Batgirl #41 cover CANCELLED!

[IndySportsCards]

read the depressing news here

[The Authority]

Unfortunate that an artist would be forced to fold here. I respect that the artist has to do what he feels necessary to keep safe. I have zero respect for those who threaten people over a fictional character.

[Magickyak]

That was the only one I was going to buy =P Why so sensitive?

[natbornkiller]

If dc was smart they would make it a super tough incentive variant 1:100+ at least

nobody is forcing anyone to buy it
they can always buy the standard cover

[Cyber Warrior]

Boycott the boycott!

[jeffmagley]

That was the only one I wanted too.

[Chance]

Originally Posted by natbornkiller

If dc was smart they would make it a super tough incentive variant 1:100+ at least

nobody is forcing anyone to buy it
they can always buy the standard cover

+1

But not 1:100. 1:15 will do. We don't need another book like a Wonder Woman 1:100.

[wickedliquids]

That was an excellent cover! Damn.....one of the best pieces I've seen in a long time. What a bummer, I was looking forward to that. Hey Indy, if they reverse and make it an incentive cover, put me down for one! ��

[IndySportsCards]

Originally Posted by wickedliquids

That was an excellent cover! Damn.....one of the best pieces I've seen in a long time. What a bummer, I was looking forward to that. Hey Indy, if they reverse and make it an incentive cover, put me down for one! ��

I'll keep my eyes and ears out.

[wickedliquids]

Anyone know Rafa's twitter? I'm tweeting DC my disappointment.

[Stat Monsters]

CENSORSHIP through THREATS???... Round 1 for the Terrorists... winning the battle, but hopefully not the war...

Polybag this version, allow retailers to carry it, let customers decide to purchase it or not, and sell it at a premium to retailers with proceeds going to a charity (not necessarily related to Women's Shelters either), that's maybe how to turn a negative into a positive.

[wickedliquids]

I'm mad tweeting lol "wickedliquids"

[Rip67vdub]

Originally Posted by Stat Monsters

CENSORSHIP through THREATS???... Round 1 for the Terrorists... winning the battle, but hopefully not the war...

Polybag this version, allow retailers to carry it, let customers decide to purchase it or not, and sell it at a premium to retailers with proceeds going to a charity (not necessarily related to Women's Shelters either), that's maybe how to turn a negative into a positive.

Not a bad idea.

[LBSB333]

First the Internet was upset about the cover and now the Internet is upset that it's removed.

From what I saw on the artist's Twitter, he says he was never threatened.

[fezziwig]

Originally Posted by wickedliquids

I'm mad tweeting lol "wickedliquids"

Read a few of your tweets.

The difference now (as opposed to 20+ years ago, or longer) is that companies understand more women in the workplace means more women with potential disposable income (housewife/homemaker didn't have an income). Emergence of social media has given more women an outlet to discuss (including anonymously if desired) things like experienced assault and abuse, which previously was not openly talked about; this has accelerated the feminist movement such that it's probably gained more momentum and social power in the last 5 years than it did in the previous 30+. The shoes has been put on the other foot in a sense, as now it is very difficult to sell media that involves even the suggestion of assault or abuse of women because of the new economic power of women, many of whom have suffered some of these traumatic experiences and are no longer remaining silent or inactive when being marketed reminders of those events.

Originally Posted by Stat Monsters

CENSORSHIP through THREATS???... Round 1 for the Terrorists... winning the battle, but hopefully not the war...

Polybag this version, allow retailers to carry it, let customers decide to purchase it or not, and sell it at a premium to retailers with proceeds going to a charity (not necessarily related to Women's Shelters either), that's maybe how to turn a negative into a positive.

In Germany they have strict censorship regarding the regime that was in charge during WW2; it's illegal to sell media depicting their flag or their salute, amongst other things.

I don't know if we'll ever (or if we even should) get to that extreme level of censorship on this subject. The PR problem with a bagged issue though is that it's an open admission of guilt (if it was fine, it would need no bag), with no real social consequence; the charity donation is basically an attempt to buy off the victim after the publisher and consumer got their way, or so it would be spun in the PR aftermath. Pulling the cover is the safest long term PR option for the artist and publisher.

Maybe this is just the times changing before our very eyes. Stephen Foster, Americas first music star, was a minstrel performer (outrageous today) who's most famous songs have whole verse sections go untaught or rewritten today due to the use of certain terms now deemed offensive. Mark Twain's Huckleberry Finn was banned by some Libraries around the time of its printing, for the crime of using crude language; the reason remains today, though the language deemed crude has changed (the 200+ uses of a certain 6-letter word, which may be edited and replaced in more recent editions). Perhaps we're in a time now where things are evaluated and checked on a standard of the perception of women? That's not so much censorship as it is economic and marketplace evolution.

