Yeah, DC and me are through. I’m reading Static Shock and Blue Beetle because I want to support those characters as long as possible, but DC’s made it loud and clear what it thinks of women who read comics.

It’s definitely backlash thinking going on in DC these days. For those of you who aren’t used to the term, I’m talking about backlash as a negative, sexist response to DC comics’ awareness of a growing population of women in the fanbase. Women who read comics, examine comics from their own perspectives, and say, “Wait a minute, what’s going on here? Why are women being erased in the continuity? Why are not as many women being hired? Where are WOC? Where’s my representation? Where are the heroes I can identify with?”

The same goes for people who are LGBTQIA, or people who don’t look like the white, blue-eyed majority of DC comics. Or poor people, or people with disabilities. More often than not, these groups intersect, and in the end, one of the biggest questions remains: “Where are the heroes I can identify with?” Lately, this question can be added: “And why are most of them dead?”

 Now, I’m not saying people at DC comics sit down and say, “How can we alienate everyone who isn’t a straight white cis man between the ages of 18 and 32?” but I must say, they do a damn good job of it.

What’s DC comics so afraid of?

Are they afraid that people are going to demand more POC in comics, who are to be written with respect and knowledge? Are they afraid that queerness may start to emerge in comics as more than a token occurrence? Are they scared of all those big, cool superhero girls giving the guy superheroes cooties?Are they afraid that if they share the sandbox, they won’t be able to build that big white straight man sand-castle they’ve always wanted?

Are they afraid that if they take people seriously, they might be held accountable for their actions?