DC comics, home of famed characters like Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman, continues to backpedal after the company published a book showing Batman’s penis.
Publishers Dan DiDio and Jim Lee, speaking at the New York Comic-Con, wrote the nude reveal and subsequent controversy off as “production errors,” and said that DC will be more mindful of content in the future.
Related: Holy Eggplant! Batman goes full-frontal in new comic, and Gotham is unprepared
“I think we made some choices after it went out,” Lee said, “and there were some production errors that led to the book being published the way it was … that ended up being a big story. But thankfully people were very pleased with the story and the content, the beautiful art, and the story that Brian [Azzarello] and Lee [Bermejo] had come up with really resonated with readers.”
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“It’s something we wished never happened,” DiDio added, “because it really took the attention away from what we thought was quality storytelling, and that’s not the way we see this imprint.”
The comments came after DC published the first issue of Batman: Damned, written by Azzarello and Bermejo, under DC’s new Black Label banner. DC created Black Label as a way to lure well-regarded writers to popular characters by promising more creative freedom and content. Batman: Damned sparked immediate shock when a panel depicted Batman in full-frontal nudity. Subsequent digital and print re-issues have censored the panel. DC wants to make sure that readers focus more on the stories printed in Black Label comics, rather than the mature content.
Nevertheless, the internet and comic fans continue to buzz (and lampoon) about Batman’s nether regions. We’re pretty sure DC isn’t going to complain about sales.
Billy Budd
Show butt instead, and everybody will be happy.
Greg
They show his buns too.
startenout
They did
thomphelps
It’s by adults, for adults, why the duplicity? We can watch movies with nudity and TV ads with near nudity and few are offended by that. Why are people offended? It’s not pornographic, it’s just nudity! Let he who was born in a full suit of clothes throw the first stone.
theafricanwiththemouth
LMAO, my thoughts too.
DC Black imprint, is meant to cater to Adult/Mature audience, not kids. So this, should NOT be an issue at all. If this is how they plan on going about this, then this whole Black imprint thing is gonna be a huge flop imo.
The first issue of Batman Damned was great by the way!
paul dorian lord fredine
things that should simply be taken for granted:
batman is a man.
a man has a penis.
to point that out, some people are going to get all pissy (no pun intended).
some people are just plain stupid. or, in the spirit of the article, some people are just dicks.
Chipper
What is the deal? Either show us what you are talking about, or stop talking about it. Let us be the judge. Its for adults, then let the adults see what you propose.
WillParkinson
So you make a ‘mature’ content label, then freak out when they show ‘mature’ content. Got it.
taborsmind
I want the book. Where can I find it.?
batesmotel
It’s still amazingly interesting that after centuries of evolution people still get weird or giddy over a penis and a butt as if it’s something new and never seen before.
Creamsicle
Comics are not longer only targeted towards children. The industry has changed, and really it changed over 20 years ago. This very tastefully rendered penis picture would have been a non-issue in most other developed and developing countries.
Brian
I’d like to get a full taste of that penis.