[jasonadkins]

I'm trying to sort this one out here. So this board is unanimously stating that rape isn't a big issue or that she was asking for it? I would like to disagree with the rest of this message board in that thought. Yes, I have read The Killing Joke and do sell it at my shop, but for DC Comics or Warner Brothers to show this cover as an homage to DC being the pioneer of a major rape in a comic series, I feel that is terrible and they made the right choice in pulling this cover. Sorry for my strong feelings, but I have had three female friends/girlfriends tell me about their encounters of being raped, and it is not easy to hear as a man.

Again, I hold nothing against anyone's feelings that this cover being pulled is horrible censorship, I am just stating my opinion that I am glad DC pulled this cover from release.

If you want to argue the interpretation of The Killing Joke incident, here it is:

[Brian Shirk]

That sucks I was going to buy 3 copies of it. I love the cover and if it been 15 years ago. I think nothing would have been said. It reminded me of Batman the animated series.

Wonder if the put a bang flag sticking out of the gun if the make a difference.


I have never read the killing joke though.

[Chance]

I guess this cover just got more interesting.

[Brian Shirk]

Going to go try and find killing joke and read it. To try and understand what its about.

[dd316]

Part of DC's quote:

threats of violence and harassment are wrong and have no place in comics or society.

So I guess all Batman comics are going to be cancelled, now. Villains will only be allowed to say mean things to superheroes, and will go to prison willfully only to reemerge as model citizens, thus negating any need for Batman at all.

If DC really has a problem with something they published before, maybe they should order all copies and reprints returned and destroyed.

If people don't want to read it, there are still plenty of old books available that are "Approved by the Comics Code Authority."

[Netter]

Everything said, it does appear that the cover to Batgirl:Endgame #1, it could be argued Batgirl is wiping the red (blood?) off her face, and is ready to kick some serious butt (same artist as well, if I'm not mistaken)

[techtre2003]

Originally Posted by jasonadkins

I'm trying to sort this one out here. So this board is unanimously stating that rape isn't a big issue or that she was asking for it? I would like to disagree with the rest of this message board in that thought. Yes, I have read The Killing Joke and do sell it at my shop, but for DC Comics or Warner Brothers to show this cover as an homage to DC being the pioneer of a major rape in a comic series, I feel that is terrible and they made the right choice in pulling this cover. Sorry for my strong feelings, but I have had three female friends/girlfriends tell me about their encounters of being raped, and it is not easy to hear as a man.

Again, I hold nothing against anyone's feelings that this cover being pulled is horrible censorship, I am just stating my opinion that I am glad DC pulled this cover from release.

How in the world did you come to that conclusion

[WhacksPacks]

yawn...of COURSE he cancelled it.

I expect nothing less in this day and age.
Predictable and pathetic.

[Morgoth]

Originally Posted by Stat Monsters

CENSORSHIP through THREATS???... Round 1 for the Terrorists... winning the battle, but hopefully not the war...

Polybag this version, allow retailers to carry it, let customers decide to purchase it or not, and sell it at a premium to retailers with proceeds going to a charity (not necessarily related to Women's Shelters either), that's maybe how to turn a negative into a positive.

I don't know what you guys are talking about here, the artist was not threatened. The people objecting to the cover were threatened as per the quote from the article below.

UPDATE 3/16/2015 10:00 PM PT: Rafael Abuquerque and "Batgirl" co-writer Cameron Stewart have both taken to Twitter to clarify the reference to "threats of violence and harassment" in DC Comics' statement concerning the cancellation of the "Batgirl" #41 variant cover.

Abuquerque, the artist of the variant cover, wrote, "Ill talk more about it tomorrow but I was never threatened. just to make it clear." Stewart stated, "Something to clarify, because DCs statement was a little unclear. @rafaalbuquerque did not get threats. People OBJECTING to the cover did."

I believe the cover could have been just as effective without smearing blood all over her face and her crying. It just went to far in showing a scared teenager being abused sexually IMO.

[LBSB333]

Originally Posted by techtre2003

How in the world did you come to that conclusion

I have to agree, Jason..that was a pretty bold assumption sir!

I think it's more that this is another recent example on a book being pulled/altered because a group of people were unhappy with it (e.g. PowerPuff Girls "too sexy" cover, Spider-Woman Milo variant), yet there was still a high demand for it. Another suggestion for going about this would be to let it hit the shelves and to let shops and customers decide whether they want to buy it or not. This is how the Superman series by Orson Scott Card was handled (which then DC pulled anyways...)

Artistically, I thought it was a great cover. You can't help but look and feel a sense of terror and creepiness of the Joker. He really is a sick, twisted villain, and that cover portrayed it. Personally, I wouldn't have bought it b/c I'm not a big Joker fan. But I wouldn't hold it against anyone who wanted to buy it.