5 DC Comics Covers Too Controversial to Publish

DC Comics has some of the coolest and most iconic covers in comic book history, but that doesn’t mean every one of them knocked it out of the park. Now, over the years, there have been plenty of notable covers featuring our favorite DC heroes and villains. The debut of Superman on Action Comics #1, the Justice League fighting Starro on The Brave and the Bold #28, or even the shocking discovery of Roy Harper’s drug use on the cover of Green Lantern #85. But interestingly enough, there are covers that made a huge impression without ever actually being published.

Thanks to direct market solicitations, fans are able to see the covers of comics months before they ever hit the stands. And that gives fandom plenty of time to discuss the standard or variant artworks, especially if there’s a controversial element to them. Sometimes these pieces depict a female character in an oversexualized manner, or they come off a bit tone-deaf to particular cultural issues. This has led to several covers actually being changed or outright pulled before the actual comic is published. Read on to see 5 DC Comics covers that, for one reason or another, were never published.

5. Action Comics #1069

Francesco Mattina has created numerous variant covers for DC, but he found himself in some hot water roughly two years ago. Fans noticed some peculiarities with his art, including a variant for Action Comics #1069. At first glance, it looks like nothing’s wrong, but eagle-eyed fans spotted that Superman’s shield here has an additional bottom swoop. Critics were quick to point out that this was likely due to AI, and with similar mistakes popping up in other Mattina pieces, it didn’t look good. So DC Comics ended up pulling the variant, as well as every other upcoming cover by Mattina.

4. Catwoman #0

Comic books have an unfortunately long-spanning history of oversexualized depictions of female characters. During the New 52 era, a cover for Catwoman #0 was solicited, which showed the titular character contorting her body just enough to show off every curve as much as possible. What made this even worse was that it came out at the height of fans calling out the infamous ‘brokeback’ position (where women characters are posed unnaturally to show off all assets). Unlike other artwork on this list, this cover was altered for publication and gave Selina a more natural shape while covering up her cleavage.

3. Heroes in Crisis #7

Similarly, Poison Ivy found herself the subject of a cover that sexualized her, but even more egregiously. After she died in Heroes in Crisis, a variant for the series’ seventh issue was solicited that showed Ivy lying on the ground, drawing a lightning bolt symbol in blood. Her body is posed so that you can see her cleavage while her hips are raised in the air. Fans were furious and took to social media to voice their displeasure. A polished version was released that incorporated shadows to fix the original, but in the end, DC pulled the cover altogether.

2. The Flash: The Fastest Man Alive #1

Andy Muschietti decided to take a break from directing and contribute a cover to The Flash: The Fastest Man Alive #1, which is admittedly pretty cool. However, Muschietti’s cover shows the Flash running through the streets butt-naked while putting on his costume at super-speed. This cover came out at a time when the 2023 Flash film was beleaguered by the accusations that followed its star actor, Ezra Miller, such as assault and kidnapping. Needless to say, this cover felt incredibly poorly-timed giving all that was going on, so DC Comics quietly pulled the cover from publication.

1. Batgirl #41

Arguably, the most well-known instance of DC Comics pulling a cover after being solicited. Artist Rafael Albuquerque designed a cover for Batgirl #41, which showed a terrified Barbara side-by-side with the Joker, who was drawing a bloody smile on her face. Fans were outraged at how they felt this cover minimized the trauma Barbara suffered at Joker’s hands. The cover was eventually pulled at Albuquerque’s request and never made it to publication. While it was a rough experience, it was nice to see an artist listen to the fans and not take the matter personally.

What’s the most controversial DC Comics cover you’ve ever seen? Let us know in the comments or share your thoughts on the ComicBook Forum!

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