This is a site dedicated to aggregating news of abusers in the comics industry.https://t.co/DnD8g36Sn3
— Rachel Sharp (@WrrrdNrrrdGrrrl) April 24, 2016
For years, there have been way too many “open secret but still employed” sexual harassers and abusers working in the comics industry. Recently, the name of one alleged harasser, who is currently an editor at DC Comics, came up when Vertigo’s Shelly Bond was let go. In response to these events, writer Rachel Sharp has put together a website that acts as a resource for harassment victims and their allies.
The site is called ComicCreep, and it provides several things, including advice for those who’ve been harassed. While Sharp is not a lawyer or legal expert in any way, she does provide some sound advice and resources for those who wish to document any harassment they’re experiencing should they wish to pursue legal action.
It’s also a list of comics professionals who’ve all been “publicly reported involving instances of harassment, assault, or other behavior that gives [Sharp] reason not to support their work.” The list is called the “Do Not Buy” list and exists both as a warning to those within the comics industry and as a way for people who believe that this kind of behavior has no place in the comics industry to avoid purchasing books by these professionals, if they so choose.
Now, keep in mind that boycotts in comics are tricky things, because they don’t only affect their targets. They affect everyone working on a book, so use your conscience and your best judgement. Also, keep in mind that this list is not so that people can go harass the people named on the list. (Sharp explicitly discourages this.) The list is strictly to be used as a resource. That’s the spirit with which it has been posted, and the spirit with which we here at TMS advise that it should be used. It’s defense, not offense.
Sharp says ComicCreep has already received hundreds of hits, despite having only gone up two days ago. However, she wishes that there weren’t a need for it to exist at all and would love nothing better than to have reason to take it down:
Somebody asked me if I felt better for making this. I don’t. I would feel better if it didn’t need to exist.
— Rachel Sharp (@WrrrdNrrrdGrrrl) April 25, 2016
But since it obviously DOES need to exist, and abusers in comics keep getting swept under the rug, I did the thing.
— Rachel Sharp (@WrrrdNrrrdGrrrl) April 25, 2016
If it helps people avoid working with or buying from abusive creators, good. If it puts pressure on publishers to do right, good.
— Rachel Sharp (@WrrrdNrrrdGrrrl) April 25, 2016
But I can’t really be proud of or derive satisfaction from making it. I would rather the number of abusers in comics be zero.
— Rachel Sharp (@WrrrdNrrrdGrrrl) April 25, 2016
The site encourages those who’ve experienced harassment to report it to the appropriate authorities. They’re also open to being reached out to via their Contact page if you have an additional harassment story to report. However, note that ComiCreep is an aggregation site. They’re not the place to go to break a story, and they only add people to their “Do Not Buy” list after their name has appeared in a verified story in the press. However, if you would like to break a story to a press outlet, The Mary Sue is willing to listen to your story, and you can reach out to us at [email protected].
Here’s hoping that these efforts help change the comics industry for the better and that they’re eventually no longer necessary.
(featured image via ComiCreep)
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