This is how Chicago’s biggest comics shop chain, @gccomics, listed @kellysue (via @DaRealEllen). Not funny.: pic.twitter.com/iMerYioTnh
— Janelle Asselin (@gimpnelly) December 11, 2014
Here’s some non-compliant advice for comic proprietors everywhere: listing a female creator’s work using their husband’s name isn’t a joke. It’s sexist.
For some context, Chicago area comics chain Graham Crackers has explained that censoring the title on the inaugural issue of Kelly Sue Deconnick’s feminist comic Bitch Planet is standard for newsletters: “Have no problem with BITCH PLANET title – iContact Newsletter does. I also have to change Sex to $ex when I send newsletter.”
Jannelle Asselin, former TMS weekend editor, points out that Graham Crackers’ listing for DeConnick’s husband also contained a name change:
For clarity, here is the review of both Bitch Planet and Sex Criminals – an attempt at a joke that fails miserably. pic.twitter.com/AowVslyfcd — Janelle Asselin (@gimpnelly) December 11, 2014
Graham Crackers has already apologized and amended the newsletter:
2 comics we enjoyed came out same week by husband/wife – thought it was ‘cute’ to switch credits on BOTH creators. Never meant to offend.
— Graham Crackers (@gccomics) December 11, 2014
Can’t apologize enough that I’ve upset so many people, especially ones that didn’t realize I did it to Matt as well. Very sorry.
— Graham Crackers (@gccomics) December 11, 2014
If anyones looking for it, I’ve changed it on the website so Matt and Kellys names are no longer swapped…
— Graham Crackers (@gccomics) December 11, 2014
While it is exciting that DeConnick and Fraction have comics coming out the same week, celebrating that by changing DeConnick’s name is worse than tone-deaf: it totally denies the wider context of what it’s like to be a woman and a female creator. And guess what? It’s not the first time it’s been done to her.
And just to get ahead of this particular defense, it’s false equivalence to argue Graham Crackers’ ‘joke’ is excused by the fact that Fraction’s name was also changed–crediting a woman’s work under her husband’s name has historic and problematic associations. “Mr. Kelly Sue DeConnick” does not.
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