I’m not going to waste anyone’s time summarizing what this week was. We all already know. Let’s get into it.
Disney
This week, the Florida senate’s passage of the discriminatory, hate-based “Don’t Say Gay” bill thrust, Disney into the spotlight. Disney CEO Bob Chapek’s initial milquetoast response was met with widespread condemnation by employees and onlookers alike.
I'm fucking tired of making Disney look good so WHO'S READY FOR ANOTHER ✨CHARITY LIVESTREAM✨ MARCH 13th!!!
More details to come. ?️? #dontsaygay #disneydobetter pic.twitter.com/1MtumvjfB0
— Dana Terrace (@DanaTerrace) March 7, 2022
I am a LGBT animation writer at Disney and this is why I want the company I love to take a stand against the "Don't Say Gay" bill. #DisneySayGay #DisneyDoBetter pic.twitter.com/n8g0kgTkKf
— Benjamin Siemon (@BenjaminJS) March 6, 2022
The Walt Disney Co. is officially based in California but operates extensively out of Florida, with some 70,000 employees. According to reporting by Politico, Disney funneled $4.8 million in donations to Florida political candidates in 2020, including $50,000 to Florida Chief of Hate, Gov. Ron DeSantis.
Disney’s Chapek announced a suspension of political donations in Florida to ward off the onslaught of bad media coverage. Still, the CEO’s response has surfaced Disney’s long history of diminishing, if not outright erasing, queer stories. If you want to read more about it, Graeme McMillan has you covered in his newsletter, Comics FYI.
The Walt Disney Corporation owns Marvel Entertainment, so what has the word been from Marvel in all of this? I know you will all be shocked to find out that I have been unable to locate a response from Marvel Entertainment at all. That hasn’t stopped others who have worked for Marvel Comics from responding. Author Christopher Cantwell, the writer of the first out Captain America Aaron Rogers, donated what he was paid to write the series to the Matthew Shepard Foundation in response to Florida bill HB 1557/SB 1834. Maybe Marvel Entertainment is waiting to release their special limited edition diversity and inclusion NFT? Yeah, that’s probably what they are doing.
As bad press continued, Chapek addressed the controversy in a call with shareholders on Wednesday. Chapek said, “We were opposed to the bill from the outset, but we chose not to take a public position on it because we thought we could be more effective working behind the scenes, working with lawmakers on both sides of the aisle.”
Well, there, I feel better!
Other comics news? Sure, I guess we can get to that.
The Milestone Initiative is Really Happening
In far better news, DC Comics and Warner Media announced the incoming class of creators for The Milestone Initiative, named after Milestone Media co-founded in 1993 by artist Denys Cowan, writers Dwayne McDuffie and Michael T. Davis, and Black Enterprise EVP/Chief Content Officer Derek T. Dingle.
You can read all about the incoming class on The Milestone Initiative’s website. And honestly, a special shout out to a personal favorite of mine, Cheryl Lynn Eaton, whose Mary Worth tweets continue to give me life.
Congratulations to everyone!
And now, for the lightning round.
Odds and Ends
Writer Gail Simone announced she’s penning a new series for Marvel about Jessica Jones entitled The Variants. I can’t take another multiverse at this point in my adult life, but you do you.
Comixology co-founder David Steinberger announced that he’s leaving Comixology to undertake a new initiative at Amazon.
1/ It’s been a few big weeks, and I have personal news: I’ve been asked if I'd like to lead a new Amazon-wide initiative that is too good an opportunity to not take. It was a tough decision, but I’m ready for a new entrepreneurial challenge. I will love comics forever and…?
— David Steinberger (@stonemtn) March 10, 2022
Maybe you were like me and missed this fantastic write-up in The New York Times about cartoonist Barbara Shermund? Well, you can remedy that by reading all about her and her incredible history of Flapper-Era comics for The New Yorker in the Times profile.
Molly McGee, formally of ToR books, announced her departure on Twitter.
I ain't reading all that.
I'm happy for u tho. pic.twitter.com/zo3sYDXPSM— Molly McGhee (@mollymcghee) March 11, 2022
I’ll leave you with this dope pin you can help crowdfund to Protect Trans Kids. Proceeds will go towards the Transgender Education Network of Texas (TENT).
