Buzz
The comic book industry has often stirred up controversy, whether it's through superheroes behaving in unsettling ways or characters depicted in highly offensive manners. Some comics unintentionally provoke strong reactions, leading to over-the-top responses from readers.
10. The Transgender Antagonist in Batgirl
Since the New 52 reboot reshaped DC’s continuity, Batgirl has emerged as a symbol of progressive values. Under Gail Simone’s direction, the series featured a supportive transgender character and embraced a laid-back approach to LGBTQ+ themes. The stories carried a playful, youthful tone, with antagonists like Dagger Type, a flamboyant Batgirl lookalike who references Kanye West. When new writers unmasked Dagger Type, they disclosed the character was male, leading to Batgirl’s stunned reaction and Dagger Type’s sudden descent into villainy.
While Dagger Type was likely meant to satirize pretentious performance artists, the reveal sparked backlash. Critics viewed the villainous man in a wig as a revival of archaic transgender clichés. Some fans felt let down by the narrative shift, while others appreciated the campy humor and dismissed the controversy. In response to the outcry, the creative team apologized shortly after the issue’s release.
9. Sam Wilson Appears to Engage in a Relationship With a Minor
In Captain America No. 22, a scene depicted Sam Wilson (also known as Falcon) sharing a bed with Jet Zola, a superhero who had spent 12 years in Dimension Z. Jet was described as an infant when she first entered Dimension Z. Fans calculated her age and were left feeling deeply uncomfortable.
The backlash was intense, with critics demanding writer Rick Remender be dismissed and urging a boycott of Marvel titles. Many overlooked the fact that superhero comics often feature convoluted timelines.
Due to her time in Dimension Z, Jet aged significantly faster than others, reaching her mid-twenties in the comic’s timeline. This made her relationship with Sam Wilson a personal matter. Remender clarified this by mentioning Jet’s 23rd birthday.
8. The Anti-Extremist 99 Are Misidentified as Extremists
In 2006, Teshkeel Media, a Kuwaiti comic publisher, launched The 99. This series introduced 99 Islamic superheroes from diverse global backgrounds, uniting to fight evil. Its rapid rise to fame led to an animated TV show, a theme park, and a movie. By 2010, it even collaborated with DC Comics, featuring iconic characters like Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman. However, when the animated series reached the US, it faced backlash. Certain groups demanded its ban, accusing it of attempting to indoctrinate children with strict sharia principles.
Naif Al-Mutawa conceived The 99 as a direct response to combat Muslim extremism. In a PBS interview, he expressed frustration with the glorification of suicide bombers and jihadists in the West Bank, prompting him to create relatable, moderate Muslim heroes for young audiences. One of the main antagonists was even inspired by Osama Bin Laden—a decision that later resulted in Al-Mutawa being targeted for assassination by ISIS.
7. The Tragic Fate of Alex DeWitt’s Refrigerator
In the 1990s, Kyle Rayner, the new Green Lantern, needed a tragic origin story to match his heroic journey. Similar to Batman’s parents being murdered, DC crafted a dark and shocking event to motivate Rayner. This decision led to the untimely demise of his girlfriend, Alex DeWitt.
After only a few appearances, DeWitt was captured and interrogated by Major Force, who demanded to know the identity of the new Green Lantern. The situation escalated quickly, culminating in Major Force killing DeWitt, dismembering her body, and hiding the remains in Rayner’s refrigerator.
Many readers were outraged, viewing this as yet another instance of a female character being subjected to violence solely for narrative shock value. This incident inspired Gail Simone, a future Batgirl writer, to create the term “women in refrigerators” to highlight this recurring trope. She compiled a list of over 90 female characters who met similarly grim fates on her website, and the term gained widespread recognition. Even today, the phrase is frequently used to critique comparable storylines. This backlash was undoubtedly not what the writers anticipated from their dark plot twist.
6. The Tragic Destiny of All Black Kryptonians
Despite being destroyed when Superman was a child, Krypton and its people often appear in comic storylines. The 2009 New Krypton arc introduced over 100,000 Kryptonian refugees to Earth, drawing attention to a previously overlooked issue: the absence of non-white Kryptonians. Fans discovered that the fate of black Kryptonians had been addressed as early as 1971—they were relocated to a segregated island.
Issue No. 239 was a special oversized edition that included a detailed map of Krypton. The map featured Vathlo Island, described as the “Home of a Highly Advanced Black Race.” Readers learned that Krypton’s black population had “maintained their independence throughout history” and chose not to join the planetary federation.
While Superman No. 239 went unnoticed at the time, its rediscovery sparked controversy. The revelation left many feeling deeply uncomfortable and questioning the implications of such a narrative choice.
