DC Cancels Comic Series Following Writer Gretchen Felker-Martin's Mockery of Charlie Kirk Shooting

      DC Comics has unexpectedly terminated a new Batman spinoff series, Red Hood, following a social media post by its writer, Gretchen Felker-Martin. In response to a shooting incident, she commented, “thoughts and prayers you Nazi b—-,” and added with a joke, “Hope the bullet’s okay after touching Charlie Kirk.”

      In light of this, DC quickly pulled the upcoming issues of the comic, announcing to retailers, as confirmed by MovieMaker, “DC Comics cancels existing orders for Red Hood #2 and Red Hood #3, along with any orders for future issues of the series. DC Comics will issue credits to retailers for all billed copies of Red Hood #1, including those that may have already been sold.”

      DC stated to MovieMaker: “At DC Comics, we hold our creators and community in the highest regard and support the right to peaceful, individual expression of personal opinions. However, posts or public remarks that might be perceived as inciting hostility or violence are not aligned with DC’s standards of conduct.”

      Felker-Martin has not yet responded to MovieMaker's request for comment.

      These remarks sharply contrasted with widespread condemnation of the shooting from various political figures. Former President Barack Obama quickly remarked, “this kind of despicable violence has no place in our democracy.”

      Media outlets handled the news carefully; for instance, Comedy Central swiftly removed a South Park episode featuring Eric Cartman hosting a debate show reminiscent of Charlie Kirk. Kirk himself acknowledged the situation humorously, calling it a “badge of honor.”

      Additionally, MSNBC reportedly dismissed commentator Matthew Dowd for suggesting post-shooting that Kirk consistently engages in hate speech directed towards specific groups, stating, “hateful thoughts lead to hateful words, which then lead to hateful actions. And I think that is the environment we are in.”

      The controversy surrounding Felker-Martin's comments gained traction on BlueSky, coinciding with a particularly sensitive time for the DC brand. James Gunn, co-head of DC Films, had recently revitalized DC’s cinematic universe with the success of Superman, one of the year’s top films.

      Regarding Gretchen Felker-Martin, the writer of Red Hood, she is a trans individual who previously faced backlash for her 2022 novel, Manhunt, where Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling is depicted as being burned alive in her home. According to The New York Post, the book follows two trans women trying to survive a plague that transforms anyone with excess testosterone into a monstrous creature, as they confront a group called “the Knights of J.K. Rowling.”

      Kirk was shot while addressing an audience at Utah Valley University, responding to a query about trans people and mass shootings when gunfire erupted. The Wall Street Journal reported that an audience member asked him, “Do you know how many transgender Americans have been mass shooters over the last 10 years?” to which he answered, “Too many.” The audience member noted there had been five mass shootings and asked, “Do you know how many mass shooters there have been in America over the last 10 years?” Kirk's last words were, “counting or not counting gang violence?”

      Further developments regarding the shooting indicated that investigators discovered ammunition engraved with wording reflective of transgender and antifascist ideologies in the rifle believed to have been used to kill Charlie Kirk. However, The New York Times later reported that a senior law enforcement official indicated that the engraving information had not been verified by federal analysts and did not match other evidence summaries, suggesting the initial claims could be misunderstood.

      If confirmed, this engraving would draw parallels to the shooting of United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson, who was shot in December with bullets inscribed with terms like “delay,” “deny,” and “depose,” which critics allege refer to strategies used by insurance companies to deny treatment.

      Luigi Mangione has been charged with murder and other offenses in connection with Thompson's death and has pleaded not guilty.

      As of now, no arrests have been made in the Charlie Kirk shooting.

      The Red Hood series was intended to follow Jason Todd, a former Robin who collaborated with Batman, as he ventures to Louisiana where he encounters further violence.