So let me get this straight; taking a comic book story about a young woman being shot and stripped by a mass murdering clown and adapting it into a video game. That's fine. Taking a comic book story about a young woman being shot and stripped by a mass murdering clown and adapting it into an animated movie. That's fine. Possibly taking a comic book story about a young woman being shot and stripped by a mass murdering clown and alluding to it in a film. That's fine. But taking a comic book story about a young woman being shot and stripped by a mass murdering clown and referencing it on one comic book variant cover is an act of sexism? You white knights forgot to say "knock knock".
With news of Alan Moore's "Batman: The Killing Joke" getting an animated movie with big league voice actors like Kevin Conroy and Mark Hamill possibly returning, everyone seems to be screaming in applause. Was I-The Panel Biter (trademark)-paying close attention to this news? No. I know it's going to be amazing. No, I was focusing my ears on the naysayers, the people online who were so quick to ban that Batgirl variant cover sometime ago. Yeah, remember that controversial nutshell? Remember how feminist nerd-bashers rose with pitchforks to spear the artist of that poster-worthy cover for making a "strong female character" look vulnerable and weak? Hey, were any of you people upset when that variant cover of The Joker swinging at The Flash's head with a crowbar was released? How about that cover of Wonder Woman slow dancing with Joker, unaware that he was holding a Looney Tunes bomb behind her back? No? No concerns? None of those covers were banned or criticized? Weird. And now that story all those online personalities were so quick to demonize with confirmed untrue claims of rape is getting an animated movie, a scene in "Batman: Arkham Knight", and possibly a reference in "Batman v. Superman: The Bloating of Batman", and all those annoying voices we true comic book fans ignored have suddenly gone silent.
Add to the fuel that I recently discovered the image above of a Batgirl comic variant of Barbara Gordon-who for the record, stole Stephanie Brown's style and is acting way younger than she actually is-taking a cellphone picture of Harley Quinn-The Joker's main squeeze and the sole reason people are going to see the "Suicide Squad" movie-while she is being arrested. "But it's okay, Raffi" some of you may say, "Harley Quinn is a bad guy". Is that the logic? One could say that cover of The Joker and Batgirl was simply a villain getting the upper hand on a hero. That happens all the time in comic books, so why was it a big deal then? Because people blew it out of proportion by saying The Joker was going to rape Batgirl? Well, if that's the train of thought I can just say Batgirl's cover with Harley Quinn is offensive, I can say Harley Quinn is the deranged victim of a madman who is only seeking help in reforming into a superhero-which she is doing in her solo title-and instead of helping Harley become a better person, Batgirl ridicules her by getting her arrested, thrown back in a disgusting madhouse, taking a cellphone photo of Harley Quinn and mocking Harley's reason for insanity by using The Joker's iconic pose. There, not so black and white now, is it? Now instead of a hero defeating a villain, this is a variant cover of an irresponsible and petty superhero disregarding the cries for help from a victim of insanity. A victim who's been abused by The Joker just as much-if not more-as Batgirl has been. Do you feel bad for Harley? Yes? Of course you do, because some voiceless text online told you to feel bad.
So was that variant Batgirl cover offensive? No. No. No. Hell, no. No! No, it was not! You know why? I'll tell you why! I'll give you ten reasons you should not be offended by that cover:
1. It's a varient, which means there are other covers to that issue you can buy.
2. The cover does not reflect what happens in that issue, it is just an image.
3. In the story it homages, Batgirl is shot and crippled, but she is not raped. She lives for many more years and acts as the second handicapped superhero in comic books, making the character much more admirable and important.
4. The New 52 reboot explained that Batgirl recovered from her crippled injuries and went right back to crime fighting. Meaning the "Killing Joke" did not end her career, nor did it ruin her character.
5. That cover was released as part of "Joker Month" in which all of DC Comic's titles would receive a variant cover showing The Joker screwing-over other DC characters. Meaning Batgirl isn't the only character who was "victimized".
6. The leading charge of the cover banning was Batgirl's current writer, his argument was that the cover didn't reflect the tone of the book, raising the issue of "creator's freedom". But not once did anyone think about the "creative freedom" of the artist of the cover, Rafael Abuquerque.
7. The "Joker Month" variants were meant to put The Joker in a winning situation over DC characters on each variant cover, something this banned cover did completely well.
8. The Joker-against what many people may think-did not rape, sexually abuse or molest Barbara Gordon/Batgirl in "The Killing Joke". Alan Moore confirmed that The Joker only stripped her naked. Adaptations of this story have never alluded to The Joker raping her. The Joker has rarely ever been shown as a sexual character. His only spark of admiration or love is towards Batman, who he loves in a way beyond physical attraction.
9. There has never been another cover like that banned cover and now that the whole argument has blown over, there is no chance it will ever be revisited again.
10. And this is the big one. Are you ready? Okay, here we go. NOBODY CARES ABOUT JESSICA JONES. Confused? Marvel Comic's character Jessica Jones was repeatedly sexually victimized by The Purple Man a few years ago. Nobody called it controversial. Nobody online made hour-long videos trying to brainwash people into believing their pointless complaints. The raping of Jessica Jones was just something that happened. Like it was never a big deal to the outside world. Gwen Stacy died, Cyclops hooked up with Emma Frost, Jessica Jones was turned into The Purple Man's sex slave. Yep, just another day in comic books. Don't argue it's because she's not a superhero, because at the time she was. Jones went by Jewel, she had powers, a costume, she wore a pink wig, she was even friends with The Avengers. She married Luke Cage, she had a baby girl, she was on The New Avengers, she's another cool Marvel Comics character. Nothing else. If Jessica Jones can be raped and move on with her life and still become a successful person, why is a comic variant featuring The Joker defeating Batgirl such a big deal? It's a cover! He's not doing anything to her! She's crying, he's smiling, it's not a story! If you're going to argue "the picture paints a pretty clear story" and use that to solidify you're point of Batgirl being objectified than my point of "The Joker kidnapped a red-headed girl, dressed her in a Batgirl costume and tortured her" is just as solid. Can you prove I'm wrong? No. Can I prove you're wrong? No, but at least I have the evidence to back my claims up. At least I-unlike all those dolled-up activists online-can admit I read "The Killing Joke", I know The Joker's character, if Alan Moore went out and said The Joker did rape her and you had that chip on your side, I'd still be defending that cover because referencing horrific moments in comic book history is a staple of modern comics. It even extends to TV and film and video games. Nobody, and I mean nobody, said anything when Jason Todd's death at the hands of The Joker was shown/referenced in the video games, in the animated movies, or in the upcoming films. If all those anti-variant protestors hate the idea of Batgirl being abused, why is nobody upset that a young boy was tortured and killed? Why are there no groups of people trying to ban the animated adaptation of "Killing Joke" from being made? You know why? Because a writer who was far too deep up his own ass didn't go on Twitter to complain.
Thanks for reading.
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