“Hey,” I thought to myself, “maybe The Killing Joke was never really okay. Maybe a story where a
female character is shot, violated, and left for dead, just so a male character
could have an emotional reaction was never something we should have celebrated,
and we (some of us, anyway) are only now just waking up to how that’s
problematic. Iconic though it is, maybe future iterations and stories of Batgirl shouldn’t feel beholden to
something so ugly just because it happened over 20 years ago.”
All that occurred to me after a day or so of quietly observing
and reflecting on this latest controversy. It wasn’t a conclusion I was expecting
to come to. I love The Killing Joke
and have enjoyed revisiting it for years. I personally didn’t find the cover
offensive. Initially I even disagreed with the argument that as a variant cover
it’s tonally wrong for this iteration of Batgirl.
I felt it fit this latest theme of variants, and it evoked the story that most defines Batgirl's relationship with the Joker.
But I’m not reading Batgirl,
and I realized my initial reaction might have been very different if I were engaged
with the series. For those that are--for those that are trying to move beyond a
time and place where women and minorities are treated poorly in comics (if they’re
reflected at all)—this cover was an unwanted reminder of an ugly event that depicts
women as victims, something many progressive fans are trying to move past. My
lack of sensitivity to this issue was a probable sign that I was losing touch
with what’s current in comics and a failure to see the activism of those who
are trying make mainstream comics a more inclusive place.
So I took the time to think about what about this whole debacle bothered me. Because something was bothering me, like something stuck
in my teeth. The cover in question is a
great piece of artwork by an artist who I admire. And while I approve and
applaud of his decision to have it pulled, I still felt conflicted, and I asked
myself, “why is the cover a problem if the story it recalls isn’t?” To which a
voice replied, “Maybe the story is a problem.”
That’s where I find myself now: I loved The Killing Joke for all it gave me both as a Batman fan and later
as a comic creator, but its content is now a relic of the past, a past we should
all be trying to leave behind. I will continue to appreciate the book, but as
something antiquated. This iconic story will always be a big part of comic book
history, but it shouldn’t determine its future.
For those who are ahead of the curve about these matters, don’t
wait up. Keep moving forward. For people like me who need to catch up, accept that this material bothers people, and instead of becoming entrenched, let's ask ourselves why that is. Never be
afraid to revaluate the things you love. Even if it diminishes that which you
cherish, you will grow to be better.
