The Pratfall of Penny Arcade - A Timeline
Help me fill this in. I’m trying to keep the language dry. If you have questions, here is a FAQ.
NOTE: To those of you just joining us, please don’t just read the first three links and then decide you’ve got the full story. The full story is complex and contains multiple points of view, not just two “sides." The timeline is long, but it’s worth at least a skim down the whole thing. Cheers. –DT
August 11, 2010 - ”The Sixth Slave“ comic
August 12, 2010 - A guest blogger on Shakesville objects.
August 13, 2010
- Penny Arcade’s response to the concerns of rape survivors and their allies with the comic ”Breaking It Down.“ Jerry and Mike further explain their response on the Penny Arcade blog.
- Shakesville objects
- Mike, responding in Shakesville’s comments, posts links to bestiality and pedophilia jokes in Penny Arcade comics. When other commenters object, he responds with sarcasm.
- TheFremen objects, and auctions off his Penny Arcade merch on eBay, donating the proceeds to charity.
- Over Entertained comments.
August 14, 2010 - Geek Feminism Blog objects.
August 15, 2010 - Amanda Marcotte objects.
August 16, 2010
August 17, 2011 - The Webcomic Overlook comments.
August 18, 2010
August 19, 2010 - Carnal Nation objects
September 3, 2010
September 10, 2010 - Mike draws a dickwolf for the audience
September 30, 2010 - The Sunken Library comments.
October 6, 2010
- On the Penny Arcade blog, Mike mocks trigger warnings, and Jerry announces that they’ll be selling a dickwolf t-shirt in the Penny Arcade store.
- Questioning Transphobia comments.
October 7, 2010 - Border House comments.
October 19, 2010 - Courtney Stanton objects and announces a Dickwolves Survivors Guild t-shirt, profits to be donated to a survivor charity.
October 22, 2010 - Maddy Myers comments.
November 8,2010 - FangedFaerie comments.
December 1, 2010 - On the Penny Arcade blog, Mike announces the availability of "Penny Arcade Dickwolves” pennants and ladies’ t-shirts.
January 11, 2011 - Shawn Struck writes about the issue on Associated Content.
January 24, 2011 - Courtney Stanton announces she was asked to, but will not be speaking at Penny Arcade Expo East (PAX East), citing Penny Arcade’s lack of apology/correction over the dickwolf controversy.
January 26, 2011
- Dickwolf merchandise removed from Penny Arcade store
- Courtney Stanton thanks Penny Arcade for removing the merch.
January 27, 2011
- Finesse & Accuracy is conflicted
- A Forumopolis thread on the subject
- Nerdfit Network comments.
- split/screen co-op comments.
January 29, 2011
- Mike comments on the merchandise removal on the Penny Arcade forums after a fan notes their absence.
- On the Penny Arcade blog, Mike explains why the merchandise was removed.
- HoodedMiracle twitter account contacts Courtney Stanton, demanding proof that she is a rape survivor. When none is forthcoming, HoodedMiracle begins telling others that she lied about it, and that she’s only causing a ruckus to make money on the Dickwolves Survivors Guild t-shirt.
- DickWolvington twitter account engages in same.
- Teamrape twitter account supports Penny Arcade, begins harassing those who object.
- When asked on Twitter whether dickwolf shirts will be allowed at PAX conventions, Mike replies:
January 30, 2011
- Mike privately tells DickWolvington to knock it off.
- Courtney Stanton gives her thoughts on Mike’s January 29 posts.
- Expertologist objects to Penny Arcade’s handling of the situation.
- Finesse & Accuracy objects.
- Lucas Stonehouse objects.
- The Zombie Rights Campaign takes issue with Penny Arcade’s decision to pull the dickwolf merchandise.
January 31, 2011
- When asked on Twitter by @bloodparade “How does it feel to be actively encouraging rape culture, pal?” Mike responds:
- http://fucknopennyarcade.tumblr.com/ appears
- Asked if he knows what rape culture is, Mike replies:
- Leigh Alexander loves Penny Arcade, but objects to Penny Arcade’s handling of the situation.
