In January 2013, Eisner-winning comic book creator and primarily colorist Jordie Bellaire wrote a Tumblr post titled “I’m mad as hell and I’m not going to take it anymore” decrying an unnamed convention–as well as the wider comic book industry–that refused to give colorists their due. “Colorists…are the unknown amazing backup singer who makes every track awesome,” Bellaire wrote in her post. Many comic book fans and creators agreed; Bellaire’s post went viral and sparked the Twitter tag #ColoristAppreciationDay, which was revived again on the anniversary of the creation of the tag on Tuesday. (The convention whose dismissive attitude sparked Bellaire’s post in the first place later contacted Bellaire in a half-hearted apology).
Unfortunately, since the creation of the tag, Bellaire has left Twitter and made her Tumblr account private. Details are hazy, but a source within the comic book industry confirmed that the harassment that drove Bellaire from Twitter was not from the comics community. If anything, Bellaire’s withdrawing from social media makes her message all the more important. Be sure to check out the #ColoristAppreciationDay Twitter tag to understand the wonders a colorist can work on a piece of black-and-white line art and the credit they deserve. You can currently find Bellaire’s own coloring work on Marvel’s Kate Bishop Hawkeye ongoing solo.
