If there’s something I want to see more of in comic books, it most definitely is diversity. Comic books at their most basic form, are stories. Tales of suspense, legends of tomorrow that can tell any narrative across any genre it wants. Which also means that the more diverse the voices behind them, the better it is for the industry.
Want some examples? Think Amanda Connor’s amazing art that made characters feel more believable, Gail Simone’s skill in crafting relatable characters for any publication or Ta-Nehisi Coates making the Black Panther a hero again. Comic books need voices like that, not only in the writing and art department but also in higher positions that steer such titles along positive paths.
Heather Antos is one such person, an editor at Marvel and a positive sign of the future of the company. Unless you’re the kind of mouth-breathing online troll who somehow finds it unbearable when fictional comic book characters are overseen by women. A few days ago, Antos and some other Marvel female staffers went out for lunch, grabbed some milkshakes and tweeted a photo of the “Marvel Milkshake Crew” while also paying tribute to the late, great Flo . Nothing harmful about that, right?
It’s the Marvel milkshake crew! #FabulousFlo pic.twitter.com/ogn8KEYuPM
— Heather Antos (@HeatherAntos) July 28, 2017
And then the trolls came out from under their bridge. The tweet from Antos was besieged by misogynistic comments, with insults and slurs being thrown from the dark underbelly of the internet at Antos and her crew for daring to enjoy a milkshake. It’s ugly, vile stuff and it makes me question the point of even having a online presence at times. Here’s a collection of it from the Telegraph (Thanks Hadlee!).
Fortunately, the industry came to the defense of Antos. Fans tweeted back, providing support under the hashtag of #MakeMineMilkshake, while several people working in the comic book industry also rallied to fight back. The biggest show of support though? The Distinguished Competition themselves, as DC Comics tweeted the following:
Cheers @Marvel ladies! #MakeMineMilkshake pic.twitter.com/3Xky93iFSN
— DC (@DCComics) August 1, 2017
That’s a massive gesture there. DC Comics and Marvel may have enjoyed a friendly rivalry over the years, but encounters between the two have all but disappeared in recent years as competition at the box office and in print have heated up. While creators from both brands frequently mingle, you seldom see the brands themselves interact.
— Marvel Entertainment (@Marvel) August 1, 2017
Anyway, it’s nice to see that rivals can be united for the common good. Comic books at their finest.
Last Updated: August 2, 2017
Original Heretic
August 2, 2017 at 11:50
They were doing it to bring the boys to the yard.
BakedBagel
August 2, 2017 at 12:00
From what i saw, there were for more positive posts to the tweet than the negative.
The source you provide, shows 6 (six) negative posts out of the total 342 replies.
Mountains out of molehills. Did you guys forget that “outrage” sells? or am i imagining things?
Why are people taking what idiots say online as news?
The D
August 2, 2017 at 12:16
More positive tweets now in support, that outnumbers the original horrible ones that were made.
Kervyn Cloete
August 2, 2017 at 13:44
What Darryn said. Originally it gained traction coz of the bad stuff people said. It was only once #makeminemilkshake started picking up that the positive stuff showed up
BakedBagel
August 2, 2017 at 13:57
I just dont see the point in shining a light on the trash people said?
I honestly cant prove that at the beginning of this whole thing if posts were negative or not. But the source provided just 6 examples.
And those 6 people ive never even heard of. So why take them so seriously?
BakedBagel
August 2, 2017 at 13:59
I would bet 1 green Randela that people who poke and say trash things do it because they know that people will freak out and write article after article referencing their tweets… Attention seekers man
Gavin Mannion
August 2, 2017 at 14:34
I do agree with your sentiment in general. I think too much attention is given to assholes on the internet.
However this one is cooler as it brought companies together to take a stand etc etc.. Good fighting evil, literally what DC and Marvel are all about 😉
BakedBagel
August 2, 2017 at 14:35
One hundred percent Gav, i love see’ing competitors come together for the common good. Its great.
Tracy Benson
August 2, 2017 at 14:28
You don’t see the point in shining a light on the horrible, awful, disgusting things people said? So, you would rather they think that they can get away with it? That other people won’t call them out for their awful behaviour?
THIS is how this shitty culture perpetuates. Because someone stands up to negative behaviour, and other people tell them to shut up about because “we shouldn’t take it seriously”. You are wrong. We should take it seriously.
You are part of the problem, my man.
BakedBagel
August 2, 2017 at 14:34
Okay and where are the articles about the abuse Ed Sheeran recieved for his spot in GoT ? Or was that simply looked over Tracy?
Maybe stop giving attention and air time to the people seeking it for the wrong reasons (Like blaming SJW’s for everything under the sun) and it might not be as widespread. Do you understand how attention seeking works?
If being a part of the problem is asking why you are giving idiots with a PC airtime, then so be it, my woman.
Kervyn Cloete
August 2, 2017 at 14:32
That’s one article. I follow many comic book writers/artists on Twitter, and saw many of them having to deal with trashy things said to them by these folks. It’s definitely more than just 6 people.
But let’s say it wasn’t. Let’s it was just this dirty half dozen. The fact remains that it was 6 people that attacked somebody for no reason whatsoever except to spew hate. Nobody is saying the entire internet did this. We’re saying these miscreants did this and they deserve to be named and shamed so that they don’t do it to anybody else.
BakedBagel
August 2, 2017 at 14:37
While i agree, we can honestly go in circles for days.
But people say bad shit for attention all the time. Why give them what they want? Its like rape and death threats. There are reasons why the FBI say to report it to them and keep quiet about it. Because most of the time its attention seeking, man.
HairyEwok
August 2, 2017 at 12:05
https://media.giphy.com/media/fNOj6yJ2T04qQ/source.gif
For the Emperor!
August 2, 2017 at 13:13
I have no idea how you get from someone having a milkshake with friends/colleagues to SJW and feminism? Some people just make such illogical leaps…
Dr le Quack
August 3, 2017 at 05:28
The original “harassment” tweets were bloody mild. Seems light a great overreaction
Kromas Ryder
August 3, 2017 at 11:06
So can we FINALLY get Batman Vs. Iron Man??!!!