Projection of a Bat Symbol from a Bat-Signal light. The Bat Symbol has been the primary logo for the Batman character ever since the first few years of his existence. The symbol originated with the Bat-Signal, which first appeared in Batman comics in 1942. The Bat-Signal was a giant spotlight outfitted with a bat silhouette that was used to summon Batman and Robin to Gotham City Police headquarters.

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The Bat-Signal's projected image of a bat symbol inside of a yellow oval would become even more identified with Batman when the character's costume was redesigned in 1964. The bat emblem on Batman's chest, which since 1939 had consisted of a black bat silhouette, was redesigned as a black bat silhouette inside of a yellow oval that looked very much like the Bat-Signal's image. Ever since this version of Bat Symbol became a major element of Batman's costume, millions upon millions of Batman items featuring it have been manufactured.