Former 90s DC hack Gerard Jones arrested on child pornography charges
#1
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Former 90s DC hack Gerard Jones arrested on child pornography charges
He wrote JLE, Batman, Green Lantern, Elongated Man, and a host of other titles that he ruined with his crappy work. But that's nothing compared to the over 600 files of child pornography he allegedly collected and distributed all over the Internet.
An accomplished San Francisco comic book and nonfiction author, who has been published in Marvel and a slew of other publications, was arrested on suspicion of possessing more than 600 child pornography files and uploading the graphic videos to YouTube, police said Friday.
Gerard Jones, 59, was arrested after a police investigation and ensuing search warrant at his residence in the 600 block of Long Bridge Street in San Francisco’s Mission Bay neighborhood turned up a host of electronic devices storing more than 600 images and videos depicting child pornography, police said.
The longtime author has written screenplays for Warner Bros. and 20th Century Fox, served as a writing teacher for the San Francisco Writer’s Grotto, and put together graphic novels for both DC Comics and Marvel Comics, according to his official website.
He was arraigned Thursday and entered a not guilty plea on charges of possession of child pornography and distributing child pornography, a spokesman for the San Francisco District Attorney’s Office said.
Jones did not immediately return requests for comment. His lawyer, Seth Chazin, said his client denies all of the allegations and emphasized that the 59-year-old had no prior criminal record.
“It’s important to differentiate between violent sex offenders (and) these kinds of cases, because there’s a big difference,” Chazin said. “We tend to lump them all together.”
He was arrested Dec. 29 — the same day investigators executed their search warrant — at a coffee shop several blocks away from his home, according to Officer Robert Rueca, a spokesman for the San Francisco Police Department.
He was booked into San Francisco County Jail on suspicion of possession of child pornography, production of child pornography, sending harmful material to a minor and distribution of child pornography, police said.
The uploaded YouTube videos depicted a child performing sexual acts on an adult, police said. And other videos uncovered inside Jones’ home showed adults performing sexual acts on children as young as 1-year-old, police said.
Gerard Jones, 59, was arrested after a police investigation and ensuing search warrant at his residence in the 600 block of Long Bridge Street in San Francisco’s Mission Bay neighborhood turned up a host of electronic devices storing more than 600 images and videos depicting child pornography, police said.
The longtime author has written screenplays for Warner Bros. and 20th Century Fox, served as a writing teacher for the San Francisco Writer’s Grotto, and put together graphic novels for both DC Comics and Marvel Comics, according to his official website.
He was arraigned Thursday and entered a not guilty plea on charges of possession of child pornography and distributing child pornography, a spokesman for the San Francisco District Attorney’s Office said.
Jones did not immediately return requests for comment. His lawyer, Seth Chazin, said his client denies all of the allegations and emphasized that the 59-year-old had no prior criminal record.
“It’s important to differentiate between violent sex offenders (and) these kinds of cases, because there’s a big difference,” Chazin said. “We tend to lump them all together.”
He was arrested Dec. 29 — the same day investigators executed their search warrant — at a coffee shop several blocks away from his home, according to Officer Robert Rueca, a spokesman for the San Francisco Police Department.
He was booked into San Francisco County Jail on suspicion of possession of child pornography, production of child pornography, sending harmful material to a minor and distribution of child pornography, police said.
The uploaded YouTube videos depicted a child performing sexual acts on an adult, police said. And other videos uncovered inside Jones’ home showed adults performing sexual acts on children as young as 1-year-old, police said.
#2
Senior Member
Re: Former 90s DC hack Gerard Jones arrested on child pornography charges
This is pretty creepy, and I hope it all gets sorted.
In defense of Jones's career, I do hasten to note that he (co-)wrote two of the best non-fiction books on comics history (Men of Tomorrow and The Comic Book Heroes).
In defense of Jones's career, I do hasten to note that he (co-)wrote two of the best non-fiction books on comics history (Men of Tomorrow and The Comic Book Heroes).
#3
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Re: Former 90s DC hack Gerard Jones arrested on child pornography charges
I was stunned by this news when I heard about it over the weekend. Men of Tomorrow is the best book on comic book history. I've re-read it countless times and have a signed copy. He gave a podcast interview about comics a few years back that was extremely informative.
His lawyer using the "violent sex offenders vs these kinds of cases" defense does not bode well. I'll probably never read Prime the same away again.
His lawyer using the "violent sex offenders vs these kinds of cases" defense does not bode well. I'll probably never read Prime the same away again.
#4
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Re: Former 90s DC hack Gerard Jones arrested on child pornography charges
His Ultraverse work was pretty terrible as well. My problem with his run at DC is that the powers-that-be kept giving him EVERY. JUSTICE LEAGUE. RELATED. TITLE. to work on, more or less, and they were all the same level of flat, uninspired, never striving beyond mediocre dreck. It was altogether frustrating as a DC fan in the early-to-mid 90s.