- Deirdra Kiai objects
- Danny from InfoWire’s remarks on the dickwolf saga
February 1, 2011
- Semionaut objects
- A Penny Arcade fan wonders whether being a man at PAX will be “awkward." Mike replies:
- Mike comments to his wife on Twitter:
- DickWolvington twitter account disappears, cause unknown
- AdFreak reports on the issue
- 50% More Trash objects to the removal of the dickwolf shirt.
- Mike draws a comic on UStream. His music selection during broadcast includes Tori Amos (a rape survivor) and ”Tiny Little Mustache“ by Stephen Lynch, about a woman who is a Nazi.
- Brett Douville objects
- Twitpic of an analysis of some of the threatening and abusive comments Courtney Stanton received on her blog posts. More here, here, here, and here.
- Mike links to this page. Please note that the music selection was mentioned, but without color commentary.
- The Sunken Library comments.
- Scott Jennings recaps and comments on his blog, Broken Toys.
- Dennis Scimeca details the Dickwolf Debacle so far and asks those planning to wear dickwolf t-shirts to PAX East to reconsider.
- Nick Cummings, Brandon Greenstreet, and others discuss the controversy over Buzz.
- Josh Benton comments.
- GreyWeirdo comments.
February 2, 2011
- Dennis Scimeca discusses his BitMob dickwolf article a little on his own blog.
- A MetaFilter thread on the subject
- Shakesville weighs in.
- 50% More Trash has more to say.
- Denis Farr comments.
- Leigh Alexander clarifies and elaborates upon her position.
- Ashelia posts in response to Leigh Alexander.
- Courtney Stanton is no longer selling Dickwolves Survivors Guild shirts.
- The Seven Keys of Ventoozlar comments.
- Jet Wolf comments.
- Ontological Geek comments.
- A Something Awful thread on the subject
- Dan Plays Games fears that continued talk about dickwolves will ruin PAX.
- Jenn Frank comments.
- theotherbaldwin comments.
- A blog post about the dickwolf issue on HowStuffWorks.
- The Average Gamer comments.
- Redshirt Knitting comments.
- Name/Job/Bye comments.
(The above tweet is included because Mike mentions threats against his family the next day. I *think* this is the one he’s referring to. See below.)
February 3, 2011
- Game Design Scrapbook feels this is a censorship issue.
- Jerry of Penny Arcade comments on the controversy.
- Gm3r comments.
- Mike of Penny Arcade comments, asking for the harassment and threats to stop on all sides.
- A summary of the situation, and interviews with speakers who pulled out of PAX, from Joystick Division.
- TheFremen notes that in the past, Penny Arcade has taken a more direct approach to finding common ground with upset fans.
- The Right Words comments on Mike and Jerry’s posts.
- Arthur Gies blogs about why he’s still skipping PAX East.
(Relevant due to the userpic’s purple glans in place of paws, making it a dickwolf.)
- I Feel Fantastic weighs in.
- VidHero finds it counterproductive to pull out of PAX.
- The thoughts of Girl Gamer, Esq., a lawyer.
- The controversy has caused Halloween Blues to mull the power of words.
- An analysis of the dickwolf controversy and the communication (or failure thereof) between gamers and feminists, by someone who identifies as both.
- 3SMOV’s podcast discusses whether "The Sixth Slave” was funny.
- Paul Constant of The Stranger comments.
- Ferdinand Bardamu comments.
- Double Cluepon comments.
- The Industrious Sinner comments.
- GameTaco comments.
February 4, 2011
- A Google Trends graph on the term “dickwolves." NOTE: If you’re reading this after August, 2012, you’ll need to adjust the timeframe on that graph.
- A Google Trends graph on the terms "dickwolves” and “penny arcade." Same caveat as above.
- The Coldbear Report’s impressions.
- Zon on the matter of Penny Arcade’s dickwolves.
- Eclectic Dynamite has this to say.
