WORDS THAT FIT

Congratulations to all successful applicants!

Unlike previous Iron Circus anthologies, the concentration of excellent submission to “FTL, Y’all” was so high that we’ve completely foregone invitees. For the first time in ICC history, ALL the anthology participants were picked from open submissions.

Successful applicants were picked from over 400 submissions. And they are:

Ahueonao

Ainsley Seago

Alexxander Dovelin

Blue Delliquanti

CB Webb

Cheez Hayama & Earl T. Roske

Chris Williamson & Molly Kennedy

David Andry &  Paul Schultz

Evan Dahm

Iris Jay & Skolli Rubedo

J. Piechowiak

Jonathon Dalton

Kay Rossbach

Luz Bianca,  Mary Anne Mackey & Julie Gravelle

Maia Kobabe

Miss Jamie Kaye & Sunny

Mulele Jarvis & Cindy Powers

Nathaniel Wilson

NN Chan

Olivia Northrop

Rachel Ordway

Sara DuVall & James F. Wright

seren krakens

Xia Gordon

-This is actually a very personal subject I’m going to be talking about. It’s actually very uncomfortable to be writing this, but I really need to be open and speak up. Certain allegations have come to my attention and I haven’t spoken about it for almost a year now. Only a few of my friends and family know about this so I want you all who have asked me what happened to finally know the truth. I’ll start from the beginning, but try to make it as short as I can, because I know people will just scroll past lengthy text blogs.

From this twitter post I was actually relieved that someone was speaking out. I felt empowered and able to finally come forward.

I was sexually harassed and almost raped by a Senior Art Director from DC Entertainment.

I won’t give a name, but he was in the design department.

This all started when I was given a wonderful opportunity to move to California to become an artist for DC entertainment. I had several conversations with this director and he told me that instead of being in Kansas I had to be where the action was, which of course, he was right. I needed to be in an environment where greater interaction and opportunity was held. So with that said, I moved.

I actually had a planned meeting with this director and he basically said he would “put me under his wing” to learn and get me to where I needed to be, which he did do. He was very charming and easy to talk to. He lead me in the direction where I was destined to engage in my field of study. The meeting we had was directly in Burbank at DC Entertainment Headquarters. I got to meet a number of cool people, but the meeting was a solid 2 hours of discussion and he also treated me to lunch. I thought I had my foot in the door. I thought I had this in the bag to get to be a part of an industry that had so much potential for me. After our meeting he talked to me about being introduced to writers, editors, CEO’s of other comic industries at San Diego Comic Con. He told me he would get a hold of me then and we could take off from there.

I was so excited. In my head I thought I had the dream job or at least be in the field where I would thrive. Little did I know I was just being lied to and filled with empty promises.

Comic-Con rolls around and it’s Friday. This was the life changing moment in my life that I thought was going to happen. I texted him up in the exhibition hall, which it’s hard to get reception down there, but I finally got a hold of him. He said he had been in a bunch of meetings, which is understandable. He said about an hour so I waited. And waited. 2 hours pass and I tried to get a hold of him, he said he needed a bit more time after another hour passed. So I waited some more and finally he was able to meet up. We met at the Marriott across from the San Diego Convention Center. He greeted me like we were long lost friends and hugged and kissed my forehead. I figured he was just being extra nice, but I could smell the previous cocktail or beer he drank. I didn’t think anything of it cause I figured he just had something with a few of his buddies, and It’s Comic-Con, so it was time to let loose. He treated me to lunch again, going over a few things and making my portfolio better. After awhile he offered me a drink. And from this point I look back and realize I should have never taken that drink. I should have been more professional, but I was in the moment and wasn’t thinking. Soon it went from one drink to a couple more, and then barely wine…which is 18% alcohol. and I had two. plus the 2 drinks and 4 beers previously. Now, I can handle my liquor, but by that point my judgement was pretty impaired, but I remember what happened. After my second barley wine He said “we need a change of scenery.” I thought we were going to meet some more of his co workers, but instead, we went to his hotel room. I was still oblivious even at this point. I fully put my trust in him, because I didn’t feel like anything was wrong, regardless of my inebriated state. Now, when I am drunk, I am a lot more outgoing, happy, and I like to rough house. We were in the balcony of his hotel room looking at the skyline and he felt on my arms a bit and noticed that I had some muscle and challenged me to an arm wrestle, so of course I did, but it lead to him grabbing my whole body and tossing me on the bed. Then I finally started to get some weird vibes. I didn’t feel safe anymore so being intoxicated I thought pretending to be passed out would help me. Not a good idea at the time. I felt his hands go up my shirt and start feeling more of my body. Then I ran into the bathroom and made myself puke the alcohol, but like an idiot I came back out and he tried to beckon me back to the bed. But I stood there and grabbed my things and said “Uh, no this is weird, you have a wife and two kids, I’m gonna leave, thanks for the drinks.” And I left. I never contacted him ever again and I don’t plan to. This also made me not to work for DC ever.

If you’re a Black creative and want to do/make comic books, keep your portfolio diverse and find ways to create and sell your own stories.

Because for as much as most of these big publishers claim that they’re “trying” to provide opportunities, there’s been a blip of Blacks hired.

BLIP.

The comic business had decades to change, yet repeats its history every single time. For every one drop of progress, it finds a way to eat itself.

So, if you’re Black and want to write comics, that’s great. But also learn about writing in other fields as well (Video Games, Advertising, Film, etc).

If you’re Black and want to be an artist in comics, that’s great. But also learn about the other art industries/jobs and work in them, if you can.

If you’re Black and want to create your own material, that’s great. But you have to learn/understand marketing/outreach so people see you and the great things that you do and are capable of.

When it all comes down to it, DO YOU. Wish I could say that the comic book business is more accepting of us as a people, but I can’t lie to you, and my parents didn’t raise a liar.

Respect to those in the comics biz that legitimately give Black people a chance to display their talents & not use them as quotas/props to advance their own careers. And even that number is very, very small.

These are just the opinions of an intelligent and informed writer/creator that has also spent time as an executive and many other roles. I’ve seen the game and watch it unfold.