Dark Horse Comics Drops Neil Gaiman Amid Sexual Assault Allegations
This weekend, the comic book publisher known for bringing Neil Gaiman’s graphic novels and comics to life announced it would sever ties with the acclaimed author amid a wave of sexual misconduct allegations. As a result, the release of his anticipated “Anansi Boys” series has been put on hold.
Dark Horse Comics posted on X on Saturday to confirm the current status of the series. The first issue of Dark Horse’s “Anansi Boys” monthly comic book series, based on Neil Gaiman’s 2005 book of the same name, was published in June. The original plan was for an eight-part series, but only seven have been published so far.
“Dark Horse takes seriously the allegations against Neil Gaiman, and we are no longer publishing his works. Confirming that the Anansi Boys comic series and collected volume have been canceled.”
Sexual assault accusations against the author began circulating last summer when several women appeared on a podcast titled “Master: The Allegations Against Neil Gaiman.” In one episode, two women—a former nanny and a fan—shared their stories, claiming they were victims of sexual assault and abuse during their consensual relationships with him.
Earlier this month, New York Magazine published an article alleging that Gaiman had sexually assaulted and abused multiple women over several years. The article’s depiction of Gaiman’s behavior was much more explicit and disturbing, detailing the coercion of women into humiliating acts, such as licking vomit from his lap and pressuring them to engage in sexual situations while his young son was in the room.
One of the women from the article, Katherine Kendall, now 35, first crossed paths with Gaiman at 22 while volunteering at one of his book events in North Carolina. During a reading held ten months later, Gaiman reportedly took her to the rear of his tour bus, laid on top of her, and said, “Kiss me like you mean it,” adding, “I’m a very wealthy man, and I’m used to getting what I want.”
Kendall also alleges that Gaiman provided Kendall $60,000 to cover therapy expenses to “make up for some of the damage.”
Kendall revealed to The New York Times that the author often exploited his book events to target women.
“Neil’s works were his bait, and promotional events were his hunting ground. As long as his publishers and professional collaborators remain silent, Neil will continue to have unrestricted access to vulnerable women.”
In a statement released on his website on Jan. 14, Gaiman denied the allegations, claiming they were either false or distorted representations of actual events.
“As I read through this latest collection of accounts, there are moments I half-recognize and moments I don’t, descriptions of things that happened sitting beside things that emphatically did not happen. I’m far from a perfect person, but I have never engaged in non-consensual sexual activity with anyone. Ever.”
Several publishers have distanced themselves from collaborating with him on future projects, and television adaptations of his works have been temporarily suspended, such as the Disney film adaptation of “The Graveyard Book.” The Prime Video show “Good Omens” will end with a 90-minute episode instead of an entire third season. Reportedly, Gaiman chose to step back in the wake of the allegations.
Compared to the film and TV world, the literary and publishing community has responded slowly, with the initial reactions to the allegations and the New York Magazine article feeling lenient. Publishers are now increasingly stepping back from their association with the author. Several notable authors have also publicly criticized him, advocating for the revocation of his literary accolades.
Earlier this month, an internal memo circulated among the staff of W.W. Norton, the US publisher of Gaiman’s book “Norse Mythology,” revealed that the company’s president has decided the publishing house will cease all collaboration with Mr. Gaiman and will not consider any future projects from him. Marvel Comics also has no new works by the author in progress.
HarperCollins, the esteemed publisher behind many of Mr. Gaiman’s beloved works such as “Coraline” and “American Gods,” has announced no upcoming titles from the acclaimed author in the pipeline.
Booksellers are debating whether or not to continue stocking his works, which include graphic novels, children’s books, and acclaimed fantasy novels. His works have sold millions of copies worldwide. Meanwhile, outraged readers and former admirers said they would stop supporting Gaiman’s career on social media.
Another woman from the article, Kendra Stout, alleged that Gaiman raped her. She has since continually expressed her disappointment in the lukewarm response from the literary community.
“The silence of the community around him—his fandom, his publishers—is loud and disturbing. I’ve heard that it was an open secret that he was a predator, but that whisper network did not reach me.”
In response to Gaiman’s post, Stout stated, “We are disappointed to see the same non-apology that women in this situation have seen so many times before.”
Moumita Basuroychowdhury is a Contributing Reporter at The National Digest. After earning an economics degree at Cornell University, she moved to NYC to pursue her MFA in creative writing. She enjoys reporting on science, business and culture news. You can reach her at moumita.b@thenationaldigest.com.
