Bronze Age Babies: Who's the Best... Batman Title Logo?

Tuesday, April 21, 2015

Who's the Best... Batman Title Logo?

Doug: Here you go -- a baker's dozen of Batman logos! Leave us a comment with your likes/dislikes, and certainly pick a favorite if you can!

22 comments:

John Pitt said...: I'm torn between #2 and #10 - both remind me of the 60's and my youth and my favourite period in Batman's history! - comics, bubblegum cards, the TV show, - I was completely Batty!!; April 21, 2015 at 6:42 AM
dbutler16 said...: While I'm tempted to also choose one that reminds me of my youth, I have to go with #1, from the Golden Age. That logo looks downright menacing!; April 21, 2015 at 6:44 AM
William said...: I'm torn between the classic Bonze Age comic logo (left side, 3rd down) or the Timm Animated Series logo (left side, last one). All of them are pretty cool though. This could be a regular feature. Do Spider-Man next.; April 21, 2015 at 7:04 AM
Anonymous said...: I've only read a handful of DC comics in my entire life including some Batmans which were given to me in the early '80s - they all had the logo at #5 so I'll say that one. I like the way "BAT" and "MAN" are two separate words with the same number of letters so it looks symmetrical. I hate the one that says "The" Batman - it sounds so pompous, what about The Superman or The Spider-Man ? I felt the same about the movie "The Wolverine" - ggrrr.; April 21, 2015 at 7:17 AM
Edo Bosnar said...: I'm with William and Colin: there's a few cooler looking ones, but the one I immediately respond to as "my" logo is #5 (or the third one down on the left). That's the logo that was appearing on the regular Batman series when I first started reading comics in the 1970s.; April 21, 2015 at 8:10 AM
J.A. Morris said...: Definitely #5 for me. That's what I think of when I think about Batman logos.

This was the first proper issue of Batman I ever owned, that was the logo of the series at the time:
http://www.comics.org/issue/32471/; April 21, 2015 at 8:20 AM
Doug said...: I'll agree with the favorite so far, #5. As most have said, that was the logo when I started to regularly buy the title.

I really like #10, with Batman clutching his cape behind the logo. I think that one is from the late 50s/early 60s. And like dbutler, I also like the Golden Age logo.

Doug; April 21, 2015 at 8:53 AM
Rip Jagger said...: I've always loved the tenth one the best. Batman has been lucky to have some strong logos over the decades.

Rip Off; April 21, 2015 at 9:13 AM
Edo Bosnar said...: J.A., that's a really cool cover.
Doug, yep, we're all demonstrating that we're truly Bronze Age babies in our fondness for that #5 logo.
Besides that one, others that I find really cool are the one right next to it (i.e., #6), and #12. Also I like the logo for The Brave & the Bold cartoon, but maybe that's just because I'm so fond of the cartoon.; April 21, 2015 at 9:17 AM
Humanbelly said...: Yep, I really do like most of them too. #5 may get the nod simply due to the patterning-bond we all seem to be experiencing-- but the Golden Age ones are quite good as well. "The" Batman isn't as big a problem for me, as it has a rather film noir/Mystery Men vibe to it-- very retro. And I like the more ragged, horror-influenced fonts of a couple of the logos. The asymmetrical logos, though, don't do it for me as much. They're fine as graphics, I suppose, but they don't have that comin'-right-atcha feel you get from they traditional symmetrical ones.

I second the suggestion of doing this with other long-running titles-!

HB; April 21, 2015 at 9:32 AM
Dr. Oyola said...: Yeah, I like most of them. . .the Logo is more interesting that the character! :)

I like 1, 3, 4 and 5 best.; April 21, 2015 at 9:45 AM
Martinex1 said...: I have to say #1. I like the more sinister look and the pointier bat ears on the character. I also like the red color for the lettering. The yellow (though historically most frequent) never seemed right to me. I think the black and red creates a better mood for Batman. I also don't like when the face is smiling. I prefer the more serious.; April 21, 2015 at 9:47 AM
Karen said...: #5 is also "my" logo, but I think 6,9, and 11 are pretty neat.; April 21, 2015 at 10:15 AM
Doug said...: For those clamoring for more posts like today's, I actually did a series of these around five years ago. You can check out this Avengers logo post, and you should be able to link to several others at the bottom, just above the comments. Thanks for the interest!

