Marc Tyler Nobleman's Blog, page 42

"Batman & Bill": the poster

Though the documentary Batman & Bill premiered on Hulu on 5/6/17, I am only now getting around to sharing the noirish poster.


It appeared on bus stops in Los Angeles.


And inspired by the doc directors Don Argott and Sheena Joyce, I repurposed it as a vessel for reviews.

"Batman & Bill" documentary: the press response, part 2

Part 1.

 
Rotten Tomatoes

100%!


Boston Globe

"It is Citizen Kane with a twist."

Geekly, Inc.

"…at first, I was wary of Nobleman and his story. The editing and choice interview points used in the documentary seemed forced and almost narcissistic. Nobleman is made out as a hero equal to Batman with illustrated segues in the style of old comics. His wife praises him. He says it just didn't feel right that Bill Finger is wrongly unrecognized. It didn't feel right and I was almost drawn out of the documentary thinking this was about as good as it would get. A fan talking about someone he admires.

I was wrong.

Nobleman is a relentless detective. Over several years, he dedicated his life to righting the wrong of such an iconic character. He found friends, family, business affiliates to give testimony to the kindness and creative power that was Bill Finger. And once the characters are established, the all-too-human villains are revealed. Bob Kane and his over-dramatic flailing to keep Batman his alone. DC comics and Warner Brothers' fight to keep Bill Finger unannounced. It's a mystery game of cat and mouse with new revelations at every turn. And the stakes get pretty high.

I don't want to give away too much, but I'll say this. I was happy with Batman and Bill. Nobleman really is an unspoken hero who is spreading the gospel of Bill Finger around the world.

If you love comics, find a way to watch this doc. Nobleman does justice where justice is due. Hats off to you, Mr. Nobleman. You're one of a kind."

Monkeys Fighting Robots

"...incredibly heartbreaking … remains consistently thrilling all the way through … relentlessly entertaining, informative, heartbreaking, and heartwarming story … by the end of it, I was in tears, and as an enormous fan of Batman and his world, that's the greatest compliment I can offer this documentary."

Trash Film Guru

"…it's that rarest of beasts: a truly inspirational tale of how one man's sheer bloody-mindedness can galvanize others around him who have the power to effect change to do precisely that"

The Pop Break

"Batman & Bill: A Documentary Masterpiece You Need to Watch"

"...in his own way, Marc Nobleman was the hero that Bill Finger needed. So support Bill Finger, support Batman. Watch. This. Documentary."

10 out of 10

Goat book in cheese shop

On 3/30/17, I was one of a handful of authors who gave a 20-minute talk to a large crowd at a Brandeis (I'm class of '94) National Committee fundraiser in Campbell, California. 

Afterward, an attendee asked how to go about offering The Chupacabra Ate the Candelabra for sale in the California store where she works…which sells cheese.



And (spoiler alert) specializes in goat cheese…

Martha Quinn tweeted about my '80s video girls interviews

For many my age, the "M" in "MTV" stands for "Martha."

As in original MTV VJ Martha Quinn.


Honored she did this. Impressed she remembered this. (I posted the second and to date last installment in 2014.)

Thanks, Martha!

April Is for Authors 2017

On 4/29/17, after speaking at four schools over the previous four days, I had the pleasure of making my second consecutive appearance at the daylong annual event April Is for Authors in Palm Beach Gardens, FL.

Twenty-six authors spoke and did panels for the public. I knew only one (Erica Perl) personally beforehand but left with a gaggle of friends.

 Aaron Hartzler, Crystal Allen, me, Cory Putman Oakes, S.J. Kinkaid, Jackson Pearce
view from the stage: Aaron, S.J., Lynda Mullaly Hunt (peeking out from back), Jackson, Aisha Saeed (with microphone), Erica Perl (patterned dress),Paul Griffin
S.J., Claire Salmon, Jackson, Elizabeth Zdrodowski (librarian),Jason Reynolds, Aaron, me, Andrea Parisi (librarian) 

I also had the honor of emceeing the closing event, which brought attendees together in an auditorium to try their hand at trivia questions related to each of the participating authors' books. Each author asked one question; the first audience member to (be called on and then) answer correctly won a signed book by that author. One of the most challenging questions involved the record-setting price a certain Picasso (I believe) painting sold for at auction. Suddenly I was Bob Barker but I failed to recall the rules of The Price of Right.


