Bat-Signal

TheBat-Signalis adistress signaldevice appearing inAmerican comic bookspublished byDC Comics,as a means to summon thesuperheroBatman.It is a specially modifiedsearchlightwith a stylized emblem of abataffixed to the light, allowing it to project a large bat symbol onto cloudy night skies overGotham City.

Bat-Signal
Commissioner Gordonwith the Bat-Signal Art by Alex Ross
Publication information
Publisher	DC Comics
First appearance	Detective Comics#60 (February1942)
In story information
Type	Signal
Element of stories featuring	Batman

The signal is used by theGotham City Police Departmentas a method of contacting and summoning Batman in the event his help is needed, but also as a weapon of psychological intimidation to the numerous criminals of Gotham City.

It doubles as the primary logo for theBatmanseries of comic books, TV shows, and films.

To celebrate Batman's 80th anniversary, DC Comics andWarner Bros.lit the Bat-Signal in thirteen cities on September 21, 2019, starting inMelbourneand ending inLos Angeles.

Origins

The Bat-Signal's debut inDetective Comics#60 (February 1942).

The Bat-Signal first appeared inDetective Comics#60 (February 1942). The signal has several different origins in comics featuring post-Crisiscontinuity. It is introduced as a new tool after Batman's first encounter withthe Jokerin the 2005 seriesBatman: The Man Who Laughs,and also during the 1990 "Prey"storyline inLegends of the Dark Knight.

In the 2006 seriesBatman and the Mad Monk,Commissioner James Gordoninitially uses a pager to contact Batman, but during a meeting with the superhero, Gordon throws it away, saying he prefers a more public means of contacting him. After Batman departs, Gordon looks out at the city and considers the exceptional view from his current position, hinting at the future creation of the Signal.

In the 1989Batmanfilm,Batman gives the signal to the Gotham police force, enabling them to call him when the city was in danger. In 2005'sBatman Begins,then-lieutenantJames Gordoninstalls the Bat-signal on the roof of the police department himself. The film suggests Gordon was inspired to create the signal after Batman left mobsterCarmine Falconechained across a spotlight after a confrontation at the docks, Falcone's silhouette on the spotlight vaguely resembling a bat.

On the 1992 television showBatman: The Animated Series,the signal is introduced in the episode "The Cape and Cowl Conspiracy", though a makeshift signal was used earlier in "Joker's Favor".In 2004'sThe Batman,Gordon invents it to summon Batman in "Night in the City", although the signal is also alluded to in an earlier episode.

Additional appearances

Bat-Signal's projection displaying onto the skies above Gotham City from its police department headquarters, summons Batman, provides hope to its people, and intimidates criminal elements. FromBatman: Legends of the Dark Knight#6 (April 1990). Art byKlaus Janson.

