The Brett Booth Controversy

[MechaJeanix]

I was disappointed when he was announced because I wasn't a fan of his art from his first go-around with X-men. I think he has improved some because his initial X-men art had elongated faces and bodies. I try to find something to appreciate with most comic art. I was a big defender of Igor Kordey back in the day (based on his art.. I don't know anything about the person).

With Booth I was only mildly aware of the controversy over the cover from years back. I was more knowledgeable about his twitter posts where he appeared to be sympathetic with a comics group that we aren't supposed to talk about. I'm not sure if he went all in with that group or not. Being sympathetic to them was bad enough because it felt like he was choosing a side and taking an anti-social justice stand (not standing up to those harassing others in the fandom and by doing so further legitimizing them in the eyes of others).

His posts on religious groups I do find troubling but a lot of non-believers say disparaging things about believers. I see it all the time especially on social media from both problematic people and so called progressive and radical types.

I'm not sure yet if I am going to purchase the issues with his art. I detest EVS but yet I still own his work on New X-men (though if it was coming out today I would def boycott anything EVS related). Booth's views sound so outdated and problematic. I'm not really surprised he was chosen, but I am among the disappointed.

I understand those that will not be purchasing the issue or talking about the issues in their online publications. It would be interesting to see Booth respond to the criticisms and see how he handles it. I wonder what Hickman thinks, but I think Hickman likely doesn't care about fan opinions on twitter or the so called "twitter mob" since he's dealt with that before and it is my opinion a lot of creators do not have a positive view of us (fans who post on forums and social media). Instead of trying to understand why people are upset they just see us as crazies and they feign victimization. The cycle continues.

[Wolverine12]

Talking about other posters is going to get the thread closed. For the one millionth time play nice.

[skyvolt2000]

Are there bits to the altercation missing? He states that if you want to critique someone point out positives followed by a negative. I don't necessarily agree with that especially if something is trash but all the misogyny is coming from anonymous users. As for his piss poor analogy on extremists its just that a piss poor faux pas. Extremists tend to be bad, the point could be made a lot better but not necessary factually incorrect. As for her point on the cover, perfectly valid criticism.

I'm going to meditate on Ayishat Anakbi..."Remember that time when we were possessed by dogma and we cut off our friends and family for failing to meet our ideological standards so we could signal to people who would resent us for anything less than the exact same beliefs that we are indeed, good people?

-Us, one day"

As art students that is something we are generally taught to do.

If I think your art is crap and can't think of anything to say nice about to balance it-I should probably ignore that artist.

The issue we have gotten into is too many folks want their opinion to be the end all. Then wants to get mad when folks don't agree or can't understand why they are mad.
Then when sales of a book they like are bad-guess who they come after.

It's pretty disappointing to me that the X-Office, who seemed to at least make more of an effort in hiring diverse talent and bringing more LGBTQI+ and PoC characters to the forefront (even if still not enough) as of late, would go and hire someone who represents... the opposite of all that. Brought me back down to earth I guess.

He gets those jobs because no matter he doesn't hurt sales (mainly to stores) on certain books.

Him on that upcoming X-book will NOT hurt the sales of that book. Because it's X-MEN and some would agree with what he may have said.
Him on say Falcon, Inhumans or the MANY books that attract the greatest gymnastic routines to NOT get support will QUICKLY point out this very topic as a reason to NOT buy the book.

As for some of that diverse talent-how much toxic mess do many of them get before a single issue is out? I should not hear about a writer getting death threats over a book at Marvel. Yet I have. She is at another company now.
A lot of the folks who have endured toxic behavior at Marvel and DC are NOT dealing with that at other companies. With books that are LOL beating Marvel and DC books in sales and positive reviews and awards.

[superjosh]

Well...firstly...The OP asked a question, I gave my answer. My "self-satisfaction" certainly did not factor in my response, regardless of what you might think.

Secondly...I don't dwell and ruminate on "What ifs" only on What Is.
He, like any of us, like ALL of us, have opinions that many people would disagree with, have disagreed with right here in this forum...but it's not his opinions that are illustrated on the pages of the comic book I enjoy reading.

For me, It's that simple.

