Bleeding Cool’s Rich Johnston described novelist and comic book writer Jon Del Arroz as “homophobic.”
Johnston took to Twitter where he wrote, “Just because you are homophobic doesn’t mean other Christians are.”
Nonsense. Just because you are homophobic doesn’t mean other Christians are. There are plenty of Christian comic book creators as well who don’t share your views. Talk to Paul Cornell some time, he’s lovely.
— Rich Johnston (@richjohnston) June 25, 2019
The back and forth between Del Arroz and Johnston began after Johnston published an article titled “John Del Arroz Identifies Secret Left-Wing #Comicsgate Grifters” on Bleeding Cool. The article highlighted Del Arroz’s own article titled, “The ComicsGate Grifters.”
Johnston’s description of Del Arroz came after Del Arroz wrote, “Your website rabble-rouses against any Christian artist to push the LGBT sin lifestyle all the time, including the article you hit me with this morning.”
Your website rabble-rouses against any Christian artist to push the LGBT sin lifestyle all the time, including the article you hit me with this morning.
This is the same BS as when you told me “There are plenty of conservatives at Marvel/DC” when I asked for names you had none. https://t.co/UiRgXmWoNf
— El Campeador (@jondelarroz) June 25, 2019
Del Arroz and Johnston would go back and forth for quite a bit. We have documented their debate on Twitter below.
The debate began with Del Arroz describing Johnston as “Fake News” and stating that he is “misrepresenting things again.”
Ahh looks like Fake News @richjohnston and his lyin’ cronies are misrepresenting things again.
And to answer your question FN Rich, yes, being anti-Christian is leftist. But you know that already.
— El Campeador (@jondelarroz) June 25, 2019
Nonsense. That is utter fake news.
— Rich Johnston (@richjohnston) June 25, 2019
Have me on as a regular commentator to review and give mention to pro-Christian comics on Bleeding Cool if you’re not a Christaphobe. https://t.co/Dxrhk1ZTHN
— El Campeador (@jondelarroz) June 25, 2019
You can apply to Avatar Press like anyone else. As it stands we have Michael Davis, one of the principal figures in distributing Christian comics through churches writing for the site.
— Rich Johnston (@richjohnston) June 25, 2019
Submissions page says 404 not found.https://t.co/Sv9huHxaCb
You have my email. I’m both willing to grace you with my excellent commentary AND to offer some of my even better books to the press. You’ll want to publish them for diversity and inclusivity’s sake I’m sure. https://t.co/EVPA5KPl1H
— El Campeador (@jondelarroz) June 25, 2019
Apparently you can’t be Christian and left wing though. All that stuff about rich men not getting into heaven, and caring for the poor was just a lot of typos.
— Rich Johnston (@richjohnston) June 25, 2019
When have I ever given any indication that I am an atheist, let alone a Christophobe?
— Rich Johnston (@richjohnston) June 25, 2019
However, as I pointed out before, one rarely get gigs by insulting the people one want to get the gig from. Biting the hand that is yet to feed you.
— Rich Johnston (@richjohnston) June 25, 2019
Chicken. https://t.co/PPEdWAFBP4
— El Campeador (@jondelarroz) June 25, 2019
Isn’t it great when anti-Christian gamma males “well acktually” with Bible lessons on twitter dot com? https://t.co/Tz1keIDWQf
— El Campeador (@jondelarroz) June 25, 2019
Why on earth do you think that I am anti-Christian? When have I ever given you that impression – and how?
— Rich Johnston (@richjohnston) June 25, 2019
I was just looking at the poster on the Church wall opposite my house that I designed for their summer events, waiting for my daughter to come home from her Church of England school wondering how I got to be so anti-Christian in your eyes.
— Rich Johnston (@richjohnston) June 25, 2019
Oh, you mean there are subtleties in scripture that don’t come over well when idiots are arguing on the internet? Fancy…
— Rich Johnston (@richjohnston) June 25, 2019
Your website rabble-rouses against any Christian artist to push the LGBT sin lifestyle all the time, including the article you hit me with this morning.
This is the same BS as when you told me “There are plenty of conservatives at Marvel/DC” when I asked for names you had none. https://t.co/UiRgXmWoNf
— El Campeador (@jondelarroz) June 25, 2019
Nonsense. Just because you are homophobic doesn’t mean other Christians are. There are plenty of Christian comic book creators as well who don’t share your views. Talk to Paul Cornell some time, he’s lovely.
— Rich Johnston (@richjohnston) June 25, 2019
I’m not afraid of anyone, let alone gay men.
