Posted in: Comics | Tagged: comic harassment, dc comics, eddie berganza, harassment, HRL, Rafael Albuquerque

High-Profile DC Artist Rafael Albuquerque Issues Statement On Eddie Berganza

Published Sat, 11 Nov 2017 14:41:59 -0600

Last updated Wed, 17 Jun 2020 12:06:44 -0500

High-profile DC Comics creator Rafael Albuquerque has issued a heartfelt statement on Twitter in the wake of Buzzfeed's report on the sexual harassment allegations against longtime DC Comics editor Eddie Berganza. Albuquerque wrote:

I love DC Comics characters since I can remember. First watching them on TV then with Batman movies and those definitely brought me to comics, where I could find my voice, my home. Having spent almost my whole career working for this company made me feel part of a family.

— Rafael Albuquerque (@rafaalbuquerque) November 11, 2017

That's how important DC Comics is for me, and I believe that I can speak for many creators who have similar paths. By writing this, I might be jeopardizing my career over there, but I can't just stay silent about what happened with our colleagues who reported sexual harassment.

— Rafael Albuquerque (@rafaalbuquerque) November 11, 2017

They probably had the same feeling about DC, and probably felt the same way I did when they became part of the family. Suddently their careers were harmed….

— Rafael Albuquerque (@rafaalbuquerque) November 11, 2017

by someone who just didn't realized, respected or cared enough to understand that a power position is a privilege that must be used wisely and fairly.

— Rafael Albuquerque (@rafaalbuquerque) November 11, 2017

DC Comics, you mean the world to me, but it's time for you to make the right call, not just for your image, but also to show that there is no place for this kind of behavior in this industry and neither in our society.

— Rafael Albuquerque (@rafaalbuquerque) November 11, 2017

I spent the whole day affraid to speak out. I shouldn't and I won't anymore. Neither any professional should be anymore.

— Rafael Albuquerque (@rafaalbuquerque) November 11, 2017

Though allegations against Berganza have been reported before by Bleeding Cool and others, the Buzzfeed report comes amidst a sweeping tidal wave of sexual harassment and assault allegations against powerful men across the entertainment industry and politics — one that has remarkably captured the attention of the world. Additionally, Buzzfeed's report contains previously unreported allegations about Berganza, and comes from the highest-profile outlet yet to report on them. Echoes of Buzzfeed's report have also followed on sites like Vulture and The Hollywood Reporter., as well as comics sites like CBR, ComicBook.com, and Graphic Policy.