5 Unbelievable DC Comics Covers That Will Make You Cringe

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DC Comics has been creating comics for decades, and with so many issues, it’s inevitable that some covers haven’t been as successful as others. As one of the two biggest comic publishers, DC is known for amazing and memorable cover art – think of classics like Action Comics #1 and Detective Comics #27, or even more recent designs like Absolute Batman #1 which has inspired many other covers. But even the best publishers have a few that don’t quite land with fans.

Older comic books sometimes featured surprisingly questionable content, like depictions of drug use – as seen on the cover of Green Lantern #85 – or deeply offensive characters, such as the racist villain Egg Fu in Wonder Woman #158. Even recent DC comics haven’t always hit the mark, with examples like the fart-themed (and scented!) April Fool’s Day issue, Harley Quinn Fartacular: Silent Butt Deadly #1. Despite being a fantastic publisher, DC Comics has a history of awkward cover art, and we’re taking a look at 5 examples.

5. World’s Finest #195

Man, the Silver Age of comics was something else! It’s honestly the only era where Superman acting like a total wildcard was good for sales – besides the recent Injustice stuff, anyway. I was just looking at World’s Finest #195, and it’s wild! Superman is literally making Jimmy Olsen and Robin dig their own graves while Batman’s getting ready to… well, take them out. It’s totally that old-school clickbait cover art, but seeing Clark and Bruce threaten their friends like that is seriously creepy, even now.

4. Wonder Woman #158

It wasn’t unusual for older comics to rely on racist stereotypes when creating villains. For example, the cover of Wonder Woman #158 features Wonder Woman and Steve Trevor captured by Egg Fu, a relatively unimportant villain. Egg Fu was based on the same harmful “Yellow Peril” ideas that also influenced characters like the Mandarin, an enemy of Iron Man. It’s jarring to see such a negative portrayal alongside Wonder Woman, a character known for promoting values like equality and compassion.

3. Harley Quinn Fartacular: Silent Butt Deadly #1

Even though it was released less than a year ago, the cover of Harley Quinn Fartacular: Silent Butt Deadly #1 is already unforgettable. It immediately tells you exactly what the comic is about: Harley Quinn and, well, farting. The cover boldly shows Harley clearing a room full of showgirls with a very direct depiction of the act. What made it truly stand out was a scratch-and-sniff feature that let readers experience the… aroma. I’m still amazed this comic even got approved!

2. Green Lantern #85

The cover of Green Lantern #85 was created with good intentions. Back when Hal Jordan and Oliver Queen were traveling the country, they encountered many important social issues rarely seen in comics. This issue tackled the drug crisis head-on, revealing that Green Arrow’s sidekick, Speedy, was struggling with addiction. The image of Roy preparing to use drugs was shocking to readers at the time, and it still surprises people today. It’s jarring to see a hero battling drug use, and the story had a significant impact on fans.

1. Detective Comics #1

The cover of the very first DC Comic is undeniably racist. It features a villain named Fui Onyui, who appears in a story with detective Slam Bradley in Detective Comics #1. Similar to the character Egg Fu, it relies on harmful stereotypes about people of Asian descent, but presents them in an even more disturbing and over-the-top manner. It’s good that this character hasn’t been used for many years, but it’s deeply disappointing to see such offensive and terrible imagery on the cover of a comic that launched Batman and helped define DC Comics.

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2026-02-27 23:12