Butt Seriously, Folks: Vertigo’s Robbi Rodriguez Bottoms Out

Some people talk through their ass. And then there are those who surpass the metaphor.

Case in point: Robbi Rodriguez, formerly of SPIDER-GWEN and newly appointed illustrator to Zoe Quinn’s Vertigo title, GODDESS MODE. In a moment of drunkenness poor decision making, Rodriguez decided to send a message to fellow comics professional, Ethan Van Sciver, involving an image of his opened gluteus maximus.

Depending on whom you ask, the incident was a yawn, a joke, or an offense. Rich Johnston of Bleeding Cool likened the stunt to a “Monty Python” bit, suggesting it didn’t merit much concern. To be fair, Johnston’s position is consistent with his stance on previous instances of comics pros texting unsolicited body part pictures, such as when Yale Stewart was found to have sent images of his penis to female colleagues.

Accusations of “pearl clutching” ring hollow in this era of the #MeToo movement. Sending unsolicited images of your waste disposal facilities, reproductive organs, or other parts deemed to be intimate is and should be seen as sexual harassment, no matter the body part or the genders of the two parties involved.

This incident is the latest in what seems to be an escalating social battle being waged against those who align themselves with the so-called #ComicsGate movement, of which Ethan Van Sciver is a well-known participant.

There has been no substantive comment from DC Comics, parent company of the Vertigo imprint, regarding any actions they might take in response to the online actions of Rodriguez.