SDCC: "Batman: The Killing Joke" Screenwriter Explains Controversial Sex Scene

[Nite-Wing]

Well I know that Moore has expressed regret at Barbara's treatment in the original story (and DC's apparently very flippant/dismissive attitude towards it as well). So, I don't think that he'd be a fan of this idea. He might not outright detest it (I mean there is lots of sex in his work, including creepy/awkward sex). But with THIS story in-particular, IDK.

Moore wouldn't care about the sex(read almost any of his work outside of DC to start)
After all this is a story where Babs is sexually assaulted and humiliated and that's where he is against the story on that merit
All this outrage from the outside looking in would seem stupid to him because his story wasn't changed and the outcry is because of something much more tame than what he did

[Punisher007]

The point is that Moore has admitted to regretting Bab's treatment in the original story, and DC's attitude towards it.

[PurpleGlovez]

Moore wouldn't care about the sex(read almost any of his work outside of DC to start)
After all this is a story where Babs is sexually assaulted and humiliated and that's where he is against the story on that merit
All this outrage from the outside looking in would seem stupid to him because his story wasn't changed and the outcry is because of something much more tame than what he did

His story wasn't changed? Are we on the same page here?

[geomon]

What a shame. What an absolute shame that they finally pull the trigger on adapting this story and they get a phenomenal cast for it and they fucked it all up. And for what? Controversy. I hope they don't make a single dime from this.

[M L A]

Wew, they and I have a different definition of "strong character".

[Nick Miller]

Azz also wrote this

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[Johnny]

Comic book storylines rarely offend me. If anyone here has read or especially seen interviews with Brian Azzarello, you'd know the guy has a really sarcastic sense of humor. That's why I don't take the "more controversy" comment seriously at all, that's exactly what I would expect of him to say. He seems like a laid back dude who finds it funny to rile people up and couldn't care less about political correctness.

With that being said, I can see why other people may have a problem with the Bats/Babs situation, it's simply unnecessary. I would reserve judgment until I see the actual movie, because I doubt Barbara having a sexual relationship with Batman would simply serve as a plot device for him to go after Joker, but I always found Bruce Timm's tendency to showcase sexual attraction between Bruce Wayne and Barbara Gordon to be weird and out of place. I admit I didn't expect of him to pull that again, especially in this story. It's also a shame because I'm sure Hamill and Conroy killed it in the movie, but now all of that would be overshadowed by this so-called controversy.

[mrPizza]

Ok so Barb acts out a mentor rape fantasy with Batman. Comes across as unnecessary and padding.

[scottsummer]

Might as well let Bruce to force Dick to watch him bang Barbs at this point, want more controversy huh.


**** this ****.

[GreenLanternRanger]

"The thing about this is that it's controversial, so we added more controversy,"

That may be the stupidest thing I've ever heard.

Agreed. I like Brian Azzarello's work, but this is just stupid.

[batsgrayson]

“There’s clearly an unstated attraction between the two of the characters from the very beginning and I think it’s there in the comics. If you go back and look at the Adam West show, its’ there in the Adam West show,” said Timm. “It’s subtle, but to me it’s always been there.”

idk Timm you gotta tell me what comics you’ve been reading bc they sure seem different from mine

[Jeremi]

I know that Batman Beyond had Barbara hinting that she and Bruce had been intimate at least once... so you can argue there is precedent
but this still feels off to me... and "The thing about this is that it's controversial, so we added more controversy," explained Azzarello. "I think she is stronger than the men in her life in this story. She controls the men in her life in this story."

Wow.

It was controversial so they added more controversy? I would think it would be a sign to focus on other aspects since that was covered.

And it was creepy there too! To me any romance among the Bat family is borderline incestuous.

Bruce and Barbara especially due to the teacher/student almost father/daughter dynamic of their relationship.

[Punisher007]

Not to mention that Jim Gordon is one of his best friends/closest allies. Like how would that conversation go I wonder? Also it's his adoptive son's ex-GF.

I mean if this were Catwoman, or Zatanna, or Talia, etc there wouldn't be an issue. Heck I could even be made ok with it being Wonder Woman or Black Canary depending on how it was written.

But I never like this idea, and it makes BOTH of them look really bad.

[Chris Lang]

I'd have to agree that this whole thing just seems ... wrong. Bruce is basically like a second father to Barbara. It just doesn't seem right for them to be 'shipped' or have them ... doing it. Even though they're not actually related, it does come across to me as a bit incestuous.

Besides, haven't Dick Grayson and Barbara Gordon been an on/off pairing for decades, now?

[Aioros22]

Moore wouldn't care about the sex(read almost any of his work outside of DC to start)

He likely would if he felt it didn`t add zip to the story.

After all this is a story where Babs is sexually assaulted and humiliated and that's where he is against the story on that merit
All this outrage from the outside looking in would seem stupid to him because his story wasn't changed and the outcry is because of something much more tame than what he did

The sexual assault was at most implied, never confirmed or brought up as such.

You can see with that the difference between what Moore did in his script and what Azzalero did here. One was nuanced and done what was needed to make a story work. Granted, his least liked story by his own words and then Azzarelo who is and can be a great comic writer deciding to add something that doesn`t bring anything in and is just there to grab more attention by proxis of controversy. Calling it what it is, is just a publicity stunt.

Lastly I`d argue that for Batgirl fans (and maybe Batman as well) that adittion paints the characters no favors.

Batman: Loyalty, trust and work ethics. I can`t wait to read his next big speech to the boys so I can roll my eyes further my brain in satisfation.