Things to keep in mind when concocting behind-the-scenes conspiracy theories...

[Garlador]

I imagine it would be incredibly frustrating but I can't help but wonder if bringing them up without the ability to snuff them would just bring more eyes to the situation, sometimes.

For better or worse, a highly-public character puts a writer into the spotlight, so every statement is looked at and scrutinized, particularly when divisive or unpopular decisions are made with that character. We still revisit and breakdown statements from leadership and writers about Clone Saga and One More Day decades later.

But I think you're right that as a result there can be a Streisand Effect by harping on every low-outreach critic with a chip on their shoulder towards your writing. It just boosts their profile and their criticisms. That hardly means to roll over, and I don't envy creators trying to defend their integrity or pushback on misleading claims, but there does come a point where you accept the internet is the internet and, ultimately, who are you trying to reach and who are you trying to convince? If someone has made up their mind already, it's just wasting time and effort that could be spent on better, more productive things.

I wish I could recall which creator said it, but he basically opted for a more positive outlook on the discussion, saying something along the lines of "they want a great product and this is the only way they know how to express it". Most people are not well-articulated, well-spoken, even-tempered, logical beings. Many want something good, and others are just trolls, and it takes wisdom to discern which voices to listen to and which to ignore or block.

[Lee]

Dan's post wasn't directed at the bullshitters.

It was advice for normal, reasonable people, on how to detect bullshit.

Why is there such an immediate knee-jerk "Let's not talk about this!" whenever bad behaviors of the fandom are acknowledged in any way?

[MisterTorgo]

Dan's post wasn't directed at the bullshitters.

It was advice for normal, reasonable people, on how to detect bullshit.

Why is there such an immediate knee-jerk "Let's not talk about this!" whenever bad behaviors of the fandom are acknowledged in any way?

What do you mean?

[Mercwmouth12]

Dan's post wasn't directed at the bullshitters.

It was advice for normal, reasonable people, on how to detect bullshit.

Why is there such an immediate knee-jerk "Let's not talk about this!" whenever bad behaviors of the fandom are acknowledged in any way?

Then go watch a spoilers:

Christopher Titus special

end of spoilers you'll learn how to detect it, but more importantly anyone on most mediums can detect be so for a comic book forum isn't that what a story is. A made up form of entertaining bs?

[Dan Slott]

I don’t see the point in getting worked up over people making up stuff on the internet. It happens constantly, so it’s better to just ignore it.

It is VERY easy to say that when it's not:

People you work with.
People you work for.
People you care about.
And
You.

[boots]

i'd add also that it's hard when it's work you care about too, which a lot of creatives do...maybe more than say an accountant might for the books they balance.

and the big difference here is most of us are anonymous on this board. it's very, very different when your actual name and face are attached to these things.

that being said, i no creatives who expressly refuse to even look online because they know how it will affect them. i also know of one high selling creative whose mental health suffered a lot from connecting with the online community.

it's people. it's never simple.

[Mister Mets]

Dan's post wasn't directed at the bullshitters.

It was advice for normal, reasonable people, on how to detect bullshit.

Why is there such an immediate knee-jerk "Let's not talk about this!" whenever bad behaviors of the fandom are acknowledged in any way?

I gotta agree here. The biggest thing people can do to make discourse better is to call out bullshitters whether it's on their side or the other side.

i'd add also that it's hard when it's work you care about too, which a lot of creatives do...maybe more than say an accountant might for the books they balance.

and the big difference here is most of us are anonymous on this board. it's very, very different when your actual name and face are attached to these things.

that being said, i no creatives who expressly refuse to even look online because they know how it will affect them. i also know of one high selling creative whose mental health suffered a lot from connecting with the online community.

it's people. it's never simple.

It also literally contributed to a suicide by a high selling creative in the last month.

[NC_Yankee]

I gotta agree here. The biggest thing people can do to make discourse better is to call out bullshitters whether it's on their side or the other side.

It also literally contributed to a suicide by a high selling creative in the last month.

I do not know if it is the same incident but I read about Ed Piskor who committed suicide after being accused of sexually harassing two women who are young enough to be his daughter. He was 41 and one was 17 or 18.

[Garlador]

I do not know if it is the same incident but I read about Ed Piskor who committed suicide after being accused of sexually harassing two women who are young enough to be his daughter. He was 41 and one was 17 or 18.

This is a very murky topic, and many have strong thoughts about this situation, myself included. Circumstances are quite unique here, and no one here fully knows what happened besides the victims. I'm not sure it can really continue in a healthy direction, but I'll put in my thoughts in as generalized a way as possible.

Treat people with respect.