As far as the charges, they are pretty much abominable, especially reading some of those descriptions. Ugh.
As far as the charges, they are pretty much abominable, especially reading some of those descriptions. Ugh.
#6
DVD Talk Special Edition
Re: Former 90s DC hack Gerard Jones arrested on child pornography charges
This is horrible news. I really enjoyed his El Diablo series with Mike Parobeck, his Elongated Man mini, and Green Lantern: Mosaic. Really distressing to hear about this.
#7
Challenge Guru & Comic Nerd
Re: Former 90s DC hack Gerard Jones arrested on child pornography charges
I wouldn't call him a hack, loved a lot of his work, particularly comedy like The Trouble with Girls. But if these charges are true, I wish him a painful and quick end.
#8
DVD Talk Hero
Re: Former 90s DC hack Gerard Jones arrested on child pornography charges
I think the only stuff of his I read was JLE, Green Lantern, and some of the Ultraverse stuff.
I was a reader of most of the Justice League books when I finally got into DC in tne late 80s and early 90s. I remember liking JLE, though not as much as Giffen's JLI/JLA, and Green Lantern was, from what I recall, okay. I bailed on Ultraverse fairly early, as they started flooding the market with titles and I didn't think the books were good enough to justify keeping up.
I was a reader of most of the Justice League books when I finally got into DC in tne late 80s and early 90s. I remember liking JLE, though not as much as Giffen's JLI/JLA, and Green Lantern was, from what I recall, okay. I bailed on Ultraverse fairly early, as they started flooding the market with titles and I didn't think the books were good enough to justify keeping up.
#9
DVD Talk Hero
Re: Former 90s DC hack Gerard Jones arrested on child pornography charges
I remember a lot of his DC stuff. It was always fairly bland entertainment. Enjoyable enough but ultimately forgettable. He did have some fun issues on Justice League Europe.
This revelation does put an entirely new spin on his Ultraverse material.
This revelation does put an entirely new spin on his Ultraverse material.
#10
Re: Former 90s DC hack Gerard Jones arrested on child pornography charges
I don't recall liking a lot of his comic book work. Maybe Trouble With Girls from Eternity/Comico way back in the day but my memories of that title are pretty hazy. I only read the first few issues of Prime and the only thing that stuck in my memory is Breyfogle's art. Nothing of the story remains, in fact, I didn't even recall that Jones wrote it.
I am a big fan of this book though:
I am a big fan of this book though:
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#11
Senior Member
Re: Former 90s DC hack Gerard Jones arrested on child pornography charges
^
I gotta tell you, I have the second edition of that book, and this particular excerpt really sticks with me in terms defining my generation (I was born in 1986, FYI):
I should note that I did have little interest in most superheroes as a very small kid because of the darker/more serious vibe of the then-current material. Funny, I have a soft spot for some 1990s comics, even a lot of the old Image books (blame TMNT having crossed over with Savage Dragon, which lead me down the Image rabbit hole).
In any case, knowing the dark side of the co-writer of this poignant piece is odd, to say the least.
I gotta tell you, I have the second edition of that book, and this particular excerpt really sticks with me in terms defining my generation (I was born in 1986, FYI):
Originally Posted by Jones and Jacobs
The kids of the early '90s liked humor and bright graphics and appealing characters to latch onto. The Simpsons and Nickelodeon proved that. And despite all the talk of 'postliterate' culture, they liked narrative. The astounding success of R.L. Stine's Fear Street and Goosebumps series of juvenile horror stories proved that. These kids had grown from toddlerhood to school age loving the Ninja Turtles and the Muppets. They'd been raised in a commercialized, competitive time, but generally by parents more serious about their duties than parents of the late '60s and '70s. Most kids of the middle class, at least, had been given a relatively optimistic and structured world. What could the superhero subculture, with its bizarre combination of vicious violence, hard-boiled posing, whiny melodrama, and geeky pretension, say to them?
In any case, knowing the dark side of the co-writer of this poignant piece is odd, to say the least.
#12
DVD Talk Hero
Re: Former 90s DC hack Gerard Jones arrested on child pornography charges
Apparently DC has quietly canceled a couple of solicitations for future trade paperbacks featuring Gerard Jones' work. If you were waiting on the announced Justice League: Breakdowns trade and Green Lantern: Vol. 2 (#1-12 of post-Crisis), don't hold your breath. DC has permanently pulled them from the schedule and I don't think they are ever going to be published. This likely throws into doubt any of Jones' material getting reprinted in trades.
Reading about this news, I learned DC must have some sort of corporate policy forbidding publication regarding crimes of this nature. A minor artist named Justiniano had a similar arrest a few years back. They shelved an entirely original Wonder Woman graphic novel titled Hand of the Gods after Justiniano's arrest. It has never seen the light of day.
