Eddie Berganza Is Gone From DC.

Other than Dan Didio, the man I most liked to see gone from DC Comics was Eddie Berganza. But while Didio’s shortcomings have been an admittedly subjective lack of good editorial judgement, Berganza’s sins were objectively far more reprehensible and dangerous. And now, Eddie Berganza is gone.

 

In the out pouring of accusations and revelations of sexual misconduct, from harassment to assault, across various entertainment platforms, the comic industry was not immune and Eddie Berganza was a particularly heinous example of the abuse of power made manifest through inappropriate sexual conduct. 

 

Eddie Berganza began his career with DC back in 1992  and over the span of over two and a half decades made his name as a leading editor at DC. He also made his name as someone that women should avoid. About 5 years ago, word got out that Berganza had made unwelcomed advances and physical contact with a variety of women at various comic conventions.  By all accounts, DC demoted Berganza and gave him a good, stern talking to. So I’m sure he learned his lesson.

 

Except there was a deep level of dissatisfaction with Berganza’s punishment from both men and women in the industry. It certainly didn’t look good when DC eliminated the position of Vertigo executive editor, putting Shelly Bond, a well like female editor and a complainant against Berganza, out of a job. Meanwhile, Berganza not only kept his job but found his role at DC growing in authority. 

 

This resentment against Berganaza bubbled under the surface for a long time but exploded out into full view this weekend when BuzzFeed published the details of the complaints against Berganza.  In a New York Post cover story about sexual abuse, Eddie Berganza’s photo shared space with Harvey Weinstein, Kevin space & Louis C.K.. 

 

Given the current climate, DC’s previous actions with Berganza looked completely insufficient and the calls rang out anew for Eddie Berganza to be removed from DC Comics.  After an initial announcement that Berganza was being suspended, the word came down that Eddie Berganza was fired.   

 

Women have never had it easy in comics. Whether it’s women as fans who tentatively enter comic shops drawing unwelcome attention as if women buying comic books is some kind of aberration or women looking to break into the field as writers and artists, regarded with suspicion of using super heroes to further some kind of feminist agenda. Women in comics, as fans or as pros, do not need scum like Eddie Berganza making things harder. But regardless of environment or context, no one needs people like Eddie Berganza who can’t control their baser urges and treat others with respect. 

 

Eddie Berganza is gone from DC. Too little? Too late? Arguably, yes. But he is in fact gone now and his name is too toxic right now to land somewhere else in comics.  Maybe, just maybe, the lesson will finally sink in: if you can’t treat others with respect, men or women, there are consequences for that.