You know why things are "open secrets" + power structures stand? Self interest. There are way more people working in this industry that people fawn over that could've & should've said things that didn't that most people will never know, yet others genuinely powerless will cop it.

People shouldn't need to speak out on a platform so everyone can see where they stand. I'm sure I've bled followers because people consider following someone an endorsement, but I've been at parties and had drinks with people and the number of times I've heard things such as:

"You should probably distance yourself from X" without any real reason other than "I've heard things" or "Something will come up" and then... nothing(?)... is lost to me. And from big names, too.
All of this goes well beyond what the public will ever know or see on twitter.

And it will keep going. Because most of those creators that can do something just want to work on a thing. Or keep climbing that ladder. I know plenty of people that associate with problematic actors because it suits their end games then ghost out like they were never there.

I'm a nobody that left comics twice and actively avoids conventions and I've heard some wild shit about huge names and been present at tables WITH big names, so I can BARELY imagine what is said and heard if you really ingratiate yourself in that scene.

The problem is, when it gets to that point, it becomes hearsay, Chinese whispers, and people are terrified of speaking out because of the power structures enabled, and others won't support them because they want to keep their jobs, which, in a lot of cases is a hard ask.

People firing shots at Dark Horse over Scott Allie but not Brendan Wright is rich in itself, but I'm pretty sure that barely anyone I know from that company at the time both the incident with Brendan happened or the incidents with Scott happened ARE still there. There's nuance.

Whether the company could have done more is beyond me. I was a freelancer there, working with people I've known for YEARS, all of which, to my knowledge are good, hardworking, talented people, so the ins & outs of the company aren't mine to speak to, but others can + have.

I believe Shawna Gore, and I believe Joe Harris, and I believe Tess Fowler and I believe all of these people when they come forward with these things but there's so much nonsense flying around about blame and where it lies beyond the attackers that the REAL problem won't be seen.

And the problem with THAT is that people, and I hate to say it, but it's usually writers, will actively avoid things they can actively help prevent, out and restructure just to get ahead. Not all of them, but certainly enough of them. But then, I know that for some of them...

...speaking out, even if they weren't involved, means years of work and money time potentially brought to an end and in a lot of cases, families thrown into upheaval.

But then, what about the victims?

Same deal, EXCEPT they have to actually deal with the experience for the rest of their lives.

So what do you do? As a professional in those positions?

It fucking sucks, but not everyone is in a position to say "Fuck you, I'm out".

And that's fucking awful. It really is. It's bad enough that a thing was allowed to happen in the first place, but it's worse that someone can't say something in support of that person without potentially losing their livelihood.

And you know what's worse STILL?

That some of these victims, even when they go forward with complaints, will never be heard. Because THEY live in fear of their livelihoods AS WELL as dealing with the trauma. So there are victims here that you'll probably never hear about. Or you'll hear about WAY down the track.

I'd bet everything that Bekah Caden isn't the only person Brendan Wright abused. And that cunt hid behind virtue signalling right up to hours before being outed. But I've been in businesses, and if you look at what @1horseshy ordeal with NDA's at the CBLDF, it's a world of greys.

But there are so many fucking idiots out there screaming about things like they're black and white when they just flat out aren't.
But fine, unfollow me because I worked with Brian Wood. Or because I worked for Dark Horse. Or boycott whatever company or creator, or say you will.

At the end of the day, that kind of performative, base-line response isn't going to do anything to help problems systemic in the industry. If anything, it's only helping make problems worse. Fuck knows how many abusers just got a shield to hid behind because of that #ComicsPledge

I'm not nearly as active within in the industry as I used to be, for similar reasons to the ones I've outlined, just like I'm not as active as I am right now for example.
I love making comics, but fuck me the problems that enable all these things that have happened are many.

You'll get more victims and more people keeping their mouths shut until the system's given an enema. And I don't know where that's supposed to start, or how long it's going to take, but it would help if people that presented as being helpful online were actually that helpful.

I've said this a lot, but comics is one of the least professional professions around. I've never been perfect but I've been shocked at what I've experienced first hand just working on books. Take that, apply it elsewhere and you'll see why things are structurally unsound.

All of that said, I know that there are genuinely invested people that care a great deal about the well being of people, often more than the product they're putting out, who come from vetted backgrounds and established professional roles that are helping to reshape things.

And those people have all been at places like Dark Horse, DC and Archie, and many of them still are.

The bottom line here is that genuinely awful things have been allowed to happen on a significant number of levels that shouldn't to anyone...

...dealing with, and preventing more of those problems means proactively challenging and reshaping power structures and dynamics and helping people those trying to.

And to the "burn it all down!" crowds, I get you, totally, but honestly, use your fucking brains.

(fuck's sake)*THOSE PEOPLE trying to