In Aurora, Colorado, a murderer went into a filming of the latest of Christopher Nolan’s dark-themed Batman films, “The Dark Knight Rises,” and threw canisters of gas into the audience and prWaroceeded to shoot members of the audience. The attack on the Aurora movie audience has resulted in 71 people shot with 12 deaths and 59 injured (as of news reports at time of posting.) The attack took place at the Century 16 movie theater, in in Theater 9, in Aurora. The reported victims have ranged from 3 months old babies to adults, with teenagers killed in the public rampage.
The Warner Brothers’ (Warner Bros) distributed, DC Comics-based film had numerous scenes of public rampage, mayhem, and terroristic violence, with terrorist attacks on a football stadium, a public attack on the stock market, and scenes of mob violence in the streets. This has been the pattern of Christopher Nolan’s ultra-violent film approach to the Batman character, and it has also reflected a general trend in DC Comics over the past 5 to 10 years to promote increasing levels of violence and horror in the comics that they sell to our children. DC Comics have previously published “Batman” comic books, including “The Dark Knight Returns” where a killer started shooting people in a crowded theater during a Batman-inspired film.
There needs to be a voice of restraint and sanity returned to Warner Bros and DC Comics as to the type of ultra-violent, terrorist-glamorizing film and media that is publishing, and an end to Warner Bros and DC Comics’ mass merchandising of mass murdering characters.
We urge the public to join us in contacting Warner Bros and DC Comics to seek an END to the glamorizing and mass merchandising of their characters that commit mass murder. Please sign our online petition urging them to make these changes. We call for them to use the profits from their products sold thus far to help the victims of killers in Colorado and Belgium inspired by their films and merchandising.
Aurora, Colorado Murders: Unlike Warner Bros/Christopher Nolan's Dark Film, the Murders Inside Were Not Just a Fantasy
Child Murderers Inspired by Glamorization of Terrorist Violence
The most disturbing aspect of this latest murder is this is not the FIRST time these ultra-violent films inspired such murders of CHILDREN.
The accused murderer, James Eagan Holmes, told police that he was “The Joker,” he had dyed his hair red, and wore a gas mask and protective gear as he walked among the film audience, randomly shooting his victims. With the film about a comic book character, parents who were not aware of the dark, grim approach that Warner Bros was treating this character, would have not questioned whether to let their children go to this film. The audience that James Holmes shot at random was full of children.
Among the victims of Batman film murderer James Holmes included a 3 month old baby was injured and a 6 year old child who was killed. The innocent child who was killed Veronica Moser-Sullivan, was a 6 year old girl with her entire life ahead of her.
6 Year old Veronica Moser-Sullivan - one of the victims of the mass-murder at Warner Bros "Dark Knight Rises" movie shown in Aurora, Colorado (Photo courtesy of family)
A dozen people did not survive the public mass murder by James Holmes.
The Denver Post has provided an update with the list of names of the 12 victims:
Jon Blunk – 26, Navy veteran
AJ Boik – 18, Student
Jessica Ghawi – 24, Sports journalist
John Larimer – 27, U.S. Navy sailor
Matt McQuinn – 27, Worked at Target
Micayla Medek – 23, Subway Sandwich Artist
Veronica Moser-Sullivan – 6, Grade-schooler
Alex Sullivan – 27, Bartender
Alexander Teves – 24, Recently earned Master’s degree
Rebecca Wingo – 32, Worked at Joe’s Crab Shack
Gordon Cowden – 51, Outdoorsman and small business owner
Jesse Childress – 29, U.S. Air Force Reserve
The Wyoming Times press reported that witness Jennifer Seeger said that James Holmes fired continuously into the crowd, stopping only to reload, and she tried to escape saw a 14 year old girl “lying lifeless on the stairs.” Witness Shayla Roeder also stated that she saw a teenage girl bleeding outside the theater, with “this horrible look in her eyes….and I could tell she was not all right.” The press reported that “Aurora police Chief Dan Oates said the suspect wore a gas mask, a ballistic helmet and vest as well as leg, groin and throat protectors. He said he had an AR-15 military-style, semi-automatic rifle, a shotgun and two pistols.”
A group of friends are overcome with emotion as they gather outside Gateway High School, Friday July 20, 2012, in Aurora. They got news that their friend was killed during a shooting, where about 50 people were shot 12 fatally early Friday inside an Aurora movie theater during a premiere showing of the new Batman movie, were taken to the high school by bus to be questioned by police. RJ Sangosti, The Denver Post (RJ Sangosti, The Denver Post)
Among the killed were Jessica Ghawi, who was a 24-year-old sports writer who used the pen name Jessica Redfield. She had previously survived another attack in a Toronto mall. Members of American armed forces were also included in the attack, and a U.S. Navy sailor and a member of the U.S. Air Force were injured.
