However, a counter-movement sprang up, with others calling on DC to #SaveTheCover – among them American actor Adam Baldwin – and saying that pulling the cover would amount to censorship. And while it’s certainly drawn well, and it references a classic story from The Joker’s history, the fact is, it’s not what many of Batgirl readers of any gender want to see for one of DC’s few female heroes currently with her own title.” Teresa Justino, writing on the female-centric comics website The Mary Sue, said: “It’s disturbing. Along with Marvel Comics’ Captain Marvel and Ms Marvel, Batgirl has been highlighted as one of the titles responsible for getting more women reading comics.
Batgirl has been one of DC’s biggest hits in recent months, thanks to its light and fun tone. June has been designated “Joker month” by the publisher and all its comics will be available with an alternative cover option featuring the clown-like villain in some form.Īngry fans took to Twitter with the hashtag #ChangeTheCover exhorting DC comics to pull the Batgirl variant, which the series’ regular artist Cameron Stewart later revealed had not been run past the creative team of writer Brenden Fletcher and artists Babs Tarr and Stewart. Batgirl #41’s original cover artwork, which will now be the only one on sale.
