No Drama? How about an apology instead??
It’s sort of ironic that this month’s cover to the Comixpedia site features art by me, proclaiming “No Drama” — but suddenly I’m in a thick pile of it. A pile of it that’s obviously HURT a bunch of people, some of which I deeply respect. And this doesn’t come often, but I want to apologize.
Earlier Thursday, Lisa Jonte, editor of Girlamatic.com, a company owned by Joey Manley, called Platinum Studios, to whom you know I won the Comic Book Challenge thing with Hero by Night, to inform them that their “new face” was of a questionable character online, linking them to the drama that unfolded on Comixpedia because of this article, and beyond. My first feeling when I got word of this was INFURIATED. They called them to what? Ruin or sour some relationship I have with Platinum?? Why would they do that? ARG!!!! — well, it worked. I was saddened to learn that my editor, Meredith, was upset by my comments after reading through all that was said.
My first thought is anger, again… but when I found out someone I actually know and work with was effected by something I mouthed off about on the internet, that really effected me. It DOES occur to me, that maybe beyond wanting to lash out and hurt my business dealings with Platinum, that the comments I made about GIRLAMATIC or Lisa Jonte being a pretend editor, REALLY HURT them. And you know what, I AM SORRY. I AM SORRY. Not because they called anyone to complain and I’m in any kind of trouble, that couldn’t be farther from the truth— I’m sorry because I feel sorry about it. The whole thing spiraled out of control.
To explain myself briefly and why I made any comments in the first place— I’ve had a dream of a few weeks working with professional editors and beyond at Platinum. Totally UPPER DECK and outstandingly creative and HELPFUL people. When I saw the article “Top 10 ways to impress an editor” I read it eagerly thinking I might get something helpful out of it— but, in my opinion, I found it to be a biting satrical, almost complaining tone about the duties of being an editor. Mocking people for being POOR?? That’s how I saw it and read it, so I cracked a bad joke there that spiraled into a domino rally of hating back and forth– and then the thread was locked.
THEN , Lea Hernandez posted her blog. And the first lines of it say my win through Platinum’s Contest was a “dubious” one, and that infuriated me. I’m very proud of winning the contest, and beyond that I’m proud to be working with Platinum, AND the icing on the cake is, I have what I think is a KICK BUTT project that can go MANY places and maybe CHANGE comics a little…(yeah, i dream big..) — But these now felt like attacks on me, and well, I returned fire…. I said things purposefully to try to hurt any of these people saying things about me. I was called a sexist troll, and locked out of the forum. I still don’t agree with Lea Hernandez, and that’s my right– she complained also about women not being on the webcomic panels, when Jennie Breeden was on a BIG one!!!—– so it all didn’t make sense to me and I really just kept firing the “HURT” trigger at these people.
Well, I have to stop that. The aim was redirected at people I didn’t mean to hurt. And now, I’m honestly sorry that I was trying to hurt ANYONE by saying any of those things that seemed demeaning to women. It was wrong, and I own up for it. –
No matter what, I want to be a force for overall GOOD to encourage webcomic and comic book creators. I get too passionate sometimes about this stuff. When I feel like something is discouraging or seperating creators, or holding them back, or them not being paid or creator rights being abused, ANYTHING… it sets me off a little. I’ll try to keep that in check too. People who KNOW me or work with me, or even come into contact with me in person for brief periods know that I’m POSITIVE. Believe it or not. It’s true, at least to the point of many people telling me that.
So, looking back on this entry, it’s a lesson to everyone really, not just me, which I’ve learned… it’s a hateful hurt spiral that would only end in somewhere bad, somewhere no one really wants to or can afford to go to.
But I’m not going anywhere.. WEBCOMICS and COMICS are my home, my future, and my passion. So, again, I’m very sorry if anyone’s feelings were truly hurt.
OKAY? — now, if you’ll excuse me, I have some kick butt comics to go draw. And if you’re NEW here and just swung in for TEH DRAMA, might I ask you to give me a shot? Go read the first chapter of ORIGIN that I just completed, you might just like it. It’s not like anything else I’ve done before, and who knows you might stick around and make some NEW FRIENDS while you’re at it, or get to know ME a little better. LINK
August 17th, 2006 at 11:36 pm
There’s a lot of things I can and would say…
but in the end, it boils down to “joke ‘em if they can’t take a fuck.”
August 18th, 2006 at 12:46 am
I agree with you — I think that comixpedia article was meant to be funny, but it irritated the hell out of me (very whiny and bitchy).
August 18th, 2006 at 12:52 am
I had thought, well, if i had owned a group hub, I wouldn’t allow my editor to put out a thing like that about submissions, because it would likely hurt submissions or make people not want to work with you. Just my opinion or take on it though.
