While the limited-edition Forever stamps featuring Batman are selling well, traditional stamp collectors believe the Caped Crusader represents everything ruining the stamp program.

Limited Edition Forever Batman Stamp Collection Set

The controversy arises from Batman's 75th anniversary stamps , which feature 8 different designs and include the artwork of several iconic Batman artists per sheet of 20 stamps. According to Businessweek , traditionalists in the stamp collecting community are upset with recent efforts to attract younger audiences to stamp collecting.“They have really ruined the stamp program,” explains former U.S. Postmaster General Benjamin Bailar, who resigned from the Citizens Stamp Advisory Committee in August because of his opposition to stamps like the Batman series. “They have prostituted it in an effort to make money.”The Batman series is part of the U.S. Postal Service's ongoing efforts to attract younger audiences to stamp collecting, which represents almost pure profit for the cash-strapped agency. “You’ve got people who are fans of an icon that collect Batman memorabilia,” USPS spokesman Mark Saunders told Businessweek. “It’s a great opportunity to reach out to younger audiences, more people, to make stamps more relevant to everyone.”The Batman stamps aren't the first pop-culture stamps to receive the criticism of traditional stamp collectors. Last year, the philatelic community also freaked out when Harry Potter appeared on stamps , with traditionalists claiming stamps aren't just about what will sell.For those hoping to get into stamp collecting, the limited edition Batman stamp sheets are available now from the USPS

Rachel Paxton-Gillilan is a freelance writer. She can sometimes be found on Twitter