A Belgian publisher has withdrawn the sale of a comic book after controversy erupted over the books' racist depiction of black people and 'hyper-sexualised' images of women.

The publisher Dupuis announced that its graphic novel, Spirou and the Blue Gorgon, would be removed from shops after the book was called out on social media.

In an announcement last week, Dupuis said it was “profoundly sorry if this album has been shocking and hurtful”, adding that it had been done in a “caricatured style of representation from another era”.

The publisher added that it was “more aware than ever of our moral duty and the importance of comics,” adding: “We take full responsibility today for this error of judgment.”

Spirou and the Blue Gorgon, a satirical tale of so-called “eco-terrorists”, junk food and plastic rubbish, was first published in September 2023. The comic book was widely reviewed in the Francophone press back at the time of its release, and there was no controversy around it.

However, in October 2024, a TikTok video denounced its portrayal of black people and women. The viral video led to a great deal of criticism. One internet user noted that all the white characters were human beings, while black characters were depicted as monkeys in the book. The user also pointed out that the women were typically drawn with plunging cleavage and tiny waists, and were “hyper-sexualised”.

After the publisher’s decision, local media reported that approximately 30,000 copies would be removed from sale, a decision said to be the first of its kind in Belgium.

Comic strips are considered an art form in Belgium and France, but some works have been strongly criticised for their stereotypical depictions of women and people of colour.

A similar uproar had occurred in 2011, with many seeking a ban on the 1930 comic book Tintin and the Congo over its portrayal of Africans. The request was turned down by Belgian courts.

The cartoonist behind the Blue Gorgon, Daniel Henrotin, who uses the pen name Dany, said he had been emulating the style of the late Belgian comic strip artist, André Franquin, who was celebrated in the 1950s. Dany said he recognised he had “made a mistake” and was “truly sorry if I could have hurt anyone”.

The 81-year-old artist denied having any racist or misogynist intentions and added that his goal was not to mock or denigrate people of colour and women.

“I heard it said that we cannot draw like that today. I respond that humour and caricature are in the DNA of the Belgian school of bande dessinée," the artist reportedly said.