#(Incidentally I realise my initial note missed out two of the recent allegations. It's actually now five women.)

[dalla-mia-isola-strana]

This can't be real

So, Twitter, Tumblr and Facebook are awash with bots trying to bury news of the allegations against Neil Gaiman. Over on Twitter, it's thousands of posts all praising the "stunning visuals" of the Sandman series. Here, there's been a suspicious rash of quoted platitudes from his books and reblogged, years-old fanart by other people filling up the "Neil Gaiman" hashtag. And then there's this. I don't know what to call this. It's so bizarre and spiteful, so unlike the genuine shock and sadness I've seen from most people to whom I've directed similar notes, so far from the cautious tone of even the most infuriating rape apologism I've seen out there. It's so defensive, I honestly wonder if somehow, this supposed crochet artist is a sockpuppet for Gaiman himself. But whatever's going on, for the love of God, if you're not a bot account, stop acting like one. Neil Gaiman has paid an expensive PR firm to do his dirty work for him -- the least you can do is not volunteer.