• InDetective Comics#466 (1976), the villainousSignalmantraps Batman inside the Bat-Signal device.
• In issue #6 of the 1989 seriesLegends of the Dark Knight,a group of crime bosses projects the signal upside down to summon Batman to help them fight a killer they cannot defeat.
• Catwomanuses the Bat-Signal in the 1996 specialThe Long Halloween.
• In the 1999 miniseriesBatman: Dark Victory,after Batman asks forThe Riddlerto offer his insight into the riddles of the new villain theHangman,the Riddler uses the Signal to summon Batman after he's finished his analysis.Later in the series, the Hangman sneaks onto the roof of Police Headquarters and turns the Bat-Signal on to lure then-recently appointed Commissioner Gordon to the roof and try to kill him, but is thwarted whenTwo-Facecuts Gordon down.
• During the 1993Knightfallstoryline, one ofBane's henchmen remarks that the Bat-Signal is a "stupid set-up", as it allows criminals to know where Batman is, or at least where he will be, and lets them keep track of his movements.
• In the 1996 Halloween special comic series,Batman: Haunted Knight,Scarecrowalters the Bat-Signal to notify Batman that he has kidnapped Gordon. By adding an orange bulb and painting "eyes" on the signal, he turns the beam into a stylizedJack-o'-lanternimage, with the bat symbol forming the mouth beneath two eyes.
• At the beginning of the 1999No Man's Landstory arc inBatman,a junior officer creates an improvised Bat-Signal out of spare parts. Gordon smashes it to pieces as he is angry at Batman as he believes that the vigilante abandoned Gotham. Oracle also builds a small Bat-Signal to summon Batman.
• In the 2002 comic book seriesGotham Central,it is explained that Batman's existence is not officially recognized by theGotham Cityauthorities, and the police claim to Gotham citizens that the Bat-Signal is merely a method of using the Batman "urban legend"to intimidate Gotham's criminal underworld. Owing to the events in the"War Crimes"storyline, relations between Batman and theGotham City Police Departmentunder Commissioner Michael Akins are officially severed, and as a result, the Bat-Signal is removed from the roof of Gotham Central. Needing Batman's help later, Akins retrieves a spare Bat Signal for single use. This signal is a more sophisticatedlaserwhich paints a green bat symbol in the clouds and is more visible. This version of the signal is donated by Kord Industries (see theBlue Beetle). The laser signal is said to have been unused because the city council deems it an "inappropriate gift" (The characters are notably unimpressed by the more high-tech version).
• In the 2006 series52,The Questionalters the traditional Bat-Signal to project a spray-painted question mark. In theOne Year Laterseries, however, with the re-installation of Gordon as commissioner, relations with Batman improve. Upon Batman's return from one year of self-imposed exile, the Bat-Signal is activated once again.
• In the "Lovers and Madmen"story arcfrom the 2006 seriesBatman Confidential,Batman sees the Bat-Signal and assumes Gordon is calling him to ask for his help. When he reaches the rooftop, however, he finds the Joker instead.
• In the 2009 crossover eventBlackest Night: Batman,Batman and Robin deal with resurrected zombies of their dead foes, some of which have attacked the GCPD Headquarters. WhenBlack Lanternsattack the headquarters, the Bat-Signal shines in the sky, cracked and covered with two corpses surrounding the bat symbol. This prompts the Dynamic Duo to head over and help.
• In the 2014 seriesBatman Eternal,the Bat-Signal is shattered by new Commissioner Jack Forbes as part of his campaign against Batman,Forbes acting as a patsy forCarmine Falconeas he seeks to undermine Batman's status in the city as part of a new plan by an unknown foe. After the storyline,Cluemaster— the true villain of the piece— ties Batman to the Bat-Signal before unmasking him and carving the bat symbol onto his chest, but Bruce manages to escape his bonds,the storyline concluding with a new signal on the roof of the GCPD as Gordon is released and Batman's reputation is redeemed.
• During the Joker's 2015 attack on Gotham, Batman notes that his enemies have a pact that they will shine the Bat-Signal upside-down on the day he dies, with the Dark Knight using that plan to rally his other enemies to help him stop Joker's latest rampage, reasoning that none of them want the kind of destruction the Joker intends to unleash.
• After Batman's apparent death fighting the Joker, the Powers Corporation, as part of a campaign to create a new Batman, create the 'Bat-Blimp', which includes a high-tech electromagnetic Bat-Signal projected down from the airborne blimp, often used to carry the new Batman into action.After Gordon is nearly killed by new villainMister Bloom,the true Batman returns in a confrontation right next to the original, reactivated Bat-Signal, even hitting one of Bloom's minions with the metal bat in the Signal when it is shattered by an attack.
• In theElseworldsBatman & Dracula trilogynovelBatman: Crimson Mist,Gordon and Alfred use the Signal to summon the vampire Batman after he has killed Penguin's gang, wanting to establish the situation now that Batman has surrendered to his vampire instincts. Later, Two-Face and Killer Croc use the signal to draw Gordon and Alfred to the roof so that the two sides can discuss a possible alliance against the vampire Batman and his new assault on Gotham's criminals.

In other media

1949 Columbia serial

The Bat-Signal made its first on-screen appearance in theBatman and Robinserial by Columbia. In its first incarnation, it was simply a high-powered projector that was kept in Commissioner Gordon's office. When needed, he would simply wheel the Bat-Signal over to his office window and shine it directly to the sky. Though small, it was powerful enough to cast an image of the Bat symbol against the clouds.

1960s TV series

The Bat-Signal seldom appeared in the1960s TV series,Commissioner Gordon generally contacting Batman using a dedicated phone line (theBatphone). However, the Bat-Signal was occasionally used (for instance, in the episode "The Sandman Cometh" when Bruce Wayne and Dick Grayson are away on a camping trip), whenever Batman needed to be summoned from the field. Its first appearance was in the pilot episode, "Hi Diddle Riddle".The animated background for the closing credits of the TV series depicted the Bat-signal in the night sky over Gotham City.

