Comics community condemns artist for incestuous drawing

 

JAKARTA, Indonesia (2nd UPDATE) – An offensive comic purportedly portraying a woman in an incestuous relationship has shocked the Indonesian comic community.

The creator of the comic is a famous Indonesian artist named Kharisma Jati, and the comic is said to have been targeted towards another female artist.

Jati is known for his comic strip “God You Must Be Joking,” which often features controversial comics about modern-day issues and for pushing the envelope. It is unclear what the reason for him drawing the comic is.

Over the weekend, the 29-year-old artist from Yogyakarta tweeted the comic, with the hashtags #incest, #sex, #milf, #amoral, #fuckyouidontcareaboutanythinganymore.

The post has since been taken down.

But the comic had already been seen by many in the comics community and netizens, who denounced Jati’s action, and supported the victimized female artist with a hashtag.

Harsh backlash

Sunny Gho, founder of Indonesian comics portal www.kosmik.id, issued a statement on his Facebook account that slammed Jati and urged to stop the circulation of his work.

“Kharisma Jati, this time you are wrong,” Gho said. “For me, your work is brave and my usual response is laughter and ‘This is a crazy person!'”

“Even these past few days, I still enjoy your ‘God You Must Be Joking Series,'” he said, but goes on to say that after seeing the comic, he was disappointed.

“IT’S WRONG. I don’t know what she did to you and I don’t care to meddle between your personal dispute IT’S JUST PLAIN WRONG.”

He added, “K.Jati has reached the lowest point and no justification or apology is adequate. This is not a personal perversion anymore, this is not an opinion, this is a case of virtual rape.”

“With this statement, I urge and insist to stop the circulation of K.Jati’s work anywhere in any media whether online or offline. To my friends, that still are in his group and mailing list, I urge you to get out and stop giving him a platform or support K. Jati – and if you can, make it public.”

He went on, “I also urge comic or book publishers, whether independent or major, to no longer publish K. Jati’s work. For any book or pop culture event organizers, to blacklist K.Jati and for all organizations where he is a member, also to blacklist him. (And if you are a member of that organization, to quickly expel him dishonorably from the organization’s structure or membership). Draw the line. This guy has to stop and you can help.”

Gho then ended with harsh words.

“This is a personal statement without representing any institution, but from this day forward I am cutting all ties to K. Jati on all business platforms and communities in which I take part, whether currently or in the future. If any one wishes to report this case to the police, I will support it fully.”

As of Monday evening however, Gho took down the statement – apparently at the request of the female artist.

“Dear all, the statement I posted about K.Jati has been taken down at the request of [the female artist]. The issue was settled privately by both sides. I wish them the best.”

“Hopefully in the future this does not happen again,” he said.

Other reactions

Other artists also expressed their disappointment.

Sweta Kartika, a leading Indonesian comic artist, said that Jati crossed the line.

“With this post, I declare that I no longer appreciate Jati’s work. Sorry sir, it turns out you are this rotten, attacking a woman this way,” he wrote. “A mother who loves both her children. This comic of yours is very, very cheap.”

Ario Anindito, who works for Marvel Comics, also spoke up.

“Usually, I do not often voice my personal thoughts or opinions to the public… But this time, I am taking sides,” Anindito wrote on his Facebook account. “There are lines that should not be crossed. Hopefully in the future shameful things like this do not happen again.” 

Aji Prasetyo, another comic artist, drew a comic, wherein Jati’s “God You Must Be Joking” was being burned.

“Whatever the reason KJ did that (although the drawing has now been deleted), in my opinion it is completely inappropriate. Although both of these comic artists are my friends, if one them act inethically, I’m sorry if I have to show my response.”

Many of these posts have since been taken down, again upon the request of the female artist to prevent the comic from going viral.

The female artist on Monday afternoon finally broke her silence with a comic as a response depicting a mother loving her children. She has since taken it down as well. – with reports from Adinda Putri/Rappler.com