#Comicsgate - The Culture Wars Hit The Funny Books!

[Least Concern]

Gail Simone denies knowing who Esquivel was up until this story broke; old deleted Tweets going back years say otherwise

While I'm not inclined to believe Simone didn't know Esquivel existed, I don't think three tweets over eight years is abundant evidence to the contrary, especially given people like Simone that tweet like my grandma smokes Camels.

 

[Stab You in the Back]

They did hire Robbi "the Butthole" Rodriguez, Zoey Quinn, Eric "That bitch is lying" Esquivel, G Willow Wilson, (((BENDIS))), Kelly Sue Deconnick and etc... within the last year, so I wouldn't say their standards are that high when it comes to hiring talent.

DC also recently hired Brian Visaggio for their Young Animals line (he bragged about working under the "toughest" editor in the biz not too long ago).

Most of those guys are writers, which makes me think maybe DC's recent hiring mistakes has to do with the fact that artists are hired on talent while writers are hired on their brand.

 

[One Man Bland]

DC also recently hired Brian Visaggio for their Young Animals line (he bragged about working under the "toughest" editor in the biz not too long ago).

Most of those guys are writers, which makes me think maybe DC's recent hiring mistakes has to do with the fact that artists are hired on talent while writers are hired on their brand.

That and the page rates for writers are significantly lower than those of interior or even cover page rates, so they might be inclined to do a little more vetting for artists because one of them being a creep means more money being thrown down the hole to replace them.

 

[Crabbo]

While I'm not inclined to believe Simone didn't know Esquivel existed, I don't think three tweets over eight years is abundant evidence to the contrary, especially given people like Simone that tweet like my grandma smokes Camels.

Gail tweets an insane amount, but immediately after the accusations came out she scrubbed her own account of Esquivel. Now she claims to have never heard of him, or promoted his comic.
I'm still trying to figure out how to dredge up some of these tweets.

 

[damian]

This shit’s getting real gud :
https://twitter.com/TenTimesATiger/status/1074037898666684416 http://archive.is/ULa0a

 

[Jetpack Himmler]

I'm still trying to figure out how to dredge up some of these tweets.

Looks like Ian Miles Chong dredged up three. The main problem is that they are years old and Gail scrubbed the most recent ones.

 

[AnOminous]

This shit’s getting real gud :
https://twitter.com/TenTimesATiger/status/1074037898666684416 http://archive.is/ULa0a
View attachment 616026
View attachment 616025

So why is she lawyering up? Is she suing someone?

 

[One Man Bland]

Gail tweets an insane amount, but immediately after the accusations came out she scrubbed her own account of Esquivel. Now she claims to have never heard of him, or promoted his comic.
I'm still trying to figure out how to dredge up some of these tweets.

It also seems suspicious to claim that you’ve completely never heard of a guy who works for the spin off of the same comic publisher you work for in an industry as small as comics rather than saying the more believable thing like you haven’t interacted with him much on a personal level.

 

[AnOminous]

It also seems suspicious to claim that you’ve completely never heard of a guy who works for spin off of the same comic publisher you work for in an industry as small as comics rather than saying the more believable thing like you haven’t interacted with him much on a personal level.

It's almost like all these scumbags know each other's business and cover for each other. You know, because "we're a community."

Only when they get caught, suddenly they've never even heard of that guy.

 

[RodgerDodger]

So why is she lawyering up? Is she suing someone?

I suspect she is exploring her options. Publicly lowering up also fires a broadside at Esquivel and the Comic’s industry. She’s not going to brook any revisionist lies such as Eric’s statement. It’s also brilliant as releasing that simple statement on her attorney’s letterhead makes the creep completely unemployable. It’s no longer a “past romantic relationship gone bad”. It is now unpleasant and embarrassing potential legal exposure should you bring this asshole into your business. It also nicely puts the fear in outfits like Bleeding Cool regarding running protectionist interfereance.

I also get the feeling that this law firm is collecting or talking to other victims. Based on what we know those others likely were underaged high schoolers at the time. Won’t that be fun when it explodes?

 

[Elwood P. Dowd]

This shit’s getting real gud :
https://twitter.com/TenTimesATiger/status/1074037898666684416 http://archive.is/ULa0a
View attachment 616026
View attachment 616025

Her lawyer's logo is a literal White Knight.

 

[RodgerDodger]

Gail tweets an insane amount, but immediately after the accusations came out she scrubbed her own account of Esquivel. Now she claims to have never heard of him, or promoted his comic.
I'm still trying to figure out how to dredge up some of these tweets.

