When did the Yellow ellipse fall out of style?

[Nivek]

Batman isn't one to stand still so you can focus on the oval anyway.

 

[Jolly Rolly]

Here's what I know in all my 22 years of reading Batman:

In his first appearance there was no yellow oval on the bat symbol, this was pretty much the standard look all throughout the 40's, 50's up till the mid 60's when Julie Schwartz implemented the "new look" and added a yellow oval as a trademark so as to entice Batman as more marketable for merchandising reasons and when the Adam West show became an overnight hit the Batman was recognized the world over.

Around this time is when DC decided to explore on their multiple mess of universes therefore creating Earth-1, Earth-2 and so on, the golden age Batman which was the original one with no yellow oval was now part of Earth-2. the Batman with the "new look" was part of Earth-1.

The yellow oval pretty much remained when O'Neil/Adams came on board and all throughout the 70's and 80's only when a flashback occured was the oval absent as a slew of hot artists seemed to want a crack at Batman.

Enter Frank Miller in the mid 80's when TDKR sets up a whole new vision of Batman, as another poster said before Miller did away with the yellow oval in the first issue and so around this time is when talks of doing a Batman feature film is in the works and of course there are some liberties taken and Batman is sporting the yellow oval but I think it worked because the classic poster by Anton Furst was recognized all over the world.

Nowadays I think it's up to the artist how they interpret their own vision of Batman.

 

[Kurosawa]

I could care less about oval or no oval, but I do like the capsule belt better. Batman should look sleek and the lumpy belt messes that up.

 

[TruerToTheCore]

For the pouches belt, it is after No Man's Land, certainly Miller's "influence".

But the pouches belt is

FROM THE ADAM WEST SHOW

You could almost think Frank Miller never read the comics and just watched the show.

 

[theMan-Bat]

I like the symbol with the yellow moon, and I also like the original symbol without the yellow moon. I like both.

 

[CLARKY]

But the pouches belt is
FROM THE ADAM WEST SHOW
You could almost think Frank Miller never read the comics and just watched the show.

I doubt that the influence for the the pouches belt was the Adam West show. He could barely open the pouches and it was 10 times too big. But yeah maybe Frank Miller wanted to integrate things of the show, I think it more his realistic style that dictated him the pouches belt. And whatever it is with F.Miller, I thought the idea came with No Man's Land and stayed (store a maximum of stuff in the belt) in case something like No Man's Land happens again.

 

[Comics N' Toons]

The yellow elipse can be pretty bad ass if it's done in various designs...

it doesn't have to be this all the time:

Breyfogle's drawings sometimes had a smaller symbol with a circular elipse.

Other stories have made the elipse cover the entire chest (LAME).

BUT IF DONE RIGHT, the elipse is really cool

 

[JackN]

Totally agree with Bats N Hornets

Some draw the ellipse too big others too small, but if done right the ellipse can be epic

I personally grew up with the ellipse and a part of me died when the ellipse really just did fall out of style and the effects happend after TDKR I'd love to see the ellipse again and epic as ever.

Example The Killing Joke and The Deluxe Edition Killing Joke
Brain Bolland brillantly drew the ellipse but he didn't even include the ellipse in the Deluxe Edition

 

[Comics N' Toons]

The elipse can still be very well done for a dark story.

The Grant/Breyfogle run in the 90's and the Moench run in the 80's were some of Batman's darkest stories.

If drawn right, the elipse looks just as good IF NOT BETTER than the back bat.

THE TRICK IS TO MAKE IT LOOK LIKE PART OF THE SUIT, and not have it stand out as this bright, round ugly thing.

 

[Dark Guardian]

The yellow elipse can be pretty bad ass if it's done in various designs...

it doesn't have to be this all the time:

Breyfogle's drawings sometimes had a smaller symbol with a circular elipse.

Other stories have made the elipse cover the entire chest (LAME).

BUT IF DONE RIGHT, the elipse is really cool

Ah thats the symbol I grew up with.
That was the symbol they used in the Animated Series. Everytime I see it it brings back memories. Thats really how it should look.

 

[Cain]

The elipse can still be very well done for a dark story.

The Grant/Breyfogle run in the 90's and the Moench run in the 80's were some of Batman's darkest stories.

If drawn right, the elipse looks just as good IF NOT BETTER than the back bat.