Doug; April 21, 2015 at 10:47 AM
Doug said...: To Edo --

You'll be happy to know that the Power Man and Iron Fist Epic Collection has been announced. Around 450 color pages, MSRP of $40. Amazon and other outlets should have it for less than $30, easily.

Doug

POWER MAN & IRON FIST EPIC COLLECTION: HEROES FOR HIRE TPB

Written by MARY JO DUFFY with CHRIS CLAREMONT, ED HANNIGAN, BOB LAYTON & STEVEN GRANT Penciled by KERRY GAMMILL with JOHN BYRNE, TREVOR VON EEDEN, MIKE ZECK, SAL BUSCEMA, LEE ELIAS, MARIE SEVERIN & ALAN WEISS Cover by DAVE COCKRUM

Marvel's stronger-than-steel man of the streets, Luke Cage, partners with the mystic kung-fu master Iron Fist in the beginning of one of the greatest teams in comic-book history! Together, Power Man and Iron Fist are heroes for hire, taking on any any job, any challenge -- so long as their clients can meet the price. But both heroes have long pasts and old foes out to destroy them. Between those menaces and making ends meet, it's a life short on downtime and long on action! This inaugural Epic Collection features the beginning of our heroes' partnership; guest appearances by the X-Men, and Colleen Wing and Misty Knight -- the Daughters of the Dragon; and classic villains including Nightshade, Bushmaster and Sabretooth! Collecting POWER MAN #48-49 and POWER MAN & IRON FIST (1978) #50-70.; April 21, 2015 at 12:17 PM
pfgavigan said...: Hiya,

I guess my favorites are the ones where you see Batman's face full on. Makes the character all the more terrifying to see that it's not some demonic figure of justice but a man who has decided to become a demonic figure of justice.

Except the one where Batman has that little smile on his face. That's kind of charming. Is that from the TV show?

pfgavigan; April 21, 2015 at 12:22 PM
Charlton Hero said...: The 80s Black Bat with the red and yellow lettering is the best logo by far.

Looking back I really dislike the "The Batman" animated series logo..its sticks out as being almost sloppy looking compared to the defined look of all the others!

I however have a definite like for the Batman and The Outsiders logo..always loved that book so maybe I am biased on that one.

Great mini article gang!! Love it!

Hero Out..; April 21, 2015 at 12:22 PM
Anonymous said...: I agree on logo #5...that's the one I grew up with. I also like the one from the 60s TV show, for sentimental reasons.

That PM/IF collection looks great...I always liked Jo Duffy's writing.

Mike Wilson; April 21, 2015 at 1:33 PM
Edo Bosnar said...: Doug, thanks for the tip; I figured there would be a PM/IF Epic Collection in the works, after I found out about this:

IRON FIST EPIC COLLECTION: THE FURY OF IRON FIST
Collecting: Marvel Premiere (1972) 15-25, Iron Fist (1975) 1-15, Marvel Team-Up (1972) 63-64

To be honest, I'm more excited about this one, as it contains everything from the Essential Iron Fist except in color.
The Amazon page indicates it will be out in July (the PM/IF book will be released in August), and yes, the pre-order price is about $28. Which, to be honest, is still a bit steep for me when postage is factored in. And I've got the Orion omnibus on the way, which has put a serious dent in my disposable income budget...; April 21, 2015 at 2:13 PM
Anonymous said...: Majority rules here again at the BAB - gotta go with #5 like most people here; this was the logo which was present when I first read Batman. Honourable mention goes to #1, #3, #6 and #10 also.

- Mike 'In Batman voice - Do you bleed?' from Trinidad & Tobago.; April 21, 2015 at 9:05 PM
Anonymous said...: 5, but you know what I liked best out of any Batlogo? The posters from the 1989 film that just used the Bat-symbol. With an icon like that, who needs words?

- Mike Loughlin; April 21, 2015 at 10:17 PM
david_b said...: My favs are 1,2,4, and 5. I really liked when the later '60s Bat-cover mastheads would occasionally revert back to the first 2...

Logo 3 to me symbolized my annoyance with the '70s and remember wishing the 'Hip '60s' were still in vogue.; April 22, 2015 at 7:11 AM