Lilly Wachowski Labels Charlie Kirk as a 'White Nationalist, Transphobe'; Supports Writer Who Praised
Lilly Wachowski, co-director of The Matrix, criticized DC Comics for severing ties with author Gretchen Felker-Martin, whose comic was canceled after Felker-Martin posted, “thoughts and prayers you Nazi b—-,” in reaction to conservative activist Charlie Kirk being shot.
In addition, Felker-Martin responded to Kirk’s death by tweeting, “Hope the bullet’s okay after touching Charlie Kirk.” She is a trans author who previously wrote the 2022 novel Manhunt, in which the creator of Harry Potter, known for numerous anti-trans remarks, is burned alive.
Following Felker-Martin's comments about Kirk, DC swiftly canceled her upcoming comic series, a Batman spinoff titled Red Hood.
DC released a statement saying, “At DC Comics, we highly value our creators and community and support the right to peaceful expression of individual viewpoints. However, posts or public comments that can be interpreted as inciting hostility or violence contradict DC’s standards of conduct.”
Felker-Martin has not replied to requests for comment from MovieMaker.
Wachowski, who is also trans, showed solidarity with Felker-Martin and criticized DC for not supporting her.
“DC comics claiming the moral high ground alongside a white nationalist, transphobe while expelling Gretchen Felker-Martin is disgraceful. The characters in the DC universe would find this unacceptable,” Wachowski stated on Bluesky.
After releasing the first issue, DC canceled Red Hood, informing retailers: “DC Comics cancels outstanding orders for Red Hood #2 and Red Hood #3, along with any future issues of the series. Retailers will be credited for all invoiced copies of Red Hood #1, including those already sold.”
However, Wachowski urged retailers to continue selling the first issue, saying, “The great comic shops will carry #1 of Red Hood despite being told to stop. Support them if you can!”
Wachowski also shared a link to Felker-Martin’s Patreon, “to assist Gretchen and help recover from the loss of her book’s revenue.”
Wachowski has long opposed right-wing figures using imagery from The Matrix. In 2020, when Elon Musk tweeted “Take the red pill” and Ivanka Trump replied, “Taken!,” she succinctly responded, “F— both of you.”
Police have apprehended 22-year-old Tyler Robinson in connection with Kirk’s shooting.
People from various political backgrounds condemned Kirk’s murder last week while he was speaking at Utah Valley University. Former President Barack Obama, for instance, swiftly released a statement denouncing “this kind of despicable violence having no place in our democracy.”
However, several reactions to the shooting resulted in immediate firings, including Felker-Martin’s. Another notable dismissal was that of MSNBC commentator Matthew Dowd, who remarked soon after the shooting that Kirk was “constantly pushing this sort of hate speech aimed at certain groups. Hateful thoughts lead to hateful words, which then lead to hateful actions.” He later accused MSNBC of yielding to a “right-wing mob.”
Additionally, The Washington Post dismissed writer and editor Karen Attiah last week. She later posted on Instagram, “My offense? Calling out America’s acceptance of hatred and political violence, gun deaths, particularly when such violence is perpetrated by white men. For this, the Washington Post claimed I committed ‘gross misconduct,’ which endangered its staff, and fired me without a discussion or review. I fully reject these allegations.”
In her termination letter, acquired by Status, the Post objected to Attiah's Bluesky messages, where she stated, “Refusing to tear my clothes and smear ashes on my face in performative mourning for a white man who advocated violence is... not the same as violence,” and “A factor perpetuating American violence is the insistence that individuals perform care, empty goodness, and absolution for white men who promote hatred and violence.”
Many in Hollywood have been cautious not to say anything that could be seen as disrespectful towards Kirk. For instance, Kirk's name was not mentioned during the Emmys. Stephen King quickly apologized for a tweet that suggested Kirk “advocated stoning gays to death,” clarifying that he was illustrating “how some people cherry-pick Biblical passages.”
This tweet was posted just days before the release of The Long Walk, the latest adaptation of King’s works.
On Monday, Vice President JD Vance promised to target “radical left lunatics” whom he blames for inciting Kirk’s death, stating the Trump Administration would “go after the NGO network that fosters, facilitates, and engages in violence.”
The conservative-leaning Drudge Report published a headline on Tuesday reading, “Cancel culture — now operated by conservatives!”
Main image: Red Hood. DC Comics.
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Lilly Wachowski Labels Charlie Kirk as a 'White Nationalist, Transphobe'; Supports Writer Who Praised
Lilly Wachowski, co-director of The Matrix, expressed her criticism towards DC Comics for terminating their relationship with author Gretchen Felker-Martin, whose comic book was discontinued by the publisher.