The Bat-Signal is a distress signal 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 and as a weapon of psychological intimidation to the numerous villains of Gotham City.
The origin of the signal varies between timeline and media. It made its first appearance in Detective Comics #60, February 1942. 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-lieutenant James Gordon installs the Bat signal on the roof of the police department, which he obtained after an incident when Batman leaves the Bat signal at the docks with the mobster Carmine Falcone strapped on to it intending that the Gotham Police Department take possession of both.
Scroll down to see pictures of this Dream EX 2012 Toy Fairs Exclusive 1/6 scale Bat-Signal / Spotlight. The fact that it is a working spotlight with interchangeable Bat logos is a bonus!
The 1/6 scale Bat-signal comes in a very simple and plain box with no hint that it is a Bat-signal since no bat symbol or logo is shown anywhere on the box.
Once opened, you have the option of installing either one of the two Bat logos / symbols included. I chose the latest incarnation of the logo. You can check out my post HERE where I blogged about the 70-year evolution of the Bat logo from 1941 till 2012.
This Dream EX 2012 Toy Fairs Exclusive 1/6 scale Bat-Signal has nice details and is quite well crafted
The Bat-signal even has switches at the back of the spotlight. The switches don't work of course. The main switch is located at the bottom of the stand.
In Christopher Nolan's 2005 film "Batman Begins", then-lieutenant James Gordon finds the mobster Carmine Falcone strapped on to 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 sequel "The Dark Knight", as in Frank Miller's "Batman: 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 by Harvey Dent in order to 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 film "The 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.)
And this is the other Bat logo / symbol that is included with this boxed set. This is from the 1989 Batman film directed by Tim Burton with Michael Keaton playing Bruce Wayne / Batman.
In Tim Burton's 1989 film "Batman", Batman gives the signal to the police as a gift so that they can summon him when he is needed, after he defeats The Joker. In Burton's 1992 sequel "Batman Returns", Batman has mirrors stationed atop Wayne Manor that reflect the Bat-Signal through his window, alerting him to its presence in the night sky. The signal is used when Commissioner Gordon needs Batman's help when the Red Triangle Circus Gang attack Max Shreck during Christmas and appears again at the end of the film as a surviving Catwoman looks on.
This Dream EX 2012 Toy Fairs Exclusive 1/6 scale Bat-Signal / Spotlight requires three AA batteries to light up.
The light is fairly strong and will even project the Bat signal / symbol onto the ceiling or walls - very cool. I certainly had fun projecting the bat symbol around the house.
Here's a comparison of size with 1/6 scale Gotham City Police Commissioner James Gordon standing beside the bat-signal / spotlight.
I'm not sure if it's to scale (me thinks it's a tad small if it's meant to be Klieg searchlight) but it certainly is a nice addition to the Batman collection :)
And now another look at 1/6 scale James Gordon (reviewed in the previous post HERE) standing next to the Dream EX 2012 Toy Fairs Exclusive 1/6 scale Bat-Signal / Spotlight.
And if you call for Batman, the Dark Knight turns up
And here's a screen grab of Gordon, Batman and the Bat Signal :) click on the picture for a bigger and better view CHEERS
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