Due to Hilarious Printing Error, Latest Batman Comic Includes F-Words, C-Words

Two of the offending swears.

If you were hoping to hit a comics shop today to pick up the latest issue of Frank Miller and Jim Lee’s All Star Batman and Robin the Boy Wonder series (#10), you’re in for a disappointment: Due to an unfortunate printing mistake that left all the comic book’s censored profanities visible through black bars, DC Comics has ordered a recall of the entire run. Though previous issues of the series have included the same trick — bits of lettering stick out from behind the bars, giving the reader a hint of what is actually being said — the tactic backfired this time around due to some unforeseen production problem. The hilarious result? A comic book in which the c-word is dropped several times, and exclamations such as “This here arcade belongs to the fucking Batgirl!” are completely legible. Check out the slideshow below to see for yourself.

Since the comic was shipped out to stores across the country, the issues are in circulation despite DC’s recall, meaning that the offending pages have turned up online, and unreturned copies will no doubt be sold at a premium as collector’s items in shops and online auctions. So, you know, if you’re in the market for a comic that leaves absolutely nothing to the imagination in terms of cartoon profanity, you’d better start haggling with your local comics retailer — just watch your language!

WASH YOUR MOUTH OUT WITH BATSOAP [Comic Book Resources]
All-Star Batman’s bad language [Beat/PW]
Tough Love Tuesday Breaking News: Insufficient Censorship [Funnybook Babylon]

Related: What’s Up With Batman’s Voice in ‘The Dark Knight’? Isn’t It Obvious?
How Will Christopher Nolan ‘Dark Knight’–ify the Stupider Batman Villains?

If I wanted to link up some text, would it work?
Due to Hilarious Printing Error, Latest Batman Comic Includes F-Words, C-Words