Why didn't Batman's enemies simply smash the light which emitted the "Bat Symbol" into the night sky?

Question

If they smashed the Bat Light then they could work their plots to full extent without the threat of the "commissioner" alerting Batman with his synonymous signal in the sky!
Or they could just do their "evil" during a sunny day!
Am I missing something?? (don't say "a brain" or such comment!!!)

Answer 1

The Bat Signal was the subject of a number of Batman stories in the 50’s and early 60’s. There were times when criminals tried to lure Batman into a death trap with a phony Bat-Signal. (Apparently, the Gotham Police also had a portable Bat-Signal on a truck, so they did have a spare, in case the on atop police HQ was damaged.)

There were stories where Batman or Robin would be captured and used as bait for the other. Our hero would improvise a Bat Signal with a flashlight and cloth oslt, to warn his partner that they were walking into a trap.

There was a story where criminals hired a guy to pose as Batman (and he JUST HAPPENED to look like Millionaire Bruce Wayne, too!) and they were going to use him as bait to trap the real Batman. The actually unmasked Batman when they caught him (you have to wonder why none of the criminals who ever trapped him thought of that!) and because he looked like the guy they hired, they didn’t know they unmasked the REAL Batman! Batman was strapped to a big searchlight and they were going to cook him to death slowly. But, by angling his body and spreading out his cape, he made an ersatz Bat Signal, and was rescued in time.

Not so his double; he fell onto the live wires and was burned to death—he was so disfigured, that nobody would ever be able to identify his face.

Finally, the Bat Signal is not used only on cloudy nights. It can be shined onto the sides of various tall buildings in downtown Gotham (all of the visible from Wayne manor, miles away.) By moving it back and forth in certain ways, the police can send a code to tell Batman where to meet them; which street in Gotham.

Personaly, I like the Hot Line phone better, but that has even bigger problems. Who installed the line into Wayne manor? If it is wireless, why don’t criminals eavesdrop on Commissioner Gordon and Batman?

The best was way back in the early days, when Bruce would have Gordon over for dinner and ask him what was new in the world of crime. Batman would later tackle the very same cases, and Gordon never suspected. Ah, innocence. That was 1939.

18 MAR 07, 2321 hrs, GMT.

Answer 2

Like any criminal act, you have to ask three questions: What's the motive? What's the means? What's the opportunity?

Common street criminals -- they have no motive to smash the light. Gordon does not turn on the light every time a mugger hits a victim, so the light has no impact on whether Batman catches them. Plus, being low-level hoods, they would have a very hard time finding a way to reach the light, which is on top of a police building.

Gangsters, crimelords -- these are the guys (Penguin, Black Mask, etc.) who Batman regularly hassles, but they consider it a cost of doing business... and they're in the business of making money. They attack Batman if he costs them money, but otherwise they stay well away from him. They don't have the motive to smash the light because Gordon only turns it on when a baffling case comes up or when one of Batman's crazier archfoes sends a taunting note to police HQ. The more Batman is kept busy chasing the crazy criminals, the better life is for the other guys, so they want to keep Batman running after the psychos as much as possible.

Psychos - I'm including guys like Joker, the Riddler, etc. They don't want to smash the light because it's the most direct way they have for Batman to communicate with Batman. Just one note to police to HQ that threatens death and mayhem, and up goes the light.

All three groups of criminals would also have difficulty accessing the roof of a police headquarters building, so it would be difficult for them to have the opportunity to smash it. I suppose someone could launch a rocket or grenade from a neighbouring building, but again, for the reasons listed, why would they want to? Batman will be Batman, light or no light -- smashing it won't really make much of a difference to their criminal schemes.

(Although I've often wondered, given the possibility of snipers lying in wait, why Batman didn't just ditch the spotlight idea and have Gordon connect with him by pager or IM or some other device. But then, I'm sure there have been stories written about why the spotlight is still in use in these computerized times...)

Just my two cents,
M.

Answer 3

When I look up into the night sky, I am truly inspired. I feel I should paint a picture of it like Van Gough did :). I love star gazing and looking at the sky during the night. Sometimes, I can't believe there are millions of stars out there waiting for someone to wish on them--they're so breathtakingly beautiful. I love it. The night sky inspired me to take Astronomy classes to learn about what goes on out there in space. I even bought a huge Astronomy related book to get a better look at planets, stars, nebulae, comets, ect.

Answer 4

Look at the current Captain America story. If you start thinking in the real world. Their is no superhero that isn't bullet proof who would last more than a day. It doesn't matter how many skills or gadgets they have they wouldn't make it. Look @ Marvel's Civil War in the real world Super Heroes would be in jail, in court b/c of property damage or dead. It was for the story pre-cellphones. Do you believe someone can trow a batarang with a line connected to it and it would nicely go in circles around a bad guy. Just enjoy comics for the escape they provide. That's what I do.

Answer 5

Because Batman's enemies wanted nothing more than Batman to find them so they could kill him. The Joker came the closest to doing this. The Riddler love to make Batman figure out his crimes, and then try to set a trap for Batman. The Mad Hatter wanted to unmask Batman. Everyone had their own reasons to get rid of Batman, which would have made them the top of the crime world.

Answer 6

Same reason Superman villians didn't wear kryptonite underwear.
But Batman's villians......come on, the Penguin? The Joker? Neither of them knew anything about electricity. And didn't it defeat the purpose for Batman to have to drive all the way home to figure out what was going on with the Bat computer, and then go out again to catch the villian? Waste of bat gas if you ask me.

Answer 7

Your missing a lot of things. They rarely use the bat symbol and they would have to go to the police station where they're most likely to be arrested or shot on sight.

Answer 8

Batman's ememies (like all other superhero ememies) are fairly flat and one track minded. They think of elaborate plans but don't think of the obvious ways to get rid of Batman.

Answer 9

because than their wouldnt be much of a story, than no comic series. Back when it was originally created, good guys always win. They dont win, cause big uproar, lose comic, no money. it's like timmy on the fairly oddparents, why not just wish vicky away? you do, no fairies, no story, no show.

Answer 10

You have a definite point. However----there always was the bat phone...

I bet batman would have a bat cell phone for emergencies now.