Gotham

A promotion website for the 2014GothamTV series onFox.com called "Gotham Chronicle", which is an online newspaper following recent events fromGotham,one of them stated that a Floodlight was built on top of the G.C.P.D building, referencing that the future Bat-Signal was used by police before it was a calling card for Batman, also stating that the series introduced the early uses of the Bat-Signal.

After thethird-seasonfinale, "Heroes Rise: Heavydirtysoul",Bruce Wayneis seen standing on a ledge overlooking the city as a searchlight gradually rises and picks out an area of the dark cloud that, when illuminated, looks like a bat.

In the finale of thefourth season,"A Dark Knight: No Man's Land",James GordonhasLucius Foxactivate the Floodlight on top of the G.C.P.D building. After the episode, Gordon tells Bruce Wayne that the signal is meant to be a symbol of hope, while both are looking up at the clouds illuminated by the Floodlight.

DuringNo Man's Landin thefifth season,Gordon continues using the signal as a symbol of hope for the good people left in Gotham and later meets with Bruce at the Floodlight in "Year Zero".In the series finale"The Beginning...",Commissioner Gordon andHarvey Bullockre-ignite the searchlight to celebrate Bruce Wayne's return to Gotham after ten years.Alfred Pennyworththen arrives and informs them that Bruce is otherwise engaged and can not attend their meeting. However, having noticed the searchlight that illuminates the sky, the Dark Knight then appears on a building from across the street, watching Gordon, Bullock, and Alfred.

Arrowverse

In theCWseriesThe Flash,a 'Flash signal' is created byCisco,who claimed to have gotten the idea from "some comic book", which implies Batman does not exist in onArrowverseEarth One. However, Earth 38, the universeSupergirltakes place in makes several references to him, solely as "Clark's (kind of) friend", and Oliver later refers to Bruce Wayne on Earth One.

In the second part of theElseworldscrossover, the Bat-Signal is shown, though it seems to have been inactive for some time during Batman's disappearance.

In the pilot episode ofBatwoman,Gotham City Mayor Michael Akins was planning to turn off the Bat-Signal forever due to Batman's disappearance. The Bat-Signal was later destroyed by Alice in the episode "Down Down Down". A new Bat-Signal was made in "Who Are You?" by Luke Fox.

Titans

The Bat-Signal appears in the season finale ofTitans,titled "Dick Grayson", in a dream world created byTrigon.

The Penguin

Aspin-offseries to the 2022 filmThe Batman,the 2024finaleofThe Penguinends with the Bat-Signal shining in the sky over Gotham.

Live-action film

Burton/Schumacher series

InTim Burton's 1989 filmBatman,Batman gives the signal to the police as a gift so that they can summon him when he is needed after he defeatsThe Joker.

The Bat-Signal as it appears in the 1989 filmBatman

In Burton's 1992 sequelBatman Returns,Batman has mirrors stationed atopWayne Manorthat reflect the Bat-Signal through his window, alerting him to its presence in the night sky. The signal is used whenCommissioner Gordonneeds Batman's help when the Red Triangle Circus Gang attackMax ShreckduringChristmasand appears again at the end of the film as a surviving Catwoman looks on.

InJoel Schumacher's 1995 sequelBatman Forever,the criminal psychologistDr. Chase Meridianuses the Bat-Signal to call Batman, to seduce him. Batman is slightly peeved at this: "The Bat-Signal is not abeeper".Later,the Riddleralters the Bat-Signal by projecting a question mark into the sky with the Bat-symbol forming the dot at the base. (The Riddler in the comics uses a similar tactic inBatman: Dark Victory;after brokering a tentative alliance with Batman, the Riddler changes the signal, projecting a question mark into the sky to let Batman know that he has an answer for him). A music video for "Kiss from a Rose",also fromBatman Forever,features singerSealperforming the song while standing near the Bat-Signal.

In Schumacher's 1997 filmBatman & Robin,Poison Ivyalters the Bat-Signal by changing it to a "Robin-Signal" to lureRobininto a trap.

Nolan series

InChristopher Nolan's 2005 filmBatman Begins,then-lieutenantJames "Jim" Gordonfinds the mobsterCarmine Falconestrapped onto a searchlight in the docks of Gotham City, for the Gotham Police force to arrest him, left by Batman. Lieutenant Gordon then notices that Falcone's shadow is projected into the clouds of the night sky, similar to the silhouette of a bat. At the end of the film, the Bat-signal appears, as a searchlight that projects the shape of a bat, installed atop police headquarters as a means to contact Batman.

