Bill Finger was an American comic book writer, best known as the co-creator of the DC Comics character Batman. He was born Milton Finger on February 8, 1914, in Denver, Colorado, and later moved with his family to the Bronx, New York. He died on January 18, 1974, in New York City. For much of his career, Finger worked as a writer for comic books, contributing to the development of several iconic characters and storylines. He is most notably recognized as a foundational architect of the Batman mythos, where he worked alongside artist Bob Kane. Finger's contributions included redesigning Batman's costume from a red suit and stiff wings to the gray and black color scheme with a cape and cowl, as well as creating the character's civilian identity, Bruce Wayne. He also wrote the character's debut script in Detective Comics number 27 and contributed to the creation of many elements of Batman's world, including the name Gotham City, the Batcave, the Batmobile, and supporting characters like Robin, Commissioner Gordon, and the adversaries the Joker, Catwoman, the Penguin, Two-Face, the Riddler, and the Scarecrow. Beyond Batman, Finger co-created the original Green Lantern, Alan Scott, and contributed to Superman comics, creating the character Lana Lang.

In the context of anime, Bill Finger is not an original creator in the sense of a Japanese manga artist. Instead, his role as the co-creator of the underlying characters and properties from DC Comics has led to his name being attached to Japanese anime productions that adapt or feature those characters. For the anime film DC Super Heroes vs. Eagle Talon, released in 2017, Finger is listed as an uncredited original creator for the characters Batman, the Joker, and the Penguin. The production of this film was a collaboration between Warner Bros. Japan and the Japanese studio DLE, featuring characters from the DC Universe interacting with characters from the Japanese Eagle Talon franchise. Similarly, for the anime series Suicide Squad ISEKAI, which premiered in 2024, Finger is credited as the original creator of several characters, including Batman and the Joker, as the series is based on the DC Comics property. This pattern extends to other anime productions, such as the anthology film Batman: Gotham Knight from 2008, where he is credited for the original work.

Finger's identity as a creator is defined by his work in American comic books. His recurring themes include the creation of dark, detective-driven narratives and the development of elaborate supporting casts and settings for superhero protagonists. His artistic identity is that of a foundational writer and world-builder who shaped the tone and visual design of some of the most enduring characters in popular fiction. His industry significance is substantial; although he did not receive full public credit for his work on Batman during his lifetime, he has since been posthumously recognized as a primary creative force behind the character. He was inducted into the comic book industry's Jack Kirby Hall of Fame in 1994 and the Will Eisner Comic Book Hall of Fame in 1999. His name is also the basis for the Bill Finger Award for Excellence in Comic Book Writing. His status as a co-creator of Batman is now acknowledged in official credits for various media, including anime and film productions.