Posted in: Comics | Tagged: Comics, marvel, rick ketcham, scarlet spider

Studio Mates Rally Round Rick Ketcham

Yesterday, Bleeding Cool reported the news that DC, Dark Horse and Marvel inker Rick Ketcham had been arrested on the charge of Indecency With Children.

While many did not know what to think, his friends and studiomates clearly did.

Brian Shearer, inker on Doctor Who, tweeted;

I share studio space with him. He's innocent. There's a long backstory that I don't think I can legally disclose now.

Steve Bird, DC inker on the likes of Robin, Checkmate, Birds Of Prey and more, posted on Facebook;

Stay strong, brother! Let me know if you need anything.

His fiancee, Siriphon Ketcham, posted on Facebook;

i love you baby……i will stay with you.

A sentiment "liked" by GI Joe and Amazing Spider-Man inker, Robert Atkins, X-Men Legacy and Herc inker, Diana Greenhalgh, Noble Causes inker John Wycough and comic store owner, Chris Garbee.

Diana writes further, saying;

I've known Rick for about a decade now. He's a good friend and one of my mentors as an inker in comics. He's also one of the many "older brothers" who look out for me. He is one of the kindest guys I know in comics, as well as honest and hardworking. And most importantly he is NEVER inappropriate. He's a good guy, and not one who would ever harm a child in ANY way. I'm happy (and proud) to be able to say that I know him.

I know that he is innocent. And I know what happened, what brought about the accusations made against him by someone who is only out to hurt him.

Rick is home safe and sound today. But he still has to wait to be cleared. All of us who know him are fully confident that will happen. The accusations are baseless, the result of a vindictive family member convincing her children to make false statements about him as part of a family feud. There is no proof, and she has a history of this kind of destructive behavior.

The only reason the police were able to get an arrest warrant (because they were STILL investigating the accusations), is because Rick had planned a vacation to Thailand – WITH HIS MOTHER – to introduce her to the rest of his fiancee's family. They were scheduled to leave on Oct 22nd for their trip. So to the police, it looked like he was fleeing the country. Rick has been getting ready to file for a fiancee visa to bring his love to the US, now that he's recovered from a kidney transplant. He planned to file once he and his mother returned to the US after the end of their trip.

I'm horrified that a family member could do something like this to hurt someone. But its the age old Cain and Abel…. jealousy can make people do some horrendous things.

Also… Rick was just summarily dismissed from the issue of Scarlet Spider he was inking. The email came to his inbox Wednesday afternoon, he just read it now.

And while some have already taken to Twitter to spew hatred, it is always worth remembering the adage of presumed innocent until found guilty…

UPDATE: Steve Bird writes to add;

Rick Ketcham has been a good friend, colleague and mentor of mine for about 15 years now. He is one of the best people I know. His life is being ruined right now by a troubled family member. The accusations against him are 100% false. I also know his mother Debbie and his uncle Jeff, and know that they and the rest of his family support Rick 100% — none of them are taking his sister's side in this.

I am very concerned for Rick's legal and professional future. I am also concerned for the child and her mother, who sound like they both may need help of one kind or another.

Please know that Rick is innocent. Anyone who's known the man for more than an hour knows this. He needs visible support among his friends and colleagues.

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