It turns out four of the authors fondly share an editor, Nancy Paulsen at Penguin Random House. Here I am with Ellen Airgood, Lynda Mullaly Hunt, and Aisha Saeed.

"Batman & Bill" documentary: the press response, part 1

It may be time for me to retire my saying "Batman's biggest secret is not Bruce Wayne."

On 5/6/17, Hulu premiered Batman & Bill, its first original documentary and the first-ever documentary based on a nonfiction book for young readers—Bill the Boy Wonder: The Secret Co-Creator of Batman (the first biography of Bill Finger).


For those who haven't heard of Bill Finger, the revelation is that there was a Bill Finger. For those who have heard of Bill Finger, the film has numerous other revelations...including a doozy.

I could not keep up with the reaction. 

Over the weekend (when I happened to by chaperoning my middle schooler's chorus trip to New York) and into the following week:


more than 400 new followers on Twittera humbling tweet (or more) almost every minute (search "Batman & Bill" and "Batman and Bill")the Amazon rank for Bill the Boy Wonder shot from six digits to the low four digits and stayed for days; the highest I saw was 2,500 (some other authors wouldn't get out of bed for that, but it's notable for me!) 

Even before 5/6/17, I started to get emails from people with stories they feel are similar including someone whose father created but was not credited for the G.I. Joe doll and someone whose detailed cloak and dagger story involves everything from Edward Snowden to The Simpsons. (His subject line: "There are MORE Bill Fingers out there.")

The coverage by those who have seen film began to appear on 4/29/17. Among it:


Rolling Stone

"10 Best Movies and TV Shows to Stream in May"

"It's a battleground month, people, as streaming platforms bust out the big guns to keep viewers glued to their sofas while temperatures climb back into clemency." 

First on the list is us! (Note: list is alphabetical.)

"Marc Tyler Nobleman's adaptation [NOTE: this was, of course, a group effort] of his exhaustively-researched book sets the record straight while investigating how posterity could've forgotten this man. Part comics-history revisionism, part edifying biography, it's an essential new chapter of the superhero's origin story."


WIRED

"makes you think about the meaning of Batman in a whole new way…highly compelling"


Forbes

"the twists and turns of the story are often surprising … engrossing … directors Argott and Joyce have an accomplished storyteller, Nobleman"


San Francisco Chronicle

"Marc Tyler Nobleman is the capeless crusader at the heart of…Batman and Bill. … It's a compelling film with more twists and turns than, well, a well-written Batman comic book."


SFGate

grade: Little Man seated and clapping (equivalent to 4 out of 5 stars)


"You don't have to be a complete comic-book geek to get hooked … the film has as many edge-of-your seat moments as a classic DC comic book … beautifully directed … It's only right that a modern-day crusader, Marc Tyler Nobleman, finds overdue justice for Bill Finger."


Decider

"Batman & Bill Is the Superhero Serial"

"thrilling … this battle for credit starts to feel as mythic as a summer superhero film … the comic book version of Serial, effectively marrying the best of two worlds while sidestepping the third act fumble that's prevalent in both. After 75 years, Bill Finger finally has a happy ending"


Comic Book Resources

"a rousing underdog story with dramatic twists and turns and a killer ending … unexpectedly epic quest to see justice done, as [Nobleman] sees, from one writer for another"


IGN 

8.5/10 (Great)


"satisfying, in-depth … compelling"

Daily Dot

"While the entire film is fascinating, it's in this back half that it becomes truly emotional …as the closing minutes…unfold, many viewers will likely be ready to storm the offices of DC Comics themselves and demand justice. … Batman & Bill has the same qualities as many of the best Batman tales over the years. It's got secret identities, mysteries, injustices demanding to be brought into the light, and even a conniving villain determined to steamroll the meek for his own personal gain. … a must-watch for comics fans and a gripping real-life story even for those who couldn't tell Dick Grayson from Dick Clark."


AV Club

grade: B+

"It's not easy to make a thriller out of a story primarily based in research, but animated comic-book interjections keep Batman & Bill's plot moving. Also, Nobleman's passion for his subject matter gives the documentarians a lot to work with. (At one point, Nobleman's young daughter is asked what her father's job is, and she replies, 'Bill Finger.') … steeps in tension … says a lot about how important it is to feel so strongly about doing what you love: Bill Finger took the bus around New York for hours, sketching out possible ideas and stories for the Batman characters, just as Nobleman spent years trying to put a happy ending on Finger's story"

Cinedelphia

"While I am a lifelong Batman fan, this story is compelling for non-fans as well. The combination of history and mystery surrounding one of the biggest pop culture icons ever makes it positively addicting. And the tragedy of Bill Finger's place as a lost figure in the real life history of Batman is as compelling as any superhero storyline could ever be largely because like those stories, this is also a quest for justice and standing up for the powerless.