August 18th, 2006 at 1:00 am
Okay…
Board glitch or misunderstanding?
I posted a reply when this first came up, SAW IT, and now it’s gone. The gist of the comment was “hey.. I’ve put my foot in my mouth too.. It’s good that you recognize it.” Was there some misunderstanding? Did I phrase it like an insult? Did the board eat my reply? Watup??
August 18th, 2006 at 1:21 am
Maybe you should stop calling women bitches, and you wouldn’t be in this shit you’ve cooked up for yourself. The problem is you acted like an asshole, and you’d be better off admitting it.
August 18th, 2006 at 1:25 am
Uh…
We’ve been here before. He’s a self admitted asshole, and he didn’t actually call ANYONE a bitch, let alone all women. He made a JOKE. If you look ABOVE YOU.. there’s an apology.
How about READING before making the blanket feminazi statement?
August 18th, 2006 at 1:26 am
Wow . Riana is absolutely right..I think . I couldn’t concentrate on what she wrote cause I was listening to Prodigys’ , ” Smack My Bitch Up ” while ordering white tank tops and Kid Rock c.d.’s off of the internet ……-BURP ! “
August 18th, 2006 at 1:36 am
Uh, yeah, he kind of called ALL the Girlamatic artists bitches.
And that apology? Is total crap. It’s backhanded insults all around.
Nice to know mysoginists all flock together though.
August 18th, 2006 at 2:09 am
What a bunch of crap. Seems the PC crowd pervades comics as well. No one with testicles need apply, the snip snip crowd is out making the internet safe for schoolmarms and elementary school teachers.
August 18th, 2006 at 2:44 am
ok, i’m outside of all this seeing as how i’m not a webcomic artist etc… it sounds like both sides here had some kind of knee-jerk reaction.
dj was a bit too quick on the trigger but the grrls took it a bit harder than intended and maybe read deeper into things. i don’t think dj is a mysogynist and i happen to be female and also in a non-traditional career, and i love his comic. but dj should also realize that a lot of women don’t have pleasant experiences in this world and when 90% of the time that a guy calls you a bitch, he means it harshly, it’s hard to step back and know who’s in the remaining 10% without prior knowledge of a person. but i think y’all need to step back and take a deep breath.
also dj, if you don’t mind the suggestion, you are moving into the big time now, and blog or not, you might want to think about editing your posts a bit more to make them a bit less stream of consciousness if you know what i mean. not that you have to polish everything but a good edit for flow never hurt. anyways i’m a big fan and i love yirmumah. no hatin’ from this woman. yay dj!
August 18th, 2006 at 4:51 am
I hated that Comixpedia article too. The only redeeming feature was DJ’s posts!
DJ all the way!
August 18th, 2006 at 5:59 am
I am a woman and I wasn’t offended by a single thing that you’ve said at all. I thought that it was funny. But then again, it’s probably because I’m one of those women who say, “If you don’t want to be called a bitch, don’t act like a fucking bitch.”
I’m tired of all these women saying YOU should change what you do. It’s like, fuck’em. What you’ve been doing all these years has earned you this fan following and has helped you earn sucess. I’m also sick of women running around freaking out the first time says the word “bitch”. Just as sometimes “bitch” is thrown around, so often do women play the “sex” card. A guy says a girl looks cute, and suddenly that guy is sexually harrassing her. What ever happened to a compliment? I took more offense at what that “bitch” Lea wrote than what you did DJ. She was almost blamining you for all of her issues with mankind and comics. That’s not right and in my opinion, completely negated and valid point she may have dregged up. Worse, makes fun of you for name calling when she herself does the same thing. Really sick.
Oh well. You did your PR bullshit to make some people happy. At least now you can go back to making comics.
August 18th, 2006 at 6:21 am
Controversy and DJ? Who’d thunk? What’s next, a group of pimple faced 12 year olds writing Platinum saying he ruined Harry Potter? DJ, you’ve been around (and involved in this type of stuff long enough) to know when you reach a certain platuea of success those who are jealous attack. You’ve earned your success through your hard work and passion. At this point you just don’t have time for the drama. Get to work on your comic and let the jealous little people have their spats.
Oh, and where can I find photos of your Tiki Bar? We just bought a house with a really nice back yard and I want to get some ideas for my very own Tiki Bar. I remember you sharing the photos but have gone through the forums and can’t seem to locate them.