It’s your team that deplatforms people over ideology — THAT is the mark of fear. https://t.co/69lT5XcdFt
— El Campeador (@jondelarroz) June 25, 2019
A fear of God is a healthy thing. Also, I’m not on a team. I get attacked from all sides.
— Rich Johnston (@richjohnston) June 25, 2019
“I get attacked” now redefined as “I write articles attacking a person and prodding them then be like ‘why are you hitting me back’?” https://t.co/yD1KH7S7d2
— El Campeador (@jondelarroz) June 25, 2019
Not talking about this and you know that. I would suggest trying to develop a healthy sense of fear though, we have it for a reason.
— Rich Johnston (@richjohnston) June 25, 2019
“Fear will keep them in line.” Eh, Grand Moff Johnston? https://t.co/josAoAkhiQ
— El Campeador (@jondelarroz) June 25, 2019
No, it’s not.
— Rich Johnston (@richjohnston) June 25, 2019
Sure it is. I have quality work in your field, you are a reporter as is your entire industry. My book releases are news in the industry.
You keep them suppressed because of ideology to attempt to keep my career down.
That is blacklisting and boycotting. https://t.co/eI4RxSBLFK
— El Campeador (@jondelarroz) June 25, 2019
I haven’t thought of you in 6 months. When I did write about you, you stated how you didn’t want to be on BC. I am certainly not blacklisting or boycotting you., For a start that takes a modicum of effort. Also, today I have written about you – hardly a boycott or blacklist.
— Rich Johnston (@richjohnston) June 25, 2019
That Rich Johnston never writes about me. How I hate that today he has written about me.
— Rich Johnston (@richjohnston) June 25, 2019
Snake way of phrasing things.
The problem is your entire industry boycotts books by right wingers and you feign that cuz you wrote a hit piece involving me that it’s not the case.
This is why you’re fake news. https://t.co/yPKn5jsoS3
— El Campeador (@jondelarroz) June 25, 2019
I’m sure some people boycott books by right wingers, but not me. For a start, Marvel is run by Trumper Perlmutter and Diamond is run by Geppi, one of the biggest anti-Clintonners you could hope to meet.
— Rich Johnston (@richjohnston) June 25, 2019
Name one Marvel writer who is openly conservative. Even tag in @cbcebulski and have him do it.
There are zero. Conservatives are blacklisted.
— El Campeador (@jondelarroz) June 25, 2019
I know a number who identify as conservative but most creators don’t talk about their politics openly. In such a divisive time, probably wise. And I am happy to keep their counsel.
— Rich Johnston (@richjohnston) June 25, 2019
Guess what, almost all creators on the left talk about their politics openly. In fact, I didn’t find one marvel writer who kept silent about it when I did my diligent research. Try again to justify it.
Only the right is suppressed. https://t.co/ZFOmOaWqBg https://t.co/tPoZwCxvJ9
— El Campeador (@jondelarroz) June 25, 2019
No they don’t. Most of them have shut the fuck up these days. Maybe those on the right had more sense not to start talking about their politics in the first place. Wouldn’t you say people on the right are more intelligent than those on the left?
— Rich Johnston (@richjohnston) June 25, 2019
These companies can find mentally ill men who think they are women who make up like 0.5% of the population, but they can’t find one conservative writer when we are 50%?
Give me a break.
— El Campeador (@jondelarroz) June 25, 2019
And suddenly you wonder why you can’t get work. Do you define conservatives as those who think that trans people are mentally ill?
— Rich Johnston (@richjohnston) June 25, 2019
Stop pretending you’re so low IQ that you don’t know that I was using Anita Sarkisian’s tactics ironically to make a point.
I have no interest in working for anyone but me. But I want my people to have a place at the table, because it’s wrong what you folk are doing. https://t.co/H76A2qEhgP
— El Campeador (@jondelarroz) June 25, 2019
Don’t know who she is. So no.
— Rich Johnston (@richjohnston) June 25, 2019
Johnston’s last statement is a complete and utter lie. In an article from February 2017 on Bleeding Cool, Johnston makes it clear he knows who Sarkeesian is. The article is titled, “Fathom Takes On Paul Joseph Watson, The Young Turks, Anita Sarkeesian, Chris Ray Gun, Shoe0nhead And Milo Yiannopoulos.” It is written by Johnston and includes a link to Sarkeesian’s YouTube channel Feminist Frequency.
What do you make of the debate between Johnston and Del Arroz? Who do you think won?