Posted in: Comics | Tagged: chris sims, Comics, comics alliance, comics journalism, entertainment, Marvel Comics, Valeria D'Orazio, X-Men '92

'It's About Ethics In Comic Book Publishing'

Published Tue, 24 Mar 2015 23:00:01 -0500

by Rich Johnston

Last updated Wed, 25 Mar 2015 16:00:05 -0500

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Valerie D'Orazio was a comic book writer for Marvel Comics, but hasn't been for some time. She used to head up the MTV Comics site and currently writes a number of small press titles, and edits others.

She has stated that she was harassed repeatedly online by prominent blogger Chris Sims and friends, something Sims has admitted to and apologised for.

The website he writes for most prominently, Comics Alliance, stated that these accusations came to light in tandem with a series of actions against the website by those associated with #gamergate.

#Gamergate was the hashtag activism that was initially inspired by belief that games journalism and games production had been compromised by intimate relations between members of the two, but a picosecond in had become a home for rampant misogyny, hate speech and death threats.

Chris Sims is writing his first comic book for the Big Two, X-Men '92 for Marvel Comics, though he has a few small press comics to his name, and appearance in the likes of Skullkickers.

He has now stepped away from Comics Alliance for an unspecified period.

Chris Sims and Marvel Comics editor Jordan D. White currently collaborate on a Sailor Moon podcast together, the most recent episode of which ran last week.

I have confirmed that Jordan D. White is the editor of X-Men '92, and seems to have commissioned the series from Sims.

They have not, to the best of my knowledge had an intimate relationship. Because in comics, it seems, it's not just who you know, it's not who you screw, but who you pod.

Welcome to ethics in comic book publishing. Basically, this kind of thing happens all the time. In comics, in gaming, in carpentry, in everything. Because people like to work with people they like to work with.

Now, who wants a T-shirt?

Declaration of interest, I have engaged in acts of karaoke with Jordan D White. I'm the Head Writer of Bleeding Cool, which is owned by Avatar Press, and I have written comics for Image, Dark Horse, Boom, IDW and Avatar. There isn't a conflict of interest I haven't run towards with my arms open wide.

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