Gail still carries some baggage from Eddie Berganza. When DC finally fired him she quickly jumped on the bandwagon to denounce him. But she had worked with him directly for years. She knew and worked with and presumably talked with Berganza’s victims for years. Eddie’s behavior had been such an open secret that even Bleeding Cool had been reporting it and calling out DC for it, once again, for years before DC finally acted. The great feminist champion said nothing until the coast was clear and there was no risk to her own brand. Oh how stunning and brave!

 

[RockVolnutt]

Gail still carries some baggage from Eddie Berganza. When DC finally fired him she quickly jumped on the bandwagon to denounce him. But she had worked with him directly for years. She knew and worked with and presumably talked with Berganza’s victims for years. Eddie’s behavior had been such an open secret that even Bleeding Cool had been reporting it and calling out DC for it, once again, for years before DC finally acted. The great feminist champion said nothing until the coast was clear and there was no risk to her own brand. Oh how stunning and brave!

It's funny how there's really no reason to be dishonest about it. Okay, wackjobs on Twitter would be angry but who really cares that you had to work with horrible people before? Who hasn't worked with bad people? You only look bad if you directly supported their behavior or you do this, pretend you never knew them.

Her getting caught in a lie not only means Twitter would still be mad but she also losses the people who could respect that granny Gail's all about making money and possibly blowing it on male strippers in Nightwing costumes.

 

[AnOminous]

Her getting caught in a lie not only means Twitter would still be mad but she also losses the people who could respect that granny Gail's all about making money and possibly blowing it on male strippers in Nightwing costumes.

Not to be too tautological, but if someone is hiding something, they have something to hide.

 

[RodgerDodger]

granny Gail's all about making money and possibly blowing it on male strippers in Nightwing costumes.

Ack! Now I’m having Devin Greyson flashbacks. Now there was a writer who loved her comic characters just a little too much.

 

[Elwood P. Dowd]

Her getting caught in a lie not only means Twitter would still be mad but she also losses the people who could respect that granny Gail's all about making money and possibly blowing it on male strippers in Nightwing costumes.

Pretty much anyone with even the most tenuous connection to the comic book industry is either keeping silent or is flat out defending her, at least in the dumpster fire that is the Twitter thread Cheong created on this.

Also, this is probably nothing (random google), but figured I'd pass it along:

DC COMICS AND EDGARDO MIRANDA-RODRIGUEZ TEAM FOR RICANSTRUCTION; PROCEEDS TO HELP HURRICANE MARIA VICTIMS

Archive

The New York Times broke the news that the comic will feature work by industry juggernauts: Gail Simone, Tony Daniel, Yanick Paquette, Eric M. Esquivel, Jorge Jimenez, and Mike Allred. This collection of stories will also include works by award-winning actress Rosario Dawson, singer Rubén Blades, Hamilton's Javier Muñoz, climate justice advocate Elizabeth Yeampierre, and other Puerto Rican and Latinx voices and creators.

FWIW, the NY Times article mentions neither name, and it also looks like Esquivel did not in fact make it into the book. Unless he got demoted to the "100 more." The book doesn't have one of those Amazon "look inside" thingies, sadly. Still I suppose you could troll the usual suspects on Twitter with that snip as well.

Ricanstruction: Reminiscing & Rebuilding Puerto RicoPaperback – May 29, 2018 - Amazon

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Ricanstruction: Reminiscing & Rebuiliding Puerto Rico is an anthology featuring contributions from writers and artists from the comic book industry like Gail Simone, Greg Pak, Reginald Hudlin, Denys Cowan, Tony Daniel, Ken Lashley, Bill Sienkiewicz, Yanick Paquette, Gabby Rivera, Will Rosado, Jorge Jimenez, Mike Allred, Chris Sotomayor, to Puerto Rican and Latinx celebrities like Rosario Dawson, Ruben Blades, Javier Munoz, Sonia Manzano and over 100 more.

Edit:

The book does show on his "Amazon author page," so I guess he is in it.

Eric M. Esquivel
Archive

 

[damian]

Gail still carries some baggage from Eddie Berganza. When DC finally fired him she quickly jumped on the bandwagon to denounce him. But she had worked with him directly for years. She knew and worked with and presumably talked with Berganza’s victims for years. Eddie’s behavior had been such an open secret that even Bleeding Cool had been reporting it and calling out DC for it, once again, for years before DC finally acted. The great feminist champion said nothing until the coast was clear and there was no risk to her own brand. Oh how stunning and brave!

Tbf Gail is immune from any form of sexual harassment:

She would eat anyone that gets close enough to even try.

Pretty much anyone with even the most tenuous connection to the comic book industry is either keeping silent or is flat out defending her, at least in the dumpster fire that is the Twitter thread Cheong created on this.