August 18th, 2006 at 8:00 am
For the record. My wife knows you too, and we’ve known eachother over 8 years now, and no one in my family thinks of you as a sexist pig, a mysoginist, or an asshole. You’re a good guy. However this whole internet thing we’re on, BREEDS ill will and bad feelings. People have no problem speaking their two cents, even if they’re not right, or have no proof of what they’re saying. You know, I’ve been called a talentless hack of an illustrator for over 3 years now. Never understood those people at all. I’m paying my bills, supporting my family, doing artwork to the best of my ability, and I don’t knock ANYONE. But there are those that don’t like my technique, there are those that don’t like my subject matter, and there are those (especially in comics the last year) that don’t like how quickly I’ve been able to succeed and improve my skill set. I think any time you run across people that have worked for YEARS, or are in and industry where it can take up to 5 years to get published work from a big name publisher, and they see someone new come in and automatically start taking jobs they thought should be theirs, you have hard feelings. I know artists that simply STOPPED talking to me when I got work at a role playing game company they had been trying to get work at for 5 years, on my FIRST submission. Instead of swallowing their pride, and maybe asking me for pointers, advice, etc…..they just started ignoring me. And you know, webcomics are changing things. Is it really that hard to respect the fact that VARIETY is what makes webcomics so great, and get over the content or SUPPOSED intent of a creator, and look at the broader picture? Do I like everything Marvel or DC puts out in comic books? no, I like very little. Does that mean that I would turn down a gig coloring one of their books? Heck no. Because it would be a great opportunity. I guess what I’m getting at is that it’s human nature to have our feelings erupt from time to time, whether we’re responding to an action or decision by a company that we don’t agree with, a comic or a creator that we just don’t like for whatever reason, or the words of someone that we think has wronged us or misrepresented us. Many times it would just be easier and make more sense to talk things over with a person one on one, but in this day and age, it’s far more vogue to voice our opinion publicly. I’ve never been a very public person. And I think that my reasoning just becomes more and more vaild every day.
August 18th, 2006 at 8:01 am
No no no- upon reading your post, DJ, and the whole shit-storm on Comixpedia, all I can say is that maybe, just maybe you have nothing to apologize for. If I read the posts on Comixpedia correctly, you did try to make those involved understand that it was a joke- one that I got immediately- but they wanted none of it. But for me, the bigger thing is that Ms. Jonte took it upon herself to try and ruin your shot at the big time. Instead of chalking it up to “oh the asshat got lucky,” she instead has to take it upon herself to try and destroy what you accomplished by inserting herself into something that has nothing to do with her. That is petty, small and excuse the word- bitchy.
Good for you, DJ. You posted your apology to someone who probably couldn’t give a shit that you made one, and will probably continue to drive a wedge between you and Platinum studios. Only I hope that it is not the case.
August 18th, 2006 at 9:14 am
Well if it walks like a duck, quacks like a duck and flies like a duck, you cant possibly think of calling it a duck, as it might be offended.
ALso, all I see are DJ’s words misconstrued to make him look more like an asshole. He did not say “all women are bitches” or “every one at girlamatic are bitches”, he said “Does the girlamatic have a bitchyness switch?”(i may be paraphrasing, as I dont have the quote infront of me, but I read it without spite in my head and bile in my mouth.
Don’t listen to their bullshit strawman arguments.
Also it sucks that we live in a socity that bullshit internet politics pull more weight then skill or ablity.
August 18th, 2006 at 9:29 am
Things between Platinum and I are FINE. I only brought that part up so people can be aware how far this hate storm actually went. I wish it hadn’t needed to be brought up at all.
Now, Riana, I know you’re coming in here swinging, I understand as I’ve done that elsewhere. Seriously, let go of the full on hate for a second and GO BACK and read what I said if you want. I never once, NOT ONCE EVER called “called ALL the Girlamatic artists bitches.” — And again, if someone misread, or rewrote something I posted or twisted it around, I’m sorry if it hurt anyone’s feelings. Honestly.
August 18th, 2006 at 9:42 am
I’m a female, last time I checked, and I wasn’t offended by djs comments at all. I happen to read Girlamatic comics as well. I never saw D call all the women of Girlamatic bitches anywhere. He said he wondered if there was a bitch meter or button when they create women with the fictional machine that produces women. It was clear to me he was joking around and then it got twisted beyond compare.
Riana you are mad because you think dj called all of girlamatic bitches but you came in here and just pretty much said all the readers here are mysogynists! makes no sense to me. how can i be a mysogynist when im a woman??????? take his apology and dont misread it.
August 18th, 2006 at 10:05 am
I’m still up for punching her in the arse…… any takers?
I’m really cheap….
Rock!
August 18th, 2006 at 10:19 am
Hey DEEJ. Long time reader, second time posting. I’m also an attorney by trade, I don’t want to seem like
an ambulance chaser here but if you need any legal advice e-mail me. This really sounds like you might have a
case for character defamation or harrassment. I sent you an email.
August 18th, 2006 at 10:21 am
Well, what a complete waste of a blog entry this Lisa person has offered up…..
