comicscreatorsbeavingbadly

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This is going to go SO WELL.

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I can’t believe it is 2016 and I am reading this pile of shit “article” with my own two eyes. If this author was further up Liefeld’s asshole, he’d be tongue-kissing him:

Liefeld has nothing against diversity in comics, and very few people genuinely do, but he does stand firm against hijacking old characters in order to fit a social agenda. He makes it clear that Iron Fist never had any sort of racist elements or problems with people finding it racist until just recently. Critics, often uninformed ones, attempt to paint a picture that just isn’t accurate, and people like Liefeld are left to defend their passion against the hordes that seek to take it away from them

And then there’s this, which is so tone-deaf and ridiculous, I was certain it was sarcasm at first:

This, of course, coming from “fans” unfamiliar with some of the many diverse characters he created. Chapel (an African-American member of Liefeld’s Youngblood series); G.W. Bridge (an African-American member of the X-Force series, who later goes on to become President); and Kayo (an Asian character created by Liefeld for his Brigade series) are just a few examples. 

Leaving aside the obvious gatekeeping bullshit (these “SJWs” aren’t “real fans” because they don’t know every single character created in the 75+ years of comics), this sounds a lot like the comics version of “I can’t be racist, I have a black friend!” Okay, dude. Sure. You sit over there on your high horse because Liefeld created a couple minor POC characters, so obviously he’s the arbiter of what is and isn’t racist in comics. As opposed to, you know, actual people of color, like the many, MANY Asian & Asian-Americans upset with yet another White Savior character coming right on the heels of the racist travesty that is Brandywine Crumpetface’s Doctor Strange. 

Listen, I’m grateful for what Liefeld has done for comics–creating Deadpool and Cable, helping found Image Comics, making me both laugh and cry (at his ‘art’)–but as a straight white man, he needs to sit the hell down and listen on this one. Marvel missed a HUGE opportunity to make up for decades of racism and tell a new and different “fish out of water” story with an Asian-American or biracial Danny Rand. Insulting those who are calling for them to do better doesn’t fix anything, and just makes you look like a giant asshole.

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Peter David has issued another apology.

It’s an actual apology this time. It uses the words “I apologize” directly aimed at the people he offended. There are no side-tangents trying to villainize the Romani further with this one. No whining about “activist thinking”. He admits he fucked up and carried around unexamined, bigoted assumptions for 20 years. He even did a bit of homework to prove his younger self wrong.

Of course, it wouldn’t be Peter David without that bit of swerving to miss the point at the end, but overall, he did good. So points there.

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Muppet News Flash… Comic Edition.

[comicscreatorsbeavingbadly]

DC COMICS EDITOR EDDIE BERGANZA ACCUSED OF SEXUAL HARASSMENT: REPORT

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Eddie Berganza Still Works at DC Comics

This past weekend HBO debuted a movie telling the story of Anita Hill, a smart, educated woman who testified that a future Supreme Court judge sexually harassed her. Hill became a public face for an issue that existed long before she met Clarence Thomas and would exist today, some 25 years after appeared before the Senate.

So it is with some irony this week that sexual harassment is a topic in the very small world of comics. It’s not the first time this topic has come to light. There have been several incidents over the years involving creators and executives. But this time the focus was one of the big two, DC Comics, and one of its top editors, Eddie Berganza.

I first heard about Berganza’s reign at DC Comics four years ago. How he had harassed women through out DC Comics over and over again. When I first heard about it I was shocked. Why was this man still working there? Why didn’t people know more about this. But of course people did know about it. It was one of the biggest open secrets in comics. 

I have a whole set of emails and DM discussing Berganza with people in the comic business over the past few years. Just a few weeks ago I sent a not to a comics commentator noting the sick irony that the new Wonder Woman Earth One by Grant Morrison ends with Wonder Woman telling “Man’s World” it was time to talk about the treatment of women to a crowd that included Eddie Berganza (upper right hand corner). 

Berganza was the editor on this book and as group editor of Superman oversaw the Wonder Woman books. (Which explains so much). With the return of Greg Rucka to the book he will no longer oversee the book and it will instead be in far better hands under Mark Doyle, group Batman editor.