There are a lot of strong feelings and irrational behavior in the comic community, and I sort of bristle when it's implied that this only sprung up with the advent of online communities. It didn't. It's always been there, and I have the letter pages from the 60s and 70s of tantrum-throwing readers to prove it.

"Gentlemen, Frankly I wonder what kind of home life you people must have, or had as children."
"You rattlesnake, you buzzard, you large red insect, you worm, you cockroach, you lizard, you skunk, you tapeworm in the digestive system of humanity."
"May someone put arsenic in your midnight cocoa; may you be struck down by the spirit of justice and be reincarnated as an amoeba!"

Etc.

This isn't to dismiss this behavior, nor normalize it. Rather that the act of acting like civil people is a never-ended concern in the aims to build connections between writers and readers. The people who make comics are human beings. They aren't symbols of your hatred or walking representatives of evil. Nobody is twirling their mustache going "how can I piss off readers today? Should I fridge a woman? Marginalize a minority? Disrespect a religious community? Bwa ha ha!". We shouldn't excuse offensive writing, but we shouldn't be so intolerant and hateful in retaliation as well. Everyone is growing and learning and evolving, including creators. I know I'm the first to say my bigotries and intolerances of my youth I am ashamed of and had my own journey overcoming with an open-mind and lots of apologies and patience.

My community has a strong "no threats or harassing of the creators" rule. Dan Slott himself requested it and I employ it strongly. We've had to block and ban people for letting their passions say things that they were warned to refrain from saying, because it hurts a community and movement to associate and condone such behavior. Yet many are stating they're working on self-improvement and learning better, healthier ways to critique a story and respond to creators.

As we never know what personal demons are affecting people writing and creating these books, it's always wise to simply focus on the content and not content creators. Ultimately, we as a community are capable of great harm - but also great GOOD - and it's our great responsibility to steer the comic medium down as healthy and positive a path as possible.

[TinkerSpider]

I gotta agree here. The biggest thing people can do to make discourse better is to call out bullshitters whether it's on their side or the other side.

It also literally contributed to a suicide by a high selling creative in the last month.

Ed Piskor admitted to improper contact with an underage woman. The victim, who deserves sympathy, provided proof. Warning: link discusses suicide and contains suicide ideation.

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/04/09/a...e=articleShare

I urge anyone struggling with suicide ideation to reach out for help. Pasting from the end of the article:

“If you are having thoughts of suicide, call or text 988 to reach the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline or go to SpeakingOfSuicide.com/resources for a list of additional resources.”

[Mister Mets]

Ed Piskor admitted to improper contact with an underage woman. The victim, who deserves sympathy, provided proof. Warning: link discusses suicide and contains suicide ideation.

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/04/09/a...e=articleShare

I urge anyone struggling with suicide ideation to reach out for help. Pasting from the end of the article:

“ If you are having thoughts of suicide, call or text 988 to reach the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline or go to SpeakingOfSuicide.com/resources for a list of additional resources.”

This would be relevant if what was said about him online and the related actions in the last few weeks of his life (the local news going to his parents' house, Fantagraphics cutting ties, long-time collaborator Jim Ruggs ending their professional relationship, the cancellation of an exhibit, the cancellation of a graphic novel) was mostly merited.

[TinkerSpider]

This would be relevant if what was said about him online and the related actions in the last few weeks of his life (the local news going to his parents' house, Fantagraphics cutting ties, long-time collaborator Jim Ruggs ending their professional relationship, the cancellation of an exhibit, the cancellation of a graphic novel) was mostly merited.

He groomed an underage woman. He admitted it. The woman provided proof.

He is responsible for his own behavior.

And repeating again because I don’t think it can be said enough:

“If you are having thoughts of suicide, call or text 988 to reach the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline or go to SpeakingOfSuicide.com/resources for a list of additional resources.”

[Vegan]

He groomed an underage woman. He admitted it. The woman provided proof.

He is responsible for his own behavior.

And repeating again because I don’t think it can be said enough:

“If you are having thoughts of suicide, call or text 988 to reach the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline or go to SpeakingOfSuicide.com/resources for a list of additional resources.”

Yeah, it’s absolutely a tragedy that he killed himself; I wish this had all shook out in any other way than that, but acting like he wasn’t deserving of professional consequences for inappropriate behavior is bizarre

[NC_Yankee]

Yeah, it’s absolutely a tragedy that he killed himself; I wish this had all shook out in any other way than that, but acting like he wasn’t deserving of professional consequences for inappropriate behavior is bizarre

Suicide is the worst option. Even if he was guilty, there are professionals who can help figure out why his mind was so twisted. This should have been the approach.

[The Twilight Mexican]

He groomed an underage woman. He admitted it.

That's literally the opposite of what he admitted in his suicide letter. Like, have whatever feelings you want about the dude, but don't blatantly lie about his freakin' suicide note.