On Wednesday, September 10, the same day that DC Comics released their mature readers book Red Hood #1 in stores, the title was canceled. DC sent an email to retailers telling them they would be fully refunded for any copies currently on sale, and were cancelling orders for the already solicited issues #2 and #3, as well as future issues — the run was planned for 12 issues and two collections, if not more. The timing of the cancellation, as well as statements from DC Comics, seemed to imply that it was a direct result of Felker-Martin’s posts on BlueSky regarding the death of right-wing activist Charlie Kirk on the same day, though it was, in actuality, multiple violations of DC’s social policy. Still, gaps existed in what was being reported — until now.
In an interview with The Comics Journal that should definitely be read in full (seriously, go read it, TCJ is excellent at reporting as always), Felker-Martin and DC Comics lay out a bit more about what led to the otherwise abrupt-seeming cancellation of the title. The summarized version is that Felker-Martin, who is a best-selling horror author as well as trans, was up front about her online presence when she initially sat down with DC Comics editor Arianna Turtorro, who was in charge of the Red Hood book, back in 2024.
From Felker-Martin’s perspective, she warned them there would be “between five and a hundred of the craziest people you’ve ever met in your life, screaming for my head and yours,” due to her posts online, among other aspects of her character. While she did not think there was a social media policy, there is, though the first time a concern was seemingly raised was at least in part due to coverage of her hiring on The Algemeiner, specifically in reference to posts by Felker-Martin on the October 7 Hamas incident in Israel in 2023. That was on or around September 3.
There were no more warnings, though, at least as shared by Felker-Martin. After her posts about Kirk’s death on September 10, she was called by DC Comics Editor-in-Chief Marie Javins, and either in that call or a separate call at 10:30 pm ET that night, Felker-Martin was informed the book was canceled.
While Felker-Martin did express some regret about “poor impulse control” and regret to the artists involved who have been impacted by the cancellation (including artist Jeff Spokes, letterer Becca Carey, and cover artist Taurin Clarke), she did not express regret about the content of the posts themselves.
“It just didn’t strike me as an especially hot flashpoint,” Felker-Martin told TCJ. “This is such a loathsome person. Everyone on the entire internet is talking about how pleasant it is that he got his. … 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.”
Felker-Martin has a new novel, Black Flame, hitting book stores next week, and her next book, Chimera, is scheduled for 2026. As for future DC work, though, she expressed “no desire” to work for the company again.
Comic Book Club Live Info:
Discover more from Comic Book Club
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.