Reading about this news, I learned DC must have some sort of corporate policy forbidding publication regarding crimes of this nature. A minor artist named Justiniano had a similar arrest a few years back. They shelved an entirely original Wonder Woman graphic novel titled Hand of the Gods after Justiniano's arrest. It has never seen the light of day.
#13
DVD Talk Hero
Re: Former 90s DC hack Gerard Jones arrested on child pornography charges
I guess we won't be seeing a DCEU film called "Green Lantern: Emerald Dawn" now, either.
#15
#16
DVD Talk Hero
Re: Former 90s DC hack Gerard Jones arrested on child pornography charges
I don't think I ever read Emerald Dawn, but I can remember folks praising it when it came out. I was a Marvel reader at the time and din't start reading DC books until '90 or '91.
#17
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Re: Former 90s DC hack Gerard Jones arrested on child pornography charges
I was talking to an artist who worked with him on DC stuff. It sucks that now his work will suffer because of this. Not only are trades being cancelled, but he said he'd feel bad even signing those books at shows.
#18
DVD Talk Legend
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Re: Former 90s DC hack Gerard Jones arrested on child pornography charges
That really sucks. This alleged sick fuck has now ruined livelihoods of former colleagues with his alleged sick fuck behavior.
#19
Challenge Guru & Comic Nerd
Re: Former 90s DC hack Gerard Jones arrested on child pornography charges
Not sure about DCs decision to not release his work. I understand in more solo affairs to boycott the work of someone who does something like this, but comics are a group thing.
#20
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Re: Former 90s DC hack Gerard Jones arrested on child pornography charges
That really does suck, but I can understand DC's decision. It would look morally bad, and the the titles would probably be money-losers besides.
#21
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Re: Former 90s DC hack Gerard Jones arrested on child pornography charges
UPDATE: Pleads guilty
Bleeding Cool
Absolutely despicable. There is no excuse for his actions. No excuse.
Gerard Jones Changes Plea to Guilty on Child Pornography Charges
In January last year, comic book writer Gerard Jones was arrested on suspicion of possessing more than 600 child pornography files and uploading graphic videos to YouTube. According to police, he was booked into jail on suspicion of possession of child pornography, production of child pornography, sending harmful material to a minor, and distribution of child pornography. The report states the uploaded videos depict a child performing sexual acts on an adult, and police state other videos showed adults performing sexual acts on children as young as one year old. The report also states that police were investigating the possibility that Jones traveled to London to have sex with a minor.
According to San Francisco Police Department, Jones was interviewed on December 29th, 2016. He admitted to downloading and possessing graphic child pornography from several different online sources. He admitted uploading and sharing child pornography to YouTube and also admitted to looking at child pornography that involved children between ages 9 and 12. The youngest child depicted in the pornography he possessed was 3 years old.
In January last year, comic book writer Gerard Jones was arrested on suspicion of possessing more than 600 child pornography files and uploading graphic videos to YouTube. According to police, he was booked into jail on suspicion of possession of child pornography, production of child pornography, sending harmful material to a minor, and distribution of child pornography. The report states the uploaded videos depict a child performing sexual acts on an adult, and police state other videos showed adults performing sexual acts on children as young as one year old. The report also states that police were investigating the possibility that Jones traveled to London to have sex with a minor.
According to San Francisco Police Department, Jones was interviewed on December 29th, 2016. He admitted to downloading and possessing graphic child pornography from several different online sources. He admitted uploading and sharing child pornography to YouTube and also admitted to looking at child pornography that involved children between ages 9 and 12. The youngest child depicted in the pornography he possessed was 3 years old.
The prosecution gave more details into the type of evidence that had been gathered by the authorities, noting the collection of child pornography was “extensive and horrific. The image that the defendant uploaded to YouTube, for instance, showed a prepubescent minor victim being repeatedly sodomized by two adults.” They revealed that the email address he used to upload videos was 8-is-the-new-18@ gmx.com, that his video was “just one of thousands of images and hundreds of videos that the defendant collected for his sexual gratification”, and that he “is not merely a collector and distributor of child pornography” as he also traveled internationally to meet with a minor with whom he had sexual contact.
Absolutely despicable. There is no excuse for his actions. No excuse.
#23
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Re: Former 90s DC hack Gerard Jones arrested on child pornography charges
I can't believe three comics writers wrote letters to the judge to support Jones as character witnesses. Then afterward Jones plead guilty. Now those writers look like a trio of shitcocks. Or in Hudnall's case, even shitcockier.
#24
Banned
Re: Former 90s DC hack Gerard Jones arrested on child pornography charges
Yeah, I don't get that either. Mike Barr, Badger and Hundall can go fuck themselves.
#25
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Re: Former 90s DC hack Gerard Jones arrested on child pornography charges
So basically Jones just fucked over the only few friends he had left.
What a class act
Hope he rots in prison.