DC And Marvel Comics recently jointly announced a collaboration for a pair of omnibuses covering their crossover events and their Anaglam Universe mash-up characters. These omnibuses were notably missing a couple of stories that were contained in prior collections, JLA/Avengers by Kurt Busiek and George Perez, but also two lesser-known issues JLX #1 and Magneto and the Magnetic Men #1, which were both written by convicted pedophile Gerrad Jones.
Rumors of sweeping instances of pedophilia have swept through science fiction and fantasy fandom as well as comics with strange happenings like Barnes & Noble sci-fi reviewer Paul Weimer being caught posting nude pictures of children to an online account, as well as NAMBLA member Samuel L. Delaney being given a lifetime achievement award by the Science Fiction Writers of America.
The smoking gun of pedophilia convictions, however, hit with Green Lantern writer Gerard Jones, who was sentenced in August 2018 after pleading guilty to possessing and distributing child pornography. Gerrad Jones has subsequently been released from prison, but his legacy has tarnished the DC Comics brand and has been an embarrassment to mainstream comics.
Even though we are in an era of collected editions where fans want complete runs of classics from their favorite characters, DC Comics has seen the publishing of material from a convicted pedophile as a line too far to cross, having carefully avoided reprinting Gerard Jones’ Green Lantern and Justice League work in the past.
Now, Bleeding Cool has noted that these missing stories from the upcoming omnibus editions are much for the same reason.
JLX #1 was an Amalgam title that featured a Justice League X-Men mashup and was co-written with the embattled and controversial Mark Waid. Gerard Jones’ second Amalgam book Magneto and the Magnetic Men mashed up the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants and the Metal Men, where Mark Waid was also given credit for concept help. This was drawn by Jeff Matsuda and Art Thibert.
These comics were reprinted in The Amalgam Age trade paperbacks published by Marvel and DC Comics in the late 1990s.
While Gerard Jones is a distasteful topic, it begs the question as to whether works by criminals should be reprinted for these collections for posterity or whether it’s a good idea to erase contributions from people who committed heinous crimes.
Regardless, comic readers who purchase the current omnibuses will find their Amalgam collections incomplete.
What do you think of Marvel Comics and DC Comics refusing to reprint Gerard Jones’ contributions to the Amalgam Universe? Leave a comment and let us know.
NEXT: Eric July’s Rippaverse Launches Joe Bennett: The Art Of Alphacore #1 Art Book
I think they ought to publish it. Jones is a vile human being, but fans and collectors still ought to be able to read a complete work, UNLESS the stories in question somehow reflect the author’s hedonistic tendencies. Oscar Wilde died in prison a convicted pervert, but we can still read and appreciate The Selfish Giant.
I want the complete Trouble With Girls. Comics, like movies, are a collaborative medium. Why punish the entire team for the sins of one member?
It depends. Do they get money if their work is republished?
If I have to choose between missing some issues written by a pedophile vs putting money in a perverts pocket to read their comics then I’d choose not reading it every time.
If they get zero compensation for their work being republished then I’d be more open to the idea, especially if their name could be removed from the project. Maybe with a note one a back page that the name of one writer has been removed due to their actions since original publication.