The Gotham City Police Department with the Bat-Signal. Cover to Gotham Central #1. Art by Michael Lark.

The Bat-Signal is a fictional device appearing in the various interpretations of the Batman mythos. It is a specially modified Klieg searchlight with a stylized symbol of a bat attached to the light so that it projects a large Bat emblem on the sky or buildings of Gotham City. In the stories, the signal is used by the Gotham City Police Department as a method of contacting and summoning Batman to their assistance in the event of a serious crisis. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (532x780, 101 KB)Cover to Gotham Central #1. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (532x780, 101 KB)Cover to Gotham Central #1. ... The Gotham City Police Department (GCPD) is a fictional police department servicing the city of Gotham City in the DC Universe. ... Gotham Central was a police procedural comic book series that was published by DC Comics. ... // Fiction (from the Latin fingere, to form, create) is the genre of imaginative prose literature, including novels and short stories. ... Batman (originally referred to as the Bat-Man and still referred to at times as the Batman) is a DC Comics fictional superhero who first appeared in Detective Comics #27 in May 1939. ... // A klieg light is an intense carbon arc lamp especially used in filmmaking. ... Edisons classical searchlight cart. ... “Chiroptera” redirects here. ... The Gotham skyline with the Bat-signal. ... The Gotham City Police Department (GCPD) is a fictional police department servicing the city of Gotham City in the DC Universe. ...

Origins

The origin of the signal varies between timeline and media. In the 1989 Batman film, Batman gave the signal to the police as a gift enabling them to call him when the city is in danger; in 2005's Batman Begins, then-detective James Gordon creates his own signal light, inspired by an incident when Batman strapped the defeated mobster Carmine Falcone to a large searchlight which created a roughly bat-like image from the light's beam. In the comic's post-Crisis continuity the signal was introduced after the Batman's first encounter against The Joker (not unlike the first movie) in Batman: The Man Who Laughs. On Batman: the Animated Series, it was introduced in the episode "The Cape and Cowl Conspiracy." On The Batman, (a new animated series unrelated to the aforementioned one) Gordon invented it to summon Batman in "Night in the City." // Actress Kim Basinger and her brother Mick purchase Braselton, Georgia for $20 million. ... Batman is an American Academy Award-winning superhero film based on the DC Comics character Batman created by Bob Kane and Bill Finger. ... This is a list of film-related events in 2005. ... Batman Begins is a 2005 superhero film based on the fictional DC Comics character Batman. ... Carmine The Roman Falcone is a fictional character, a villainous Mafia don in Gotham City, who made his debut in the four part story Batman: Year One, written by Frank Miller and David Mazzucchelli, in 1987. ... “Chiroptera” redirects here. ... Crisis on Infinite Earths was a 12-issue comic book limited series (identified as a 12 part maxi-series) and crossover event, produced by DC Comics in 1985 in order to simplify their fifty-year-old continuity. ... The Joker is a fictional character, a DC Comics supervillain widely considered to be Batmans archenemy. ... The animated Batman shoots his grappling gun from a rooftop in a scene from the episode, On Leather Wings. ... The Batman is an American animated television series produced by Warner Bros. ...

Basic usage

When Commissioner Gordon needs to summon Batman, he uses the Bat-Signal. In turn, Batman has sophisticated signalling systems that alert him of the signal being lit without having to constantly keep alert to directly see it. James Jim Worthington Gordon is a supporting character in DC Comics Batman series. ...

In Frank Miller's Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, the Bat-Signal is used as much to enhance the terror effect of Batman on criminal elements as a signal. Frank Miller (born January 27, 1957) is an American writer, artist and film director best known for his film noir-style comic book stories. ... The premiere issue of the series Spoiler warning: The Dark Knight Returns (known as DKR by fans) is a superhero comic book story published by DC Comics between 1985 and 1986, starring Batman. ...

The Bat-Signal being used by others

Others have used the Bat-Signal for their own purposes. In Detective Comics #466 (1976), the villainous Signalman manages to trap the Batman inside the Batsignal device. Cover of Detective Comics #27 (May 1939). ... Signalman (Phil Cobb) is a DC Comics supervillain. ...

In Legends of the Dark Knight #6, a cadre of crime bosses projects the signal upside down in order to summon Batman to help them fight a killer they can't defeat. Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight, commonly referred to as simply Legends of the Dark Knight is a DC comic book featuring Batman. ...