THE TRICK IS TO MAKE IT LOOK LIKE PART OF THE SUIT, and not have it stand out as this bright, round ugly thing.

2 of the greatest runs in the history of BATMAN and Detective Comics. Grant's work on BATMAN & Shadow of the Bat was good but his work on 'tec is phenomenal. I am so happy I grew up with those comics. A big reason I enjoy the look of oval so much was cause of those books. You're right Breyfogle used to play around with it all the time, gave the ellipse a lot of character that way.

 

[Comics N' Toons]

SO why is DC going out of their way to "ERASE" the elipse from existence?

 

[Jolly Rolly]

This is how I see it regarding the yellow oval/bat on gray outfit:

The yellow oval works best when drawn small (but not too small) and it makes Batman's chest massive and buff.

The black bat on gray should be bigger almost covering Batman's entire chest.

 

[Comics N' Toons]

i agree with you very much.

 

[Jolly Rolly]

i agree with you very much.

I've been reading Batman comics for 22 years I know the Bats history left and right.

 

[CConn]

Anyone who doesn't like the ellipse is probably a Spider-Man fan.

 

[CrimsonMist]

Example The Killing Joke and The Deluxe Edition Killing Joke
Brain Bolland brillantly drew the ellipse but he didn't even include the ellipse in the Deluxe Edition

The Killing Joke Deluxe Edition's elimination of the ellipse felt like revisionist nonsense. It's one thing to fix errors here and here, but to eliminate something so obvious felt wrong. Not to mention, Bolland didn't bother to even make the bat bigger(apparently he didn't have time). Why bother tampering with it then? Such a bad move.

 

[sto_vo_kor_2000]

Also, Frank Miller has no preference from what I can tell. In the Dark Knight Returns, Batman states he wears the yellow target to draw fire towards it because he can armor his chest, and not his head.

Once ruined by a gun shot, Batman uses the older outfit a brief time, until he switches to the armored look for the Superman fight.
http://www.nightwingfanclub.com

Frank Miller has openly stated he wanted to get rid of the yellow oval from his first installment of TDKR but wasnt allowed.

 

[The Batman]

This is how I see it regarding the yellow oval/bat on gray outfit:

The yellow oval works best when drawn small (but not too small) and it makes Batman's chest massive and buff.

The black bat on gray should be bigger almost covering Batman's entire chest.

Exactly...which is the oval kinda sucked until it was refined in the 70's and guys like adams and aparo started drawing it....


I've noticed that artists today dont even try drawing the oval properly when they do flashback scenes

 

[Comics N' Toons]

I personally felt the elipse helped define Batman and was part of what made him dark!

 

[Comics N' Toons]

What we need is a resurgence of the YELLOW ELIPSE that way NEWBIE FANS WOULD GAIN AN APPRECIATION FOR IT.

I mean when Aparo, Adams and Dick Giordano drew it, IT WAS SO COOL LOOKING...

new fans are all about TDK & the long halloween and all that newbie stuff!

 

[howl]

i became a fan of batman due to burton's '89 flick, so i have a soft spot for the yellow symbol, but i agree that it doesn't make much sense that a man who stays in the shadows to have a bright logo on his chest.

 

[Bathead]

i became a fan of batman due to burton's '89 flick, so i have a soft spot for the yellow symbol, but i agree that it doesn't make much sense that a man who stays in the shadows to have a bright logo on his chest.

I also prefer the plain bat, but only really for aesthetic reasons, not for any supposed practical reasons. I mean, quite frankly, if you're gonna say that the oval is too visible in the dark, then you should also ask why Batman doesn't cover up his exposed face, as that ,IMO, is almost as "bright" as the yellow oval. (and a better target to boot)

 

[Comics N' Toons]

quite right Bathead, the brightness of the elipse is NOT A GOOD ARGUMENT

 

[howl]

quite right Bathead, the brightness of the elipse is NOT A GOOD ARGUMENT

no argument here champ. just voicing my opinion. didn't say it was the worst choice ever for the design of Bats' get-up. anyways, when i made my first comment, i only embarrassed myself, by forgetting that the batbelt is also yellow, so i take back said comment. honestly not gunna lose sleep over what symbol is emblazoned. i'll be happy when they bring back bruce wayne. he could have a smiley face on his chest and i'll still be smilin'