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[Messi]

The cover is part of the Joker variant theme coming this june.

Here are two responses from twitter

@rafaalbuquerque at what point did you think it was a good idea to make that Joker variant? It's disgusting, you should be ashamed.

@rafaalbuquerque Please add my voice to being repulses by the Joker variant. Y'all are seriously trolling women fans at this pt

People over on the CBR forums are having a fairly heated discussion about how this cover promotes misogyny

Personally I love the cover. It is very striking. and it is meant to be horrific. That's why you choose someone like Albuquerque to do a cover like that. The Killing Joke is a part of Batgirls history (hell its something the recent Secret Origins issue dealt with). Some people are seeing this cover as an attack on women. What do you guys think?

 

[Permanently A]

That cover is fucking awesome.

 

[UnluckyKate]

What's wrong ? It's the joker torturing someone in the bat familly, like he always did. Stop making this an gender issue

 

[finowns]

Pretty sure I would have the same expression if the Joker was behind me.

 

[EdibleExplosives]

Is there something I'm not getting here? I feel like I'm missing some context as I can't see why that pic is offensive. It's The Joker doing what he does.

Edit:

I didn't think about it this way, which makes sense:

Is the issue that she's portrayed as weaker than male superheroes?

 

[elrechazado]

A psychopathic villain has misogynist or racist or horrible behavior and character??? No shit.

Also the joker is Michael Jackson in that pic

 

[injurai]

Oh I get it. They're projecting rape culture.

 

[Ferrio]

It's the joker, he don't discriminate! Kill everyone!

 

[Fantastical]

Is the issue that she's portrayed as weaker than male superheroes?

 

[Moral Panic]

Is there something I'm not getting here? I feel like I'm missing some context as I can't see why that pic is offensive. It's The Joker doing what he does.

.

 

[Nibel]

Joker is promoting Run The Jewels

 

[ZeroGravity]

You're only allowed to commit acts of violence against males now. Didn't people get the memo?

 

[BeatResetsTheWorld]

Some people are seeing this cover as an attack on women. What do you guys think?

I think some people are fucking stupid. Not in an opinionated, based on your perspective, sort of way, but in an objective, "you're actually a dumbass" sort of way

 

[Rhomega Beta]

A redo of The Killing Joke?

 

[captainpat]

Not offensive but not original either.

 

[GringoSuave89]

If anyone read The Killing Joke, you remember

Spoiler

after shooting Barbra he starts stripping her and taking pictures of her naked to torture her father to the point of insanity

. People that don't like it are saying it's putting Barbra with her attacker/

Spoiler

molester

. So I get it.

 

[Karolinen]

People will of course get OUTRAGED over this. Just like the spiderwomen cover from last year. Also, anyone who sees this as an attack on women need to remember this. JOKER IS A VILLAIN! He is a bad guy! He is evil!

 

[Archaix]

The cover isn't completely terrible, but are there all that many Batman covers where Batman is crying because there's a villain behind him? There's certainly some basis to complaints.

 

[EdibleExplosives]

Is the issue that she's portrayed as weaker than male superheroes?

Huh, never thought of that. I'd understand that point but it seems like a reference to what happens in the Killing Joke (and any other storylines? I don't keep up with comics).

 

[Messi]

Is the issue that she's portrayed as weaker than male superheroes?

That seems to be the problem for some people.

I can't say I agree. This is just what Joker does. He fucked up Robin too, Harley ect ect.

 

[Mesoian]

I see no problem here.

 

[ActuallyHulk]

The Joker is a murdering psychopath, but at least he's not a misogynist!!!!!!!!!!

He's the goddamn Joker. He's shot her once before. He looks like he feels like doing it again. That's all this is.

 

[xxracerxx]

If anyone read The Killing Joke, you remember after shooting Barbra he starts stripping her and taking pictures of her naked to torture her father to the point of insanity. People that don't like it are saying it's putting Barbra with her attacker/

Spoiler

molester

. So I get it.

They have been on so many panels together since then....yet this is special?

 

[LabouredSubterfuge]

People need to go to school and read more so that they are better able to assess literature.

 

[Ganzlinger]

The cover is great.

Joker isn't supposed to be a good guy. What's wrong with people?

 

[FrostuTheNinja]

That's a pretty wild cover. I dig it.

 

[BeatResetsTheWorld]

Joker fucks up and tortures Robin. A-ok
Joker fucks up and tortures a woman. Everyone's stop the presses! We have some patriarchal misogynistic assholes here!

