Mark Waid Launches Go Fund Me for Legal Defense

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Oct 25, 2018

Comic book writer Mark Waid, who was most recently working for Marvel Comics on Doctor Strange and Captain America and who recently became the Director of Creative Development at Humanoids, launched a Go Fund Me campaign to raise funds for his legal defense.

Waid is currently being sued by Richard C. Meyer aka YouTuber Diversity & Comics for tortious interference and defamation. Meyer is seeking damages in excess of $75,000.

Waid’s Go Fund Me is specifically for the lawsuit against Meyer. He claims he’s being sued “by one of the perceived leaders of a relentless online harassment movement called “ComicsGate” which I and many comics professionals strongly feel has unfairly and offensively targeted women, people of color, and LGBTQ+ creators working in our industry in an effort to make them feel unwelcome.”

Interestingly enough he cites a Washington Post and Inverse article. The Washington Post article has been thoroughly debunked and is riddled with numerous lies.

Even more interesting is the Inverse article actually mentions a statement that they attribute to ComicsGate that reads “not to engage in any harassment/doxing/Twitter trolling with these people.” In fact the statement refers to a boycott list released by YouTuber YellowFlashGuy.

Inverse then creates a false timeline of the origins of ComicsGate. A timeline that has been run in a number of articles from Buzzfeed to the Dailydot that tries to paint Comicsgate members as harassers when in fact the hashtag originated during the Spider-Woman variant cover controversy when a number of people mocked Manara’s defenders and the cover.

Nevertheless, Waid’s Go Fund Me paints himself as the victim:

“I firmly believe this lawsuit is an effort to silence those of us who stand up publicly against bigotry and racism and who continue to defend diverse creators from harassment.”

Waid also declares that he is going to fight this lawsuit “no matter the personal cost.”

He then makes a call to action stating that this lawsuit isn’t just about him, it’s about women and people of color.

“If you believe, as I do, that women and people of color deserve to be able to do their jobs—or any job—without being bullied, donate. Stand with me. If you believe that someone’s gender or sexual preference should have no bearing on the career they pursue, donate. Send that message.”

He adds:

“This isn’t just about me; it’s about standing together in the face of bullying. Every day that we don’t push back against online harassment, it only becomes nastier and more powerful.”

Mark Waid is the only person listed on the lawsuit by Richard C. Meyer. He is not a woman nor a person of color.

Waid has raised $5,036 of his target goal of $75,000. $75,000 is the number listed on the lawsuit by Meyer.

A number of comic book creators have contributed to the Go Fund Me. Some of them include Tony Isabella, James Tynion, Eric Trautmann, Tim Seeley, Jamal Igle, Chris Ryall, Dan Slott, and more.

What do you make of Waid’s Go Fund Me? Will you be contributing?

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