Bat-Insignia Poll: Yellow Oval Or No?

**James Harvey** · 05-13-2002, 01:47 PM

I'm curious about this. Jeph Loeb said he's love to see the yellow oval return to Batman's costume, so this got me thinking. In the animated series, which did you prefer more - the yellow oval, or the "plain" bat insignia on his costume? Heck - which do you prefer overall?

**The Green Hornet** · 05-13-2002, 01:53 PM

i like the yellow oval

i figured it changed as batman changed

as he became darker and less caring, the yellow faded to black

**DisneyBoy** · 05-13-2002, 01:56 PM

I'm a yellow oval kinda guy. It just looks so classic - just like the Bat-signal. Any and all variations, including the wierd one used in "Batman - The Movie" as well as the current oval-less pointy bat-on-a-windshield, aren't acceptable. Give me the classy, yellow ovaled-Bat symbol any day!!!

**dark knight acolyte** · 05-13-2002, 02:36 PM

No preference.

I think both versions of the insignia fit well aesthetically with the costume and character in their own unique way. Now, the day the ears or utility belt goes....*sigh*. But I think both versions give a worthy and unique likeness to the character.

What's truly important is the character and persona of the man and his complex character-driven attributes. Basically, what's important to me is the attitude, thoughts and emotions of the Batman....the man behind the cowl.

**jm5150bc** · 05-13-2002, 03:19 PM

I like 'em both, but to be honest I prefer just the plain black bat- nice and large...

One argument for the yellow oval is that it makes more sense as a target... it's a lot easier to armor your chest than your head. The yellow oval would certainly draw more attention...

Even so, I'll stick with the plain black bat...

**Nightflower** · 05-13-2002, 03:22 PM

Originally posted by jm5150bc
I like 'em both, but to be honest I prefer just the plain black bat- nice and large...

One argument for the yellow oval is that it makes more sense as a target... it's a lot easier to armor your chest than your head. The yellow oval would certainly draw more attention...

Even so, I'll stick with the plain black bat...

I like the first symbol better, but not necessarily for the oval. I just liked the design of the bat better... it had spunk. ^_^ The second one seems too plain and jagged.

**ZorBrak** · 05-13-2002, 03:42 PM

well If I were Batman I would prefer the non yellow for stealth purposes. To me the yellow seems to interrupt the whole dark brooding thing. I mean it's just sticking out so much! Blue, gray and black are the only acceptable colors for his suit IMO, possibly brown for the belt... but not yellow.

**The Penguin** · 05-13-2002, 04:21 PM

I opted for the yellow oval. When I think Batman that's what I think of and I think even some of those who voted for no oval might agree with me on that. Most other heros have a background with their symbol and the yellow oval is Batman's. I've got a Batman T-shirt and it has the yellow oval. It just seems right that way.

**Frank White** · 05-13-2002, 04:43 PM

At 1st I hated the plain big black bat but now I like it. It just fits with Bats personality better. Plus the artist butchered that yellow bat-signal sometimes.

**Theking** · 05-13-2002, 04:55 PM

Originally posted by Frank White
At 1st I hated the plain big black bat but now I like it. It just fits with Bats personality better. Plus the artist butchered that yellow bat-signal sometimes.

Yea, I agree I think some of the artist used some discression sometimes. Something like the bat logo should have been sacred.

But I went with the black one on the main reason that yellow just didn't work with hidding in the shadows and BatMan would have realized that.

TheKing

**Clayface** · 05-13-2002, 07:37 PM

I actually like either one. They're both cool with me. I used to hate the yellow one, for the same reason Theking did:

Originally posted by Theking

But I went with the black one on the main reason that yellow just didn't work with hidding in the shadows and BatMan would have realized that.

But then I read a really cool interview with a writer when I was younger that explained why Bat's would use yellow on his costume like that. His reasoning was this: Batman doesn't have superpowers - all he's got between him and the gun is some kevlar or other bullet-proof material, and he doesn't even have anything protecting his face - a very vulnerable spot. So, he'd want to eliminate any chance of getting shot in the face, right? The easiest way? Put a big friggin target smack dab on the middle of his chest - the most protected part of his body. That's why he's got the yellow - it draws the attention of the criminal with the gun, and is the most obvious target when the criminal pulls the trigger. I always thought that was a really cool way of thinking about it, and it made a lot of sense to me.

**Red** · 05-13-2002, 07:51 PM

I like it with the yellow oval. Plus it's usually night so it's hard to see without the yellow oval.

**CadaverousEyes** · 05-13-2002, 08:22 PM

I have to go with the oval. It's a good trademark. If you think that the yellow stands out too much and doesn't fit in with his character, then consider the fact that he hangs out with a teenaged/pre-teen kid that wears bright red, green and yellow/red and yellow. Some things don't have to make sense.

**Gyro** · 05-13-2002, 08:41 PM

No preference.

It doesn't really matter to me. It's just for some reason when I see the yellow oval I think, "old Batman." Then when I see the plain bat insignia I think, "new Batman."

**JusticeLeagueLegion** · 05-13-2002, 09:13 PM

I liked the yellow oval better...however if it continued on like it is, I wouldn't complain...but I still voted that I want the yellow oval. It just makes his costume look better.

**The New Batman** · 05-13-2002, 09:37 PM

The yellow one by far. In fact, the entire B:TAS look by far.

**Harvey Dent** · 05-13-2002, 10:52 PM

No oval.

The reason why it was created in the first place was for trademark purposes anyway, and I don't want to be reminded of that when I look at Batman. It's also too limiting. The idea of a large, menacing black bat spread out across his chest is much better that some small, curvy bat encased in a yellow oval. I only wish that Bruce Timm would draw the bat the way that Alex Ross does. It would look so much better than that small thing he currently sports on JL.

Sorry if that's too big.

**Barb Gordon** · 05-13-2002, 11:19 PM

I don't really know. I've found that I'm quite fond of the yellow oval, only because I think of it when I think of Batman. But when you think of the Batman character itself, a plain symbol makes so much more sense. For stealth reasons, I mean, yellow is kind of "loud" when you're trying to sneak around. And just the overall look. A plain black bat looks a lot more menacing than an oval yellow bat symbol. Although it was/still is intended for logo purposes, I think in either a comic or a cartoon, but somewhere, Batman mentioned how it was a shield, something hard to protect his chest area. It just seemed like a fun, perhaps corny, way to make sense of why he had the emblem on his chest. But looking at the pic Harvey so nicely provided, I'd have to say that the plain symbol just works better.

~Barb

**jm5150bc** · 05-15-2002, 08:44 PM

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Harvey Dent
[B]No oval.

The reason why it was created in the first place was for trademark purposes anyway, and I don't want to be reminded of that when I look at Batman. It's also too limiting. The idea of a large, menacing black bat spread out across his chest is much better that some small, curvy bat encased in a yellow oval. I only wish that Bruce Timm would draw the bat the way that Alex Ross does. It would look so much better than that small thing he currently sports on JL.

I'm with you all the way, Harvey... Nice and LARGE !!!

The oval was added in the 60's, by the way (as Harvey perfectly put it- for Trademark purposes), so you can't really look at it as "old" Batman vs. "new" Batman without the oval. It's just more of a return to the original design...

Believe me, I like it either way- I just prefer the plain bat...