In Joel Schumacher's 1995 film Batman Forever, the criminal psychologist Dr. Chase Meridian uses the Bat-Signal to call Batman, so as to seduce him. Batman is slightly peeved at her usage of the Bat-Signal as a mere "beeper". A music video for "Kiss From A Rose", also from the film, features singer Seal performing the song while standing beside the Bat-Signal. Joel Schumacher (born August 29, 1939) is an American film director, writer, and producer. ... // March 28 - Actress Julia Roberts and singer Lyle Lovett announce their plans for separation November - After a six-year hiatus, the James Bond film series resumes with the successful GoldenEye. ... Batman Forever is the third of the Batman movies which began with Tim Burtons 1989 version of the character, although it is a major departure from its predecessor in the franchise, Batman Returns. ... Dr. Chase Meridian is a fictional character played by Nicole Kidman and appears in the 1995 film Batman Forever. ... A pager is an electronic device used to contact people via a paging network. ... Kiss from a Rose is a song from Seals second eponymous album Seal, subsequently featured on the Batman Forever (1995) film soundtrack. ... Seal Henry Olusegun Mark Scott Brooks Olumide Adeola Samuel (born February 19, 1963 in Paddington, London, England) is a three-time Grammy Award-winning British soul vocalist and songwriter. ...

In the Halloween special comic series, Haunted Knight, Scarecrow alters the Bat-Signal to notify Batman that he has kidnapped the (then captain) Jim Gordon. By adding an orange bulb and painting "eyes" on the signal, he turns the beam into a stylised Jack-o'-lantern image (with the bat symbol forming the mouth beneath two eyes). The Scarecrow (Dr. Jonathan Crane) is a DC Comics supervillain, an enemy of Batman. ... Jack-o-lanterns may be carved with a friendly face, above, a menacing sawtooth scowl, or any look in between. ...

In the film Batman Forever, The Riddler alters the Bat-Signal by projecting a question mark into the sky with the original bat symbol forming the dot at the base. Similarly, in Dark Victory, after brokering a tentative alliance with Batman, the Riddler changes the signal, projecting a question mark into the sky in order to let Batman know that he has an answer for him. Batman Forever is the third of the Batman movies which began with Tim Burtons 1989 version of the character, although it is a major departure from its predecessor in the franchise, Batman Returns. ... Detective Comics #140 (October 1948), the first appearance of the Riddler. ... DVD cover showing Bette Davis. ...

Near the beginning of the No Man's Land saga, a junior officer creates an improvised Bat-Signal out of spare parts. Gordon doesn't use it, as he is currently angry at Batman. To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this comics-related article or section may require cleanup. ...

In the comic book series Gotham Central, the purpose of the Bat-Signal is further expanded on; as Batman's existence is not officially recognised by the Gotham City authorities, the batsignal is explained as a method of using the "urban legend" around Batman to terrify the criminal class of Gotham. As official proven police interaction with the Bat-Signal and Batman himself can lead to cases against criminals arrested by Batman being dismissed, it is up to the civilian employees of the Gotham police department (including the Major Case Squad's civilian attache, Stacy) to operate the signal officially. Gotham Central was a police procedural comic book series that was published by DC Comics. ... An urban legend or urban myth is similar to a modern folklore consisting of stories often thought to be factual by those circulating them. ...

The Bat-Signal as seen in Batman

Owing to recent events in the "War Crimes" sequence of comics, relations between Batman and the Gotham Police Department under Commissioner Michael Akins were officially severed; the Bat-Signal was removed from the roof of Gotham Central, albeit in the 52 series The Question altered an apparently still there Bat-Signal to project a spray-painted question mark. In the "One Year Later" series, however, with the re-installation of James Gordon as commissioner, relations with Batman appear to have thawed; upon Batman's return from one year of self-imposed exile, the Bat-Signal (restored to the roof of police headquarters) is activated once again. The familiar sight of the Bat symbol in the sky prompts cheers of delight from most of the citizens of Gotham, who are largely pleased to see Batman return. Batman is an American Academy Award-winning superhero film based on the DC Comics character Batman created by Bob Kane and Bill Finger. ... Michael Akins is a fictional character in DC Comics Batman comics series. ... 52 is the title of a comic book limited series published by DC Comics, which debuted on May 10, 2006, one week after the conclusion of the seven-issue Infinite Crisis. ... The Question is an American comic book superhero. ... One Year Later event logo. ...

In Batman Beyond, Terry McGinnis destroys the Bat-Signal after it is used for the first time in years. Batman Beyond (known as Batman of the Future in Europe, Latin America, Australia, and New Zealand) was an American animated television series created by WB Network in collaboration with DC Comics as a continuation of the Batman legacy. ... Terry McGinnis (age 17). ...