- The 8-Bit Cubist’s podcast, in which he and a caller try to parse the controversy.
- Lesley Kinzel’s open letter to Penny Arcade.
- Sister Salvation, in part inspired by the dickwolf controversy, on effectively communicating your point.
- Shakesville on the timing of Mike’s apology and stand-down request, and on the behavior of commenters.
- Semionaut on this issue and nice guys.
- Channing Kennedy, a guest blogger at American Prospect, uses the dickwolf controversy and its fallout as an example of the state of discourse on the internet.
- Stupid Evil Bastard takes a stand.
- Jet Wolf on life after dickwolves.
- Angry Robot’s take.
- Another Joystick Division column on dickwolves.
- Erron Kelly is displeased with this timeline.
- Zak Hubbard comments.
- The Gameroom Blitz comments. (See February 4 entry. I couldn’t find a permalink to the exact entry.)
- Gamers With Jobs discussion thread.
- Garland Grey comments (cached version–original deleted).
February 5, 2011
- Seeing the Other Side creates its own dickwolf timeline (with much of its wording and many links pulled directly from this one).
- Paste Magazine’s "The Week in Gaming News” item mentions the dickwolf issue.
- Erik Pukinskis’s thoughts.
- Owen Grieve chimes in.
- Andrew Vanden Bossche opines.
- Flufflogic comments.
- Two posts on the dickwolf controversy from Geek Girls Rule: one and two.
- Hoyden About Town comments.
- This timeline now has a FAQ. It is also available as a link in the sidebar.
- @moronwolves has taken to trying to poll twitter accounts with public ties or relationships to Penny Arcade on their view of the dickwolf controversy. Accounts include @feliciaday, @wilw, @jephjaques, @wizards_dnd. The moniker “Dunce Wolvington” is a takeoff of the now-defunct @DickWolvington account.
- Dan Rodgers comments.
- Postmortem Studios releases D&D stats for “lupus phallus,” commonly known as the dickwolf.
- Crimitism dissects Mike’s and Jerry’s February 3rd posts on the dickwolf matter.
- What Men Dare Do comments.
February 6, 2011
- Shakesville posts an open thread for Penny Arcade discussion.
- Michael O'Reilly comments.
- K. Cox comments.
- Dickwolves get a mention in the Sunday news roundup of Women’s Health News.
- Tadhg O'Higgins comments.
- Game Dames comment in their podcast.
February 7, 2011
- Shakesville makes a new Penny Arcade open thread, because the old one got unwieldy after 1000+ comments.
- Courtney Stanton gives answers to questions people are asking her in the wake of the Penny Arcade fallout.
- Yelling at Pixels comments.
- MamaCheshire comments.
- Soylent H comments.
- Space Ramblings comments.
- Steve’s Random Reviews comments.
February 8, 2011
- Joé McKen comments.
- Grayson Davis comments.
- Courtney Stanton posts an analysis of one week’s worth of troll comments received on her blog during the dickwolf furor.
- The Emperor’s Court comments in a podcast.
February 9, 2011
- Nick Cummings comments.
- Anastasia Salter comments.
- Aeropause discusses the dickwolf controversy in a podcast.
- The Alcoholocast comments in their podcast.
- Slantmouth comments in a podcast.
- Textual Relations comments.
February 10, 2011
- FangedFaerie comments.
- Brief mention of the dickwolf controversy by Gamasutra.
- Alex Nigro comments.
- [Team Respect] comments.
- Pretty Gamer comments.
- SuperOK comments.
February 11, 2011
February 12, 2011
- Prettygirlhats, Inc. addresses the matter in a podcast (around 14:20).
- Sometime in the past 24 hours, @janesong deleted the tweet pictured above in February 10.
- A thread on the xkcd forums.
February 13, 2011
- No More Anthems comments.
- Rock, Paper, Shotgun points to Leigh Alexander’s February 2 blog post.
- Creating Gaming Culture comments.
- Jim Sterling comments.
- Bakka’s River comments.
