You're Going to Need a Bingo Card
Controversial persons and topics are discussed in this article, exhaustive descriptions are outside the scope of this article. Fans or detractors of the respective persons discussed may be offended by the brevity. Please exercise your God given right to be offended, without assuming that offense incurs an obligation on me, dear reader.
Modern entertainment and culture has left many decoupled and dissatisfied with mainstream content and messaging, particularly men. Andrew Tate has carved out a niche as an alpha male influencer and mentor for hire. In late summer of 2023 Tate announced his venture into comic books with the launch of his "Top G" graphic novel - starring idealized version of himself as protagonist. Top G was initially priced at $97.
A Parody was Born
Particularly at the price point, the interior art work of the Top G comic book is somewhat amateur in quality, rough. Writer and independent comic book publisher Jon Del Arroz, and long time professional comic book artist - Mike S. Miller - conceived a parody project, and "Top Grift" was born. The campaign for Top Grift was launched on the crowdfunding site Fund My Comic, you can view it at - https://www.fundmycomic.com/campaign/367/top-grift
Ironically the interior art for the parody project is substantially better than the comic being parodied.
Selling Comic Books Gets Weird!
Jon Del Arroz initially attempted to launch the project on the large crowdfunding platforms Indiegogo and Kickstarter. Both sites refused to allow the campaigns to be launched on their platforms. Del Arroz has been previously banned on Indiegogo, and Mike S. Miller has been previously has a project refused by Kickstarter. This is also complicated by the reference to Andrew Tate, and that Jon Del Arroz is a proponent of the controversial Comicsgate movement (more on that later). As this article is being written Del Arroz published a Youtube video where he summarizes the bans theorized that his project was targeted by third parties.
**Enter the ComicsGate **
Comicsgate is a controversial movement, with no shortage of zealous enthusiasts and detractors. Succinctly Comicsgate is online group of fans and comic book creators who simultaneously criticize main stream comic books (Youtube and Twitter) and offer their own work as an alternative. Long time professional comic book artist - Ethan Van Sciver (EVS) is generally seen as the most visible face of ComicsGate. In an ironic twist while Del Arroz and Mike S. Miller were creating Top Grift - Andrew Tate hired Ethan to produce a cover for the TOP G #2 "Warriors of Skull Island" Comic Book. Ethan's cover is presented below and the graphic novel is for currently being sold on Andrew Tate's website for $97
ComicsGate Intensifies - Even Rat Bastards Should be able to Earn a Living
When Ethan saw that the parody comic Top Grift had been launched and immediately banned by Kickstarter and Indiegogo - he posted this Tweet. Ethan and Mike S. Miller have had a long running feud conducted on social media which has cooled to relatively mild acrimony. Ethan noted -
The comic company this book is parodying is employing me. And Smiller (nickname for Mike S. Miller) is a rat bastard. But the comic isn't hurting anyone and shouldn't be banned.
Ethan Van Sciver is best known recently for his self-published CyberFrog series and currently is funding the next issue CyberFrog 3 - Red Extermination on Indiegogo. Ethan can be found on Twitter and YouTube respectively.
Comicsgate Bare Knuckle Parody Cage Fighting:
As part of the parody project Top Grift, Jon Del Arroz hired artist The Quaff, to create a parody of the parody titled "Top CG". CG is the abbreviation of Comicsgate. Judging from the Cover for TOP CG - the book is filled with inside jokes and mockery of CG critics. I have no direct confirmation of who is being mocked but it may include Comicsgate critics VikkiVerse and Shitty Web Comics as Thomas Roliup and one of the leaders of War Campaign - Ro Kamir Pall. The War Campaign who were previously promoters of CG - had an angry split with CG. They document their perspective of the split and criticism of CG in a recent YouTube video. When asked for comment on the cover Ro - requested that I share that War Campaign had completed and shipped their Vestige series of graphic novels . 
Sabotage?
TOP CG artist The Quaff, theorized in this tweet - that the project may been sabotaged on Indiegogo by Liam Gray (Conquest Comics). Jon Del Arroz and Liam have had a multi year feud, which I will not attempt to document or even summarize here. Conquest Comics can be on found on Twitter.
Independent comics books, have more twists, turns, feuds, and backstabs than the most fantastical soap opera. While I have barely glossed over the details for the sake of brevity and sanity - the collision of Andrew Tate and ComicsGate is remarkable.
Jon Del Arroz asked me to remind readers that the Top Grift comic book can be back at - https://www.fundmycomic.com/campaign/367/top-grift
P.S.
I am good friends with Mike S. Miller and you can occasionally find me as a guest on his Bible Study program on YouTube narrating scripture.
For corrections or clarifications in this article please contact me on Twitter or email at edwinboyette@gmail.com
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