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I guess the Variant cover for Batgirl #41 by Rafael Albuquerque has been pulled over public out cry:
Some objected to the image of Batgirl as a helpless victim; others slammed DC Comics for “glamorizing sexual assault.” (Many fans believe Barbara was raped by Joker in The Killing Joke, though the comic itself makes no reference to rape.
Having the hero of the title shown in the role of the victim undercuts that character and is a mistake on those grounds alone. The cover was ill-conceived but was also should not have been an entirely unexpected sort of cover given the Joker theme for the alternate covers.
I posted this comment on another forum when the story first broke, but I still stand by it today.
If this was a Batgirl cover for a "Death of the Family" crossover would it still be as controversial? Probably not. It's a damn scary portrayal of the Joker and Rafael Albuquerque should be given credit for a powerful image but the timing was poor. This Batgirl has moved on past The Killing Joke.
I can see both sides of this argument. I can definitely appreciate Rafael Albuquerque's line work, but the cover does not fit with Batgirl's current brand. I think SpideySavestheDay is correct, if the book was still the tone/look of Gail Simone's run this cover may not be as controversial. Many of the Batgirl covers during Death of the Family took away Bab's agency.
I agree it is a great looking cover and that the timing was poor. Editorial should have considered a little bit more about how the cover might be viewed by some people.
the cover in question is still in the latest DC section Pg 119 of Previews, controversy must have erupted post printing of the catalog...still think its not that big of a deal
