Batman poster lands DC Comics in Hong Kong protest controversy
- Social media post pulled without explanation after mainland China internet users accuse publisher of supporting protesters
- Deletion stirs backlash with fans accusing DC of bowing to pressure
A new Batman comic book series has landed the Caped Crusader in the middle of a social media storm after publisher DC Comics was accused of using it to support Hong Kong anti-government protesters.
DC removed a social media post on Thursday when users on Weibo, China’s Twitter-like social media platform, objected to the depiction of a black-clad Batwoman throwing a petrol bomb in front of the words “the future is young” in a promotion for the first issue of Dark Knight: The Golden Child, due for release next month.
DC deleted the post within hours of Chinese online commenters drawing a connection between the poster and Hong Kong’s masked radicals who have used the incendiary weapons during their increasingly violent clashes with police.
“Why don’t they focus on making comics and not getting involved in politics? Be careful not to burn yourself,” one Weibo user wrote.
The deletion stirred further controversy, with fans accusing DC of bowing to pressure from China.
