One widely circulated cover shows superhero Kyle Rayner, a member of the Green Lantern Corps, in space with a bag of tamales in one hand and a flag reading “Viva Mexico!!” in the other. Another depicts Hawkgirl as a waitress carrying plates of food from “Platanitos Fritos Cafeteria.” Yet another shows Jaime Reyes as the Blue Beetle flying through the air with tacos.
DC Comics and CNN share parent company Warner Bros. Discovery.
Edgardo Miranda-Rodriguez, whose 2016 graphic novel “La Borinqueña” explores Puerto Rican history and identity, was among the covers’ critics.
Samantha King, a comic news writer for Screen Rant, called the covers “an absolute disappointment that shows a lack of creativity and respect for the community.”
At least one of the covers appeared to be modified from the artist’s original vision.
Shortly after DC debuted its Hispanic Heritage Month covers, comic illustrator Jorge Molina shared a version of the Green Lantern cover sans tamales. In it, character Kyle Rayner holds a green lantern and a Mexican flag without the coat of arms.
“It is part of DC’s internal creative process to receive and develop multiple versions of comic artwork from our artists,” DC said in a statement shared with CNN. “Some are released as variant covers, others are never used.”
The company did not address the criticisms aimed at the other covers.
