Origin Story: The Cautionary Tale of Rat Queens
Like any entertainment medium, it can be hard to consume media ethically. Over the years, I’ve found myself in the awkward position of falling in love with movies, video games, comics, what have you, only to discover that the creators of said content have, in some way, harmed others in ways that is unacceptable. Furthermore, many of these individuals, rather than showing earnest remorse for their actions, instead attempt to return to their lives as if nothing has changed, often continuing these negative behaviors unpunished.
An easy, applicable example of this is that you may be familiar with is Bryan Singer. Director of many of the X-Men films both old and new, Singer has been accused on numerous occasions of sexually assaulting multiple male minors. Despite civil lawsuits dating as far back as 2014, Singer has largely gone unpunished for his actions, still actively working in the industry.
For consumers like myself, this can be a difficult pill to swallow, and everyone has their own methods of coping with it. While I’m not here to tell you how you should go about dealing with these controversies when faced with them, I do want to address how these events can effect even the comic book industry and how I’ve found myself tackling these issues in recent years.
Because yes, comics do suffer from terrible people using their positions of stardom, which is a form of power, to harm, abuse, and manipulate those in their lives in less than savory ways. And while there are more instances of this that could be recounted than I’d like, one that stands out as particularly gross and close-to-home is the story of Rat Queens.
Initially released by Image Comics in 2013, Rat Queens is, as pitched by creator Kurtis Wiebe, “Lord of the Rings meets Bridesmaids,” featuring four outspoken, brazen women who form the titular team of mercenaries. The series quickly garnered praise from fans and critics alike, nominated for an Eisner and Hugo award, as well as winning a GLAAD Media award in 2015 for its representation of LGBTQ characters. Largely speaking, Rat Queens showed a genuine appreciation and care for its female leads that few other comics can boast.
Unfortunately, that respect did not extend to the lives of both head creators, with artist and co-creator Roc Upchurch being arrested in 2014 for the assault of his wife. Reese U. has stated in interviews that Upchurch’s behaviors during this time included “alcohol abuse, extra marital affairs, and physical assault” and cited that these behaviors emerged “because his comic book found success.”
As one might expect, Image Comics promptly booted Upchurch from the Rat Queens series, leading to a rocky and turbulent couple of years for the series. Artist Stjepan Sejic stepped in to fill the role of artist, and while it was suggested that he would continue with the series for the foreseeable future, he only stayed on board for only 2 issues, helping to complete the series 2nd story arch. He was quickly replaced by Tess Fowler, who had done some covers for the series previously. Fowler was, similarly, meant to stay on the book as the lead artist, yet was kicked from the project not 6 issues later, with Wiebe saying it was due to “creative differences.” Fowler, however, has stated on Twitter that she was being pushed out of the series for the return of Upchurch to the series, a fact that sat poorly with many fans.
Wiebe has, of course, denied any and all allegations that Upchurch was ever intended to return to Rat Queens, but many signs suggest otherwise. Wiebe has said that he has remained friends with Upchurch, despite his negative actions, and has notably promoted Upchurch’s art since the incident. It was also around this time that Upchurch made a public apology for his behavior before returning to his work as a comic artist, looking to restart his career.
While Upchurch had claimed that he had changed for the better and wanted to be seen as a father first and foremost, Reese U. went on record saying that he rarely if ever made time for their 3 children, and that, as he restarted his work on comics, Upchurch was “living with one of his female fans in Texas” and “granted interviews in which he claims many untruths about our status,” going on to say that she “fear[ed] for the innocent young women who will cross his path. Or even his fists.”
Whether or not Upchurch was meant to return to the series or not, Rat Queens was rebooted in 2017 with Owen Gieni taking over artistic duties. Wiebe has gone on record that he has burned all bridges with Fowler, saying that “Volume 3 will never be collected in another format again. I refuse to allow Tess Fowler any more money after her attempt to completely destroy me and the series.” Fast-forward to today, and Rat Queens has since gotten an entirely new creative team, continuing on despite even Wiebe leaving the project. Seemingly, Rat Queens has taken on a life of its own under the Image Comics banner, right?
Well, it may not be so easy as that. In the aforementioned interview with Reese U., she stated that Upchurch continues to make “thousands of dollars in residuals, which barely trickles down at all to his children.” Having revealed the details of the Rat Queens contract, we know for a fact that Upchurch recieves:
“(a) Fifty percent (50%) of all advances, royalties, fees, bonuses or any other compensation in any form derived from the sale of the print or electronic versions of the comic book version of the Work that [Rat Queens co-writer, KURTIS] WIEBE receives for those issues of the Work that UPCHURCH specifically illustrated. UPCHURCH shall not receive any compensation derived from sales of the comic book version of the Work that UPCHURCH did not illustrate.”
Thanks to this disclosure, it is far easier to separate the art from the artist, literally. Many have gone on to enjoy the Rat Queens franchise without paying Upchurch a dime, buying only those books that do not feature his work. Something worth considering, though, is not just whether or not to support the abuser, but those who seemingly enable that abuse. Wiebe, while not committing any crimes, has shown a willingness to befriend and support Upchurch despite his actions, regardless of whether or not he was intending on bringing him back on to continue his work on Rat Queens. While some may view him as blameless, I can’t bring myself to further support the franchise, as it has become something I simply cannot see myself enjoying any longer, knowing the behind the scenes drama.
Whatever you believe, it’s important that you take the time to educate yourself whenever and however you can. It’s our responsibility, as consumers, to know where our money is going to the best of our ability, helping us to better support those who not only make great content, but do so kindly and respectfully.
Let me know if there are any other controversies or issues you’d like me to talk about in future posts. Next time, I hope to tackle the much lighter topic of exploring some of the most prominent comic book companies and what sorts of series to expect from them. See ya’ll then!