Nobleman, Marc Tyler.
2012. BILL, THE BOY WONDER:
SECRET CO-CREATER OF BATMAN. Ill. By
Templeton, Ty. Watertown, MA:
Charlesbridge. ISBN 9781580892896
[Suggested Grade Levels 4 - 8]
For many years Bob Kane took credit for the iconic
characters, images and stories of the Batman comics. This narrative non-fiction tells the story of
Bill Finger, an un-credited influence behind the scenes.
Bill,
the Boy Wonder helps to feed the craving from
librarians, educators, and students for engaging expository text. The case is made throughout the book that
Bill Finger created many of the stories, images, and ideas that are essential
to the Batman comics, including the menacing tone, the mask, and many of the
villains. Between 1939 and 1965 Finger created a number of Batman comics,
without credit.
Nobleman tells the story of a humble man that the comic
world almost forgot, but Templeton’s illustrations are the strength of the
book. They pay homage to comic books and
the style of Bill Finger. The full-page
illustrations include comic book panes and strong outlines characteristic of
comic books. Close-ups and dramatic
juxtaposition of images provide an appropriate backdrop to Finger’s story, and
ensure its popularity in any library.
CONNECTIONS
First of all, a reading of Bill the Boy Wonder could lead into a discussion or debate about where credit is due. In addition, for almost a century comic books and super heroes have had a large impact on pop-culture. The stories and history surrounding these comics are fascinating. Bill the Boy Wonder can easily inspire deeper research into these stories.
RELATED
BOOKS
Other books about comic creaters:
Gherman, Beverly. SPARKY: THE LIFE AND ART OF CHARLES
SCHULZ.
Nobleman, Marc Tyler. BOYS OF STEEL: THE CREATORS OF
SUPERMAN.By Emily Fultz
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