DC Comics Latest To Kowtow to China, Removes Batman Poster After Complaints
Holy Economic Clout, Batman! Look what China just did!
DC Comics appears to have pulled from social media an image advertising its new Batman comic book following howls of outrage from China.
It’s just the latest action by a U.S.-based company that illustrates the power of the Asian country’s economic clout to force the rest of the world to march to China’s tune.
The furor comes as the power of pictures China does not like has been shown by pro-democracy protesters in Hong Kong, who have rallied against the government by using an image of President Donald Trump’s face superimposed on the body of iconic movie hero Rocky Balboa.
The image that DC Comics pulled showed the black-clad figure of Batwoman throwing a flaming Molotov cocktail. In the background, pink lettering reads, “The future is young.”
The image was designed to promote “Dark Knight Returns: The Golden Child,” by Frank Miller and Rafael Grampa.
This is the poster that DC took down because China was unhappy about it.
That’s disappointing DC, Batman frowns on your corporate cowardice. pic.twitter.com/M543oWfuFD— Midnight Breakfast (@GeneralMishap) November 30, 2019
But the Chinese government-run Global Times said the image was provoking concerns in China that DC Comics was taking the side of pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong.
“Is Hong Kong really becoming Gotham City? But Hong Kong rioters are not Batman. Instead, they are the criminals of Gotham City,” one user on the popular Chinese social media platform Weibo reportedly wrote.
“This poster is really ambiguous. My friends, who don’t watch DC Comics, said their first impression after seeing the poster was to support [the Hong Kong protesters],” another Weibo user reportedly posted.
Others reportedly said they would “refuse to buy or support anything of DC from now on.”
“The black clothes represent Hong Kong, the mask represents Hong Kong, the Molotov cocktail represents Hong Kong, what else here doesn’t represent Hong Kong???” wrote one angry Weibo commenter, according to Variety, which quoted another Weibo user as saying, “No matter what the reason, to put an image like this up at a sensitive time like this means you have a death wish.”
Batman publisher is latest to hurt the Chinese people’s feelings after depicting a black-clad Batwoman throwing a petrol bomb with the words “the future is young.” “Why don’t they focus on making comics and not getting involved in politics?”https://t.co/hB3M6I0zY9
— Jonathan Cheng (@JChengWSJ) November 29, 2019
The reaction was swift. DC Comics pulled the image from its Instagram page, starting a new avalanche of criticism that DC Comics was kowtowing to China, The Guardian reported.
Whether or not @DCComics supports the #HongKongProtests is a matter of lesser significance here. The question we should be asking is: Why should we allow our values and our opinions be dictated by China?#FreedomofExpression #antitotalitarianism pic.twitter.com/88uxre8XXp
— Lazyyyyyyy ? (@Lazyyyyyyy) November 28, 2019
Even Batman bows before mighty Chinese Emperor. https://t.co/80lQJu6kQb
— Zbigniew Polikowski (@love_and_fear) November 29, 2019
If Batman Golden Child really has nothing to do with Hong Kong, then DC are a bunch of cowards for pulling their posters bc China got angry.
And if it was intended as a pro-democracy statement why tf didn’t you stick to your guns @DCComics
— Milo Moran (@GetMiloaLife) November 29, 2019
Brainwashed citizens in China (like the star of @DisneyStudios upcoming #Mulan) get to stipulate terms like this while human rights are being violated. Hey @DCComics: any concern for what is going on in #HongKong or #Xinjiang? https://t.co/ODDerHnTt1
— Daniel Alter (@DAlter007) November 29, 2019
The comic book is due out Dec. 11.
DC Comics is a subsidiary of Warner Brothers, which has tapped the Chinese market for big bucks, having made $292 million off the film “Aquaman” in China, according to Variety.
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