Sounds like she’s a little jealous and just needs to vent.
Sweetie, go have some chocolate and let the talented ones do their thing, alright?
Eff em indeed, DJ. Nothing dubious about bringing the best work to the table and being recognized for it….
August 18th, 2006 at 10:25 am
Looks like Lea Hernandez is happy she caused some grief, she posted this entry to “new” readers:
http://divalea.livejournal.com/369611.html — which pretty much gives the finger and at the end says:
“Shoo, shoo. Before I call your wives and mommies.”
Wow. She’s all class there. I hope anyone who takes anything these aholes say seriously actually looks into
their characters. Clearly she’s setting out to give all women a good name and image. My brain hurts.
August 18th, 2006 at 10:42 am
Let me difuse this in here. I can see where it’s going and while I appreciate people coming to my defense or being passionate about this, but I dont want ANYONE to take a comment in here and then twist it into calling my entire readership (20,000-30,000 people a day) anything or putting you in a little box like that. I’ve had THREE LAWYERS call me (or, wait, I’m dumb, whats the difference between an attorney and lawyer?) — three e-mailed to tell me I should shut this all down and sue the pants off of someone.
But look, THAT is not where I want to go with this. I hate that stuff. Petty lawsuits and bickering around. UGH. It’s not worth ANYONE’s time or money, they probably don’t have enough of either. I know I don’t.
So anyway, I can’t find the setting to close this comments section, I’m looking though– let’s just keep it a little civil. I’m still apologizing whether they like it or not, and I still MEAN it whether they accept it or not.
August 18th, 2006 at 10:45 am
[…] Gary After having what was probably intended as a joke land with a thud in this Comixpedia thread, DJ Coffman (who ironically drew the picture you see right up there) got into a sizeable flame-fight. We’ve seen this sort of thing before (and I’m not speaking solely in reference to Coffman here): pissed off people breed ever-higher levels of off-pissedness, which in this case Coffman felt compelled to continue in Lea Hernandez’s blog after the Comixpedia thread got locked. Coffman reports that the target of his original comment, Girlamatic editor Lisa Jonte, followed up with contact to Coffman’s to-be-publisher, Platinum Studios, bringing a real-world component to the Internet Drama. Just life in the modern age, right? […]
August 18th, 2006 at 10:49 am
So wait. She called up Platinum Studios, which had absolutely nothing to do with your comments on Comixpedia, to whine and complain?
What a bitch.
August 18th, 2006 at 11:06 am
Fortunately for me, I’m in a position where I can say whatever the fuck I like. I know I speak for more than one person reading when I say:
Riana, until you can learn to grow a thicker skin and act like something other than a spoiled child waiting for every opportunity to turn a knee-jerk reaction into a full-on temper tantrum, kindly go fuck yourself.
August 18th, 2006 at 12:41 pm
Congrats on everything DJ. I’ve been reading since I saw you on daily grind and loved your sense of humour. I’m really looking forward to reading your comicbook when it comes out.
I know that some folks have no funny bone, or seem to have their sense of humour surgically removed when they leave highschool, but wow! This whole tempest in a teapot is amazing. Just think of all the time and energy wasted on this fracas. How much time have you and others wasted chasing posts back and forth and trying to defuse things. Time that could be better spent with family or working on personal projects.
You took the moral highground by appologizing to folks that wouldn’t know a joke if it peed on their leg. I think that any actions they take now really only can reflect negatively on themselves and their pettyness.
My advice to you is take some time with your wife and kids, relax in the tiki bar and know that living well with ones you love, is the best revenge possible. While you are sipping a drink and having a good time, they are hunched alone over their computers typing vitriol in a vain attempt to make themselves seem important. I think I’m going to head home and hug my son and go spend a few hours playing after this to make up for the time spent typing this.
Take care and live well, remeber you have earned your success through hard work and not trying to piggyback off the fame of others to get yourself noticed.
In the end it is it’s own reward.
August 18th, 2006 at 12:58 pm
Don’t forget playing ukulele. Because I do a lot of that as well.
August 18th, 2006 at 4:20 pm
I’d say that the best advice would be to stay the hell away from these people, DJ; they can only bring you trouble. The moment you see something is written by one of these bitter also-rans, hit your back button and forget it, because their goal is to bring you down, not better others’ or even their own work.
August 18th, 2006 at 6:16 pm
It isn’t like he called her a loopy cunt* or anything.
Fuck the drama and back to the comic drawing and uke playing I say.
What time do you usually update DJ? I usually check all the comics that I read at midnight.
*Deadwood reference
August 18th, 2006 at 6:24 pm
Around 3am east coast, midnight west coast
August 18th, 2006 at 9:36 pm
Ok– figured out how to lock the comments. I think enough has been said here.