In the 2008 sequelThe Dark Knight,as inFrank Miller'sBatman: The Dark Knight Returns,Gordon uses the Bat-Signal to remind Gotham of Batman's presence. The signal proves to be very effective, with drug dealers and criminals becoming apprehensive at its very appearance. At the end of the film, after reluctantly agreeing to let Batman take the blame for the murders committed byHarvey Dentto preserve Dent's image as Gotham's hero, Gordon hesitantly destroys the signal using an axe in front of various members of the police force and the press.

In the 2012 filmThe Dark Knight Rises,the rusted remains of the destroyed Bat-Signal are still atop police headquarters. However, at the end of the film, with Batman declared dead, Gordon sees a restored Bat-Signal, providing hope that Batman has survived. (The signal itself is never used once in the film, however, making it the only live-action film about Batman where this occurs.)

DC Extended Universe

The Bat-Signal in the 2016 filmBatman v Superman: Dawn of Justice,withBen Affleck(left) as Batman

During 2014'sSDCC,a teaser forZack Snyder'sBatman v Superman: Dawn of Justicewas shown to the audience in Hall H. The teaser showed Batman in his armoredBatsuitatop a building one rainy night in Gotham. Batman removes a sheet to reveal the Bat Signal and proceeds to turn it on. Their audience is shown the projected image of the Batman logo in the sky until a figure appears out of nowhere in its place. A close-up of the figure reveals it isSupermanglaring down at Batman readying his heat vision, as Batman stares back at the Man of Steel.

In the actual film, the Bat-Signal is first referenced when Superman lands in front of theBatmobile,causing it to crash into an empty warehouse, Superman tears the car open to inform Batman not to respond the next time they shine his light in the sky. Later, believing Superman responsible for the bombing of Congress, Batman activates the Bat-Signal himself to draw Superman to Gotham to confront him, unaware thatLex Luthoris manipulating them both into combat so that Superman will either be killed by Batman's kryptonite spear or forever compromise his image by killing Batman to savehis mother.During the battle, the Bat-Signal is destroyed when Superman throws Batman into it.

The Bat-Signal appears again inJustice Leagueand itsdirector's cut,with Gordon using it to call Batman along with Wonder Woman, The Flash, and Cyborg. It also appears again at the end.

The Batman(2022)

The Bat-Signal is a major plot point in the 2022 filmThe Batman,directed byMatt Reeveswho co-wrote the screenplay withPeter Craig.Unknown to anyone, Gotham Police Lieutenant James Gordon flashes the signal in the sky from one of the old Gotham Renewal Project buildings as a mode of contacting and meeting with Batman. Batman and Gordon use the signal to call each other to the location to meet and discuss. Batman in his opening monologue states that the signal also creates another purpose of spreading fear among Gotham's criminal element, as a warning. Criminals and thugs often are scared when looking at the signal as they think Batman's nearby and abandon their plans, fleeing the scene, which as Batman puts it, is an effective way of using fear as a tool, since he cannot be everywhere.

Animation

DC Animated Universe

The Bat-Signal in the 1993 filmBatman: Mask of the Phantasm

In 1992'sBatman: The Animated Series,the signal was built by Commissioner Gordon in "The Cape and Cowl Conspiracy".Barbara Gordonuses it to contact Batman in "Heart of Steel" when she believes that an impostor has replaced her father. At this meeting, the signal is partially destroyed when Batman is attacked by aHarvey Bullockduplicate, and Barbara uses Batman's grapple gun to pull the robot into the signal, electrocuting it. Likewise, the real Bullock uses the signal for the first time when reluctantly asking for Batman's help in discovering who is trying to kill him in "A Bullet for Bullock". The first use of a Bat-Signal of any kind in the series was in "Joker's Favor", where a man, forced to do a favor for the Joker at a dinner honoring Commissioner Gordon, uses a large bat model hanging from a crane, swinging it back and forth in front of a window to try to contact Batman.

In the 1993 filmBatman: Mask of the Phantasm,Batman is being hunted by the police as a suspect in the recent murder of several gang lords (a crime committed by thePhantasm), and Bullock, under orders from Councilman Arthur Reeves, tries to use the Bat-Signal to lure him in. Batman, knowing that it is a trap, does not respond. It is also used at the end of the film to call Batman to action once again (after Batman was cleared of the murder charges).

