Al Ewing publicly severs his relationship with his Immortal Hulk collaborator Joe Bennett over what he calls ‘reprehensible’ art resurfaces online.
Writer Al Ewing has publicly severed his relationship with Immortal Hulk artist Joe Bennett over a 2017 illustration Ewing called “reprehensible.”
The Immortal Hulk scribe didn’t link to the illustration by Bennett, though Ewing did describe what takes place. “An armoured swordsman, which I assume represents Bolsonaro given Joe’s commentary, slaughtering tiny, scurrying people, with the buck teeth and ears of rats,” Ewing wrote. “And big noses. One of them is cosplaying Dracula.” Ewing called out the apparent tropes in the art, which has a political agenda. “I’m assuming these are political enemies of some kind, but even if not, the tropes are apparent,” he said. “Human beings as vermin being exterminated. Even if it’s no longer up, that it was drawn in the first place, signed, and so proudly displayed by Joe speaks volumes.”
If you’ve seen the image, you know what it is. An armoured swordsman, which I assume represents Bolsonaro given Joe’s commentary, slaughtering tiny, scurrying people, with the buck teeth and ears of rats. And big noses. One of them is cosplaying Dracula. /2
— Al Ewing Writes Comics (@Al_Ewing) September 2, 2021
Ewing stated this isn’t the first time he’s been made aware of issues with Bennett, which may be a reference to a panel in Immortal Hulk #43 that included anti-Semitic imagery. The writer said he’s spoken to Marvel behind the scenes, though he recognizes “that’s no comfort to people at the sharp end of this kind of brutal propaganda.” To show his commitment to an apology, Ewing shared screenshots of donations he made to Rainbow Railroad and the Rainforest Trust. The Rainbow Railroad donation was in the sum of $2575 US dollars, with the Rainforest Trust donation totaling 2000 UK dollars. He ended his Twitter thread by stating he will not be working with Bennett again.
Immortal Hulk is done, but I won’t be working with Joe again. If people choose not to pick up my work with other artists in the future on the basis of my handling of this, I understand and accept that. If I’ve lost your trust, that’s on me. /6
— Al Ewing Writes Comics (@Al_Ewing) September 2, 2021
The art in question features Jair Bolsonaro, President of Brazil, riding atop a horse with sword in hand as he threatens caricatures of his political adversaries including ex-President Dilma Rousseff, ex-President Luiz Inácio “Lula” da Silva, ex-Governor and Senator Aécio Neves (who appears to be sniffing cocaine), and ex-president Michel Temer. Two other unidentified figures are also represented, with one possibly being Minister Dias Toffoli. Bolsonaro’s chestplate displays the Brazilian Republic symbol, and the red flags of the opposition are PT’s, one of the biggest left-winged parties in Brazil.
With Immortal Hulk concluded, Joe Bennett is currently scheduled to be one of the artists on Timeless, a new series starring Kang the Conqueror. The rest of the creative team includes writer Jed MacKay and artists Kev Walker and Mark Bagley. Donny Cates, Ryan Ottley and Frank Martin are launching a new volume of Hulk slated to release in November, with a prelude appearing in this year’s Free Comic Book Day: Avengers/Hulk #1.
Source: Twitter
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