DC's pustule finally bursts
November 10, 2017 2:09 PM   Subscribe

 
I saw the post title and immediately thought maybe a mass resignation from the White House. But no. We can still wish though.

As to the real post, all the news now is full of these harassment stories. Finally. This has been going on everywhere it seems for a very long time. The more it's reported the more it will come out in the open and these pigs will finally get what they deserve.
posted by njohnson23 at 2:17 PM on November 10, 2017 [9 favorites]


"[This] man made an error in judgment, but served his time and paid the penalty," the former employee said. "The continued assault against him equates to a witch hunt, which is a problem that needs to be eradicated from the industry."

Erm, I didn't see anything that said he "served time" for his assaults. Apparently this coworker believes that a set of inter-company restrictions (no convention passes for a while, a minor demotion) counts as redress for crimes.
posted by ErisLordFreedom at 2:19 PM on November 10, 2017 [23 favorites]


Berganza's been an anchor for years. Hopefully this story, on a non-industry site, will finally get him cut loose.

And that bit about the witch hunts? Well, not sure who said it (I have an idea, Mr. Johns), but that sounds a lot like the crap being spewed by Roy Moore's defenders, and smells just as bad.
posted by mephron at 2:26 PM on November 10, 2017 [7 favorites]


The thing about this story is that it's been known for a while now. And not in the Weinstein, Spacey, CK, wink wink "everybody knows what's going on" sort of way. It broke in 2016 and was openly discussed on comics forums and gossip sites long before that.

DC didn't do anything about it in 2010 when the harassment was reported. Oh wait they did do something - promoted him not long afterwards, only to take the new title away when he did it again in 2012.

DC didn't do anything about it when the story was openly discussed on genre sites last year.

Hopefully they do something about it now. Sophie Campbell in mentioned in the Buzzfeed piece, but she's not the only person I've heard about that has avoided DC work or, if they've got enough pull, they're only taking work if Berganza is not involved (the rumor last year was that Greg Rucka only accepted the Wonder Woman writing gig if the book was taken away from Berganza's control.) But when you've got bigger fish like Bendis heading to DC does it really matter if a few less popular creators refused to work there or work with him?
posted by thecjm at 2:55 PM on November 10, 2017 [12 favorites]


But when you've got bigger fish like Bendis heading to DC does it really matter if a few less popular creators refused to work there or work with him?

The big thing here is the timing. BuzzFeed dropped this story right in the runup blitz for Justice League, much like a turd in a punch bowl at an industry presser; and made sure to point out that the movie is built off the books he manages.
posted by NoxAeternum at 3:03 PM on November 10, 2017 [6 favorites]


It's amazing and disgusting that it's basically been industry not-so-inside knowledge and a bit of a joke for years that he's not allowed to be left alone with women. The editor of Wonder Woman operates on Pence rules.
posted by Artw at 3:21 PM on November 10, 2017 [7 favorites]


Hope this finally means Berganza gets sacked. Also that the comics industry as a whole stops shielding abusers like him, because there are far too many known, admitted abusers still having a job in it.
posted by MartinWisse at 3:40 PM on November 10, 2017 [10 favorites]


"despite accusations of sexual harassment"

and of sexual assault. assault, assault, assault. for god's sake. if one single thing has to be the headline make it the biggest crime committed by the man in question. please. I say to metafilter, Buzzfeed, Polygon, and the universe, all of which I assume are listening.
posted by queenofbithynia at 3:59 PM on November 10, 2017 [36 favorites]


I wonder how this relates (or will relate) to the recent announcement that Marvel star writer Brian Michael Bendis is jumping to DC... does he see a possible future opening as an editor there? Or conversely (and awfully), does he see DC as a more "sexual-harassment-friendly" employer?
posted by oneswellfoop at 4:56 PM on November 10, 2017


Literally every single day, on all the websites I frequent, there's a new story of some fucking shitstain of a human being who's been sexually harassing or assaulting people (men and women, girls and boys) and then using their professional cover to get away with it for ages while being enabled by those around them.