The Bat-Signal is not used in the 1999 seriesBatman Beyond,save for one appearance, as Police Commissioner Barbara Gordon both has a direct line to the Batcave and is not as cooperative with the original Batman and his successor as her father was. The one appearance of the signal is in "Ascension", where Paxton Powers, the son ofDerek Powers (Blight),has a small replica of it built to summon the new Batman,Terry McGinnis.Terry destroys it upon arrival, advising Paxton to "try e-mail", indicating his dislike of the device as being obsolete to his time.

In the 2002 web seriesGotham Girls,Batgirl appears to push her father Commissioner Gordon onto the Bat-Signal, crushing it. It is revealed that he is merely a robotic replacement.

The Batman

In the episode "The Cat, the Bat, and the Ugly" of the animated TV seriesThe Batman,Batman has just foiled a plot that The Penguin tried to pull on top of a lighthouse. After talking to Detective Yin, Batman is standing in front of the lighthouse light when the Bat Signal appears in the sky. In the second-season finale, "Night in the City" after newly inducted Commissioner Gordon finally agrees to ally with Batman; he begins using the Bat-Signal. After that, his "Batwave" alarm was rarely used.

The Lego Batman Movie

At the beginning ofThe Lego Batman Movie,Commissioner Gordon attempted to use the Bat-Signal to alert Batman only for it to be egged byEggheadthus disabling it. Later Batman uses the Bat-Signal to make different versions of the symbol for Robin, Barbara, Alfred, and many of Batman's allies summoning them to team up and defeat the Joker.

Batman: Gotham by Gaslight

InBatman: Gotham by Gaslight,when Selina Kyle is being pursued by Jack the Ripper in an empty fair, she uses her blood and a spotlight to create a makeshift Bat-Signal to attract Batman's attention, sketching a bat on the light and aiming it at the sky.

DC Super Hero Girls

In theDC Super Hero Girlsanimated short "#BatCatcher", Batgirl mistakenly believes she is summoned by the Bat-Signal when in reality the shadow is cast from a real bat inside her bedroom. In the episode "#FromBatToWorse", Batgirl tries to use a Bat-Signal flashlight to call Batman for help against Poison Ivy, but it doesn't work and Poison Ivy points out that, unlike Gotham City, there is no pollution in the skies ofMetropolisfor the Bat-Signal to shine against.

Harley Quinn

In theHarley Quinnepisode "You're a Damn Good Cop, Jim Gordon", an overworked and depressed Commissioner Gordon starts excessively using the Bat-Signal to contact Batman for petty things like having someone to talk to about his failing marriage. Batman gets so annoyed that he confiscates the Bat Signal. By the end of the episode, they make amends and Batman restores it.

Batwheels: The Series

The Bat-Signal appears in the kid & family-friendly animated TV series,Batwheels.In the Season 2 episode, "Bat-Light Blow-Out",…

Video games

• The Bat-Signal is also seen inDC Universe Online(2010), on top of the GCPD 9th station in the East End of Gotham. It is the focus of the feat to see places related to major DC Universe figures.
• The Bat-Signal is seen inBatman: Arkham Asylum(2009) in the sky of Gotham City. During Batman'sScarecrow-induced nightmares, Batman must sneak through the remains of Arkham and defeat a gigantic Scarecrow by aiming the Bat-Signal at him. The Bat-Signal is also used inBatman: Arkham City(2011) as a waypoint in the sky that hovers high above the location of the player's objective, and the original signal is located at the now-abandoned GCPD building as the subject of aRiddlerChallenge. The usage of the Bat-Signal as a waypoint continues inBatman: Arkham Origins(2013) andBatman: Arkham Knight(2015), though the signal itself appears only in the latter game. At the end ofArkham Knight,Batman initiates the Knightfall Protocol, which includes the destruction of the Bat-Signal via a built-in explosive added byLucius Fox.InBatman: Arkham Shadow(2024), Batman, posing asIrving "Matches" Malone,sets the Bat-Signal alight with amolotov cocktailin order to get himself landed inBlackgate Prison.
• InBatman: The Telltale Series(2016), Gordon first uses the Bat Signal in Episode 3, as he needed Batman's help when the cops are stretched thin throughout the city.

See also

• Bat phone