Bruce Timm Responds To Controversial Batgirl & Batman Scene From Killing Joke

Bruce Timm Responds To Controversial Batgirl & Batman Scene From Killing Joke

If you haven’t seen Batman: The Killing Joke just yet, you may want to skip this one.

SPOILERS

Comic-Con saw the premiere of Batman: The Killing Joke which caused fans to erupt in disapproval as one scene features Batgirl an Batman having sex on a rooftop, something that is not a part of the Alan Moore comic book.

The controversy has now forced Bruce Timm to respond (via Vulture):

“We were aware that it’s a little risky. There’s definitely some stuff in that first part of the movie that’s going to be controversial. Here’s where we came down on that specific issue: It was really important to us to show that both of the characters make some pretty big mistakes. I mean, his “parental skills” aren’t that great. Maybe never having had any kids of his own, he doesn’t realize that if you tell a kid to not do something, they’re going to want to do it even more. And then she makes some mistakes and then he kind of overreacts to her mistakes and then she overreacts to his overreaction. So it’s very human; it’s a very understandable story. It’s tricky because it’s messy, because relationships are sometimes messy. But to me and to [co-producer] Alan Burnett and to [screenwriter] Brian Azzarello, Alan and Brian, it was all very fascinating to us to explore that angle”.

Here is a clip from the scene:

About Matt McGloin

Matt McGloin is the editor-in-chief and publisher of Cosmic Book News, the independent entertainment news site he founded in 2008. He covers movies, comics, TV, video games, and pop culture, and has reported major industry scoops over the years, including revealing the Avengers: Endgame title ahead of its official announcement. Through Cosmic Book News, he helped Marvel Comics promote Guardians of the Galaxy and Nova through exclusive previews, artwork, and interviews, with the site also quoted in solicitations and on comic covers. He also reported on Marvel’s Daredevil: Born Again retooling before it was later confirmed by the trades.