I feel like I've signed up for a horrendous subscription news service, like The Daily Pervert: For all your rape culture needs, now updating several times per day!

I'm so proud of all the people speaking out. I'm so angry that they have to.

to make myself feel better I've been yelling "dracarys!" at every one of these articles. Seriously tho where is a fucking dragon when you need one?
posted by supercrayon at 5:02 PM on November 10, 2017 [18 favorites]


It does make me sad that because of this dingdong we haven't had a Sophie Campbell drawn Supergirl book.
posted by thecjm at 5:05 PM on November 10, 2017 [4 favorites]


supercrayon: I had the day off from work today and except for the 4 hours when I was off doing errands, all I have done today is read and compile sexual harassment stories.
posted by jenfullmoon at 7:55 PM on November 10, 2017 [3 favorites]




(the rumor last year was that Greg Rucka only accepted the Wonder Woman writing gig if the book was taken away from Berganza's control.)

In the past few months, I've been paying closer attention to things like who exactly is horrible in the comics industry (I don't really read Marvel and DC stuff, so it takes longer to trickle down to where I'm aware of it). Amidst the discovery of what horrible people Nick Spencer and Brian Wood are, I've been pleased to discover that Greg Rucka seems to be a pretty stand-up guy.
posted by infinitywaltz at 9:49 PM on November 10, 2017 [4 favorites]


Correction to the Title: DC's Pustule Finally Visible for All to See.

The damn thing is still there. Once it is lanced then maybe healing could begin and we could get more women adding their skills and voice to the superhero world. But this is the same group of editorial dipshits that thought firing Gail Simone in 2012 would go without a hitch.

One of my many tirades is against the idiot male children of middle class families who grew up reading comics and managed to miss all the liberal and progressive bits while being focused on the fights. Superman starts as a leftist champion and now its gets overseen by a sexist knucklehead. Arrghh!

The real point is that men who seem unable to keep their hands to themselves and their tongues in their mouths need to be shut down. Preferably by being incarcerated. If that fails to happen I would be in no way surprised if, at a convention, Mr. Berganza and those like him, find themselves being shouted down at panels, or becoming the focus of boycotts. Then again if he, or someone like him, gets jumped and beaten in a carpet party I would think it wrong, justified, but still wrong. Writing that makes me feel ugly. Reading that this creature is still employed fills me with rage.

Anyone here work for Warner or Time-Warner? Maybe you could put a bug in someone's ear to clean up a subsidiary that is putting your potential cash cows at risk. Forget, for a moment about the ethical nightmare and any potential lawsuits. How much money could a four or five percent drop in ticket sales cost you? If this really blows up how much more might it cost?
posted by Ignorantsavage at 10:24 PM on November 10, 2017 [2 favorites]


I thought it would finally do it, I really did.
posted by Artw at 12:07 AM on November 11, 2017


What can we do to show DC Comics and its parent companies that this is not okay?
posted by runcibleshaw at 7:59 AM on November 11, 2017


Former DC editor Janelle Asselin, interviewed in the Buzzfeed article, has also posted one of many allegations of sexual assault and harassment against her ex-husband, journalist Lucas Siegel. "Besides Starwars.com, Siegel is a former editor at Newsarama and former managing editor at Comicbook.com."

Notable quote from the Buzzfeed article:
Asselin recalled Berganza once telling her that the reason he didn't hit on her was because he had too much respect for her spouse.
On the DC TV front: Andrew Kreisberg, an executive producer on the CW shows “Arrow,” “Supergirl,” “The Flash” and “DC’s Legends of Tomorrow,” has been suspended by Warner Brothers following accusations he's been "engaged in a pattern of alleged sexual harassment and inappropriate physical contact over a period of years, according to 15 women and four men who have worked with him."

