The Washington Post decries Two-Face van Sciver and the awful neo-Nazi racists of ComicsGate:
Darryl Ayo, an indie comic creator and critic, told me about one instance in which Comicsgate targeted him for speaking out. Ayo had criticized Malin’s claim that SJWs were Nazis. That night after midnight, popular comics penciler, outspoken right-winger and Comicsgate leader Ethan Van Sciver challenged him to appear on his podcast to debate Malin. “Darryl, come on my show right now and say what you have to say,” Van Sciver tweeted.
Ayo didn’t know Van Sciver and refused the offer. Van Sciver continued to demand that he appear on the show. For anyone who uses Twitter, the result was, predictably, months of insults and harassment. The day before we spoke, eight months after the original confrontation, someone had posted multiple messages on Ayo’s Facebook page to denigrate his art, referencing his conflict with Van Sciver.
Van Sciver framed himself as a proponent of debate and the healthy exchange of ideas. But in fact, he was demanding that Ayo deferentially follow his orders in the middle of the night or be labeled as unreasonable and a justifiable target for abuse. A free speech frame became a way to go after someone for saying things Van Sciver didn’t like — and for putting others on notice that their tweets or comments could make them the next target….
Most of Comicsgate’s targets have been lower profile than Jones or Tran. But that doesn’t mean that the harassers have been ineffective. Meyer, Van Sciver and their followers have made it clear that black critics who question their friends, or female Marvel employees who post selfies online, will be bullied and attacked. Their goal has been to make comics less welcoming to people who aren’t white and male, and they’ve succeeded in that goal.
Well, it certainly cannot be denied that at Ethan van Sciver’s instigation, ComicsGatekeepers repeatedly attempted to mau-mau a brilliant and innovative Native American comics publisher as well as issuing death threats to a popular Hispanic writer. Terrible, simply terrible!
I’m just ever so glad that I’m not a part of that deplorable, racist ComicsGate! They must be truly horrible people if the Washington Post says they are!
Meanwhile, the slow-motion suicide of Marvel and DC continues apace.
The upcoming season of The CW’s Supergirl will be a special one, and not just because of the guest stars. The Arrowverse / Berlantiverse series will introduce the first trans superhero to the television universe, and actress Nicole Maines will be bringing character Nia to life.