The poster chosen to advertise the 2012 blockbuster hit The Dark Knight, a continuation of the Batman saga, consists of numerous compositional elements designed to draw in the viewer to see the movie. The background features a crumbling building surrounded by dark clouds of smoke, and centered in the building the Batman symbol burning in flames. Below the building stands a very confident Batman dressed in black armor, while above the building is the sentence, "Welcome to world without rules." Someone with no previous knowledge of the Batman storyline could easily assume from this poster that Batman is not the hero but the villain in the film. In fact, nearly every design element of the poster suggests that Batman is the source of the chaos occurring behind him. The idea that Batman has changed into a more violent and frightening character is meant to confuse potential viewers, pique their curiosity, and encourage them to see the movie in order to find out whether or not Batman is the hero. In order to capture the ambiguity of Batman's character in the upcoming film the artist of the poster included contrasting colors, specific angles, and symbolism that contradict the previous films.

Immediately upon viewing the poster one is able to comprehend that Batman is in control of the city due to the angle in which the image is taken. The specificity of the angle allows for the viewer to feel that Batman is larger and more powerful than those beneath him. However, this condescending angle creates irony because the viewer feels a sense of being "looked down upon" or belittled, rather than looking up to a hero. More generally, this angle invites the audience to question whether Batman is the true hero or is doing more damage than he is solving. Another compositional element that questions Batman's role in the movie is the rendering of the bat signal. In previous Batman movies, the infamous symbol of the bat is used to contact him when the city is in need of his help, normally shined throughout the sky from a light atop a building. The difference in this poster is that the symbol is burning in the middle of the building as if it were destroying it.  The original meaning behind the bat symbol is to make the city aware that Batman is coming to save the day, yet ironically the symbol in this poster represents the opposite. This is another feature that is meant to puzzle viewers and create a conflict in their mind of what the true character of Batman really is.

The most obvious attempt by the artist to form a questionable opinion of the hero is the sentence above the crumbling building, "Welcome to a world without rules". For a city to be safe and protected all must follow the rules and the rules have to be enforced by a higher power such as a hero and in this case, Batman. The image portrays Batman as if he is the one causing the chaos behind him and is not following the rules that he should be enforcing to keep the city safe. The artist also places the sentence amongst the clouds and in an area of lighter coloring to allude to the idea that the rules of Gotham have disappeared in all and that the city is plagued with chaos.

The overall design of the poster undermines the form of heroism that Batman has possessed in prior films. The city of Gotham that stands behind him in the image does not capture or represent the good Batman has done previously for the city. Fans of prior films view this poster and presume that Batman has changed in a way that will affect the outcome of the city. The purpose of the artist incorporating design elements that contradict what has been featured in other films is to provoke internal confliction among viewers that idolize Batman. By inserting this sense of ambiguity in the poster the artist is taking the risk of either losing fans based on the changing dynamics of Batman's character or gaining interest in whether or not Batman's heroic legacy will continue.