Toxic masculinity and rape culture? In MY comicbook media? It's as likely as you think!posted by nicebookrack at 11:10 AM on November 11, 2017 [1 favorite]






What can we do to show DC Comics and its parent companies that this is not okay?

I do my part by not fucking buying comics, unless they’re indie or the kind that get discussed in the New Yorker. I have a limited tolerance for male nonsense in this life and I need to stretch it out to fit. My understanding is that this response is putting some hurt on, at least at the brick-and-mortar level. But then, I’m only human. I saw Wonder Woman, and I got some Squirrel Girl from Marvel, because Ryan North is a mensch.
posted by Countess Elena at 1:12 PM on November 11, 2017 [2 favorites]


I feel like I've signed up for a horrendous subscription news service, like The Daily Pervert: For all your rape culture needs, now updating several times per day!


As a non-rapist pervert, I object to this characterization, and cordially request a title change, say, to The Daily Fuckwidget?
posted by Samizdata at 1:55 PM on November 11, 2017 [1 favorite]


And DC has taken action against Berganza... late on Saturday Afternoon. (Well, they couldn't do it on Saturday Morning; the animated Batman show was on TV...)
posted by oneswellfoop at 6:47 PM on November 11, 2017 [1 favorite]


Asselin recalled Berganza once telling her that the reason he didn't hit on her was because he had too much respect for her spouse

FLAMES. FLAMES ON THE SIDE OF MY FACE.
posted by the return of the thin white sock at 7:34 PM on November 11, 2017 [3 favorites]


The RPG world just had another version of this too.

Dammit, men.
posted by Zed at 3:55 PM on November 12, 2017


Green Ronin had to put out a follow-up to that statement, Zed, on account of how tonedeaf it was.
posted by NoxAeternum at 7:12 AM on November 13, 2017 [3 favorites]


Follow-up/other shoe-drop: Monday, DC Fired Berganza.
posted by oneswellfoop at 12:34 PM on November 13, 2017 [4 favorites]


Huh. I am surprised, given the years and years of inaction I figured they'd stick him on leave for a few months and he'd be creeping back in.
posted by tavella at 1:02 PM on November 13, 2017


Image will probably hire him. They have a problem with doing that.
posted by Artw at 1:20 PM on November 13, 2017 [1 favorite]


Huh. I am surprised, given the years and years of inaction I figured they'd stick him on leave for a few months and he'd be creeping back in.

The story was loose and threatening the movies. There was no putting the genie back in the bottle.
posted by NoxAeternum at 1:58 PM on November 13, 2017


With this, the possibility of Gal Gadot coming back goes up, I hope.
posted by mephron at 2:02 PM on November 13, 2017


"quick reminder that Karen Berger and Shelly Bond were asked to leave DC Comics but Eddie Berganza never was." That's "Creator and/or Executive Editor of DC's critically-acclaimed Vertigo Comics" industry legends Karen Berger and Shelly Bond, who now head their own imprints at other comics publishers: respectively, Berger Books at Dark Horse and Black Crown at IDW.

Enlightening/enraging thread from more women comics pros:
I’ve lost count of how many times I explicitly told DC editorial that I wouldn’t write for them because of Berganza. https://t.co/1v2Windg9Z— Marjorie Liu (@marjoriemliu) November 13, 2017
The response I received was always: “you’d never have to deal with him directly,” or “this is a completely different office.” Gee, thanks.— Marjorie Liu (@marjoriemliu) November 13, 2017
For them to put me with him on my first book ever was a dick move and I'm still angry about it.— A M Y C H U (@AmyChu) November 13, 2017
Marjorie Liu's Image series Monstress won this year's Hugo for Best Graphic Story. Amy Chu wrote the phenomenal Poison Ivy: Cycle of Life and Death miniseries for DC, among many other things.
posted by nicebookrack at 8:51 PM on November 13, 2017 [7 favorites]


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