Jessica Ghawi, Murdered by "Joker" Killer James Holmes During Aurora Film (Photo Courtesy of Famil)
Just like the accused murderer James Holmes in the Aurora movie theater killing, another killer was inspired by the “Dark Knight” films to kill babies.
Batman Movie-Inspired Murderers: 2012 - James Eagan Holmes - Shot 71, Killed 12, Wounded 59 in Colorado Movie Theater, 2008 - Kim De Gelder - Attacked Belgian Day Care Center, Killed Two Babies, Adult - Injured 10 More Babies
In July 2008, after the first ultra-violent Warner Bros “Batman” film “The Dark Knight,” another “fan” dressed up as the perceived anti-hero “Joker” as his costume to commit murder.
In Belgium, 20 year old Kim De Gelder tricked his way into the Fabeltjesland day care center to murder and attack little children. He wore a bullet proof vest, and had a painted white face, eye shadow and ginger hair, to make himself look like Nolan’s “Joker” character. He drew a 12 inch knife and began attacking babies in the child care center, between a few months and two years old. He murdered two babies, nine-month-old Leon Garcia, six-month-old Corneel Vermeir, and he murdered one of the women watching the children, Marita Blindeman. All of the victims were stabbed in the head and the throat. Marita tried to call for help and she was murdered by the “Joker” killer as she was on the telephone calling for an ambulance. There were 10 other babies injured in the attack by the “Joker” killer, after the 2008 “Dark Knight” film. The murderer confessed to his crimes and laughed to the police, reportedly quoting one of the 2008 film’s characters when he was arrested.
In 2008, after the last "Dark Knight" film - another killer murders and injures babies in Belgium - Two unidentified persons hold a child with an identification number on his forehead, at a crisis center next to the scene of a stabbing incident at a daycare center in Dendermonde, Belgium (Photo: AP)
Ultra-Violent Warner Bros Film Promotes Killers Who “Want to See the World Burn”
It is yet another of the films by British director filmmaker Christopher Nolan, who has been the lead behind the latest in his ultra-violent films about the DC Comic’s character “The Batman.” Christopher Nolan’s latest film “The Dark Knight Rises” comes four years after his last film “The Dark Knight” in July 2008.
In both of the very dark, disturbing, dytopian films by Christopher Nolan, there is glamorization of big-screen terrorism against the public by the Batman villains, with mass murders in public places. In Nolan’s 2008 film, the Joker character commits mass murders in a hospital of helpless people, among other public terrorist attacks.
Murderers Inspiration from WB/Nolan "Dark Knight" Films: The Joker Who Wants to See the World Burn
Nolan’s Joker character from the “Dark Knight” film remains an inspiration for murderers, after both films. In the 2008 film, the glamorized villain “The Joker” is a psychopathic nihilist that advocates anarchy, who stated “I am an agent of chaos,” and who wants to see “the world burn.”
In 2009, I noticed that “This stabbing, bombing, psychopathic character becomes the central character of the Warner Bros film, which was merely rated PG-13, and is virtually glamorized in the film and the subsequent mass-merchandising campaign.”
A day after the mass murder and terrorist attack in an Aurora, Colorado movie house, DC Comics, continues to sell and mass merchandise costumes, statues, and toys for OUR CHILDREN – that glamorize the mass-murdering Joker character from the “The Dark Knight” film. DC Comics does this directly from their web site.
July 21, 2012 - a full day after the murders in the Aurora theaters, DC Comics continues to mass merchandise costumes and toys glamorizing the mass-murdering "Joker" character from "The Dark Knight" - the inspiration for two murderers (Screenshot: DC Comics)
Warner Bros and DC Comics have been glamorizing and mass-merchandising this mass-murdering character from the “The Dark Knight” films for the past FOUR YEARS.
Warner Bros and DC Comics Went On to Make Millions for Merchandising of Costumes and Kits Glamorizing the Mass-Murdering Joker
WB/DC make millions of dollars by mass merchandising films and products glamorizing killers. Their inspiration of terror and incitement of violence must come to an end.
But instead of pulling back, WB/DC are planning even MORE mass merchandising to GLAMORIZE mass murderers and terrorists.
On the WB/DC web site after the Aurora killings, DC is selling figurines and shirts to OUR CHILDREN – glamorizing “The Dark Knight Rises” film’s mass murderer and public terrorist figure “Bane,” and they sell the terrorist character as “ready for action.”