Nobleman himself is the entry point. His passion and optimistic enthusiasm in his quest to learn more about this hidden history, which later becomes a quest to see if DC Comics would credit Bill, radiates off the screen. Having him as a guide to this incredible journey goes a long way to make this an exciting watch. … fascinating…wildly entertaining"

100 Scope Notes

"From the first scene, I was all in. It contains some nice surprises. Nobleman's determination brought out a few different 'oh wow' moments. The final scene had me smiling big."


SyFy Wire

"as absorbing as any whodunit and as rewarding as any triumphant comic book ending"

Cinema Crazed

"probably the most important comic book movie ever made"

Embrace Your Geekness

"tremendous … unbelievable twists and turns and an ending that seems to come right out of a Hollywood blockbuster. Marc Tyler Nobleman took what seemed like an impossible dream and made it happen. Hulu's got a winner here."

Detroit Free Press

"a detective story about a detective story"

This is one of several articles that sweetly quotes my then-four-year-old daughter.


Huffington Post

"should engage even the casual comic book fan"

Nerd Reactor

"very touching and sad"

Fresno Bee 

"Thanks to a crusade by Marc Tyler Nobleman, the truth behind the creation of Batman has changed."

I like how this article includes this:

"Nobleman would like to see one more tribute to Finger and that would be a memorial for Bill Finger in New York City."


Los Angeles Daily News 

"poignant"

Phoenixville News

"Comic book fans won't want to miss the ultimate origin story."


Jewish Journal

"compelling…

Broadcast Beat

"poignant"

Other coverage:


USA Today


New York Post


Parade


Daily Mail

The film is not for everyone. Rather, one part of the film is not:


Yahoo
"Whenever Nobleman is not taking center stage…Batman & Bill is interesting in every way."

But ultimately "an absorbing chronicle"

"Batman & Bill" documentary: the public response, part 1

On 5/6/17, Hulu premiered Batman & Bill , its first original documentary and the first-ever documentary based on a nonfiction book for young readers—Bill the Boy Wonder: The Secret Co-Creator of Batman (the first biography of Bill Finger).


The outpouring of love, gratitude, enthusiasm, and other positives from the public has been ongoing and overwhelming. Among the thousands of tweets and posts, some recurring themes emerged. A sampling of just under 100 of the most moving or otherwise notable that I saw...

The "best":











Here come the waterworks:

























Shout-out to the breakout star...my daughter:








Humbling associations:






Even for non-superhero fans:




No hero but humbled:







Journalism:




Public figures:



DC Comics talent:



Funny:



Roller coaster:



Others that touched me:


























Comic Book Resources called the Bill Finger story a "game-changer":


#3 comic biography on Amazon (behind two friends!):


I was honored by many kind posts from industry friends; here are two that especially melted me:



Lastly, a classy post from the woman at the heart of the story:

"Batman & Bill" advanced screening 5/3/17

Morning: first presentation focusing on The Chupacabra Ate the Candelabra, which was also my first appearance at legendary DC bookstore Politics & Prose. 

Afternoon: trained to Philadelphia.

Evening: first public screening of Batman & Bill, which was held at the Bryn Mawr Film Institute, where my college friend Andrew Douglas is the Director of Education. After the 90-minute film, I joined the directors Don Argott and Sheena Joyce for a Q&A.


 Sheena and Don
 Andrew




Documenting the crowd.
The directors and I all teared up during the movie even though we already knew where this thing was headed. It speaks to the human collective, the power of seeing a film in a theater with strangers and feeding off their unseen emotions—the original, pure cinema experience. 

A highlight: one audience member said "That was the best Batman movie I've ever seen."

A higherlight: he then posted the same online:


Thank you to Andrew and the BMFI for hosting this special event. Thanks to Hulu, Don, and Sheena for agreeing to do it. Thanks to friends (Rachel Loonin) and brothers-of-friends-who-are-now-friends (Peter Decherney) for coming out.

