Batman Day 2025 Gotham Sampler Canceled Red Hood Variant #1 NM-

Batman Day 2025 Gotham Sampler Canceled Red Hood Variant #1 is a highly sought-after collectible due to a major controversy and subsequent recall in late 2025. 

The Red Hood Controversy Recall

The recall was triggered by controversial social media comments made by the series writer, Gretchen Felker-Martin, regarding the real-world assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, which occurred the same day the comic was released. 

• The Comments: Following reports of Kirk's death, Felker-Martin posted remarks such as "hope the bullet's OK" and referred to him with disparaging terms.
• DC's Response: DC Comics stated that the writer’s comments were "inconsistent with DC's standards of conduct" regarding the promotion of hostility or violence.
• Action Taken: DC cancelled all future issues of the series immediately and instructed retailers to stop selling Red Hood #1. Retailers were issued credits for all copies, including those already sold to customers. 

Status of the Issue 

• Fastest Cancellation: This is considered one of the fastest cancellations in comic book history, occurring within 24 hours of the debut issue's release. 
• Secondary Market: Because some copies had already been sold before the recall reached shops, the issue has become a high-value collector's item. By late 2025, copies were reported to be selling for hundreds of dollars on secondary markets like eBay.
• Digital Availability: The issue was also removed from digital platforms like ComiXology. 

Gotham Sampler Impact 

The recall also affected the Gotham Sampler created for Batman Day 2025, which originally contained a preview of the Red Hood series. DC cancelled the print edition of this sampler entirely and replaced the Red Hood excerpt in the digital version with content from Immortal Legend Batman #1. 

Retailer Refund Process 

DC provided comprehensive financial protection for retailers to ensure the issue was removed from circulation quickly: 

• Full Invoice Credit: DC issued credits to retailers for all invoiced copies of Red Hood #1.
• Credit for Sold Copies: Uniquely, DC also credited retailers for copies that had already been sold to customers before the recall was announced.
• Future Order Cancellations: All existing orders for Red Hood #2 and Red Hood #3 were automatically canceled and refunded to store accounts. 

Customer Refund Information 

For readers who purchased the issue on its release day (September 10, 2025), the following policies applied: 

• In-Store Purchases: Most local comic shops offered full refunds to customers who returned the issue with a receipt. Some shops encouraged returns specifically to comply with DC's request to pull the book from circulation.
• Pre-Orders: Customers with active pre-orders or pull-list subscriptions for upcoming issues (#2 and #3) received automatic refunds from their respective shops.
• Digital Purchases: The issue was scrubbed from digital platforms like ComiXology and Kindle. Digital retailers processed automatic refunds for users who had purchased the debut issue before it was delisted. 

Collector Impact 

Despite the recall, many retailers and customers opted to keep their copies. Because the publisher credit was issued even for sold items, some retailers reportedly kept the stock to sell on the secondary market, where the recalled issue became a high-value collector's item overnight. 

Rare.