THIS is how “deeply saddened” WB and DC industry leaders are about the killings, which were inspired by mass murderers in their films and products. They are so “deeply saddened” that they continue to promote mass murderers in their films and products every single day.
Warner Bros / DC Entertainment - Comics - is NOW mass merchandising figurines of terrorist character "Bane" in latest "Dark Knight Returns" film - that commits public terrorism, attacks Stock Exchange (Screenshot: DC Entertainment web page)
Warner Bros / DC Continues to Mass Merchandise Shirts, Toys, all GLAMORIZING the latest Mass-Murdering Terrorist Character "Bane" in "The Dark Knight Rises" - (Screen shot: DC Entertainment web page - July 21)
When you go to the local toy store, you would NOT expect to find TOYS and COSTUMES glamorizing mass-murderers such as Adolf Hitler, Josef Stalin, Mao Tse-Tung, or terrorists such as Osama Bin Laden – but you will see Warner Bros and DC Comics promoting TOYS and COSTUMES of mass-murdering characters from their “Dark Knight” films.
DC Comics is continuing to do this RIGHT NOW, TODAY, in the immediate aftermath of a mass-murder terrorist attack inspired by one of the characters that the WB/DC films have glamorized and mass-merchandised as TOYS for CHILDREN. This has to END.
We must DEMAND that WB/DC stop its mass merchandising and profiteering from glamorizing of terrorism today. We must also DEMAND that WB/DC provide all of the profits raised from such mass-murder mass merchandising to the victims of those killed and injured, by the killers inspired by these characters in Colorado and in Belgium.
Police Rush to Secure Theaters in New York City, Film Canceled in Paris
The film premiere of “The Dark Knight Rises” scheduled for Paris tonight has been cancelled. In New York City, the police have stated that they will increase security around theaters that show the film, concerned about “copy cat” killers.
Heightened police presence at a movie theater in Times Square in New York on July 20 (AFP, Mehdi Taamallah)
Warner Bros and DC Comics Growing Culture of Violence
Over the past 5 to 10 years, DC Comics has had increasing levels of violence and horror in the comics that they sell to our children, and now in the films that they and Warner Bros studios distribute to the public, including the ultra-violent “Dark Knight” Batman films by Christopher Nolan. The Dark Knight films have glamorized scenes of mass murderers killing hundreds of helpless people in hospitals, committing public terrorist attacks and rampage, and then mass merchandising shirts and products to glamorize such mass murdering characters. Warner Bros and DC Comics must be responsible and accountable for their continuing actions.
DC Comics is not what mothers and fathers remember from their youth. Elements within DC Comics and Warner Bros have been promoting a growing trend ultra-violent public story lines and terrorist violence. In addition to the public terrorist attacks glamorized in the Christopher Nolan “Dark Knight” Batman films, DC Comics published a comic “The Dark Knight Returns,” where a gunman stood up in the middle of a Batman-inspired movie and opened fire inside the crowded theater.
Warner Bros’ culture of ultra-violent films has included a trailer for the September film Gangster Squad because of a scene in which gangster characters tear through a theater screen and shoot randomly in a crowded theater. After the murders in the Aurora, Colorado movie theater during the Warner Bros’ “Dark Knight Rises” film, the company has decided to pull the trailer from that film. There is no word on whether Warner Bros will continue to distribute such ultra-violent films.
WB Web Site Screen Shot for CEO Barry Meyer: Despite his "sympathies," even a full day after the mass-murder terrorist attack on an Aurora movie theater during the Dark Knight Rises WB/DC film, WB CEO shows his picture next to a film character that attacked the Stock Exchange and committed other public acts of terrorism
Responsible for Equality And Liberty (R.E.A.L.) urges the public to BOYCOTT Warner Bros’ Dark Knight and its other ultra-violent films, so that its company understands the financial price of promoting films that glamorize violence to such a degree that it encourages and incites others to commit violence – as we have seen on REPEATED ATTACKS ON OUR CHILDREN.
Speak Out to Warner Bros, DC Comics, and Christopher Nolan – Call for End to Glamorizing Mass Murderers
Responsible for Equality And Liberty (R.E.A.L.) urges the public to let Warner Bros know how you feel about their actions and the promotion of ultra-violent films and products to the public. We urge you to let Time/Warner’s Chairman of the Board and CEO Jeffrey L. Bewkes, Warner Bros CEO Barry M. Meyer, WB Pictures Group’s Jeff Robinov, DC Comics President Diane Nelson, DC Comics Dan DiDio, DC Comics Jim Lee, and Filmmaker Christopher Nolan know how you feel about this.
