Other Hugh J. Ward art:

http://www.askart.com/askart/w/hugh_j_ward/hugh_j_ward.aspx

A small biography and gallery of Hugh Ward.

http://www.pulpartists.com/Ward.html

Originally, so the story went, Norman Rockwell was supposed to paint it!!

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That's amazing. I had no idea about it.

You're right about the cloth, but based on the pattern in the armor and the delineation of muscles around the emblem, I'd say it's only the emblem that has plating behind it.

About Hugh J. Ward, another less direct comic book connection:

I'd say if you're worrying about a belt buckle being "boring" you're directing a whole lot of energy into the wrong place!

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Now I'm feeling bad for looking at belts...

The notion that the bat emblem is bullet-proof and gives potential shooters a target assumes anyone shooting at Batman would be a crack marksman.

And, frankly, if I was shooting at Batman, I'd aim that the one part of his body that was clearly not armored -- the lower half of his face!

No, you would aim at the emblem/target HIGH CENTER CHEST (especially in this frame) where you have a better chance of hitting the target, even if your shot is left, right, up, or down.

However, I agree that it looks like and seems to be inferred that only the emblem is armored.  This creates a bigger problem than it solves, as Batman has just made it easier for his opponents to aim HIGH CENTER CHEST  and hit him in a non armored part of his costume than in his armored emblem.  Even without the yellow emblem/target, a pro is probably aiming there, unless Deadshot has his head in his sights at a close enough range, making the first part of JB's initial statement, dare I say it, right on target ;-)

Therefore I suggest that Frank's kewl justification for the yelow oval is only kewl to the older teenager, proud of the maturity and sophistication he possess when compared to the younger reader who never worried about why Batman wore a Bat signal on his chest.

Compared, however, to the adult who still enjoys the medium, who understands this to be just another unnecessary explanation in an endless stream of unnecessary explanations that can only lead to one ultimate conclusion: NO ONE HAS SUPERPOWERS AND NO ONE WITHOUT THEM WOULD DRESS UP AND FIGHT CRIME (AND SURVIVE).

Why go there?  They're comic books for Christ's sake.