Dark Horse Comics has announced updates to their Code of Conduct, anti-harassment and anti-discrimination policies on social media, including Facebook and Twitter. The statement comes about six months after the latest wave of sexual harassment and misconduct allegations hit in the comics industry, including additional ones against former Dark Horse editor Scott Allie.
Here’s their full statement:
With the help of outside HR Consultant, McGeachy Consulting, Dark Horse leadership has been reflecting, discussing and implementing new and updated policies to ensure the safety, happiness, and well-being of all employees.
Here are the measures that we have instituted:
• An updated Code of Conduct policy that we are asking all employees, creators, and business partners to uphold
• A more in-depth anti-harassment and anti-discrimination policy, which includes a clear reporting policy, for employees across all departments and divisions
• A newly formed Employee Relations Committee that manages, guides, and directs any significant employee relations issues that arise at Dark Horse
• A newly formed HR Executive Committee focused on implementing HR strategy, planning, and policy
• Identification and introduction of new company values assembled into a Culture Document helping to define and inspire our workplace culture
Beginning this year, an annual series of harassment and discrimination prevention training sessions will be implemented for all our employees. Dark Horse will continue taking the necessary steps forward to prevent harassment and discrimination within the workplace. We can and will do better.
We are optimistic about the future as we continue to improve and update our company policies. It continues to be our goal to be a company in which every single person feels valued and where every person feels safe from harassment or discrimination of any kind. While there is more work to be done in the many months ahead, we remain deeply committed to positive change in the workplace.
This is good to hear, especially after the serious allegations that came out against Allie by former Dark Horse employee Shawna Gore. Allie stopped working for Dark Horse about two years ago, but was still involved with some of their books, like the Hellboy titles, as a freelancer. Both Dark Horse and Hellboy creator Mike Mignola said they would no longer work with him after Gore’s allegations became public.
Allegations against two others who were associated with the company in the past — former Dark Horse editor Brendan Wright and freelancer Cameron Stewart, who worked on the Fight Club comics for them — also came out this past summer.