We also urge you to contact DC Entertainment via their web site and let them know how you feel:
http://www.dcentertainment.com/contact
The addresses to write
— Barry M. Meyer, CEO, Warner Brothers, 4000 Warner Boulevard, Burbank, CA 91522 – email at: barry.meyer@warnerbros.com, Telephone: 818-954-6000, Fax: 212-954-7667
— Diane Nelson, President, DC Entertainment, Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc., 4000 Warner Blvd., Bldg 2, #103, Burbank, CA 91522 – Email: Diane.Nelson@Warnerbros.com, Telephone: 818-954-4522
— Dan DiDio, DC Comics, 1700 Broadway, #7, ( Time/Warner, Warner Bros Entertainment Inc.) Midtown Manhattan, New York, NY 10019 – telephone 212-636-5400
You can reach them on TWITTER at:
Warner Bros Twitter – WB CEO Barry M. Meyer
https://twitter.com/wbpictures
DC Comics Twitter – Diane Nelson and Dan DiDio
https://twitter.com/DCComics
DC Comics Co-Publisher Jim Lee
https://twitter.com/JimLee
Filmmaker Christopher Nolan – WB
https://twitter.com/ChrisNolanWB
We will be updating this posting in the near future with an online petition to Time/Warner’s Chairman of the Board and CEO Jeffrey L. Bewkes, calling for him to take a responsible stand toward these ultra-violent films that his company makes and distributes.
Our Petition Calling for Change at Warner Bros and DC Comics
Warner Bros, DC Comics, Time/Warner CEO Jeffrey L. Bewkes, WB CEO Barry M. Meyer, WB Pictures Group’s Jeff Robinov, DC Comics President Diane Nelson, DC Comics Dan DiDio, DC Comics Jim Lee, and Filmmaker Christopher Nolan –
Concerned People of the World call upon Warner Bros and DC Comics to end its business patterns of creating, marketing, and distributing ultra-violent films, media, and products. These media and products glamorize characters that commit public mass-murder, terrorism, and mayhem.
Warner Bros and DC Comics make millions of dollars by mass merchandising films, media, and products glamorizing killers. Their inspiration of terror and incitement of violence must come to an end. These companies must use the blood money from such sales to aid the victims of criminals inspired by their glamorizing of mass murders – both in the United States and around the world
We have seen how these sick and twisted visions have inspired murders in Colorado and in Belgium, who have been responsible for killing helpless children. We have also seen how such twisted visions have infected the minds of young people around the world.
This has become a pattern with these businesses for some time. Warner Bros and DC Comics have been making and promoting films, books, and products that glamorize mass murderers. This is against all human dignity and the safety of our children and our fellow human beings, which are universal human rights.
Warner Bros and DC Comics have promoted characters in films that commit repeated acts of public mass murder, terrorist violence, killing innocent people in hospitals and others.
Unlike others however, Warner Bros and DC Comics does not portray these characters as truly “evil” or “wrong,” and in fact, makes millions of dollars out of glamorizing these characters. Warner Bros and DC Comics mass merchandising of mass murder includes TOYS and COSTUMES of mass-murdering characters from their “Dark Knight” films, such as the “Dark Knight Joker” and the “Dark Knight Bane” characters.
When you go to the local toy store, you would NOT expect to find TOYS and COSTUMES glamorizing mass-murderers such as Adolf Hitler, Josef Stalin, Mao Tse-Tung, or terrorists such as Osama Bin Laden – but you will see Warner Bros and DC Comics promoting TOYS and COSTUMES of mass-murdering characters from their “Dark Knight” films.
Warner Bros and DC Comics is continuing to do this RIGHT NOW, TODAY, in the immediate aftermath of a mass-murder terrorist attack inspired by one of the characters that the WB/DC films have glamorized and mass-merchandised as TOYS for CHILDREN. This has to END.
We must DEMAND that Warner Bros / DC Comics stop its mass merchandising and profiteering from glamorizing of terrorism today.
We must DEMAND that Warner Bros / DC Comics discontinue all films, books, and media which glamorize public mass murder and terrorist acts.
We must also DEMAND that Warner Bros / DC Comics provide all of the profits raised from such mass-murder mass merchandising to the victims of those killed and injured, by the killers inspired by these characters in Colorado and in Belgium.
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Diane Nelson is President of DC Entertainment which promotes the mass merchandising of products glamorizing the "Dark Knight" mass murdering characters. She previously worked for Disney. (Screen shot: DC Entertainment)
