Thread by @PiaGuerra

Okay, this needs to be said. The comics industry is unlike any other arts related industry out there. It’s not like book publishing, or fashion or advertising, it doesn’t have those solid walls separating management, artists and consumers.

The comics industry is small and as a result has become a very tight-knit community. We all know everyone by a couple of degrees. We talk to each other, we share creating tips, help on deadlines, give advice, suggest contacts, we mentor, we warn each other of bad apples.

The reason is because so much rides on our ability to produce quality work on a deadline, to be reliable... and to be easy to work with.

If you’re an asshole in this line of work it won’t take long for everyone one of us to hear about it.

There are going to be times when you’re stuck, like in a bad way and having friends will get you through that. It’s why I will walk through fire to help those who helped me when I needed it. And why I will avoid those who made things harder like the damn plague.

Which is why I can’t help but laugh at these ‘gaters. They think they know us, that we’ll buy their bullshit theories about diversity and sales. That the editors we drink with after shows will buy it too?

But the height of it all, that some of these assholes are “aspiring” creators themselves.

Good god. You haven’t just shot yourself in the foot, you’ve taken out your legs with a rocket launcher.

Do you think for one second that any editor will want to work with someone that toxic? Is there some part of you that thinks we don’t all see you for what you are: a massive problem child not worth the hassle?

Come on, son.

And not just editors. The writers, artists, colourists, letterers, cover artists... the TEAM you want to be a part of wants no part of your hateful shit because they all know those women, POC, trans creators you’re slagging.

They’ve all had dinners with those editors you like to think of as “fake geek girls”. They’ve all had their necks saved by those people you want to blame your lack of work on.

It’s not them, asshole.

It’s you.

You alone.

Because you suck as a person.

Just a final note.

A lot of us lived through the 90’s implosion. We saw how bad it could get, and we know it wasn’t “diversity” that made that happen.

And we know how important it is to support each other, to expand our audiences, not niche up.

We had to crawl out of a very dark pit to understand what was turning people away, what was keeping people from trying comics and in the last decade we’ve figured out how to implement new strategies that are now WORKING.

Inclusion, representation, fresh new ideas... that’s not an “SJW” agenda, it’s smart business.

If your solution is to go back to the old days, gimmicks and staid rehashes, then be my guest, hop right back into that pit.

You belong there.