Bat Signal: Difference between revisions
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{{trope}}
[[File:bat-signal.jpg|link=Batman (film)|frame|[[Fridge Logic|Good thing it's always cloudy in Gotham]].]]
{{quote|''The Bat-Signal is not a beeper.''|'''[[Batman]]''', ''[[Batman Forever]]''}}
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The best-known example is the [[Trope Namer]], [[Batman]], though it has been referenced, parodied, subverted, and otherwise used many times since.
The [[Bat Signal]] is a specific form of [[Regular Caller]]
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{{examples}}
== Anime ==
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== Comic Books ==
* [[Batman]] has used many different forms of this over the years. In addition to its signaling function, it is sometimes used by Batman himself as part of the whole "strike terror in the hearts of criminals" program. Gordon gives a similar explanation in the comic ''[[The Dark Knight Returns]]'' in response to the question of why use the
** Unfortunately, this article [http://lawandthemultiverse.com/2010/11/30/is-batman-a-state-actor/ this] article (specifically in the extensive comments section) explains why that arrangement ''still'' doesn't work.
** In ''[[The Dark Knight Returns]]'' the
* Sadly, the trope was averted in the case of Bat-Family character Stephanie Brown: there is no "Spoiler Alert." However, after she became [[Batgirl]] she would respond to the titular signal on numerous occasions, reasoning that it is the ''Bat''-signal, not Bat''man''-signal. In one situation, however, the signal was actually the bait for a trap the Gotham Police were laying, as [[Mistaken for Murderer|she was suspected of murder at the time]].
* The [[Fantastic Four (Comic Book)|Fantastic Four]] have a signal to summon ''each other''. The Fantasti-Flare lights up the sky, then forms the giant '''4''' in the sky to let them know they're needed.
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'''Spider-Man:''' Yeah, right, you and some [[The Mighty Thor|god of thunder]]. }}
* Every leader of the Section Omega in [[The Mighty]] have a special signal device infused directly into their hands that enables them to signal Alpha One or for Alpha One to signal them. Also, Alpha One could track them down whenever he wants to.
== Fanfiction ==
* In the "Liquid Courage" storyline of the ''Xanadu'' [[Mega Crossover]], a small group of people who have mostly been [[Involuntary Shapeshifting|turned into various superheroes]] after a [[Mass Empowering Event]] at a Florida science fiction convention move to a compound outside Denver. When the Denver Police Department suddenly have need of their help in one story, someone manages to kitbash a "[[Bat Signal]]" that projects a rotating cycle of several of the heroes' [[chest Insignia]] or other unique symbols to get their attention.
* In the early works of [[Jared Ornstead]], anyone in any universe can request the help of interdimensional superspy/adventurer [[Marty Stu|Skysaber]] by simply picking up a telephone and telling the dial tone, "An emergency situation has arisen. As of now, xxxx hours, we need the Skysaber." A voice will reply "Acknowledged", and Skysaber will arrive shortly afterward.
== Film ==
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== Webcomics ==
*
* What happens when dirt gets on the
* [[Acrobat]]'s mentor used to answer to one.
* ''[[Bug
* ''[[Evil Inc.]]'' has Captain Heroic and his father Commander Heroic apparently using one [http://evil-inc.com/comic/grampa-babysits/ signal] to call each other.
* ''Sunday at Ten'' [https://web.archive.org/web/20110701172952/http://www.sundayat10.com/?num=707 demonstrates] possibilities of messing with Bat Signal.
== Web Original ==
* [[The Nostalgia Critic]] apparently has a Nostalgia Signal, which alerted [[Atop the Fourth Wall|Linkara]] when the Critic was mocking the ''[[Alone in
* [[Loading Ready Run]] did a video featuring four different superheroes showing up to the same ("M"-shaped) signal. One who was actually called, and three thinking the caller just got the orientation wrong (for E, W, and 3) and it was for them.
* In the ''College Humor'' animation [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FywMOuMqNuI "The Dark Knight Meets Superman"], Superman gets one of his own, but because of his much more super powers, there is a slight difference in the way it functions in practice.
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== Western Animation ==
* In ''[[Batman Beyond]]'', Paxton Powers uses a makeshift one to summon Batman, who answers but breaks the signal light and tells him facetiously to use email.
* Played with in the ''[[Batman: The Animated Series|Batman the Animated Series]]'' episode "Legends of the Dark Knight". Three kids, who have been telling stories up to now about how they think Batman is, stumble on [[Kill It with Fire|Firefly]] as he's about to torch a place. One of the kids has a homemade
** In ''Joker's Favor'', the man who had been blackmailed into being Joker's patsy created a bat-shaped object and moved it back and forth in front of a large window in the hopes of getting Batman to save him. Fortunately, Bruce Wayne was driving by the building at the time.
** More from DCAU: In one episode of ''[[Static Shock]]'', Batman and Robin team up with Static. Batman gives Static a bat-shaped communicator, but Static loses it. Then, when he needs to contact Batman, he uses his electromagnetic powers to project a (custom-designed)
* Used several times in ''[[Batman: The Brave And The Bold|Batman the Brave And The Bold]]''. Also Robin gets his own Robin-signal, after he's moved to a different city, and Green Arrow is shown having his own signal in "Aquaman's Outrageous Adventure".
* ''[[The Powerpuff Girls]]'' had their own hotline, but one episode had the Mayor sending a flashing heart signal into the sky. There was even a catchy song about it, "Signal in the Sky" by Apples in Stereo.
** It's [[The Artifact]]: They had it in the original short, before the hotline was invented.
* The Huntsman, a character in ''[[Freakazoid!]]'', is signaled by "The Horn of Urgency", a giant horn on the police station's roof. Unfortunately, it was a false alarm every time.
* [[Inverted Trope|Inverted]] in ''[[The Spectacular Spider-Man]],'' as Spider-Man uses the belt-mounted Spider-Signal to announce his arrival, as above.
* Parodied in the cartoon version of ''[[The Tick (animation)]]'': The Mayor has several superhero signals, and doesn't think much of their effectiveness (especially when he has the Tick's phone number).
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* Played with in ''[[Family Guy]]'', when Bill Gates shines a Windows logo into the sky to summon a helicopter to pick him up. Yeah.
** At another point, they're watching clouds go by and a dog symbol appears. Brian leaps up and runs to go take care of it, presumably.
* Parodied in ''[[The Simpsons]]'', when Homer stands in front of a lighthouse.
{{quote|'''Bart:''' Hey look! Is that Dad?
'''Lisa:''' [[Lopsided Dichotomy|Either that or Batman's really let himself go.]] }}
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