Belgian publisher recalls comic book over racist depictions following public outcry

A Belgian comic book, *Spirou and the Blue Gorgon*, has been withdrawn after backlash over racist and sexualized depictions. Publisher Dupuis recalled 30,000 copies, expressing regret for the hurt caused and acknowledging a failure in judgment. The comic, released in September 2023, faced criticism after a viral TikTok video highlighted its portrayal of black characters as monkeys and women in hyper-sexualized ways. This sparked significant outrage on social media. The cartoonist, Daniel Henrotin, known as Dany, stated he aimed to emulate a past comic style and did not intend to offend. He acknowledged making a mistake but defended the use of caricature in comics.