Also, this is probably nothing (random google), but figured I'd pass it along:

DC COMICS AND EDGARDO MIRANDA-RODRIGUEZ TEAM FOR RICANSTRUCTION; PROCEEDS TO HELP HURRICANE MARIA VICTIMS

Archive

View attachment 616086

FWIW, the NY Times article mentions neither name, and it also looks like Esquivel did not in fact make it into the book. Unless he got demoted to the "100 more." The book doesn't have one of those Amazon "look inside" thingies, sadly. Still I suppose you could troll the usual suspects on Twitter with that snip as well.

Ricanstruction: Reminiscing & Rebuilding Puerto RicoPaperback – May 29, 2018 - Amazon

Archive

Saw it a second hand store, some poor sap bought it and either re-sold it or donated it. I flipped through it and my god what a cringe fest. Almost every story was nearly unreadable. Needless to say the best story was the one with the best art, it would at least distract you from the writing.

Gabby contributed into that book, can you guess what her story was abou-OF COURSE it was about lesbian latinas oops I mean Latinx. The funniest part was that all the lesbians were attractive when real puertorican lesbians look more like Amberlynn, Gabby and other fat butch lesbians.

I’m sure the little over $3K the book made really helped them,

specially when all those supplies sent to PR were abandoned in containers so that the Mayor of San Juan could sperg about Trump not sending aid. But you know OrangeManBad.

If I see it again I’ll take some pics.

 

[Least Concern]

I suspect she is exploring her options. Publicly lowering up also fires a broadside at Esquivel and the Comic’s industry. She’s not going to brook any revisionist lies such as Eric’s statement.

To be fair, we don't really know if Esquivel's statement is the lie here. Yes, given what Naugle has said, he has every incentive to lie, but has there been any evidence that what Naugle said was entirely truthful?

Anyway, this lawyer letter is bizarre. It doesn't say that she's actually pursuing any legal action, but if she is, it would be a civil case; she'd sue for emotional damage or something like that and then have to prove that if the case went to trial. Even if she won, Esquivel would just have to pay her money. If she really wanted Esquivel to face justice anywhere else than Twitter Court, she needs to go to the police. A criminal case means Esquivel faces prison time, a criminal record and sex offender registration, not just a fine.

Maybe the truth lies in between, but if Esquivel really did what Naugle is accusing him of, I find her behavior so far - a blog post followed by an attorney letter with no real threat of legal consequences - more than a little strange.

 

[RodgerDodger]

To be fair, we don't really know if Esquivel's statement is the lie here. Yes, given what Naugle has said, he has every incentive to lie, but has there been any evidence that what Naugle said was entirely truthful?

Anyway, this lawyer letter is bizarre. It doesn't say that she's actually pursuing any legal action, but if she is, it would be a civil case; she'd sue for emotional damage or something like that and then have to prove that if the case went to trial. Even if she won, Esquivel would just have to pay her money. If she really wanted Esquivel to face justice anywhere else than Twitter Court, she needs to go to the police. A criminal case means Esquivel faces prison time, a criminal record and sex offender registration, not just a fine.

Maybe the truth lies in between, but if Esquivel really did what Naugle is accusing him of, I find her behavior so far - a blog post followed by an attorney letter with no real threat of legal consequences - more than a little strange.

I would say there have been enough bits of 3rd party evidence to give stronger weight to Naugle’s descriptions then Esquivel. As you say the truth is somewhere in the middle. But the middle seems to include Esquivel at a minimum actively carrying on a grossly inappropriate sexual relationship with a subordinate employee, engaging in workplace sexual hareassment, and creepily seeking to seduce minors. I don’t see anything that Naugle could legitimately take to the Police at this point, even if he hit her. Nor do I see a rape case involving her, at least not one provable. It seems more within the modern Academic definitions of Rape, rather than the actual Criminal ones. (You know whereregret after the fact = Rape.)

She may have lawyered up for any number of reasons. The letter clearly indicates that the lawyer is acting as her spokesman, and any media requests and interviews go through their office. That can be very effective at avoiding slander by a biased media. Let’s not forget Esquivel’s employers, who now face PR consequences, own a number of media outlets, not the least of which is CNN. She may be considering some civil action. Be it simply a no contact order or TRO or something more, we really don’t know?

 

[AnOminous]

She may have lawyered up for any number of reasons. The letter clearly indicates that the lawyer is acting as her spokesman, and any media requests and interviews go through their office. That can be very effective at avoiding slander by a biased media. Let’s not forget Esquivel’s employers, who now face PR consequences, own a number of media outlets, not the least of which is CNN. She may be considering some civil action. Be it simply a no contact order or TRO or something more, we really don’t know?

It may be merely a warning shot in the general direction of the subhuman filth at Bleeding Cool and the like that there will be consequences if they line up behind their woke buddy and start smearing her, although there is no indication any of these SJWs are actually defending the rapist.