Despite making major (sometimes, signature) contributions as an innovative writer, visionary mythos/world builder and illustration architect, Finger (like other creators of his era) was often relegated to ghostwriter status on many comics—including those featuring Batman, and the original Green Lantern, Alan Scott.

As a result, Finger died in obscurity and poverty while the Batman brand, and Kane, amassed international fame and wealth.

At the urging of Nobleman, the online comics fan community, and others, Finger's granddaughter revived the fight to restore his lost legacy, which continued for years.

In 2015, DC Comics's parent company conditionally agreed to recognize Finger's intellectual property claim as co-creator of the Batman characters and mythos, officially adding his name, going forward, to the "created by" credit line Kane had been contractually guaranteed in 1939.

The family moved to The Bronx, New York City, where during the Great Depression Louis Finger was forced to close his tailor shop.

I went over to Kane's, and he had drawn a character who looked very much like Superman with kind of ... reddish tights, I believe, with boots ... no gloves, no gauntlets ... with a small domino mask, swinging on a rope.

[14]Finger offered such suggestions as giving the character a cowl with pointed bat-ears instead of the domino mask, a cape instead of wings, adding gloves, and changing the red sections of the costume to gray.

[23] Batman background artist and letterer George Roussos recalled: What was good about Bill was that whenever he wrote a plot, he did a lot of research for it.

Whether the setting was a railroad station or a factory, he would find a photo reference, usually from National Geographic, and give Bob all the research to draw from.

[12][27] During Finger's absence, Gardner Fox contributed scripts that introduced Batman's early "Bat-" arsenal (the utility belt, the Bat-gyro/-plane and the Batarang).

[27] Finger wrote the debut issue of Batman's self-titled comic book series which introduced the Joker and the Catwoman.

[30] Among the things that made his stories distinctive were a use of giant-sized props: enlarged pennies, sewing machines, or typewriters.

[31][32] Finger seemed to avoid having Batman operate out of a cave in the early stories, to circumvent being too similar to the Phantom and Zorro.

One of the prevalently featured trophies in Batman's Batcave, the giant replica of a Lincoln penny, was introduced in a story written by Finger.

[34] Eventually, Finger left Kane's studio to work directly for DC Comics, where he supplied scripts for characters including Batman and Superman.

Apparently Jerry Robinson or Bob, I don't recall who, looked at the card and they had an idea for a character ... the Joker.

[48] Finger collaborated with artist and character creator Martin Nodell on the original Green Lantern, Alan Scott, who debuted in All-American Comics #16 (July 1940).

[49] Both writer and artist received a byline on the strip, with Nodell in the earliest issues using the pseudonym "Mart Dellon".

I was ushered into Mr. [Max] Gaines' office, publisher, and after sitting a long time and flipping through the pages of my presentation, he announced, "We like it!"

[52]As a screenwriter, Finger wrote or co-wrote the films Death Comes to Planet Aytin, The Green Slime, and Track of the Moon Beast, and contributed scripts to the TV series' Hawaiian Eye and 77 Sunset Strip.

[56] Additionally, Finger did receive credit for his work for National's sister company, All-American Publications, during that time.

In 1989, Kane acknowledged Finger as "a contributing force" in the character's creation, and wrote, "Now that my long-time friend and collaborator is gone, I must admit that Bill never received the fame and recognition he deserved.

'"[18] Comics historian Ron Goulart referred to Batman as the "creation of artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger".

[58] Finger's contemporary, artist and writer Jerry Robinson, who worked with Kane from the beginning, said, "[Bill] had more to do with the molding of Batman than Bob.

"[62] Writer John Broome and penciler Gil Kane created the comic-book villain William Hand, a.k.a.

[69] On December 8, 2017, the southeast corner of East 192nd Street and the Grand Concourse in the Bronx was named "Bill Finger Way".

The corner was chosen for its proximity to Poe Park, where Finger and Kane used to meet to discuss their Batman character.

His friend and longtime writing partner Charles Sinclair found Finger dead at his home on January 18 at the condominium Allen House at 340 East 51st Street in Manhattan.

Although it was long believed by Sinclair and others that Finger was buried in an unmarked potter's field grave, his body was actually claimed by his son, Fred, who honored his wish to be cremated,[76] and spread his ashes in the shape of a bat on a beach in Oregon.

Athena and her son are his only known living heirs,[54] and her attempts (at the prompting of Nobleman and comics fans, and aided by her attorney half-sister) to restore Bill's legacy resulted in Warner Bros.'s 2015 decision to officially recognize Finger as co-creator of Batman on film and TV projects going forward.