TORONTO – Holy Bat-Signal, Batman! The projection of the classic comic book signal on a building in downtown Montreal was cut short after just a few minutes on Saturday night.

The classic black-and-yellow symbol for the Caped Crusader lit up the night skies in 13 cities on six continents in celebration of the DC hero’s 80th anniversary.

Montreal was the only Canadian city where people could see the signal, which was scheduled to take place from 8 p.m. to midnight, but the display was cut short by police work.

Bat-fans in Montreal briefly spotted the iconic symbol shining onto the Place Dupuis Complex in the city’s downtown.

But officers asked onlookers to leave the area due to an incident in a nearby park, Place Émilie-Gamelin.

Other cities including Barcelona, Mexico City, Los Angeles, Berlin and São Paulo, saw their signal go up without a hitch.

“The Bat-Signal is easily one of the most recognizable images among all superhero iconography and this is going to be a remarkable sight as we transcend borders, languages and cultures to bring us all together with this single experience,” said Pam Lifford, president of Warner Bros. Global Brands and Experiences, in a press release.

She said the “beacon of inspiration” will help make Batman Day a “global celebration for all the fans.”

Batman Day is celebrated every year on the third Saturday of September to commemorate the comic book icon which was created by Bob Kane and Bill Finger.

Batman made his first appearance in Detective Comics #27 back in May 1939 and has since shown up in television shows, animated cartoons, movies and plenty of toys.

The full list of cities where people viewed the Bat-Signal were:

  • Barcelona at Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya
  • Berlin at Potzdamer Platz 11
  • Johannesburg at The Leonardo Building
  • London at the Senate House
  • Los Angeles at City Hall
  • Melbourne at Fed Square
  • Mexico City at Torre Reforma
  • Montreal at Complex Dupuis
  • New York the Domino Sugar Refinery
  • Paris at Galeries Lafayette
  • Rome at Roma Termini
  • São Paulo at Itaúsa - LMB
  • Tokyo at MAGNET by SHIBUYA109 at Shibuya Scramble Crossing