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The internet has emboldened us to do a great many things. Worst of all, cowering behind the safety of one’s screen and ripping apart a complete stranger just because the other shares a different view. Sometimes not even that. Sometimes it’s just because the subject of ridicule just has to have the “wrong” genitalia. This week in #dumpsterfires, Chelsea Cain, writer of Marvel Comics’ recently concluded Mockingbird series, quit Twitter due to constant harassment. This mostly comes in the wake of Cain’s call for more female-driven comics at Marvel over Twitter, which are no longer online.

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The cover for Mockingbird‘s final issue (seen below), which reflects the ongoing feminist message of both Cain and the series, also sparked harassment on social media.

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Mockingbird #8

In light of Cain’s exit from Twitter, fans and other creators have shown their support over social media with the hashtag #StandWithChelseaCain, along with the above Mockingbird #8 cover attached.

Brian Michael Bendis tweeted, “Chelsea Cain is my friend and she was abused for NO REASON! It sickens me. To my very soul. Anyone who wants to make comes should make comics.”

Gail Simone, who is no stranger to social media abuse herself, also showed her solidarity over Twitter:

Right now, I am pretty damn depressed that a book as [Mockingbird] didn’t survive in the marketplace when so much easy crap keeps chugging. So THEN I check my Twitter to find that Chelsea is being harassed and targeted by jackass losers for no reason except their own inadequacies. This isn’t good comics, this is GREAT comics, and the people harassing her can go screw themselves with a burning Garden Weasel.

And Chelsea Cain, I have been on that block. Many, maybe most of us have. But I hope you are not done making comics better.

Marvel Editor-in-Chief Axel Alonso also tweeted in defense of Cain, writing, “I stand w/ Chelsea Cain, condemn online harassment, and think the MU, and the industry, benefits & grows from diverse creators & characters.”

Chelsea Cain isn’t just a comic book writer. She’s also author to multiple acclaimed novels, most notably her [easyazon_link identifier=”0312947151″ locale=”US” tag=”legoflei07-20″]Archie Sheridan & Gretchen Lowell[/easyazon_link] thriller series, which debuted in 2004. Cain made her debut as a comic book writer last year with Mockingbird: S.H.I.E.L.D. 50th Anniversary, which led into the character’s ongoing series.

Cain noted in a tweet that she never had to block anyone until she started writing in the comic book industry, never when she was known only as a best-selling novelist.

Unfortunately, social media harassment is a ongoing problem within the comic book and video game fandom. Male creators feel a sting of this abuse, but women working in either industry seem to get it a hell of a lot worse. Former Image Comics Director of Trade Book Sales Jennifer de Guzman wrote in two tweets, “[Chelsea Cain] has been driven off Twitter by misogynists in comics. There are women who have been driven out of comics entirely. Comics, you’re a problem.”

Since tweeting their report, CBR.com became an unfortunate host to a series of heinous tweets from man babies who can’t stand to see women doing things they love.

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Manufactured harassment??? Yes, because that is TOTALLY what we all want if we need attention from complete strangers. I suppose Cain was just asking for all the abuse because she wanted to write about one of Marvel‘s badass women and give her agency. As for this second guy… He has no right to say that comic books are JUST for men when most of his tweets are about his excitement over what’s happening on Days of Our Lives. Aren’t soap operas supposed to be just for women? Yeah, shut the f**k up.

And then there’s this disgusting atrocity that popped up around the same time WeLoveFine released a T-shirt with the Mockingbird #8 cover:

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I, and probably many others, am at my breaking point about this constant abuse and harassment of people on Twitter, most of whom have been women. None of them asked for it. They’re just doing a job to the best of their ability. It’s okay to bring constructive criticism to the table, but when you start slinging flaming dog poop over at a person for no reason other than the fact that you just HATE whatever he or she has produced, then you are the problem. You are why the rest of us can’t have nice things. Better things. Grow the F**K UP and evolve into the complex-thinking humanoid you were meant to be! Is it so G-DDAMN hard to be decent to other people and not tear them down?!

To those who have been the subject of others’ nonsensical ire just because you work in comics or video games, join me in a salute:

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Source: CBR

About author View all posts

Christina E. Janke

Christina is the co-host of “Intro to Geek” on Shauncastic and Editor-in-Chief at Agents of Geek. Her love of all things Mass Effect knows no bounds. She also carries an obsession with comic books, video games, and quirky television shows. Her heroes are Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, and Gail Simone. She hopes to be just like them when she grows up.