Looks like Bob Kane died in 1998, so he lived to see a lot of it, while Bill Finger, Kane's co-creator might have missed out quite a bit, passing in 1974. I guess neither one would see the juggernaut Batman has become, particular the Christopher Nolan version.

The main concern for a lot of the comic book writers and artists is attribution and compensation. Most characters created became the property of the companies they worked for, and often the creators were locked out of any revenue sharing, while being underpaid relative to their abilities. They would keep doing it because they loved it, but love for the craft didn't pay bills or put food on the table.

Looks like Bob Kane's net worth was around 10 million at his death, and I know his name is always published or printed in connection with Batman. Bill Finger doesn't seem to get as much notoriety, though. :)