Skip to main content

dc - Why are there so many different bat symbols?



Over the years of superheroes not many superheroes' symbols have changed as much as Batman (my opinion, not fact).


Why hasn't Batman had any concrete symbol?


batman over the years



Answer



The simplest answer is Batman has had a lot of different interpretations. He is one of DC Comics most highly interpreted and recreated characters. Those images are not the only representations, the Bat-logo on his chest has an equally impressive visual pedigree.


Each of those symbols is a different property attempting to bring a unique perspective to the Dark Knight. Each of them was seeking an icon while reminiscent of the Batlogo on Batman's chest (which has also had lots of permutations) was still unique and distinctive enough to represent THEIR take on the Batman.


When you consider how many different Bat properties there are, the number of logos makes sense:



  • Batman 1940s character defines the logo

  • DC releases first revision of logo in 1965


  • Batman TV show in 1960's character brings Batman to the general consciousness of the people

  • First Batman cartoon, Filmation 1977

  • Major departure of Batman from his roots of leading the Bat-family and working away from the Justice League with Batman and the Outsiders (need new logo to denote separation)

  • Frank Miller's Dark Knight creates an alternative Batman, aging, angry, and still trying to keep up the good fight. Also remembered for thrashing fascist Superman.

  • The Knightfall logo was a major departure from the character having an entirely different man, Jean-Paul Valley/Azrael, become the Batman

  • Every Bat-movie will have a unique logo, just to keep itself distinguished from any others that come along later.

  • Every animation will do the same, hoping to create a unique appearance that resonates with the watchers of that period. The Batman Beyond universe/logo is one such universe. Strong characters and Bruce Wayne as coordinator stand out.

  • Every DC Comic starring Batman will also try to brand their particular book with a Bat-logo to help them be noticed on the comic stands.


While Batman has a wide array of image icons used for media and marketing, I suspect you will find almost every well marketed character will have a similar bevy of icons used to represent them.



Batman is unique only because he has such a strong symbol that has ignited the imaginations of artists everywhere to take that symbol and make memorable and yet recognizable versions of that very first and very simple logo.


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Why didn't The Doctor or Clara recognize Missy right away?

So after it was established that Missy is actually both the Master, and the "woman in the shop" who gave Clara the TARDIS number... ...why didn't The Doctor or Clara recognize her right away? I remember the Tenth Doctor in The Sound of Drums stating that Timelords had a way of recognizing other Timelords no matter if they had regenerated. And Clara should have recognized her as well... I'm hoping for a better explanation than "Moffat screwed up", and that I actually missed something after two watchthroughs of the episode. Answer There seems to be a lot of in-canon uncertainty as to the extent to which Time Lords can recognise one another which far pre-dates Moffat's tenure. From the Time Lords page on Wikipedia : Whether or not Time Lords can recognise each other across regenerations is not made entirely clear: In The War Games, the War Chief recognises the Second Doctor despite his regeneration and it is implied that the Doctor knows him when they fir
Post a Comment
Read more

Did the gatekeeper and the keymaster get intimate in Ghostbusters?

According to TVTropes ( usual warning, don't follow the link or you'll waste half your life in a twisty maze of content ): In Ghostbusters, it's strongly implied that Dana Barret, while possessed by Zuul the Gatekeeper, had sex with Louis Tully, who was possessed by Vinz Clortho the Keymaster (key, gate, get it?), in order to free Big Bad Gozer. In fact, a deleted scene from the movie has Venkman explicitly asking Dana if she and Louis "did it". I turned the quote into a spoiler since it contains really poor-taste joke, but the gist of it is that it's implied that as part of freeing Gozer , the two characters possessed by the Keymaster and the Gatekeeper had sex. Is there any canon confirmation or denial of this theory (canon meaning something from creators' interviews, DVD commentary, script, delete scenes etc...)? Answer The Richard Mueller novelisation and both versions of the script strongly suggest that they didn't have sex (or at the very l
1 comment
Read more

the lord of the rings - Why is Gimli allowed to travel to Valinor?

Gimli was allowed to go to Valinor despite not being a ring bearer. Is this explained in detail or just with the one line "for his love for Galadriel"? Answer There's not much detail about this aside from what's said in Appendix A to Return of the King: We have heard tell that Legolas took Gimli Glóin's son with him because of their great friendship, greater than any that has been between Elf and Dwarf. If this is true, then it is strange indeed: that a Dwarf should be willing to leave Middle-earth for any love, or that the Eldar should receive him, or that the Lords of the West should permit it. But it is said that Gimli went also out of desire to see again the beauty of Galadriel; and it may be that she, being mighty among the Eldar, obtained this grace for him. More cannot be said of this matter. And Appendix B: Then Legolas built a grey ship in Ithilien, and sailed down Anduin and so over Sea; and with him, it is said, went Gimli the Dwarf . And when that sh
Post a Comment
Read more

fan fiction - Does the Interdict of Merlin appear in original Harry Potter canon?

In Harry Potter and the Methods of Rationality by Eliezer Yudkowsky a concept called the ' Interdict of Merlin ' appears: (all emphasis added) Chapter 23: His hand on the doorknob, Harry Potter already inside and waiting, wearing his cowled cloak. "The ancient first-year spells," Harry Potter said. "What did you find?" "They're no more powerful than the spells we use now." Harry Potter's fist struck a desk, hard. "Damn it. All right. My own experiment was a failure, Draco. There's something called the Interdict of Merlin -" Draco hit himself on the forehead, realizing. "- which stops anyone from getting knowledge of powerful spells out of books, even if you find and read a powerful wizard's notes they won't make sense to you, it has to go from one living mind to another. I couldn't find any powerful spells that we had the instructions for but couldn't cast. But if you can't get them out of old books,
Post a Comment
Read more