Looking Back | Speaking out

Allegations of harassment and sexual misconduct mired the comics industry in the summer of 2020.

We continue our series that looks back at the biggest comics industry news trends of 2020. Watch for more posts all this week.

In the midst of the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic and the countless protests in the United States following the murder of George Floyd in Minnesota this past summer, a wave of allegations against comics creators and industry figures became public. These allegations ranged from abuse to harassment to other forms of sexual misconduct. Many brave people stepped forward to tell their stories and share what happened to them over the course of several weeks in June.

The comics industry isn’t unique in this regards; at the same time that the allegations against comics pros occurred, the professional wrestling industry was going through what was dubbed the Speaking Out movement. And both follow the bigger #MeToo movement that began to go viral back in 2017, which revealed the bad behavior by many entertainment industry figures (as well as politicians, captains of industry and, well, just about every other industry out there).

And in comics, harassment has, unfortunately, been part of the landscape for decades. In more recent years high-profile industry figures like Eddie Berganza and Brian Wood have been accused and subsequently lost work as a result, so to say that this is “new” would be inaccurate.

What seemed to set 2020 apart, however, was the number of allegations that occurred in such a short amount of time. Some were industry figures who had previously been accused, while others were newly revealed.

Continue reading “Looking Back | Speaking out”

Comics Lowdown | Cameron Stewart dropped from projects after sexual misconduct allegations surface

Plus: News on the Eisner Awards, new dates for Free Comic Book Day and more.

Multiple women this week accused artist Cameron Stewart of sexually preying on them, including one who was 16 at the time.

Artist and model Aviva Maï said Stewart groomed her, which is when an adult befriends a child to lower the child’s inhibitions with the objective of sexual abuse. She said this started in 2009, when she was 16. Following Maï’s post on Twitter, many other women, including creator Kate Leth, made similar accusations against Stewart.

As a result of the allegations, Bleeding Cool reports, Stewart has been removed from an unannounced project from DC Comics. In addition, Martin Morazzo, artist of Ice Cream Man, said they will no longer use a planned cover by Stewart for the comic’s 20th issue. “We will be donating the commission cost of the cover to Safe Horizons,” Morazzo said on Twitter. He also revealed the replacement cover, which features a parody of The Cat in the Hat cover:

Continue reading “Comics Lowdown | Cameron Stewart dropped from projects after sexual misconduct allegations surface”

All-star line-up assembles for new Spider-Man tale

‘Amazing Spider-Man: Full Circle’ will feature appearances by Nick Fury, Wolverine and Peter Porker.

Marvel has announced a new Spider-Man project titled “Full Circle,” which brings the character together with Wolverine, Nick Fury and Peter Porker — and features the work of a Murderer’s Row of writers and artist.

I mean, check out this line-up: Written by Nick Spencer, Jonathan Hickman, Gerry Duggan, Al Ewing, Chip Zdarsky, Kelly Thompson and Jason Aaron; Art by Chris Bachalo, Chris Sprouse, Greg Smallwood, Michael Allred, Rachael Stott, Valerio Schiti, Cameron Stewart and Mark Bagley; Cover by Rod Reis.

Continue reading “All-star line-up assembles for new Spider-Man tale”

Let’s talk about ‘Fight Club 3’

Dark Horse Comics announces a second sequel to Chuck Palahniuk’s iconic novel/film.

Dark Horse has announced another graphic novel sequel to Chuck Palahniuk’s Fight Club novel, which in turn became a film starring Brad Pitt and Edward Norton. Fight Club 3, the press release says, will ask the question “What’s the first rule of fatherhood?”

Fight Club 3 is about what happens when you need to team up with your enemy,” Palahniuk said. “And the situation is even more complicated here, given Tyler Durden and Balthazar’s unique relationship.”

Palahniuk will work with artist Cameron Stewart, letterer Nate Piekos of Blambot, colorist Dave McCaig and cover artist David Mack on the project, which will run 12 issues.

Continue reading “Let’s talk about ‘Fight Club 3’”

Aaron, Stewart’s ‘The Other Side’ gets deluxe hardcover treatment

Image Comics will release a new collection of the Eisner-nominated miniseries in July.

Image Comics will publish Jason Aaron and Cameron Stewart’s Eisner-nominated miniseries The Other Side as a deluxe hardcover “brimming with extras” in July.

“I’ve never worked harder on a comic than I did on this,” Aaron said in a statement. “And if I hadn’t, I don’t know where I’d be today. This book gave me a career. And in these pages, Cameron and Dave McCaig gave us all some of the most intense and haunting visuals the war comic genre has ever seen.”

Continue reading “Aaron, Stewart’s ‘The Other Side’ gets deluxe hardcover treatment”