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Kane's artwork on the funny strips he did for National prior to "Batman" were mediocre at best...
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Much like with the Stan Lee/Jack Kirby controversy, I think the danger is always to address a perceived injustice by skewing too far into the other direction.
For all his faults (swiper, credit hog), Bob Kane is still the creator/co-creator of Batman, and his place in history is deserved. It's just that the pedestal should be a bit wider to make room for Bill Finger (the writer of Batman, just as Stan Lee was the writer of Spider-man et al), Jerry Robinson, Dick Sprang, Denny O'Neil, Neal Adams, Steve Englehart, Marshal Rogers, Frank Miller and countless others.
As we've noted in other threads, DC has really redressed this with the nice cheques they are writing creators for the most recent movies. Neal Adams acknowledges that he got a six figure cheque for Ras Al Ghul, and I think the story has circulated that Chuck Dixon bought a house with his money for Bane last time around with Batman and Robin, so despite his less than stellar treatment by DC's comics division, I'd assume he will be able to buy an airplane like Chris Claremont's with the Dark Knight Rises money for Bane.Comment
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Kane deserves credit for the co-creation of Batman, no doubt. But unfortunately he continued to take credits for other aspects of the mythos over the years, even after his day-to-day involvement dwindled. Even after I knew Kane's later work was not his own, I assumed he did most of the early stuff. Now even that is highly suspect. I do believe he did a good amount of work on the Batman newspaper strip, as that was his goal, since comic strip artists were held in higher esteem than their comic book brethern.
The Chuck Dixon story is true. Chuck used to have "Dixonverse Dinners" at Chicago during the con. I was lucky enough to sit next to him one year. The conversation shifted to comic movies, and he agreed Batman and Robin was awful, but it bought him a house!
It's safe to say DKR will score him an even bigger paycheck.
ChrisComment
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That red costume abortion actually WOULD make a cool custom figure.
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I recall Bill Finger recounted the story of how Kane's version of Batman looked like Zorro in red. It didn't resemble a bat in any way. The true bat resemblance came at Fingers suggestion.
Kane was asked why Bill Finger was never credited as "co-creator" in an interview. Kane said Finger never asked him for it. More likely he wouldn't have got credit or money even if he did ask. In just about all these stories there is 1 person who got the credit/made the money and 1 person who was left out in the cold.Comment
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A few years before his death, Kane did admit he should have given Finger a co-credit. But by that time, public opinion had swayed against him, so it was a smart thing to say.
I recommend TwoMorrow's Batcave Companion. Michael Eury covers the Kane controversy very well. While damning, it's not as over-the-top as Robby Reed's online tirades against Kane (although I feel they are somewhat deserved). It's a fascinating, read, particularly the history of Finger's revelation to early fanzines about his role in Batman's creation...and Kane's rather transparent and angry denial of those claims.
ChrisComment
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Kane Ripping off McFarlane and McFarlane ripping off Marshall Rogers.....
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