Bleeding Cool has confirmed that DC Comics has cancelled the final fifth and sixth issues of the mini-series Border Town, published by DC Comics and Vertigo to much acclaim this year. Not only that, but all listings on Diamond's website for previous issues have been removed, scorching earth that this comic ever existed there or that retailers could reorder issues. (Update: upcoming issues have since returned, been removed, and returned again, but previous issues are still removed. This could be a cache issue, it should resolve soon.)

On the 9th of December, toy designer Cynthia Naugle posted an in-depth account of alleged sexual, mental and emotional abuse on Blogspot, regarding someone in the comic book industry, living in Tucson who had a Vertigo comic book launch this summer.

The person in question was identified on Twitter as Eric Esquivel, whose Border Town series launched from Vertigo Comics this summer. Others wanted to back her account up.

tw/cw sexual abuse this is a tough read, but it's an account about a creator whom my peers and i have been warned about multiple times over the years.

thank you for your strength, cynthia 🙏🏼 https://t.co/oogRgI6QEd — betty felon (@bettyfelon) December 10, 2018

Subsequently, colourist on the series Tamra Bonvillain stated that she would stop working on the book.

2 days ago, I was first made aware of the experiences shared by Cynthia Naugle about her relationship with Border Town writer Eric Esquivel. The way he treated her was disgusting and inexcusable, and issue 5 is my last issue working on Border Town. — Tamra Bonvillain (@TBonvillain) December 13, 2018

It shames me to have spent so much time and energy working with someone who is capable of such actions, and I'm sorry if the delay in response caused some confusion about my feelings. — Tamra Bonvillain (@TBonvillain) December 13, 2018

We were advised to let the attention remain on the parties involved, but it seems clear that Eric has no interest in acknowledging his actions, and I don't feel comfortable waiting any longer. — Tamra Bonvillain (@TBonvillain) December 13, 2018

I'm sorry to Cynthia, and any other women he may have treated similarly in the past. If I had been aware of his history of abuse, I would never have joined the project, and without trying to speak for Ramon or anyone else, I believe they feel the same way. — Tamra Bonvillain (@TBonvillain) December 13, 2018

There was a separate issue raised with Eric months ago, but this was explained to me as resolvable, interpersonal issues. I asked point blank if any of these issues involved abuse, and was told they did not. One specific case, which I only heard 3rd hand, was brought to DC. — Tamra Bonvillain (@TBonvillain) December 13, 2018

If at any point I thought there was more to the story than a guy being awkward, I would have been gone, and was ready to leave the book at the time if that was the case. Again, no issues of abuse were ever discussed with me prior to a couple days ago. — Tamra Bonvillain (@TBonvillain) December 13, 2018

Regardless, I believe Cynthia, I'm sorry for any pain Eric has caused her and anyone else, and I no longer wish to be associated with Eric in any way. — Tamra Bonvillain (@TBonvillain) December 13, 2018

And adding,

Let me clear about a couple things:

No one was trying to keep me and Ramon quiet, they just wanted Eric to speak first so he remained the focus of the story. When Eric went to ground, I didn't feel comfortable waiting, I checked with Andy as a courtesy and was given the go ahead. — Tamra Bonvillain (@TBonvillain) December 13, 2018

In my opinion, both Ramon and Andy have done all they can to resolve this situation the right way. No one has stopped us from speaking our minds on this or punished us for any personal decisions we've made. — Tamra Bonvillain (@TBonvillain) December 13, 2018

With artist Ramon Villalobos issuing the following statement,

a few thoughts pic.twitter.com/mh1olhWvmr — Mr. Vertigo Comics (@RamonVillalobos) December 13, 2018

Out of respect for all parties involved, I wanted to stay quiet about this situation the last few days but I feel like I should take a moment to say my piece. I have made it my practice to believe women, full stop. The bravery and strength it took for her to write that letter is probably not strength or bravery I may ever have. There had been vague rumors about Eric and his treatment of women and although I was given no real specifics, I insisted to Eric that he come clean to me and our team about any inappropriate interactions he may have had. I think now that I did not give enough weight to those rumors and I can't state enough how much I regret that. To the best of my abilities, I took the matters through the proper channels and DC/Vertigo handled it in a way that felt responsible and direct. I probably can't get into detail allowed me to get back to my job. I want to be clear that neither me, Tamra, or anyone in editorial knew about what came out and it's very disheartening to se information come out. Border Town meant a lot to me because it was a confluence of so many of my interests. Elements of horror, comedy, teenage rebellion, latino culture, etc. I don't think it's an exaggeration to say that I've poured everything I had into this and it is the best work of my relatively young career. It has made my life better having done it. But this is not about me. Whatever this person felt and experienced is what matters the most and I want to be clear that I think dealing with abuse and making the comics industry a safer place is the most important thing to come from this. To know the art that I'm so proud of, and the world I have lived in and created for the last year of my life had brought so much pain to individuals frankly outweighs the joy I know it brought others and that is going to be something that is hard to reconcile. There is no way to really make up of my shortcomings in this situation, but I hope in future actions I can find a way to show this is important to me. Thank you."

Esquivel is a writer of many comic books over the years, including Freelancers, Adventure Time and Loki: Ragnarok And Roll from Boom Studios, Wonderland from Zenescope, Legend of Oz: The Wicked West and The In Crowd from Big Dog Ink, Animal Jam from Dynamite, Yo-Kai Watch from IDW, The Blackest Terror from Moonstone and for Nicolodeon Magazine. He also wrote a column for Bleeding Cool in 2010 called Post-Modern Myths. This week he was also named Multiversity Comics' Breakout Writer Of The Year 2018.

Bleeding Cool EIC Kaitlyn Booth tells me that "Eric Esquivel was briefly a contributor from April to June 2010. This has not prevented a thorough investigation into this matter, which has been underway since December 10. This is an extremely sensitive matter and we are conducting a thorough investigation to make sure we have all of the facts at our disposal."

This is how the last issues were solicited.

BORDER TOWN #5 (MR)

(W) Eric M Esquivel (A/CA) Ramon Villalobos

All hell literally breaks loose when monsters from Mexican myth storm the gate between Mitclan and Earth, clashing with local law enforcement, racist gangs, and violent militias! Meanwhile, Frank and the kids confront Blake, now unspeakably powerful and possessed by the spirit of death itself! And finally, we learn the answer to the series' most burning question: Who is Frank's real dad?In Shops: Jan 09, 2019

Final Orders Due: Dec 10, 2018

SRP: $3.99 BORDER TOWN #6 (MR)

(W) Eric M Esquivel (A/CA) Ramon Villalobos

His true father and special destiny revealed at last, Frank squares off in a final supernatural showdown against school-bully-turned-agent-of-death Blake in a battle for control of the border between worlds! No matter who wins, Devil's Fork, Arizona, will never be the same in this climactic issue of the first storyline in the hit new DC Vertigo series. MATURE READERS In Shops: Feb 06, 2019 SRP: $3.99