Al Nickerson: Problems in Riverdale...

Above: Partial cover artwork to ARCHIE & FRIENDS #138 by (penciler) Fernando Ruiz and (inker) myself.

Bleeding Cool continues to report on the events concerning Archie Comic Publications’ dispute with the co-Chief Executive Officer of Archie Comics, Nancy Silberkleit, accusing her of sexual harassment and bullying.

I was debating whether I should blog about this because of some of the more adult language involved in the story… which is why I’ve waited until now.

I’ve spoken to Nancy Silberkleit only once. She called me a couple of years ago to contribute to a documentary that she was working on at the time (which I decided not be involved). To me, Nancy seemed like a very friendly person.

Still, if the allegations are true, I suppose you shouldn’t point at men while in the work place and say "penis."

Over at The Beat, Archie co-Chief Executive Officer Jon Goldwater once stated:

I can’t speak for things prior to my being here, but things that have gone on previously with how artists were treated has nothing to do with where we are now. We support every artist, every writer, every employee of Archie. They are valued. They are treasured.

I find this all very ironic considering, as Steve Bissette put it recently:

...and arguably no comics publisher with that company's longevity has badly used and ill-treated more creators than Archie...