Sean Gordon Murphy, who recently announced plans to launch a curated label at DC Comics for his White Knight universe, has announced that he will pull his cover from Earthworm Jim creator Doug TenNapel's upcoming crowdfunded comic, Bigfoot Bill 2: Finger of Poseidon, after discussion with TenNapel. Murphy has long been a fan of TenNapel's work and more recently a friend…

So thankful to @DougTenNapel for this amazing Earthworm Jim piece. I've been a huge fan since I was a kid. Always great chatting with Doug when I bump into him on the comics circuit. pic.twitter.com/cu7ovSDLTT — Sean Gordon Murphy (@Sean_G_Murphy) March 22, 2019

…and recently tweeted about his collaboration with TenNapel, prompting a lot of replies over the past week pointing to TenNapel's past comments criticised widely for being transphobic.

Check out @DougTenNapel 's Bigfoot Bill comic (for which I drew a cover) ! https://t.co/nG2rWYM5oi — Sean Gordon Murphy (@Sean_G_Murphy) February 27, 2020

Today, in response, Murphy announced that he has spoken to TenNapel and will pull the cover from the project, citing past "anti LGBTQ" comments made by TenNapel that were brought to Murphy's attention. Murphy doesn't specifically mention TenNapel or Bigfoot Bill by name, but calls himself a big supporter of the LGBTQ community, naming inclusion a major theme in his work and saying he cannot be "connected to opinions that hurt the LGBTQ community that's meant so much to my life and my upbringing."

I recently did a cover for a creator. But it's been brought to my attention that the creator has posted opinions that are anti LGBTQ. I've spoken with that creator, and the cover will now be pulled from the project. (1/3) — Sean Gordon Murphy (@Sean_G_Murphy) March 6, 2020

Anyone who knows me knows I'm a big supporter of the LGBTQ community. From the hard workers at my publisher, to my fellow creators, to the people in my own family. (2/3) — Sean Gordon Murphy (@Sean_G_Murphy) March 6, 2020

I'm sorry if I hurt or upset anyone-I've always wanted my work to be about inclusion and about people working together. It's a major theme in my Batman work. But I can't be connected to opinions that hurt the LGBTQ community that's meant so much to my life and my upbringing.(3/3) — Sean Gordon Murphy (@Sean_G_Murphy) March 6, 2020

In response to Murphy's announcement, TenNapel tweeted:

https://twitter.com/DougTenNapel/status/1235931369479516161

https://twitter.com/DougTenNapel/status/1235934925506912256

Here's the cover which has now been pulled. The fundraiser has currently pulled in $74,430 of its initial $12,000 goal.

Bleeding Cool reached out to Doug TenNapel for comment, but we haven't heard back as of press time.