I saw a lot of this stuff first-hand, unfortunately, when John and I were working together on Action.  Virtually no (honestly, I can't remember a one) pro friends wrote and said, "Hey, congratulations on getting to work with one of the all-time great Superman artists."

Nope. What they all asked, and I mean, even pros I'd never even spoken to, was what working with John was REALLY like. They were dying for me to tell them what a repulsive, racist homophobe he was. I mean, it was downright creepy.  It offended my truth-o-meter.  And when I told them the truth, that in fact, John was anything BUT racist, was in fact avidly ANTI-racist (AND one of the most outspoken creators regarding the crappy treatment of female characters...lots of male creators talk about it, John wanted to FIX it), I could actually hear the disappointment in their voices. In short, they like the ogre, they want the ogre.

Some went a good deal farther than that. It was ridiculous. I still get it to this day.

It got so bad that pros and readers who ought to know better began to cast a jaundiced eye at me, and assumed I, too, must be racist, despite my (often times to the point of absurdity) extreme beliefs about trying to show more diversity in comics on a real and committed level. Sort of a weird McCarthy-esque thing, I kid you not.

It bugs me, and (I'm sure this will just give more fodder for those who view me as biased) I've seen stuff John's said here deliberately twisted and repeated to outrage time and again. It's wrong, it's offensive, and the people doing it should be ashamed.  Yet, when John says something against racism, that never leaves this board. Of course not, doesn't fit the myth.

For the record, I didn't care for the latinas with blonde hair  comment, but I'm a hairdresser and obviously have some pretty strong thoughts in that regard. While I absolutely believe people have a right to like what they like in regards to someone's appearance, I felt that comment was (I'm sorry, John) unfair and thoughtless. Oh! And I almost forgot to add that John was a great sport when I asked him about including a gorgeous latin woman with blonde hair in Action. I'm not sure we ever got around to it, but John couldn't have been more behind the idea, so I suspect that even this has a bit of tempest-laden teapot in it.

 But the rest of that stuff they keep quoting is strictly deliberately twisted nonsense pandering to the types of people who adore that shit.

Anyway, that's my two cents, which today, is worth about no cents at all.

Gail

Wait, I take back a bit of my first statement. IF I remember correctly, Kurt Busiek actually had nice things to say about John returning to Action.

But Kurt is always the classy one!

Gail

As to the charge of being sexist, all I can say is that I was genuinely surprised by the genuine anger John had about the treatment of female characters in comics on a level of basic fairness. I hear lip service about this from male creators all the time, but as I say, John was willing to put his work where his mouth is, so to speak, and make comics to fix it.

Gail

Opinions are like nipples.

Everybody's got one.

What?

Oh sure like you have MORE than one. Riiiiighghttt....

you know guys....this does get sad after awhile......these people that say these things have nothing better to do than to sit in there sewing circles and spin yarns

of people they wish they were. charges smarges. if he was such a #$% he sure would not be here everyday with 22000 post talking with us.

all the things that make mankind pathetic....jealousy,envy,selfhatred,want,greed

these are what modivates these rumors....kind of sad.

by the way gail.....i love your work ....and have a crush on you