So if this was such an open secret in comics, you may ask why not write about it?

After all Rich Johnson over a Bleeding Cool ran a story four years ago saying the Berganza had been demoted because of a harassment incident. Earlier this year Alex DeCampi came this close to naming Berganza 

In my case my information came from someone in the business and it was not my place to out her or to speak for them.

I don’t depend on comics for my livelihood. I could walk away from writing about comics tomorrow and it would not impact my life. The women that Eddie Berganza harassed for years in a situation so bad that it went all the way up to corporate headquarters do depend on comics for their livelihood. It was not my story to tell.  

But the situation has now changed since Janelle Asselin publicly stated that she had been one of the women who reported Berganza at DC Comics.

The reason that Berganza’s name is now out there came out of the frustration of seeing another great talent let go from DC Comics. Earlier this week the company announced the departure of Shelly Bond as editor of Vertigo. Like many others I expressed frustration that Berganza was still there when others were let go.  Just from Vertigo along we’ve seen in addition to Shelly Bond DC Comics also let Karen Berger and Joan Hilty go.

And let’s not forget that DC Comics fired Dwyane McDuffie for talking in comic forums about the runaway he got from his editor while he was writing Justice League.

But Eddie Berganza still works for DC Comics.

Eddie Berganza who was such a horrible harasser that women reportedly couldn’t work directly for him still works for DC Comics.

I don’t expect that DC Comics or Warner Bros. will do anything now that the story is out there. And it doesn’t really change anything for those who were aware of the story for years. Many people tried very hard to address the issue of Eddie Berganza many years ago. And he is still there.

I got an email from Tumblr today telling me I started this blog exactly six years ago today. When I started this it was a blog designed to celebrate the female characters of DC Comics. It’s goal to celebrate the good, call out the bad and to bring more female readers into comics and to see more diversity.

A lot has changed through the past six years. When I started the blog, Greg Rucka had just left DC Comics. And now he is back writing Wonder Woman.

There were hardly any female artists and writers on DC books and now there are more (though not enough).

There were hardly any toys and books for kids that included the female characters of DC Comics and now there is a whole line targeting girls.

Wonder Woman didn’t have a movie. Now she does. 

Six years ago a DC editor claimed DC Comics was diverse because it had “green, pink, and blue characters.” Today there is more diversity than there was (but still not enough).

So it’s … better? Maybe in a two steps forward, one step back kinda way?

But that’s all of comics, it seems.

I like that I get to celebrate the good in comics. The amazing artists and writers and books that make my heart race as I open them. The storytelling that can whisk you away to another place. The characters that you learn to love and hate. 

That’s what keeps you going.

But.

Comics also frustrates you or pisses you off. 

And if you’re anything but a straight white dude they’ll rip out your heart and stamp on it. Many, many times.

I hate that I have to call out so much bad. 

I hate that I love characters from a company that protects harassers.

I hate that Eddie Berganza still works in comics. And that people like Brian Wood and Scott Allie and the list goes on are in comics. 

I hate that Janelle Asselin and Tess Fowler got treated the way they did.

So what do you do? Do you just stop or fight on?

I don’t know.

Six years is a long time to be writing about comics, fighting for comics, putting up with the bullshit of this beat.

Eddie Berganza still works at DC Comics. 

But Shelly Bond doesn’t. Karen Berger doesn’t. Janelle Asselin doesn’t.

I’m tired. How about you?

[comicscreatorsbeavingbadly]

“Newsletter”:  there are a couple things  I wanted to write about the whole Eddie Berganza story from this week.  These are purely personal opinions, offered for entertainment, and not “legal advice” or an effort to solicit clients or anything like that:

Keep reading

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im gonna murder adam hughes :) :) :)

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Denver Comic Con held a “Women in Comics” panel that included zero women

The panel was intended to discuss popular female characters and female illustrators “that were able to break in the mostly all-male club of creating comics” and to introduce “many of the female illustrators/creators attending the convention,” the event description stated. It did not go well.