5. Spider-Man’s Disclosure of Sexual Abuse
In 1984, as part of their extensive PSA comics initiative, Marvel published Spider-Man and Power Pack. The comic aimed to educate children about the grim realities of sexual abuse. Rather than depicting Spider-Man defeating a predator, the story took a more personal turn, with Peter Parker confessing that he had been a victim of molestation.
The narrative focuses on Spider-Man encouraging a young abuse survivor to report their ordeal. During their conversation, Spider-Man shares his own experience, revealing that an older acquaintance named Skip had once shown him an adult magazine and coerced him into inappropriate contact, mimicking “the people in that magazine.” Peter eventually confided in his aunt and uncle, leading to a resolution. The story concludes with the boy inspired to speak out, and Peter reflecting on how sharing his story helped him heal from a traumatic part of his life.
While many fans appreciated Spider-Man addressing serious topics, the way Power Pack abruptly altered Peter Parker’s backstory left them furious. To make matters worse, this significant event was never referenced again in any subsequent media, despite being part of the official canon.
4. The Abuse of Ms. Marvel
In 1980, Marvel celebrated the 200th issue of The Avengers with a groundbreaking storyline. The writers aimed to create an unforgettable narrative, blending elements of Shakespearean drama, ancient mythology, and futuristic science fiction. This ambitious tale spanned dimensions and showcased the very best of the Marvel universe, making it a landmark event in comic history.
The storyline also included a disturbing scene where Ms. Marvel was sexually assaulted.
The controversial plot begins with Ms. Marvel unexpectedly becoming pregnant and delivering a baby in just three days. Her son, Marcus, rapidly matures into an adult. The situation takes a dark turn when Marcus discloses that he is the son of Immortus, a villain from an alternate dimension known as Limbo. Stranded in Limbo after his father abandoned him, Marcus devised a plan to escape by impregnating a human woman, enabling his rebirth in Earth’s reality. He selected Ms. Marvel as his target and used mind control to achieve his goal.
In their attempt to craft a unique love story, the writers inadvertently created a narrative where Ms. Marvel was violated under the influence of a cosmic form of mind control. To make matters worse, the story depicted her developing feelings for her son/attacker. The backlash was so severe that Marvel had to release a follow-up storyline the next year to retcon the entire ordeal.
3. The Brutal Origins of Wonder Woman
Wonder Woman stands out among golden age heroes as a powerful female character who embodies strength and resilience. Her creator, William Moulton Marston, described her as “psychological propaganda for a new kind of woman who should, in his view, lead the world.” A key part of her feminist origin is her upbringing among Amazons, a society centered on female empowerment. However, the New 52 reboot introduced a darker twist to her backstory, including controversial changes to Amazonian culture that sparked outrage among fans.
In the revised narrative, the Amazons were depicted as selling their male offspring into slavery or killing them if no buyers were found. Additionally, it was revealed that Amazons conceived children by seducing human sailors, whom they later murdered and discarded at sea. For many fans, this portrayal contradicted the core values Wonder Woman represented. While the writers aimed to align the story with Greek mythology, critics argued that it reduced feminism to a narrative of male oppression and violence, alienating a significant portion of the audience.
2. Uncanny Avengers and the Controversial ‘M Word’
For years, Marvel has employed its superheroes as metaphors for marginalized groups. The X-Men, in particular, have often been used to symbolize the civil rights and LGBTQ+ movements. In 2013, Uncanny Avengers No. 5 paid homage to this legacy with Havok delivering a speech that ended with, “Please don’t call us mutants. The ‘m’ word embodies everything I despise.” Rick Remender, the writer, later explained that Havok aimed to shift perceptions from “mutant” to “person.” However, this interpretation was lost on many readers.
Some interpreted Havok’s speech as a clear denial of minority identity. By abandoning the term “mutant” without offering an alternative, it appeared he was rejecting not only his own background but the concept of any minority identity. The phrasing of his speech suggested a push toward assimilation rather than embracing diversity. The controversy deepened when Remender responded to critics by telling them to “drown yourself in hobo piss.”
1. The Muslim Batman
Grant Morrison’s significant addition to Batman’s universe was the establishment of Batman Inc, a worldwide network of crimefighters with representatives from various countries, including Britain, Australia, and Japan. When David Hine expanded this concept to France, he introduced Nightrunner, a parkour enthusiast. His alter-ego, Bilal Asselah, was portrayed as part of a French-Algerian family.
Some critics argued that DC’s inclusion of a Muslim character was merely an attempt at political correctness. They believed a Christian hero could have just as effectively represented Catholic France. Others went as far as to claim that Nightrunner was designed to promote a Muslim extremist agenda.
This backlash sparked a counter-response from the opposite political side. Defenders of Nightrunner argued that French Muslims were equally French as their peers and labeled the opposition as racist. They also highlighted how the storyline directly addressed these concerns, making Hine’s decision clear to those who read it.
