Crowdfunding Platform Crowdfundr Bans All ComicsGate-Related Projects, CEO Cries Victim To Left-Wing Journalists
Jon Del Arroz
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After having troubles with IndieGoGo shadowbanning nearly every ComicsGate-related project, using their platform, Crowdfundr banned Private American and plans to ban all other ComicsGate-related projects.
The situation began with legendary comic writer Mike Baron launching his book Private American across three platforms. IndieGoGo shadowbanned the campaign, followed by Kickstarter targeting and removing it, and finally, on December 21, 2022, Mike Baron announced Crowdfunder had banned his book.
‘Private American’ (2022). Cover art by Richard Bonk and Gabe Eltaeb.
The banning came off the heels of a hit piece by the Daily Kos, alleging the book is racist, despite the main hero being a person of color. Because of the article, an online mob falsely reported the Private American campaign. The companies caved, alleging Baron violated their terms of service.
Private American’s publisher, Chris Braly, made attempts to speak with representatives of the Crowdfundr platform to plead with them to allow art to be made without censorship. His results were not fruitful, but he obtained a Zoom call with the company’s CEO, David Barach.
“While we recognize that you can’t lump everybody that belongs to a certain group together as all being the same people,” Barach opened in the 12-minute video.
“Unfortunately, ComicsGate has the reputation that it has and if people are going to declare themselves as part of ComicsGate we can’t change ComicsGate’s reputation, even though we know there are bad elements there just like there are bad elements everywhere. The general perception of ComicsGate is problematic for us. And that’s kind of where we have to leave it,” he stated.
‘Private American.’ Promotional art.
Despite his words regarding not lumping everyone that belongs to a group together and making negative judgments, Crowdfundr is doing exactly that.
“It sounds like anyone who associates with ComicsGate is not going to be allowed on Crowdfundr. Am I hearing you properly?” Braly asks to clarify.
“You are,” Barach said.
‘Private American.’ Interior art.
The interview continues with ten more minutes of Barach backtracking, going in circles and gaslighting Braly about the decision when Crowdfundr is banning based on guilt by association, and all because of the way left-wing mobs have branded ComicsGate.
Barach does not elaborate on how he’s going to police the ComicsGate association on the website, nor what constitutes ComicsGate membership, but from the company’s actions, it appears as if they are willing to monitor people’s political affiliations or interests on other platforms and gatekeep projects from getting funded, even if the projects themselves don’t have anything political to them.
‘Private American.’ Interior art.
Barach also accuses ComicsGate of “promoting a non-inclusive agenda,” and says, “when we are notified of that, then yeah, we will have to exclude.”
The irony of his excluding an entire group while touting inclusivity appears to be lost on him.
Braly and others have taken to Twitter to vocalize their distaste for Crowdfundr’s cancel culture. He echoed a sentiment of many conservatives who have been burned by major corporations through the arts by stating “life is too short to give money to people who hate you.”
Chris Braly Twitter
Barach, however, decided to play victim, replying to the Tweet: “I don’t hate you, Chris. I forgive you. You secretly recorded me and posted a video with pictures of my children in it without my consent. I pity you. Profiteering off manufactured outrage means more to you than your dignity. I stand by my words, however ill gotten by you.”
David Barach Twitter
The Crowdfundr CEO took the victim narrative to the next level soon afterward, deceptively framing the situation while tagging left-wing journalists, tweeting, “Comicsgate is now coming after Vancouver based Crowdfundr. DM me if you want the story.”
Ethan Van Sciver, creator of Cyberfrog and owner of the ComicsGate trademark, replied to the tweet with an accurate description of what’s going on, saying, “The story is that David Barach was stupid enough to go on the record that Crowdfundr discriminates against, and thus validates, a hugely successful movement in mainstream comics that opposes political discrimination. He’s now the topic of discussion by said movement.”
Crowdfundr’s CEO outright stated the company would be discriminating against the group and appears to have expected to receive no blowback for attacking hundreds of creators and thousands of comic book fans who identify with the movement.
It’s odd for an alternative crowdfunding platform to want to cut off a potential customer base that is being attacked by the big companies like IndieGoGo and Kickstarter. It begs the question, what’s the point of an alternative if they’re going to act the same as the major corporations?
Mike Baron via GoFundMe
Braly is answering the question with Mike Baron, as they have launched a GoFundMe to raise money for a lawsuit against the Daily Kos for their defamatory remarks about Baron and his Private American book. The lawsuit aims to fight back against cancel culture and make it safe for comic creators to maintain their free speech rights and still be able to sell their books.
What do you think about the banning of ComicsGate from crowdfunding platforms? Leave a comment and let us know!
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