Stranger Things 5 Poster Artist Under Fire for 'Disgusting' Response to Sexualised Comment About Seven-Year-Old Holly Wheeler

Stranger Things official poster artist Butcher Billy is facing backlash over a widely criticised response to a sexualised comment about his poster illustration of seven-year-old Holly Wheeler, a character portrayed by Nell Fisher, who is 14 years old.

Butcher Billy—whose real name is Billy Mariano da Luz, 47—is a Brazilian pop artist and illustrator and the official artist for the Stranger Things franchise. Commissioned by Netflix, he has created key artwork for all seasons of the series.

His distinctive style has become a global phenomenon, closely associated with the show's 1980s aesthetic and featured across social media campaigns, promotional materials, and merchandise worldwide.

The Sexualised Comment and Butcher Billy's Response

On X, Butcher Billy shared several of his works, including the official poster for Stranger Things Season 5 Volume 1, Chapter Two: The Vanishing of Holly Wheeler.

An X user expressed their thoughts on the post in a comment that many netizens later described as 'disgusting' and coded with pedophilic undertones. The user, Ty (@dollat325), wrote: 'They even got her DSL's in this image perfect lol.'

The situation escalated after the poster's illustrator responded with a GIF of Tom from Tom & Jerry wearing a tuxedo and bowing—an image commonly interpreted as a gesture of thanks, approval, or 'my pleasure,' much like a conductor acknowledging applause.

Some users were initially confused and questioned why the poster designer faced backlash. However, the criticism stems from the meaning of the acronym 'DSL,' which carries a highly inappropriate sexual connotation, especially when directed toward a minor.

The term is widely understood to stand for 'd*ck-sucking lips,' and comments using it are seen as sexualising and objectifying.

Fans' Reaction

Fans were quick to react to the exchange, widely condemning it as 'disgusting' and pedophilic. X user david | st5 spoilers (@dancintilldead) shared a screenshot of the interaction.

In the caption, they wrote: 'This is actually disgusting to say about a 14-year-old girl, and the fact that the artist himself replied to a comment sexualizing a child like it's nothing is outrageous. @billythebutcher, care to explain?'

One fan commented on the post, saying, 'What the f*ck is wrong with @billythebutcher?! This isn't normal. Get your shit together, man.'

While some users gave the artist the benefit of the doubt, suggesting ignorance of the term's meaning, one wrote, 'Pretty sure the artist didn't know what that means.'

Another added, 'I have to believe he didn't know what it meant because 1) it's disgusting and 2) this is his professional account—why would he publicly like such a comment when he's almost certain to get caught?' This sentiment was echoed by another user, who said, 'Maybe the fact that he is Brazilian—he, like I am, might not recognise the acronyms or what those letters mean.'

However, not everyone was convinced. One fan argued, 'There's no way he didn't know what he replied to, because one look at that person's profile is enough. Disgusting.' Another user wrote, 'Absolutely f*cking disgusting. He needs to be fired immediately and never be allowed to work another day in his miserable life.'

Meanwhile, concerned fans also called for Nell Fisher to be protected. One X post read, 'Nell Fisher needs to be protected. This child is experiencing an insanely disturbing amount of sexualization. Let's make sure that @billythebutcher doesn't get away with that vile comment.'

Another echoed the concern, writing, 'Nell Fisher needs to be protected. The level of sexualization she is facing is disturbing.'

Butcher Billy's Statement on the Backlash

Following the intense backlash, Butcher Billy posted a statement on his X account addressing the controversy, though fans quickly noticed that his replies were restricted, with the comment section turned off.

He wrote: 'Hey X! I've been hearing a lot from you about a recent GIF I replied to a comment on one of my art posts. There has been a lot of confusion, so I felt I should clarify this to you all.'

The artist continued: 'The last few days have been crazy, and I've been replying to most of your nice comments with a quick emoji or a GIF, like I usually do across all my socials. It turns out that one of the comments had an acronym in the middle that I'd never heard of.'

Butcher Billy explained that the comment initially appeared to be a compliment, admitting that he had no idea what the acronym meant at the time.

'The comment looked like a compliment to the art, so I replied back with a funny GIF. Turns out that this obscure acronym meant something bad that I really should have checked out before replying! That was totally on me! 🤦,' he wrote.

The Stranger Things poster designer confirmed that he deleted the response after learning the meaning behind the acronym.

'As soon as you pointed that out, I quickly deleted the GIF and the initial culprit user was rightfully banned,' he added.

He also reiterated his professional values, stating, 'I reiterate my commitment to ethical values, social responsibility, and respect for human rights, a commitment reflected in my professional and artistic career,' before thanking those who had brought the issue to his attention.

While some fans defended the artist, suggesting the incident stemmed from ignorance and rushed interactions online, others criticised the response as tone-deaf, particularly given Nell Fisher's age and the broader history of child actors facing harassment.

One fan wrote on X: 'Seeing Nell Fisher being sexualised after everything the original main cast went through growing up is actually heartbreaking. No one ever learns, and it never changes in this society. She's a literal CHILD.'

As of now, neither Stranger Things nor Netflix has released an official statement regarding the incident or whether any action will be taken concerning the conduct of their commissioned artist.