Kurt Busiek Defends Lee Weeks After Twitter Users Try Target Him For Support of Red Rooster
Comic Book creator Kurt Busiek stood strong against a number of Twitter users who took a play out of Kieran Shiach and Tim Doyle’s playbook to target Batman artist Lee Weeks after his support of Mitch Breitweiser, Mark Pellegrini, and Elizabeth Breitweiser’s Red Rooster IndieGoGo campaign.
Weeks Tweeted out the IndieGoGo campaign earlier this month.
It’s on https://t.co/h22REIzYph
— Lee Weeks (@Inkdropinc) July 5, 2018
Weeks also saw his work colored by Elizabeth Breitweiser in the most recent Batman issues written by Tom King.
The whole thing started when Twitter user Dief88 targeted Batman writer Tom King and DC Comics Publisher Jim Lee and asked for them to take a public stand against ComicsGate and its supporters against what he claims is “hate speech and discrimination.” He then referred them to Gerry Conway, Greg Rucka, and Kurt Busiek to help them with their public denouncement.
What do you think, @TomKingTK? @JimLee? Can you take a stand against ComicsGate and its supporters, against hate speech and discrimination? I’ll bet @gerryconway or @ruckawriter or @KurtBusiek (among many others) could show you how it’s done! https://t.co/8XliqU2zqH
— Marc (@Dief88) July 18, 2018
It’s still a little unclear how Lee Week’s name got involved, but Busiek came to his defense saying “Since I got tagged in this, I’ll say that “how it’s done,” as far as I’m concerned, isn’t by trying to chase Lee Weeks out of the industry because you think he likes someone you think is a bully. I like Lee Weeks. I’d work with him in a heartbeat.”
Since I got tagged in this, I’ll say that “how it’s done,” as far as I’m concerned, isn’t by trying to chase Lee Weeks out of the industry because you think he likes someone you think is a bully.
I like Lee Weeks. I’d work with him in a heartbeat. https://t.co/bZidIPuaIa
— Kurt Busiek Resists (@KurtBusiek) July 18, 2018
Busiek would add:
…everything done one way that get my back up.
— Kurt Busiek Resists (@KurtBusiek) July 18, 2018
That did not deter Dief88. He claims that by Lee Weeks tweeting out his support of Red Rooster and the fact that he follows Diversity & Comics on Twitter means he “support[s] bigots.”
Thanks for your response, Kurt, and I’m sorry that my comment apparently lacked some context. I don’t think anyone should be chased out of the industry! But I do think people in all walks of life should be held accountable when they appear to support bigots, even tacitly.
— Marc (@Dief88) July 19, 2018
Another Twitter user Coolranch4lyfe would make it crystal clear why Weeks was targeted pointing out he promoted Red Rooster, follows Diversity & Comics, and follows a number of right leaning pundits including Ben Shapiro, Dana Loesch, and Tucker Carlson. He also follows psychiatrist Jordan Peterson.
There’s also the fact that lee weeks follows these guyshttps://t.co/k4x6MEMgug
— Long long maaan (@Coolranch4lyfe) July 19, 2018
They would also disagree with Busiek’s original defense of Lee Weeks.
Sure but it’s not good to stand by when others support things that harm marginalized groups
— Long long maaan (@Coolranch4lyfe) July 19, 2018
However, Busiek would double down and defend Weeks.
You want to drive Lee Weeks out of comics, you’re gonna have to go through me.
There are better ways of supporting marginalized groups than trying to shun people because you don’t like who they seem to like. https://t.co/OnVPSDk9yK
— Kurt Busiek Resists (@KurtBusiek) July 19, 2018
But when you try to say “that guy there is a friend of someone I think is a bad guy, so hey, DC Comics, will you shun that guy for his supposed friend’s behavior…I’m not with you.
I’m up for all kids of good comics.
— Kurt Busiek Resists (@KurtBusiek) July 19, 2018
While Busiek would refer to Diversity & Comics’ Richard Meyer as a “bigot,” he would defend Weeks again.
I think he’s a bigot too.
I think Lee Weeks is a nice guy and a terrific comics artist.
Trying to treat Lee like you want Richard Meyer treated is where you lose me. I don’t follow Meyer, but I won’t march in any kick-out-the-talent parade. https://t.co/ohWXpCcXJq
— Kurt Busiek Resists (@KurtBusiek) July 19, 2018
And if it wasn’t clear already, Busiek would do it one more time.
This is an argument in favor of chasing Lee Freakin’ Weeks out of comics because of who he follows on Twitter.
Sorry, but I just don’t think the thread is all that strong, myself. https://t.co/bgeyM3IwIi
— Kurt Busiek Resists (@KurtBusiek) July 19, 2018
Busiek would elaborate on his defense.
I don’t think anyone has ever thought I was pro-Comicsgate. They were fulminating about me just yesterday.
But it’s possible to be against Comicsgators calling POC creators diversity hires and wanting to chase Lee Weeks out of comics for his Twitter follows. https://t.co/LTzSTnQ6bV
— Kurt Busiek Resists (@KurtBusiek) July 19, 2018
When the rhetoric escalated and one user began to throw the term “Nazi” around, Busiek once again stood strong.
No.
I mean, what’s next? If Lee is declared to be Bad because of his Twitter follows, what about the people who follow Lee? I see an awful lot of liberals in that list, but heck, we must all be transitive Nazis now, huh? https://t.co/VgA8R4Se9S
— Kurt Busiek Resists (@KurtBusiek) July 19, 2018
He would make the defense once more.
I haven’t heard anything about Lee Weeks being terrible to people. https://t.co/GHBREtkUzc
— Kurt Busiek Resists (@KurtBusiek) July 19, 2018
While I certainly disagree with Busiek’s position on ComicsGate and his labeling of Diversity & Comics, I have to applaud him for standing strong when a number of Twitter users began to pile on him and demand he throw Lee Weeks to the dogs merely because of who he follows on Twitter and his support of Mitch and Elizabeth Breitweiser’s Red Rooster IndieGoGo project.
Lee Weeks should not be run out of the comics industry for who he follows or his support for an independent comics project. In fact, he should not be run out of the industry for his political beliefs whatever they may be.
Good on Kurt Busiek for defending Lee Weeks.
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