DC Entertainment responds to outcry over sexual harassment claims

Yeah, that's Clark Kent looking like Superman again. (DC Entertainment)

DC Entertainment has responded to outcry over sexual harassment claims within the company, promising to expand employee training on workplace discrimination.

“DC Entertainment strives to foster a culture of inclusion, fairness and respect,” the statement, sent to Comic Resources, begins. “While we cannot comment on specific personnel matters, DC takes allegations of discrimination and harassment very seriously, promptly investigates reports of misconduct and disciplines those who violate our standards and policies.”

“As part of our ongoing effort to provide an equitable working environment, we are reviewing our policies, expanding employee training on the topic and working with internal and external resources to ensure that these policies and procedures are respected and reinforced across the company."

The statement doesn’t reference a specific instance or event, but in recent months, several harassment allegations have surfaced against Eddie Berganza, a senior editor at the Superman office. Janelle Asselin, a former writer, said she left DC after the publisher failed to hold Berganza accountable for his actions.

“Yes, I was one of many who reported Eddie Berganza's behavior in 2011,” Asselin wrote on Twitter. “I left DC because they promoted him anyway.”

As detailed in The Daily Dot, Berganza may have been demoted from executive editor to group editor after several sexual harassment claims a few years ago, with one incident taking place in front of witnesses at WonderCon 2012.

The allegations against Berganza again reached the spotlight after DC laid off longtime Vertigo editor Shelly Bond last month. Bond, a 23-year comic veteran, had edited the comic since the 90s, and fans were skeptical as to why Bond was let go due to restructuring, but Berganza could keep his job despite his alleged disciplinary track record.

Despite glazing over the continual alleged actions of one of their own employees, DC Entertainment has at least now acknowleged that changes need to be made within the company, as well as the comic book industry as a whole.