Over the weekend, Dark Horse Comics made its position clear through a statement, announcing the end of their collaboration with Neil Gaiman.
Neil Gaiman’s books are still featured on their official website. (Photo Credits: X)
Renowned British author Neil Gaiman, whose imaginative works like Coraline and The Sandman have impressed millions, is now at the centre of a controversy. Facing multiple allegations of sexual abuse and harassment, Gaiman has been dropped by Dark Horse Comics, one of his longtime publishers. Meanwhile, his name has also been reportedly removed from the client list of the agency that previously managed his speaking engagements.
Over the weekend, Dark Horse Comics made its position clear through a statement on X (formerly Twitter), announcing the end of their collaboration with Gaiman. The publisher confirmed it would cease releasing its illustrated series based on his novel Anansi Boys. The announcement comes shortly after the seventh of eight planned editions was released earlier this month.
“Dark Horse takes seriously the allegations against Neil Gaiman, and we are no longer publishing his works,” the publisher’s statement read. However, Gaiman’s books are still featured on their official website.
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.
— Dark Horse Comics (@DarkHorseComics) January 25, 2025
The allegations, which began surfacing last summer on a Tortoise Media podcast, gained further traction after an in-depth New York Magazine expose in January. The article detailed accounts from eight women who accused Gaiman of assault, abuse, and coercion. In response, Gaiman took to his blog, firmly denying any wrongdoing while acknowledging the complexity of reflecting on past behaviours, reports AP.
“Like most of us, I’m learning, and I’m trying to do the work needed, and I know that that’s not an overnight process. At the same time, as I reflect on my past – and as I re-review everything that actually happened as opposed to what is being alleged – I don’t accept there was any abuse,” Gaiman wrote in the post.
Neither Gaiman’s office nor his literary agent has provided any comment regarding the allegations or the subsequent professional fallout.
The controversy has created ripples across the literary and entertainment world. Publishers like HarperCollins and W.W. Norton have confirmed they have no immediate plans to release any new works by Gaiman. Other publishers, including Bloomsbury, have so far remained silent on the matter.
In another sign of the fallout, Gaiman still lists the Stephen Barclay Agency as a contact for personal appearances on his website, but his name is notably absent from the agency’s client list. Barclay Agency has not issued any statements in response to media inquiries.
According to AP, Hollywood has also been affected by the allegations. Disney has put its adaptation of Gaiman’s The Graveyard Book on hold, while Netflix appears to be moving forward with plans for the second season of The Sandman.
