Bat-Signal
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In the various fictional worlds of Batman, the Bat-Signal is a specially modified Klieg searchlight with a stylized symbol of a bat placed on it so that it projects a large Bat emblem on the sky or buildings of Gotham City.
The origin of the signal varies between timeline and media. In the 1989 Batman film, Batman gave the signal to the police; in 2005's Batman Begins, then-detective James Gordon creates his own signal light, inspired by an incident when Batman strapped the defeated Carmine Falcone to a large searchlight to lure the police to the gangster which created a roughly bat like image on the light's beam. In comic's continuity the signal was introduced after the Batman's first enocunter against the Joker (not unlike the first movie) in Batman: The Man Who Laughs. In Batman: the Animated Series it was introduced in the episode The Cape and Cowl Conspiracy. In The Batman (a new animated series unrelated to the aforementioned one) Gordon invented it to summon Batman in "Night in the City".
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.
In Frank Miller's , the Bat-Signal is used as much to enhance the terror effect of Batman on criminal elements as a signal.
Others have used the Bat-Signal for their own purposes. 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.
In the comic book series Gotham Central, the purpose and 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.
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.
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