane was also familiar,〔Kane, Andrae, p. 41〕 and that he devised the name Bruce Wayne for the character's secret identity. As Finger described, "Bruce Wayne's first name came from Robert Bruce, the Scottish patriot. Wayne, being a playboy, was a man of gentry. I searched for a name that would suggest colonialism. I tried Adams, Hancock ... then I thought of Mad Anthony Wayne."〔 Kane decades later in his autobiography described Finger as "a contributing force on Batman right from the beginning... I made Batman a superhero-vigilante when I first created him. Bill turned him into a scientific detective."〔Kane, Andrae, p. 41–43〕 Finger biographer Marc Tyler Nobleman described, "Bob () showed Bat-Man to () Vin () — without Bill. Vin promptly wanted to run Bat-Man, and Bob negotiated a deal — without including Bill."〔Nobleman, ''Bill the Boy Wonder'', p. 10 (unnumbered)〕 Finger wrote both the initial script for Batman's debut in ''Detective Comics'' #27 (May 1939) and the character's second appearance, while Kane provided art.〔〔(''Detective Comics'' #27 ) and (#28 ) at the Grand Comics Database.〕 Batman proved a breakout hit, and Finger went on to write many of the early Batman stories, including making major contributions to the Joker character.〔 Part 2, ("Interview: The Joker’s Maker Tackles The Man Who Laughs" ), August 5, 2009. .〕 Batman background artist and letterer George Roussos recalled: Robin was introduced as Batman's sidekick in ''Detective Comics'' #38 (April 1940).〔Wallace "1940s" in Dolan, p. 31: "Writer Bill Finger and artist Bob Kane justified any hyperbole in this issue, for with the introduction of Robin, Batman's world changed forever."〕 When Kane wanted Robin's origin to parallel Batman's, Finger made Robin's parents circus performers murdered while performing their trapeze act.〔Kane, Andrae, pp. 104–105〕 Finger recalled: Comics historian Jim Steranko wrote in 1970 that Finger's slowness as a writer led Batman editor Whitney Ellsworth to suggest Kane replace him, a claim reflected in Joe Desris' description of Finger as "notoriously tardy."〔〔Steranko, p. 45〕 During Finger's absence, Gardner Fox contributed scripts that introduced Batman's early "Bat-" arsenal (the utility belt, the Bat-Gyro/plane and the Batarang).〔Kane, Andrae, p. 103〕〔Daniels, p. 31〕 Upon his return, Finger created or co-created items such as the Batmobile and Batcave, and is credited with providing the name "Gotham City".〔 Finger wrote the debut issue of Batman's self-titled comic book series which introduced the Joker and the Catwoman.〔Wallace "1940s" in Dolan, p. 31: "The first issue of Batman's self-titled comic written by Bill Finger and drawn by Bob Kane, represented a milestone in more ways than one. With Robin now a partner to the Caped Crusader, villains needed to rise to the challenge, and this issue introduced two future legends: the Joker and Catwoman."〕 Among the things that made his stories distinctive were a use of giant-sized props: enlarged pennies, sewing machines, or typewriters.〔Kane, Andrae, pp. 119-120〕〔Steranko, p. 49〕 Two of the prevalently featured trophies in Batman's Batcave, a full-size animatronic Tyrannosaurus Rex and a giant replica of a Lincoln penny,〔Manning "1940s" in Dougall (2014), p. 39: ''World's Finest Comics'' #30 "Batman gained one of the most iconic trophies in his Batcave when he encountered the new villain dubbed the Penny Plunderer in this issue...artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger revealed how Batman added the giant penny to his intriguing collection."〕 were both introduced in stories written by Finger. Eventually, Finger left Kane's studio to work directly for DC Comics, where he supplied scripts for characters including Batman and Superman. A part of the Superman mythos which had originated on the radio program made its way into the comic books when kryptonite was featured in a story by Finger and Al Plastino in ''Superman'' #61 (Nov. 1949).〔Wallace "1940s" in Dolan, p. 61: "Kryptonite finally appeared in comics following its introduction in ''The Adventures of Superman'' radio show back in 1943. In a story by writer Bill Finger and artist Al Plastino...the Man of Steel determined that the cause of his weakness was a piece of meteorite rock."〕 As writer of the ''Superboy'' series, Finger created Lana Lang, a love-interest for the teenage superhero.〔Irvine, Alex "1950s" in Dolan, p. 65: "Superboy met the girl next door in ''Superboy'' #10, when the spunky redhead Lana Lang made her first appearance. In a story written by Bill Finger, with art by John Sikela, Lana quickly became infatuated with her Smallville neighbor, Clark Kent."〕 Continuing his Batman work, he and artist Sheldon Moldoff introduced Ace the Bat-Hound in ''Batman'' #92 (June 1955),〔Irvine "1950s" in Dolan, p. 77: "Once Superman had a dog, Batman got one too, in "Ace, the Bat-Hound!" In the story by writer Bill Finger and artist Sheldon Moldoff, Batman and Robin found a German Shepherd called Ace."〕 Bat-Mite in ''Detective Comics'' #267 (May 1959),〔Irvine "1950s" in Dolan, p. 94: "The impish Bat-Mite made his first appearance in ''Detective Comics'' #267, care of writer Bill Finger and artist Sheldon Moldoff."〕 Clayface in ''Detective Comics'' #298 (December 1961),〔McAvennie, Michael "1960s" in Dolan, p. 103: "Scribe Bill Finger and artist Sheldon Moldoff reshaped the face of evil with the second - and perhaps most recognized - Clayface ever to challenge the Dark Knight."〕 and Betty Kane, the original Bat-Girl in ''Batman'' #139 (April 1961).〔McAvennie, Michael "1960s" in Dolan, p. 102: "Young Betty Kane assumed the costumed identity of Bat-Girl in this tale by writer Bill Finger and artist Sheldon Moldoff."〕 Finger wrote for other companies, including Fawcett Comics, Quality Comics and Marvel Comics' 1940s predecessor, Timely Comics. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Bill Finger」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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