The Deathbat is the image of a skull with bat wings on it. It is widely known as the logo of Avenged Sevenfold (A7x), but it has actually been used as the mascot of the Thrash
Metal band Overkill, which has been around since 1980. A7x receives a lot of heat from Overkill fans, being accused of stealing Overkill's logo, and Overkill themselves went as far as releasing T-Shirts displaying Deathbats and text reading, "This one's ours... Get your own
fucking logo!"
However, neither band has the right to claim the Deathbat as their own, as images of
bat-winged skulls have existed
long before both bands have. In fact, the oldest Deathbat currently known in the world is a sculpture of a
bat-winged skull over a doorway in the Durham Cathedral, which has been built between c.1093-1133 AD.
Even so, it's really
stupid anyway to complain that A7x "stole" Overkill's logo, because the truth is that the logo has nothing to do with how the band sounds, it's just pointless in the end for anyone to
fight over who came up with what mascot first. You don't see the New York Giants and the San
Francisco Giants fighting with each other over who came up with the mascot first, do you?
Anyway, Avenged Sevenfold and Overkill are both awesome bands, and if you don't
like them, just don't listen to them.
Avenged Sevenfold fan:
Avenged Sevenfold invented the Deathbat!
Overkill fan: No, they stole it from Overkill!
Me: Both of you are wrong, neither of them invented it! It's been around since c.1133 sculpted over a doorway of the Durham Cathedral, see for yourselves!
Both fans:
Oh.
