DC Comics and Marvel Comics colorist Tamra Bonvillain recently described comic book fans who support #Comicsgate as “trash.” Now Bonvillain is labeling Comicsgate supporters as being part of a “hate campaign.”

Bonvillain would write, “Which is why I never said anyone was trash simply for not liking certain books or characters on an individual basis. But proudly claiming allegiance to a hate campaign? Then, yeah, that’s a problem.”

Which is why I never said anyone was trash simply for not liking certain books or characters on an individual basis.

But proudly claiming allegiance to a hate campaign?

Then, yeah, that’s a problem. — Tamra Bonvillain (@TBonvillain) July 14, 2018

I mean, also don’t be surprised if people start giving you the ?? when you spout off too many things in a row about always coincidentally not liking things that just so happen to feature women, poc, lgbtq people etc and it REALLY upsets you. — Tamra Bonvillain (@TBonvillain) July 14, 2018

This is the same tactic that Tim Doyle, Kieran Shiach, and others have used to attack YouTuber Diversity & Comics, former DC Comics artist Ethan Van Sciver, and former Captain America artist Mitch Breitweiser as well as prolific colorist Elizabeth Breitweiser. They attempt to paint them as hateful people. In the case of Doyle, he specifically targeted Ethan Van Sciver merely because he voted for President Donald Trump like millions of other Americans. He also recently targeted the Breitweisers over a Tweet congratulating the President on his campaign victory back in 2016. This tactic has failed over and over again. In fact, one could argue Doyle and Shiach’s attacks have helped these comic creators raise thousands of dollars independent of any publishing company.

And that alone proves Bonvillain’s claims about supporters of comicsgate is baseless. These folks are using their hard-earned money to support projects that not only excite them, but creators who respect them. Ethan Van Sciver’s Cyberfrog has earned over $440,356 dollars. And fans can’t stop talking about how excited they are about the project. Many are even sharing their own fan art.

Just finished drawing and coloring #cyberfrog on #procreate @EthanVanSciver had a lot of fun doing it! pic.twitter.com/muWZFupTW9 — Jake Reher (@jacobreher18) July 16, 2018

Some Cyberfrog fan art. Maybe I can convince Uncle Ethan to use it as a T-shirt 🙂 @EthanVanSciver @deafcolorist @CyberfrogFanArt pic.twitter.com/JeIlrXrZQb — Comet&Tang (@TangHalley) July 16, 2018

Cyberfrog drawing: Day 2! So much detail on this character! I don’t know how @EthanVanSciver does this panel to panel! 😛#cyberfrog pic.twitter.com/5wUIDeCC8J — Brad Bowers (@BWBowers73) July 12, 2018

Van Sciver’s Cyberfrog isn’t the only project people who support Comicsgate are excited about. They’re looking forward to Red Rooster, Jawbreakers – Lost Souls, Trump’s Space Force, Jungle Comics, Ravage: Kill All Men, Jack Irons: The Steel Cowboy, Lonestar, and many more! These are people who love comics and have seen the quality at Marvel and DC drop over the past few years. They hope to find that quality in independent publishing.

Twitter user Bob Stone puts it succinctly, “It’s about the love of #comics.”

If #comicsgate was a #cashgrab, the recent successes would abandon their channels and float around like fake celebs (like #AnitaSarkeesian)…NO. It’s about the love of #comics and alternative means of getting the creators’ products into the hands of fans. — Bob Stone (@ArtistBobStone) July 16, 2018

But in many cases, it’s not just about those independent creators. Many are seeing excellent quality and exceptional storytelling from the big publishers. Twitter user Talking Pulp is loving DC Comics’ The Silencer like many others.

Twitter user Spikenard theorizes Comicsgate has two major groups within it.

Pardon my generalizing, but as I see it there are 2 major groups in #comicsgate

1- people who are sick of dealing with the comics industry that Hates them for their views

2- people who want to save the industry from itself. Different end goals might make different # necessary — Spikenard (@Spikenard16) July 16, 2018

DarkTruths16 has his own reasons for being a part of Comicsgate.

Im in #comicsgate cause I want characters and social commentary to have nuance. I like Blade and many others cause they arent just defined by their skin or gender or affiliations. They understand the risks and sometimes get burnt by them — DarkTruths16 (@DarkTruths17) July 16, 2018

Comicsgate is anything but a “hate campaign.” In fact, it appears it means very different things to different people.

But that won’t stop people like Tamra Bonvillain, who calls people who support comicsgate “trash,” from labeling those very same people as part of a “hate campaign.” And it won’t stop Tim Doyle from lying about Ethan Van Sciver, Diversity & Comics, the Breitweisers, and now our very own website. In fact, Doyle recently echoed Michelle Perez by hoping publishers stop working with us in an attempt to silence us.

I thought everyone knew this? They’re a toxic alt-right troll site, masquerading as a legitimate comic site. I really wish the publishers would stop sending them comps. It just gives their hate some legitimacy… — Tim Doyle- print shop owner person. (@NakatomiTim) July 14, 2018

I already sent an email to people from one of the companies that I’m currently working with that’s following the account. — Tamra Bonvillain (@TBonvillain) July 14, 2018

I didn’t bit anyone’s head off, I just made them aware of the connection. — Tamra Bonvillain (@TBonvillain) July 14, 2018

As my colleague Jorge Arenas succinctly wrote, “We are providing a perspective the comic book industry hasn’t seen in a long time. [Bonvillain and Doyle’s] attempts to silence us will not work. We will not be silenced.”

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