DC has dramatically cancelled its new Red Hood series on the very day the first issue was released.
The publisher is also crediting retailers for all copies of the debut, including those already sold to customers. The decision follows controversial social media posts by the comic’s writer, the outspoken horror novelist Gretchen Felker-Martin, regarding the murder of right-wing activist Charlie Kirk.
In a statement sent to retailers and the press, DC announced the immediate cessation of the series. The publisher said, “DC cancels existing orders for Red Hood #2 and Red Hood #3, and any orders for future issues of the series. DC will credit retailers for all invoiced copies of Red Hood #1, inclusive of copies that may have already been sold.”
The abrupt cancellation followed comments made by Felker-Martin, a prominent transgender author, on the social media platform Bluesky. Responding to news of the death of Charlie Kirk, a conservative commentator known for his anti-transgender rhetoric, she posted comments including, “Thoughts and prayers you Nazi bitch” and “Hope the bullet’s okay after touching Charlie Kirk.”
In a subsequent statement, DC obliquely referenced the posts as the reason for their decision.
At DC Comics, we place the highest value on our creators and community and affirm the right to peaceful, individual expression of personal viewpoints. Posts or public comments that can be viewed as promoting hostility or violence are inconsistent with DC’s standards of conduct.
Felker-Martin is known for her transgressive horror fiction, such as the 2022 novel Manhunt, and has a history of making blunt and controversial political statements online. In an interview with The Comics Journal, she revealed that she had warned DC about her public persona when they hired her for the project in early 2024.
“We had a conversation about it, and I told them, ‘As soon as you hire me, you’re going to get between five and a hundred of the craziest people you’ve ever met in your life, screaming for my head and yours,’” she said.
According to Felker-Martin, no specific limitations were placed on her social media use. However, a DC spokesperson maintained that all creators, including Felker-Martin, receive written guidelines for social media conduct.
Pressure on the project had been mounting prior to this week’s events. As the comic’s release neared, criticism from right-leaning outlets and figures associated with the Comicsgate movement intensified. Felker-Martin told The Comics Journal that she received a call from her editors about three weeks ago after a story was published in the Algemeiner Journal. The editors reportedly conveyed “internal hesitation about going forward” from higher up the executive chain.
Despite this, Felker-Martin stands by her comments about Kirk, telling the TCJ, “This is a man who I’ve watched for years go on television and on enormous stages and convention halls and say that me and everyone like me should be stoned to death.” While she conceded the posts were a “moment of poor impulse control,” she also stated, “I had no regrets for what I said about him.”
The final decision came via a phone call on the evening of September 10th from DC’s Editor in Chief, Marie Javins, who reportedly informed her that the story of the comic’s launch had become “something that DC and Warner Brothers couldn’t stand behind or defend.”
The move has drawn criticism from other creators. Writer David Brothers commented on Bluesky, questioning DC’s priorities. At the same time, author Roxane Gay, who has previously written for Marvel, called the decision “an absolute shame” and an issue of free speech.
For her part, Felker-Martin believes DC was interested in her “cachet as a transgressive horror author” but “cut and ran” when it became politically inconvenient. She confirmed she would not accept future work from the publisher.
The cancellation has turned Red Hood #1, illustrated by Jeff Spokes, into an instant collector’s item, with copies appearing on eBay for significantly more than their cover price.
