Batman: All 10 Bat-Signals ranked from worst to best

7. Batman (1966)

The classic 1966 Batman TV series had its own unique way of reaching Batman, and it’s a well documented aspect of the Caped Crusader’s history. Whenever Commissioner Gordon and Chief O’Hara needed help, they would use the iconic red Batphone, which featured a direct line to Wayne Manor, the Batcave, and the Batmobile. However, something that may not be quite as well known is that the series also used the Bat-Signal from time to time.

The signal appeared in the movie spinoff (aptly titled Batman: The Movie) in a sequence that showed Chief O’Hara and two other officers on the roof of GCPD headquarters, looking concerned as they shone it into the sky. We then saw the Bat-Signal itself light up the night sky.

The shot would be recycled occasionally throughout the series whenever the GCPD tried all attempts to reach Batman and Robin. Perhaps they didn’t have access to the signal to produce new scenes, but it was likely just cheaper to reuse the same shot.

This is a much more traditional looking Bat-Signal than the 1949 one and it doesn’t get enough love for being the first real adaptation of that iconic look. The only thing that lets it down is that it is sorely underused, and the bat symbol seen in the signal itself is not the same one that ultimately appears in the sky.