Update: Dark Horse cancels Anansi Boys’ final issue and hardcover collection

Anansi

Marc Bernardin, the writer of Anansi Boys announced on social media that the rest of the series nor a trade will be released by Dark Horse. The announcement comes after Vulture‘s explosive report into allegations of sexual misconduct and abuse by Neil Gaiman.

Anansi Boys was created by Gaiman with writing by Bernardin with art by Shawn Martinbrough, color by Chris Sotomayor, lettering by Jim Campbell, covers by David Mack.

Last week, Anansi Boys 7 hit stands. It will be the last issue. Dark Horse will not release a trade.

I am incredibly proud of the work we did on the book. @smartinbrough.bsky.social’s lines were fantastic, @sotocolor.bsky.social’s hues were extraordinary, @david-mack.bsky.social slayed the covers.

But all of that pales.

Anansi Boys is about two brothers, twins. One is meek, timid, like a flopsy, set-upon puppy. The other brother is narcissistic, hedonistic, governed by nothing other than his own pursuit of sensation and pleasure. They seem so different, but they are very much flip sides of the same coin. Literally.

I never gave too much thought about that. Until now.

My heart breaks for the survivors and any pain seeing these books on the shelves might have caused.

In our coverage of the allegations, it was noted that there had seem to be a quiet distancing by publishers from Gaiman since accusations began last year. Anansi Boys had just a few more issues to go along with the collection. Over at DC Comics, the publisher seems to have been distancing itself for some time with no new projects announced for the Sandman Universe and the recent John Constantine: Dead in America having connection to that stripped from its trade dressing for its collection.

Update: Dark Horse has made a statement on their social media.

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 cancelled.


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2 comments

  • I understand this decision but I feel bad for Gaiman’s creative collaborators; none of this is their fault. (I saw Colleen Doran post a page of the Good Omens adaptation she’s working on the other day and noticed she tagged it with #TerryPratchett but not the other writer’s name.)

    The best thing to do is probably to support their other, non-Gaiman-associated work.

    • Absolute agree. It’s an understandable decision and as a site I struggle with how to promote a project where one person is troublesome. You want to support the rest of the folks. Your suggestion of supporting their non-Gaiman work is a very good suggestion.