10 Little-Known Comics Industry Facts That Shocked Fans

6. It Took Decades For DC To Officially Recognise Batman's True Creator

For years, if you picked up a Batman comic, saw a Batman movie or purchased a Batman video game, you'd come across a familiar pre-fix at the start of each adventure: "Batman created by Bob Kane." That's since changed, but for the Dark Knight's first 75 years as DC's most popular character, the story behind his creation went untold.

So, Bob Kane. Kane was a writer/artist who came up with the name 'Batman', but his initial concept was clunky and pretty much unrecognisable from the definitive Batman we know today. Kane's initial sketches showed a blond haired man in a red suit with mechanical bat-wings and a domino mask - far from the iconic grey and black that would endear the detective to the masses as the years went on.

Enter Bill Finger. Finger was a supremely talented writer who masterminded most of Batman's backstory and iconography, including the name Bruce Wayne, the costume itself, Gotham City, and a truckload of the character's supporting cast, including arch-enemy the Joker, who was co-created alongside Jerry Robinson.

Gradually, Kane worked to discount Finger's contributions to Batman. He claimed he was the sole creator for decades, only acknowledging his one-time collaborator after he passed away in 1974. Following renewed pressure from Finger's estate, he is now rightly credited across all DC media. Just as it should've always been.