DC Comics Cancels "Batgirl" Joker Variant at Artist's Request

[skeezix]

I don't read DC but this is really disappointing. I can understand why the artist wanted it pulled if he was getting death threats but at some point people need to say no.

Where do we go from here? Should DC stop printing The Killing Joke for as long as the current Batgirl run is being published since that depiction is not in line with the current book? Seems absurd to pull this cover when a customer can just go purchase a nice hard cover version of The Killing Joke at the same store probably just a few racks over.

[Double 0]

Death threats are absolutely wrong. Period.

This isn't censorship, re-read the definition.

I think Rafael and DC made the right decision. They had all the power to ignore the complaints and release the cover, but they also have a responsibility to maintain an image; this cover ran contradictory to what and where they want to aim this new line wide direction.

Make sure the cover fits the tone and potential audience it's going for, not going for cheap shock and thrills. It was a well drawn cover, but it invoked the wrong messages. That's all.

[Philip A Moore]

Wow, unbelievable. Nice going everyone, a great piece of artwork banned over....nothing.

There are no words.

nothing? I am all for free speech but that image was scary. it was man who could be child molester putting his around a girl and telling her to smile he was going to blow her head off . he drew a smile over her face with same finger he is making a gun with. it is was scary. because you see the fear in the girls eyes she knows she is going to die ! and this idiot is laughing about it. I for one am glad it is not being printed. It is too effective at capturing all the thoughts that go through someones head. the image make me think of the covers of true Detective I did not want to look at when I was seven the one of some poor woman being murdered on each cover.

[Marvel_Is]

Great, crocodile tears wins the day again. These people gonna damage the medium as much as the comics code did.

This is what I believe will happen also, sadly.

[Nite-Wing]

This sets a new precedent
Apparently if enough people are vocal about being offended by something a creator can basically just be pressured into caving in and not going forward with something.
Its a pretty ridiculous controversy especially since Joker is one of the most popular villains ever its like people only want his victims to be nameless fodder and have no connection to them or just not care about some of the other characters he's actually abused
Maybe they should just cancel the entire joker variant month since apparently him doing anything evil is now in bad taste.

Of course I understand why people don't like the cover babs looks to be a victim of the joker but then again who isn't
Everyone in the bat family has had some trauma done to them on account of the Joker somehow Batgirl fans take this to the extreme and paint it as if she's being preyed upon but I never got that connection.

[ViewtifulJC]

Really don't get the "it goes against the tone of the book"

They're VARIANT COVERS! Damn near all of them go against the tone of the book! THAT'S THE IDEA, TO BE A VARIATION!

are you gonna start asking for Skottie Young to take down all his Lil' Marvel variants cuz it doesn't reflect the tone of the book

[SuperiorNova]

nothing? I am all for free speech but that image was scary. it was man who could be child molester putting his around a girl and telling her to smile he was going to blow her head off . he drew a smile over her face with same finger he is making a gun with. it is was scary. because you see the fear in the girls eyes she knows she is going to die ! and this idiot is laughing about it. I for one am glad it is not being printed. It is too effective at capturing all the thoughts that go through someones head. the image make me think of the covers of true Detective I did not want to look at when I was seven the one of some poor woman being murdered on each cover.

You clearly have not read comics before. This isn't a cover that everyone would pick up, its a variant that fans of The Killing Joker would love to have in their collection. Its an homage to a story that pops into any batgirl fan. You think of Joker + Batgirl and The Killing Joke comes to mind. No one died and no seven year olds would be reading it lol.

[Dr. Cheesesteak]

nothing? I am all for free speech but that image was scary. it was man who could be child molester putting his around a girl and telling her to smile he was going to blow her head off . he drew a smile over her face with same finger he is making a gun with. it is was scary. because you see the fear in the girls eyes she knows she is going to die ! and this idiot is laughing about it.

yeah...that's The Joker for you...

[Batknight]

Really don't get the "it goes against the tone of the book"

They're VARIANT COVERS! Damn near all of them go against the tone of the book! THAT'S THE IDEA, TO BE A VARIATION!

Spot on. You did not need this cover to read the book, it was an entirely different option.

[MagnusRex]

Okay this is so beyond unnecessary. They've lost a reader right here. Wasn't it only a few months ago that the title had a psycho gay transvestite dressing up like Batgirl? Probably would have killed her to take her place? But yet it's too over the top have a fictional psychopath on an variant cover? You know what the real bullshit is though? I guarantee the same people who sent death threats to the author probably look at the news, and see what ISIS is doing with historic artifacts, and saying they're barbaric for doing so. I bet a lot of them looked at what happened with Charlie Hebdo, and said those involved were wrong for killing people over a cartoon image. I can see people being upset over the Spider-Woman variant cover. I can give them that one. There's nothing offensive about this cover. So the character is strong and independent enough to fight crime, except when it comes to the fictional, unpredictable psychopath, who would make a lot of the male heroes in the DC universe have the exact same look on their face.

[macattack]

This is what I believe will happen also, sadly.

For the sake of comics and entertainment media in general I hope not. We don't need a modified version of the Comics Code Authority revived in comics or in any other medium.

[Luke Cage]

Don't see the problem with the cover. The Joker is a sadistic murderous bastich. The cover clearly depicts that. The Joker was responsible for the darkest period in her life. This cover clearly is alluding to that. It's a fact. It happened. What's the problem?

[Philip A Moore]

If I were DC I'd have another artist, if one is willing, to recreate the same basic idea of the cover, and release it anyway.

truth is banning it does costs DC nothing it is not like they haven't been flooding the market with unnecessary variants. I have news for them most of us only buy one issue either the regular or the Variant . all it does is confuse which issues we have by the covers . I almost bought anther issue of Grayson till I realized I had the variet. I would love to see dc stop making so many varients and perhaps use the money they pay for the extra cover on a couple more interior pages .

[Shawn Hopkins]

Nerds need to get it through their heads that you don't get your way with threats and violence. They should have learned that as toddlers.

[Dr. Cheesesteak]

Don't see the problem with the cover. The Joker is a sadistic murderous bastich. The cover clearly depicts that. The Joker was responsible for the darkest period in her life. This cover clearly is alluding to that. It's a fact. It happened. What's the problem?

She's a girl, and they aren't supposed to cry.

...except when they want something removed b/c it offends them.