Andrew, me, Rachel
And thanks to the aforementioned strangers who showed up to pay tribute in a new way to the man behind the mask.

Donald Trump and…Bill Finger

The White House proclaimed May 2017 as Jewish American Heritage Month.

Look who is name-dropped in the 4/28/17 press release:

The achievements of American Jews are felt throughout American society and culture, in every field and in every profession. American Jews have built institutions of higher learning, hospitals, and manifold cultural and philanthropic organizations. American Jews have even brought us our greatest superheroes—Captain America, Superman, and Batman. American Jews have composed some of our defining national hymns like "God Bless America," timeless musicals like The Sound of Music, and even famous Christmas songs. From Admiral Hyman G. Rickover to Albert Einstein, Richard Rodgers to Irving Berlin, Jerry Siegel to Bill Finger, Mel Brooks to Don Rickles, and Levi Strauss to Elie Wiesel, American Jews have transformed all aspects of American life and continue to enrich the American spirit.

A few years ago, even some hardcore Batman fans had not heard of Bill Finger. Now he's mentioned in a presidential statement as if he's a household name.

Plus no mention of Bob Kane. Who shares qualities with a certain current high-ranking elected official.

Finally, something I like about this administration.

Who's who in the "Batman & Bill" credits

The documentary Batman & Bill, about the fight to get Bill Finger credited on Batman, is premiering on Hulu on May 6. It is the first-ever film based on a nonfiction book for young readers. Thank you again to all who agreed to appear in the film.

The Special Thanks section is lengthy; here are screen grabs that include people I requested we thank, and an explanation (some of them may not remember/realize!):

(in order of appearance in credits)


Big Planet Comics—my local comic shop, which let us film insideJoel Pollack—co-owner of my local comic shop92nd Street Y—New York City cultural center that allowed us to film a talk I gave there

Lara—my daughterRafael—my sonSteven Parker—Maryland school librarian who arranged an assembly for us to film (on short notice, during the last week of the school year, amidst a move from one school building to another)Gerard Pelisson—helped me find Bill's yearbook photo Mark Evanier—pulled some strings for us at San Diego Comic-Con Lee Sosin—optioned the story in 2009 (even before the book was under contract) for Time Inc. Studios, connected me with the filmmakers, covered the first two interviews shot (Lyn Simmons and Charles Sinclair in 2008)Robert Sharenow—brought me in to pitch A&E Indie Films, which funded initial footageMolly Thompson—A&E Senior Vice President, Feature FilmsJordan Monsanto—Kevin Smith's assistant

J. David Spurlock—agent of Jim Steranko (see next bullet); patiently responded to multiple requests to interview Steranko for the film and tried to make it work Jim Steranko—legendary comics artist and second person to interview Bill professionally; unfortunately, his schedule did not allow him to participate in the film though he remains an outspoken Bill Finger advocateJens Robinson—son of Jerry Robinson Christian Simonds—my lawyerTy Templeton—artist of Bill the Boy Wonder: The Secret Co-Creator of BatmanChris Duffy—loaned us his hotel room to film interviews at San Diego Comic-Con 2011 Kirk Kimball (AKA Robby Reed)—sent scan of Bill from Paul Levitz's book 75 Years of DC Comics Bob Hughes—dittoPaul Kupperberg—dittoRobert Greenberger—ditto John Wells—ditto

Mike W. Barr—DC Comics writer who was defending Bill when virtually no one else—and certainly no one working for DC—was 

Marita Sherburne—Maryland elementary school principal who granted permission to film me doing an assembly Wood Acres Elementary School, Bethesda, MD—the school where we filmed (though the school was in a temporary building while the actual building was undergoing renovation)Alyssa Mito Pusey—editor of Bill the Boy WonderCharlesbridge Publishing—publisher of Bill the Boy WonderXYZ: Nate Bolotin, Nick Spicer, Aram Tertzakian—filmmakers who were interested in making the documentary

David Hernando—author of Batman: Serenata Nocturna. El origen del Caballero Oscuro (Batman: Night Serenade. The Origin of the Dark Knight)  Roberto Williams—playwright, Fathers of the Dark Knight   Lenny Schwartz—playwright, Co-Creator   Gayle Sanders—Charles Sinclair's wifeDerek Wolfford—created and runs the Bill Finger Appreciation Group on Facebook  Kendall Whitehouse—provided use of photos he took at San Diego Comic-Con