Although Bob Kane achieved renown for creating the fictional superhero Batman, he and others have acknowledged the contributions of Bill Finger for fleshing the character out, writing many of his early stories, and creating the character's origin. Many other comic book creators (writers, artists, and sometimes editors who contributed important ideas or altered how the character would be presented) have contributed to the character's history since Batman's introduction in Detective Comics #27 in 1939. This list identifies some who made notable contributions with enduring impact.
Creators of Batman
edit- Bob Kane — concept, creator and artist. Co-created several secondary characters including junior partner/protege Dick Grayson/Robin, Alfred Pennyworth (as Alfred Beagle), Jim Gordon, the Joker, Selina Kyle/Catwoman, the Penguin, Two-Face, Mr. Freeze (as Mr. Zero), Scarecrow, Basil Karlo/Clayface, Mad Hatter, Hugo Strange, Deadshot, Cavalier, The Monk, gangsters Sal Maroni, Tony Zucco, and Joe Chill, photographer Vicki Vale, Julie Madison, Bette Kane/Bat-Girl, Bat-Mite, Dick Grayson's parents Mary and John Grayson, and Bruce Wayne's parents Martha and Thomas Wayne.
- Bill Finger — co-creator and developer (uncredited from 1939 to 2015, credited 2016–present), also a writer. Also co-created several secondary characters including Dick Grayson/Robin, Alfred Pennyworth, Jim Gordon, the Joker, Selina Kyle/Catwoman, the Riddler, the Penguin, Two-Face, Scarecrow, Calendar Man, Basil Karlo/Clayface and Matt Hagen/Clayface, Mad Hatter, mad scientists Hugo Strange and Professor Achilles Milo, Killer Moth, gangsters Sal Maroni, Tony Zucco, and Joe Chill, Vicki Vale, Ace the Bat-Hound, Bat-Mite, Bette Kane/Bat-Girl, Thomas Blake/Catman, Dick Grayson's parents Mary and John Grayson, and Bruce Wayne's parents Martha and Thomas Wayne.
Notable contributors
editThis is an incomplete list.
Writers & artists
editThe following list is of people who have both written and drawn Batman comics.
| Name/tenure | Notable stories/titles | Notable characters (co-) created by | Notes |
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| Frank Miller |
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He re-established Batman's origin during Crisis on Infinite Earths. He was also an artist on The Dark Knight Returns and The Dark Knight Strikes Again. | |
| Frank Robbins |
A primary writer for Batman and Detective Comics from 1968–1974, and artist on several of his own Batman stories in Detective Comics from 1971-1973. | ||
| Matt Wagner |
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Writers only
edit| Name/tenure | Notable stories/titles | Notable characters (co-) created by | Notes |
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| Mike W. Barr 1974-2014 |
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Whilst he and Jerry Bingham originally created Damian Wayne, it was Grant Morrison and Andy Kubert who reinterpreted the character for more modern times. | |
| Ed Brubaker
1998- |
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Co-created the majority of the police officers and detectives featured in Gotham Central. |
| Donald Clough Cameron |
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| Gerry Conway 1980-1983 |
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| Paul Dini
1997–present |
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| Chuck Dixon |
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| Steve Englehart
1974-2006 |
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| Gardner Fox
1939-1968 |
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| Neil Gaiman | |||
| Alan Grant |
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| Devin K. Grayson |
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| Robert Kanigher | |||
| Tom King |
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| Jeph Loeb |
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| Doug Moench |
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| Grant Morrison |
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| Alan Moore |
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| Dennis O'Neil |
As well as being a long-term writer, he was also an editor of the Batman titles, and is credited with 'rebooting' the Batman character. | ||
| David Vern Reed 1950-1956, 1975 |
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| Greg Rucka |
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| Dan Slott |
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| Scott Snyder |
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Court of Owls was co-created with artist Greg Capullo. |
| Jim Starlin |
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| Peter Tomasi |
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| James Tynion IV |
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| John Wagner |
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| Len Wein |
Was also Editor-in-Chief of DC Comics during Crisis on Infinite Earths. | ||
| Judd Winick |
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Created Jasons Todd's Red Hood identity but not Jason Todd himself, created by Gerry Conway and Don Newton, or the Red Hood identity, created by Bill Finger. | |
| Marv Wolfman | |||
| David Wood |
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Worked as an uncredited "Ghost" writer during the Golden, Silver and Bronze Age. |
Artists only
edit| Name/tenure | Notable stories/titles | Notable characters (co-) created by | Notes |
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| Neal Adams 1968-2012 |
Covers only
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Known for drawing the definitive 1970s visual interpretation that returned Batman to his gothic roots. | |
| Jim Aparo |
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| Brian Bolland |
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| Bob Brown | |||
| Norm Breyfogle | |||
| Ernie Chan 1975-1977 |
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| Dick Giordano | |||
| Carmine Infantino |
Penciller and primary artist of the 1964 "New Look" Batman. | ||
| Kelley Jones 1995-2010 |
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Artist best known for his runs on Batman with writer Doug Moench. | |
| Jim Lee |
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| Doug Mahnke |
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| David Mazzucchelli |
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| Tom Mandrake | |||
| Dave McKean | |||
| Sheldon Moldoff |
One of Bob Kane's primary "ghost artists". | ||
| Jim Mooney | |||
| Don Newton | |||
| Graham Nolan | |||
| George Pérez | |||
| Jerry Robinson |
Early ghost artist for Bob Kane. | ||
| Marshall Rogers |
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| Tim Sale |
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| Walter Simonson | |||
| Lew Schwartz | |||
| Ryan Sook |
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| Dick Sprang | |||
| Curt Swan |
While best known for Superman work, he drew many late 1950s and early 1960s Batman covers, and was the primary artist on the Batman and Superman team-ups in World's Finest Comics during the same period. |
Other notable contributors
edit| Name | Title | Tenure | Notable titles | Characters (co-) created By | Notes |
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| Tim Burton | Film director |
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Pushed Batman into the public eye by making him dark outside of the comic book media. | ||
| Paul Dini |
Television (animation) and video game writer |
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Came up with a newer, more tragic origin story for Mr. Freeze, in Batman: The Animated Series, involving the creation of the character of Nora Fries, which is now commonly used in the comics. | |
| William Dozier |
TV producer |
1966-1968 |
Produced and narrated (without credit in latter capacity) the Batman 1966 TV series. | ||
| Christopher Nolan |
Film director |
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Rebooted the Batman film franchise into a more realistic setting. | ||
| Jack Schiff | Comic book editor | ||||
| Julius Schwartz |
Comic book editor |
1964-1979 |
None |
Commissioned "The Million-Dollar Debut of Batgirl", the story in which Barbara Gordon was introduced as both herself and the Silver Age of Comics Batgirl. | |
| Lorenzo Semple Jr. |
TV writer |
1966-1968 |
Developed and wrote most early episodes of the Batman 1966 TV series after ABC-TV had acquired the rights and chosen 20th Century Fox Television as the studio through which it was produced. | ||
| Bruce W. Timm |
Animator & producer |
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Created character sheets for Batman: The Animated Series. |