10 Iconic Comic Book Moments (That Are Secretly Terrible)

Even though Batman: The Killing Joke delves into the Joker's origins, the defining scene is when the grinning menace shoots Barbara Gordon through the spine, paralysing her. The Joker has committed far worse act over the years but this moment stands out since Babs was left confined to a wheelchair, forcing her to retire as Batgirl for 20 years.

Because Babs was a fan-favourite, readers were vexed this incident ended her career as a superheroine. However, it did allow Babs to reinvent herself as the world-class hacker and master informant, Oracle.

For years, she helped the Batman Family by building intel and formed her own team, the Birds of Prey. This drastic decision redefined the character since she became one of the first mainstream disabled heroes in DC Comics.

But that doesn't mean The Killing Joke is off the hook. After Babs is shot, the Joker undresses her and takes photos of her semi-dressed body. Even though Batman's nemesis is pretty screwed up, sexual humiliation doesn't feel like his MO. The moment seems to add nothing to the scene and came off as tacky and mean-spirited. Even the author, Alan Moore, admitted inserting this moment was a mistake.