With regards to the non-troversy and his twitter responses...again...his opinions...none of which I find particularly egregious or offensive (I've read far worse).

I hope this clarifies things for you.

I kind of figured you wouldn't bite with the thought experiment, but I was hoping you would clarify on whether you do have a limit as to where you wouldn't be able to separate the person from the work. Unless your answer is no limit! Which I have to believe is not the case. But... as you will!

[Devaishwarya]

I kind of figured you wouldn't bite with the thought experiment, but I was hoping you would clarify on whether you do have a limit as to where you wouldn't be able to separate the person from the work. Unless your answer is no limit! Which I have to believe is not the case. But... as you will!

Truth to tell, I may not have a limit or rather, I have not yet encountered an artist be it of art, literature, film, music, dance and yes comic books that I've found were/are particularly heinous in their personal lives enough for me to stop supporting or appreciating their work.

I find rape, child molestation/paedophilia, human trafficking and animal cruelty to be particularly egregious offenses...and I can say with some degree of certainty that I will not support the creative works of someone living who was charged and found guilty and convicted of said crimes. (Brett Booth clearly hasn't committed any of the four...with the operative words being "charged, found guilty and convicted").
However, this does not extend to/include creatives who have been long dead.

I trust this makes my position on the Booth matter clearer...if not then...I can't help you.

[superjosh]

I trust this makes my position on the Booth matter clearer...if not then...I can't help you.

Yup that clears it up, thank you. I only ask because you like to state how unaffected you are in such absolutes and I know that can't be true. It can't just be those four offenses you listed lol.

[Devaishwarya]

Yup that clears it up, thank you. I only ask because you like to state how unaffected you are in such absolutes and I know that can't be true. It can't just be those four offenses you listed lol.

Believe it or not, I am always quite unaffected...especially by the twitter stuff.
Apart from those four, I do find most other social offenses forgivable even if not entirely inexcusable...within context, of course.

Having a differing opinion is not even a consideration.

[superjosh]

Believe it or not, I am always quite unaffected...especially by the twitter stuff.
Apart from those four, I do find most other social offenses forgivable even if not entirely inexcusable...within context, of course.

I just meant there's obviously more than those four scenarios. You didn't even list murder, for example! (I'm aware that a convicted murderer would probably not be drawing comics, but you know what I mean.)

[Devaishwarya]

Murder falls under "within context" and would still be pretty much way down on my "list"...if I had a definitive list.

With regards to the OP and Booth...Having a differing opinion is not even up for consideration.

[Triniking1234]

As I said before this seems pretty minor to be a controversy especially the comments on extremists on the other thread. It seems especially minor since no one brought it up for the rest of Booth's career since the incident so yeah, I'll still read stuff with him as the artist.

[Devaishwarya]

Yupp. Pretty much.

[superjosh]

I'm a totally different beast. If I think someone is a jerk, they're dead to me. Garbage person = garbage work. Even worse if they were to profit off of me.

And Booth's style is so similar to Liefield's it totally makes sense lol.

[Sin Nick]

I like to believe I'm a person who can separate the person from the art, especially if I don't know them personally. Like I'm not gonna suddenly trash Jim Lee's art if word got out he urinates on public bathroom floors for fun in his spare time.

[Sutekh]

I enjoy Booth's art. It's sad finding out the negative character of a creator I enjoy.

Ditto. He's always dragging dinosaurs (and animal-people) into stories he draws, for no darn reason (I assume because he likes to draw them?), which amuses me.

But some of those tweets seem ill-advised. Why piss off potential fans (whether it be women or religious folks), when you're career depends on fans? Seems short-sighted. More fans is better, I would think. And if you're a dudes who likes the ladies, more fans who *are* ladies would seem like a good thing, less all your meet-and-greets at conventions (assuming we ever have *those* again...) are with disgruntled men who have come to grunt solidarity about your shared membership in the 'Girls are Icky / White Men are so Oppressed' club.

[charliehustle415]

You can still enjoy someone's art and still not like there personal politics.

For example, I am not about to throw away my Green Lantern collection - just enjoy the pretty pictures of people punching one another

No need to drag other forum members or the artist, if we were all perfect all of the time we would be walking Buddhas.