Hello there, Unicorns and fellow fans of the Caped Crusader! You know, I’ve always liked Batman. Even though I didn’t have the best chance to do a deep dive into his comics as a kid, I did love the Batman movies while I was growing up. In fact, on my first date with my first serious boyfriend, we connected over a deep-dive discussion about whether Batman (1989) had betrayed the underlying tenets of his troubled character in his introductory scene. (That ended up being too much of a good thing — when I broke up with him, I was looking forward to not talking about Batman every single day so I could get back to liking the character again.)
Anyway. I wouldn’t say I’m batty about the bat (#BisLovePuns), but the Dark Knight has always had a special spot in my heart. So when my very dear friend recommended a doc on “the Bat” that involved bisexuality, I knew I had to check it out.
You know, it’s stunning how much a fictional character can stay with us, and change us. Sometimes it even changes the course of our lives, through its example and principles. And sometimes, justice takes on the form of righting ancient wrongs. All of these elements are at play in this column’s focus, the 2017 Hulu documentary Batman and Bill.
Before I dive too deep into the world of the Dark Knight — and how his legacy was changed with the help of one person — I should throw out a few disclaimers from my trusty writer utility belt. First and foremost (SOCK!) there will be SPOILERS in this article regarding the finer points of this doc. So if you’re not familiar with this tale’s plot, you may want to bookmark this video before going to catch the show for yourself. (ZLONK!!) Also, if you’re not familiar with what the unicorn metric is all about, I would advise you to go read up on it here (BIFF!!!).
Got it? Then let’s get going.
Batman and Bill focuses on the little-known story of the origins of the Batman. While Bob Kane got the original copyright, researcher and author Marc Tyler Nobleman discovered in his studies that Kane was heavily assisted by another writer, Bill Finger. Through a series of interviews, we discover Finger was responsible for the lion’s share of Batman’s world — his costume, naming Gotham City, and sketching out many of Bruce Wayne’s major villains, including the Joker and Catwoman. But while Kane held onto the copyright, Finger’s descendants fought to get credit back to the family name. This is that story.
What I Liked:
First and foremost, I should make it abundantly clear this review will not be focusing on Bill Finger — but rather his son, Fred. Fred worked tirelessly to try to get his father the credit he deserved in the creation of Batman, going through at least three attorneys taking on Kane and Warner Brothers in a David-vs.-Goliath legal set-up.
But it’s bi erasure that nearly kept Fred’s lineage from their legal rights. At first, it’s reported — and assumed — that Fred was gay and died of AIDS, leaving no heir. But it’s through some more digging that Nobleman discovers not only was Fred married, but he has a daughter — leaving a Finger heir who could stake copyright claims on what was denied her family for so long.
Batman and Bill is not afraid to use the word “bisexual”, either. Fred’s wife uses the term freely, noting that both she and Fred accepted his queerness from the day they met. So it’s actually Fred’s bisexuality that is the linchpin, and the saving grace, that ultimately brings justice to the Finger name.
While we don’t get an interview with Fred directly (he passed in 1990), we do get a lot of descriptions from him from his widow and daughter. While he wasn’t an ideal father figure, he does have his own struggles, fears, and hopes — even in absentia — that his family members outline for the narrative. He is never reduced to his sexuality or painted as a villain in the story, despite his faults. This is more than we usually get even for queer people or characters that actually make it onscreen — even in nonfiction.
What I Didn't Like:
I wish Nobleman himself had used the term “bi” when describing Fred as the narrative discovered his family. Maybe those comments hit the cutting room floor, but the whole point of this leg of the story is that his assumed sexuality kept his descendants from getting in contact with the right people. This really underlines why bi+ erasure and dismissal is not only emotionally traumatizing for people, but also has legal repercussions due to lack of recognition in the eye of the law.
The Rating:
While the main focus of the documentary is on Fred’s Finger’s father, Bill, I’m really glad that the story made sure to not only point out, but name Fred’s bisexuality, and illustrate how it was crucial to credit going to the right people. It may not be beating up bad guys in an alley, but it’s shining light on a dark place in comic book that deserves justice — and the detective work (and research science) it took to get there. I know Batman would approve.
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