ComicsAlliance founder Laura Hudson has issued new accusations of predatory behavior against comic writer Brian Wood.
In a series of Tweets, Hudson recalled an event where Wood forced him to kiss her, though he was married at the time. Following that encounter, according to Hudson, he reportedly continued to communicate with her, insisting his wife didn't understand him like Hudson did, and making lewd suggestions through text messages.
As Hudson recounts her experience, she points out the power imbalance. As a young woman coming up in comics, she had looked up to Wood as a person known for creating strong female characters. Worse, she felt she "had no power" in the situation.
Hudson isn't the first woman to come forward with accusations against Wood. In late 2013, artist Tess Fowler accused Wood by name as having feigned interest in her work in order to initiate a sexual encounter. Fowler's Twitter thread stated he had "preyed on women for too long." Wood responded in kind, claiming he "did make a pass at her at SDCC Hyatt bar roughly 8 years ago... But when she declined, that was the conclusion of the matter for me. There was never a promise of quid pro quo, no exertion of power, no threats, and no revenge."
According to Hudson, Wood reached out to her during the Fowler accusations. He began emailing her about innocuous subjects like rock climbing, seemingly in an effort to maintain her silence. Hudson shared a screenshot of that email, with the timestamp to show it happened the same day Fowler came forward.
In her conclusion, Hudson wrote that she is seeking up now to warn other women in vulnerable situations. She addressed Wood directly, daring him to make himself out to be the victim in this situation. She also apologized to Fowler for not coming forward about her situation sooner.
Hudson's accusations against Wood come during the most recent reckoning unfolding in the gaming industry. Across Twitter, women have accused Weather Factory and Failbetter Games co-founder Alexis Kennedy of predatory and abusive behavior, as well as acts of retaliation against those who fought back. Hudson compared Wood to Kennedy, suggesting this is what inspired her to come forward.
Hudson's statement is reproduced in full below.
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