Tag: Warren Ellis

Comic Professionals are Speaking Out About Abuse and Harassment

Yesterday, there was an explosion of activity in “comics twitter”. It was initiated by women coming forward to detail instances of unacceptable behavior related to comics creators Cameron Stewart and Warren Ellis. I need to say upfront that Pop Culture Squad lives by the motto of #BelieveWomen.

The allegations are disgusting, but we will not detail them here. The purpose of this piece is not to relive the news. They are the victims’ stories to tell and you should listen to them. We are here to say that we believe them, and we are sad and upset that these things happened to them.

In the reaction, there have been some very interesting conversations regarding whose responsibility it is to speak out and what is the culpability of being a collaborator with a predator. We wanted to highlight some of the stories being shared and they are listed below. Continue reading “Comic Professionals are Speaking Out About Abuse and Harassment”

With Further Ado #94: Those Good Old Days… That We’re All Hating

With Further Ado #94: Those Good Old Days… That We’re All Hating

How much longer will this lockdown last?  The “snow day”-ness of it is getting old. I’m definitely ZOOMed out (even though I think these remote meetings are here to stay).  I can see the fatigue bubble up with debates about when to open up local economies for business. And I’ve also learned about the “epistemic dissidents” – those contrarians who choose to ignore established facts, and instead rely on fringe ideas and crackpot conspiracies.  If that sounds hard, it’s meant to be.  I am losing patience with these knuckleheads.

Recently, I pulled up to one local comic shop, Ithaca’s Comics For Collectors for some curbside comics.  Although the store is officially closed, I was invited in to browse a bit. I kind of felt like rock star who gets to shop privately when no one else is in the store.  Kudos to the owner who set it up so the experience was super- safe – social distancing, sanitizer, gloves and masks.  (Masks make sense for comic shops too, of course.)  I snagged the comics from my pull list, a few recent favorites, and even rescued some treasures from the bargain box.

It was a treat to get the VIP treatment from that store…but we’re all so tired of the pause. I don’t think I’ll ever fondly remember that private shopping trip.

There are other ways to support local stores. I’ve reached out to a few other retailers and purchased comics online or gift cards. I have been so impressed that in every case, these shops have sent me extra stuff with each order.  These acts of kindness, when the “other guy” is suffering, will not be soon forgotten.

Getting to Know the Publishers

During quarantine, I feel like I’m getting to know comics publishers better too. Continue reading “With Further Ado #94: Those Good Old Days… That We’re All Hating”