I Was Told to Stop Saying 'Gay' to School Kids. I Refused
Bill the Boy Wonder, in which I reveal the tragic, twist-filled story behind one of the most successful characters of all time: Batman.The Dark Knight was created in 1939 by writer Bill Finger and artist Bob Kane—but Kane manipulated the contract negotiation so that only he got credit.
Finger anonymously wrote Batman stories for 25 years, during which time he also penned the debuts of other icons including Robin, the Joker, and Catwoman—and nicknamed Batman "the Dark Knight."Kane became wealthy.
Finger died poor and alone, in 1974. No obituary, no funeral, no gravestone...no kidding.When I set out to write the first biography of Finger, I read that only a descendant could legally challenge a credit line.
On day one of the project, I learned three facts that would prove vital: Bill had only one known child, a son named Fred; Fred was gay; and Fred died in 1992.At first, Fred's sexual orientation misdirected my thinking.