 

[Mr Fahrenheit]

So is batgirl not allowed to get hurt because she's a woman?

 

[Messi]

The Joker is a murdering psychopath, but at least he's not a misogynist!!!!!!!!!!

He's the goddamn Joker. He's shot her once before. He looks like he feels like doing it again. That's all this is.

He isn't doing it again. Its a variant cover and has no effect on the current story. Its just a nod to the killing joke.

 

[Dicer]

Joker fucks up and tortures Robin. A-ok
Joker fucks up and tortures a woman. Everyone's stop the presses! We have some patriarchal misogynistic assholes here!

Bingo...

 

[lednerg]

Joker is promoting Run The Jewels

woah

 

[Schweinehund]

If anyone read The Killing Joke, you remember

Spoiler

after shooting Barbra he starts stripping her and taking pictures of her naked to torture her father to the point of insanity

. People that don't like it are saying it's putting Barbra with her attacker/

Spoiler

molester

. So I get it.

You're right.

They definitely need a red hood variant with a crowbar.

 

[Demon Ice]

Utterly fantastic cover and utterly unsurprised that people are offended by it.

Never mind the fact that The Joker is supposed to be a wildly psychopathic mass murderer.

 

[GhostWriter24]

Controversial, you say? Offensive?

 

[Ahasverus]

I love it. Super daring.

 

[block tower]

cover is dope. people have their minds twisted to look for anything to be offended by, nothing controversial about this cover. social media has become annoying in regards to "outrage" over things people dont like.

 

[Producer]

I would have though it was controversial because of the blood/whatever it is.

Not because its a woman on the cover.

 

[captainpat]

Considering the audience they're trying to get with this new Batgirl isn't putting out a cover referencing that one time she got sexually abused and paralyzed a little counter intuitive?

 

[GringoSuave89]

Joker fucks up and tortures Robin. A-ok
Joker fucks up and tortures a woman. Everyone's stop the presses! We have some patriarchal misogynistic assholes here!

Jason is different, because writers don't bring it up half as much as writers do with Barbra and her situation. It isn't so much that those against the cover don't want her interacting with the Joker at all, they're just tired that every time the two are brought together, this particular attack is always brought up, Barbra is traumatized, rise, repeat.

Considering the audience they're trying to get with this new Batgirl isn't putting out a cover referencing that one time she got sexually abused and paralyzed a little counter intuitive?

You'd think, right?

 

[tcrunch]

She looks like that owl guy with the weird hallelujah scene in Watchmen. Though I guess he's a batman spoof so...I don't know where I was going with this.

 

[MisterHero]

It's just a variant cover, but who are these comics for? This is pretty dark considering the new Batgirl looks younger than her earlier New52 design.

The art is well rendered, the subject matter is just a bit dark.

Joker fucks up and tortures Robin. A-ok

Fans voting to kill a sidekick is messed up.

 

[Moppeh]

While there is a power difference between the goddamn Batman and Batgirl, I can see why people take offense to this. I don't think you would see a lot of male superheroes being placed on a similar cover.

I'm not a big comics guy, so I'm gonna ask DCGAF. Are there similar portrayals of male superheroes being put in a position like this?

Not gonna lie though, I think that cover looks fucking cool.

 

[Ferrio]

Considering the audience they're trying to get with this new Batgirl isn't putting out a cover referencing that one time she got sexually abused and paralyzed a little counter intuitive?

That makes sense, i can buy that reasoning.

 

[Mudcrab]

I mean it's just a variant paying homage to the Killing Joke for Joker month. A good one at that.

 

[V_Arnold]

At first, I was like "hm, nothing controversial about that", but then I realized that I also cant really remember any big "male superheroes crying powerless" covers from the past.

Except when holding a dead female lover, of course. Cyclops with dead Jean on the Moon. Spider-Man with Gwen, etc. THAT is expected. But a breakdown of tears out of fear? Unlikely.

So yeah, THIS is not the problem, the problem is that tears usually only are allowed on females. GTFO with that.

 

[Zombine]

Joker is promoting Run The Jewels

No, that's Marvel:

 

[bryanee]

Killing Joke. Great story and a great cover inspired by it.

 

[Mac the KNife]

That is one damn fine cover. Straight Up Chills.

 

[Plywood]

I think it's good. /shrug

 

[freeofgreed]

Was expect something much worse. I don't see what's wrong with this cover? Seems very typical? Have any of the people who are offended explained what was wrong with it?