DC Comics Artist Ethan Van Sciver Threatened with Violence During Fan Signing

John F. Trent |

Nov 7, 2017

DC Comics artist Ethan Van Sciver reports he received a number of violent threats when he was asked to attend a signing at Gotham City Pizza in Orlando, Florida. And then after attending, the store was attacked!

Most of the threats appear to be through Twitter.

One user @pesterheresy told Ethan Van Sciver, Hope you and your c*** wife have an accident at the shooting range you Nazi prick. Blow your f****** hands off and quit making s*** art.”

Another messaged him on what appears to be Facebook saying, “Nazi piece of s***. Be seeing you at Gotham Pizza motherf*****.”

Ethan notes he was “a little worried…and [he’d] never been in a situation like this before. But now [he’s] receiving specific threats of violence and often.” He even says he hesitated to go, but decided he “better go to make a showing for his fans.”

Van Sciver has become a polarizing figure in the comic book world, where many claim he is a Nazi and a homophobe.

https://twitter.com/NakatomiTim/status/862828385525010434

He unabashedly denounced these claims and called them “evil.”

Van Sciver documented his signing appearance at Gotham City Pizza where he drew Batman to decorate the wall!

After his appearance at Gotham City Pizza, the pizza shop was vandalized. It’s door was smashed in.

SJWs threatened me, if I performed for fans at Gotham City Pizza. I went anyway and entertained a crowd, drawing Batman. Next morning… pic.twitter.com/xW1qhrBvJT

— ETHAN VAN SCIVER (@EthanVanSciver) November 7, 2017

He explains the timeline leading up to the door getting smashed:

No, it happened overnight to a poor guy who is just trying to run a business. https://t.co/iUysRyxiDs

— ETHAN VAN SCIVER (@EthanVanSciver) November 7, 2017

Because I did the appearance and then the shop was vandalized. https://t.co/jKyhtg9STa

— ETHAN VAN SCIVER (@EthanVanSciver) November 7, 2017

While the door was smashed in, it’s unclear who actually committed the act of vandalism following his signing.

I don’t know. I don’t know who did this. I’ve had two individuals promoting the idea that I’m a Nazi. They were in a bleedingcool article. https://t.co/rWgu3O5k26

— ETHAN VAN SCIVER (@EthanVanSciver) November 7, 2017

Definitely true. https://t.co/ykS1OLupNm

— ETHAN VAN SCIVER (@EthanVanSciver) November 7, 2017

However, the fact that Ethan received these threats, performed the signing, and then the Gotham City Pizza shop was attacked seems to be more than just mere coincidence to me.

In order to help Gotham City Pizza repair their door, Ethan started a Go Fund Me for Gotham City Pizza.

Gotham Needs a Hero! https://t.co/KaCHJZXUTM Here is the gofundme for Marco’s pizza shop. Please donate. His family will receive it all.

— ETHAN VAN SCIVER (@EthanVanSciver) November 7, 2017

The Gotham City Pizza gofundme has surpassed its goal! Marco should take what he needs and donate the rest to Hero Initiative! Thanks!

— ETHAN VAN SCIVER (@EthanVanSciver) November 7, 2017

If anyone else wants to donate in Gotham City Pizza’s name on behalf of Hero Initiative, it would be a great thing! Thanks again to you all!

— ETHAN VAN SCIVER (@EthanVanSciver) November 7, 2017

The Go Fund Me for Gotham City Pizza lends one to believe that Ethan’s appearance motivated the vandalism. “Unfortunately, following an event featuring DC Comics artist Ethan Van Sciver, someone felt it necessary to shatter the front door of this fine establishment, potentially because of Ethan Van Sciver’s appearance specifically.”

The Go Fund Me continues, “Ethan Van Sciver is a wonderful person who has done nothing wrong, but some comic fans have taken offense to comments that Van Sciver has made about the comic book industry and its critics and felt the need to drag the difference of opinions out into the real world and translate it into vandalism.”

Along with the footage from Gotham City Pizza, Ethan was extremely vocal on Twitter about his appearance.

I am NOT looking for trouble. I want to draw for people who enjoy my work. I don’t know why this seems appropriate to political “enemies.” pic.twitter.com/neoitDCmrH

— ETHAN VAN SCIVER (@EthanVanSciver) November 7, 2017

Ethan was insistent he doesn’t discuss politics anymore due to the violence he has been threatened with:

Please tell your friends to stop. I don’t discuss politics anymore and I don’t want anyone to get hurt. I’m just trying to promote comics. https://t.co/KFEk6QZ38E

— ETHAN VAN SCIVER (@EthanVanSciver) November 7, 2017

We move forward from here and keep our mission statement in mind. Comic books are for everyone. That’s what we promote, not division.

— ETHAN VAN SCIVER (@EthanVanSciver) November 7, 2017

Gotham City Pizza and Marco, the shop owner was extremely grateful for Ethan’s support with the Go Fund Me.

Thank u Ethan for your support from GOTHAM CITY PIZZA

— Marco (@jmf8775) November 7, 2017

Thank you so much!!

— GothamCityPizza (@GCPizzaFL) November 7, 2017

The Go Fund Me easily surpassed it’s goal of $700. As of this writing, it currently stands at $1,025.

Unacceptable Behavior

While it’s still unclear who committed the crime, this type of behavior is absolutely unacceptable. Just because you disagree with someone’s political beliefs or their ideas on how the comic book industry should be run, does not give you the right to violently threaten an individual let alone commit acts of vandalism.

Unfortunately, this type of behavior seems to be common practice among those on the radical left, specifically people calling themselves Antifa. There have been a number of instances where these individuals violently attacked people who opposed them politically or just happened to be in their path. We saw them vandalize a Starbucks and a McDonald’s in Washington, DC on Inauguration Day.

Enough is enough.