In most of the modern media that consumes the world these days, you’ll find that there is a meaning behind everything. Whether it be the billboard you just passed for that Hollywood blockbuster film or the song that your favourite artist has released. Sometimes the meaning is relatively straightforward and other times it’s intrinsically weaved into the piece that it takes a few goes to decipher the meaning within. What a lot of people probably don’t realise, and this included myself until a couple of weeks ago, that there’s actually a word to summarise all of this. That would be ‘Semiotics’.
Merriam-Webster define semiotics as ‘a general philosophical theory of signs and symbols’. [1] In this case, I will be using recognisable imagery and symbols to analyse a chosen picture and attempt to dissect the meaning behind it. For this essay, I decided to choose an illustration designed by Michael Rogers. This illustration is based on the Batman Begins movie released by Christopher Nolan in 2005.
My reasoning for choosing this image is because I’ve been fascinated by designs that have been taken from pop culture and given their own spin in the way of minimalism and simplicity. This poster does that and I feel that a lot of the imagery holds different clues into exactly what the movie is about without going too deep in details. Another reason I decided on this illustration is because I really, genuinely lovely the Batman trilogy from Christopher Nolan.
On that note, I will be covering five points in my assessment of this poster. These are:
- Dark colour themes
- Safety
- Religious contexts
- Isolation
- God complex
What drew me to this Batman illustration was the simplicity of three main colours. White, red and greys. The most overwhelming of colours would absolutely be the grey/blacks. To talk simply and straightforward, black in the world of Batman purely comes from the fact that he only operates at night in the same way as a bat would. When assessing the environment along with the character itself, black can then have both negative and positive connotations. In the positive sense it can mean protection and comfort, mysterious and contained. In the respect of the Batman character as a whole, this absolutely makes sense. While the movies are quite dark, Batman as a symbol is generally considered mysterious and as a form of protection for the citizens of Gotham which brings a sense of comfort also. In a negative way, it can portray secretive and withholding, power and control which, again, is understandable when considering Batman and the movies as a whole.
When discussing colour themes, another standout part of this illustration is the red cross on top of the building that then reflects onto the ground. Red can mean many things but in many cultures, the red cross is indicative of safety, health and medical aid. It’s easy to gather that the cross in this image is indicating a hospital nearby but I feel like it ties into the black silhouette figure of Batman on top of the building running along side it. A figure watching over others in an area where there should be relative safety because hospitals are considered to be a safe haven in times of need. When putting both the red cross of the hospital along with a dark colour palettes and the protector above the building together, it is easy to understand where the theme of safety comes into play.
The positioning in the reflection of the cross is something else to take in. As someone who has seen the Batman films, to me it’s ‘X marks the spot’ in the area of where his parents were murdered in the back alley. A running theme throughout the films, comics, books, games and animated TV series is the effect in which his parents being taken from him at such an early age have affected Bruce Wayne and his alter ego. In other regards, it absolutely could be taken in a religious context in the way the Red Cross foundation is synonymous with charity and aid. It is one of the most recognised symbols throughout the world so for it to have the same meaning in this illustration would make complete sense.
There is also the fact that the reflection stretches out much in the same way of Jesus and his cross for crucifixion. As in the stories from the bible, Jesus was crucified and vindicated for the crimes of the people just so he’s able to save them. This can be considered in the same lines as Batman since he is considered a vigilante by mass media within the Gotham universe and is feared by most even though he’s attempting to keep the town safe. Along with this, there is the winged angel above the red cross. Depending on which perspective you are looking at, an angel can either signify the death or salvation. I believe in this it is more indicative of safety and salvation especially as it is above the red cross and is considered a beacon of light in the dark night. Something interesting to look at is the moon behind the angel itself. The moon seems to be acting as a signal for safety as well, almost drawing people into where they can be safe and secure in the darkness of Gotham.
This can segue into the theme of isolation. This is a massive theme that keeps every different piece of Gotham media cohesive. As previously mentioned, one eye drawing moment is the lone figure atop the buildings looking down on to the streets. Throughout every piece of Batman piece, it is drilled in how isolated Bruce Wayne is in his personal and professional life. Only few are given the privilege of knowing who he is and even then it’s only small amounts. One piece of this illustration that I haven’t touched upon is the actual outline of Batman holding the piece of Gotham within himself. This can signify that he feels responsible for the entirety of his city and represents a heavy burden that he feels is only for him to carry.
Almost every single aspect of this illustration plays upon the trait of isolation. The single silhouette holding the town of Gotham, the small silhouette watching the city alone, the simple colours of blacks, white and red, the red calling for salvation and hope within the ever suffocating black and even the white text centre bottom stands out in it’s simplicity and isolation. The positioning and sizing of this text is almost drowned out by the overwhelming darkness from the rest of the image. The illustrator could have placed this anywhere in the white background that surrounds Batmans silhouette but instead chose to place it towards the bottom of the image where it still contrasts but doesn’t take away from everything else going on within.
Finally, there is the themes of a God Complex running throughout. This may come across as a bit of a stretching considering that Batman is supposed to be seen as the lone figure that keeps Gotham safe but is absolutely possible in the same breath. A God complex is defined as ‘an unshakeable belief characterised by consistently inflated feelings of personal ability, privilege, or infallibility.’
In the case of Batman, and Bruce Wayne, his only privilege was his wealth and status which allowed him to become the caped crusader. What I want to draw upon from that definition are the inflated feelings of personal ability and infallibility. Batman is seen twice within this image as a lone hero. This gives off the perception that he cannot fail himself, the city he calls home and, especially within the first movie, he doesn’t want to fail his parents anymore. With this, Bruce Wayne becomes a vigilante with immense power and a great moral sense of right and wrong above others. As he stands down, looking upon the streets, it’s shows his position above those below him and of the role he took on alone as the night watcher and protector of all others.
The lightning bolt behind the angel statue could also signify a God like comparison. God, or Zeus, is known to wield bolts of lightning as a weapon and to defend evil against good which is the same symbol as which Batman is perceived to the point that he himself became a symbolic image to protect others.
I’ve found this fan made illustration to be a very good indicator of exactly what the movie ‘Batman Begins’ to be about while also using incredible specific uses of semiotic symbolism throughout. Bringing together dark themes, simplistic designs, isolation and safety, it manages to create a descriptive image of what one would expect when going to watch the movie for the first time.
References:
Definition of SEMIOTICS. (2017). Merriam-webster.com. Retrieved 20 July 2017, from https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/semiotics
Gorgeous Geeky Illustrations by Michael Rogers. (2017). Abduzeedo.com. Retrieved 20 July 2017, from http://abduzeedo.com/node/76419
Black Color Psychology and MeaningAssociated with power, a. (2017). Black Meaning – Black Color Psychology. Color Psychology. Retrieved 20 July 2017, from https://www.colorpsychology.org/black/
Storkerson, P. (2010). ANTINOMIES OF SEMIOTICS IN GRAPHIC DESIGN. Visible Language, 44(1), 5-37. Retrieved from http://ezproxy.slq.qld.gov.au/login?url=https://search-proquest-com.ezproxy.slq.qld.gov.au/docview/232920707?accountid=13378
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