Controversial DC Writer Doubles Down on Shocking Charlie Kirk Comments After Red Hood Cancellation: “This is Such a Loathsome Person”
DC Comics has canceled its new Batman spinoff, Red Hood, just days after the first issue hit stores. Retailers were informed about the cancellation on the same day the debut issue was released.
The series focused on Jason Todd, also known as Red Hood, and Helena Bertinelli, or Huntress. The story was set in Louisiana, where the characters would face crime and conflict in their new lives. Red Hood was marketed as DC’s first ongoing series for readers 17 and older in the main DC Universe.
The second issue was scheduled for early October, with a third planned for November. Gretchen Felker Martin was writing the series, with Jeff Spokes on art and Taurin Clarke providing the covers.
DC confirmed that all issues beyond the first are canceled. Retailers will be credited for all copies of issue #1. In a notice, the company stated, “DC Comics cancels existing orders for Red Hood #2 and Red Hood #3, and any orders for future issues of the series. DC Comics will credit retailers for all invoiced copies of Red Hood #1, inclusive of copies that may have already been sold.”
The cancellation came after Felker Martin faced heavy backlash for comments that were made online about the death of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk, who was shot while speaking at Utah Valley University. Screenshots from suspended Bluesky account showed posts such as, “Thoughts and prayers you N** b****,”* and, “Hope the bullet’s okay after touching Charlie Kirk.”
The posts quickly spread on social media, causing widespread outrage. Many accused Martin of mocking a violent death and called on DC to take action. The publisher later issued a statement saying, “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.”
Martin explained, “It just didn’t strike me as an especially hot flashpoint. This is such a loathsome person. I saw that he had died in the middle of spreading more of the bigotry that he spent his every waking moment promulgating, and in a way that he had advocated for others to die, and felt nothing but contempt for his life.”
“I mean, 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.”
Martin added, “I can only put it down to really just a moment of poor impulse control. Had I thought for another second, of course I would’ve known [that it would be a problem for DC], and naturally, as soon as I had said it, I did know.”
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