- Kevin Makice on Courtney Stanton’s troll data.
- Digital Strips comments in a podcast.
February 14, 2011
- Dark Legacy Comics, without having read “The Sixth Slave,” addresses the same topic. (See author’s comments further down in the thread.)
February 15, 2011
(Tweet located here. For some reason it doesn’t come up in search, and only sporadically appears in the account’s stream.)
- Bakka’s River has further comment.
February 16, 2011
February 18, 2011
February 20, 2011
- HAWPcast comments.
February 21, 2011
- Jim Hines comments.
February 22, 2011
- @triggerwarning retweets all mentions of the word “dickwolves”
February 23, 2011
- Nicholas Bell follows up on his February 16 comment.
March 2, 2011
- Boston Phoenix runs an article on the dickwolf controversy.
- The Portland Mercury runs a response to the Boston Phoenix article.
March 4, 2011
- Bald Move discusses dickwolves in this podcast.
- Ashton Liu comments.
- Prolixity comments.
March 5, 2011
March 6, 2011
- The topic of dickwolves makes Rock, Paper, Shotgun’s “Sunday Papers” again.
- Haley and Kyle comment.
- Jane McGonigal, the keynote speaker at the upcoming PAX East, is asked about the dickwolves controversy, and responds:
March 7, 2011
- Female Talk comments.
March 8, 2011
- Tart & Soul comments.
March 10, 2011
- Gambit Game Lab launches the GAMBIT HateSpeech Project, motivated by the fallout from the dickwolves controversy.
March 11, 2011 - PAX East Day 1
- Ezra Riemer of Thought Catalog comments.
March 12, 2011 - PAX East Day 2
- Seven Deadly Divas comments.
- Anita Sarkeesian comments in this interview.
- Bad Fish of Gamer Grrlz comments, but deletes the post at some point later, leaving a message for those who show up looking for the post.
- During the Create-a-Strip session at PAX East, Mike draws a vaginawolf.
March 13, 2011 - PAX East Day 3
- Maddy Myers comments on her PAX East experience in light of the dickwolf controversy.
- On Gamasutra, Andrew Vanden Bossche comments.
- Angelica Simone comments.
March 14, 2011
- Shakesville comments.
March 15, 2011
- V. E. Duncan comments.
- @dickwolves Twitter account appears.
- Airellia comments.
- Sebastian Force comments.
March 16, 2011
- Matthew Hawkins comments. (See section entitled “A Line Has Been Drawn.”)
- Inspired by Courtney Stanton’s troll data analysis (see Feb. 8, 2011), Wundergeek analyzes misogynist language on popular gaming sites for The Border House.
March 18, 2011
- Reader responses to Maddy Myers’ March 2 article in the Boston Phoenix.
March 19, 2011
- Ms. Godless Heathen comments.
March 31, 2011
- Plus XP comments.
April 1, 2011
- Andrew Vanden Bossche mentions the controversy in Diversity at PAX East 2011.
April 6, 2011
- Martin Ferkingstad comments.
April 9, 2011
- The dickwolf controversy is discussed by Anastasia Salter on the “Sex, Sexuality, and Social Media” panel at the Theorizing the Web conference. (Scroll down to see her abstract; there’s no permalink.)
- Neubronner Eugene comments.
April 17, 2011
- Whitney Phillips discusses the blog comments received by Courtney Stanton. (See February 8, 2011 for Stanton’s post on those comments.)
April 18, 2011
- Privilege Arcade appears.
April 19, 2011
- Life’s a Game comments.
April 22, 2011
- Oh No! Video Games! discuss dickwolves in Episode 3 of their podcast.
- Whitney Phillips is writing a paper on the dickwolf controversy.
April 28, 2011
- The Walking Eye podcast includes the dickwolf controversy in Round Table 4: Sexuality, Identity, and Ladygamers.
May 2, 2011
- Jim Sterling comments in Jimquisition: Solving the Sexism Situation.
May 25, 2011
- “Rapeface Dickwolves” profile appears on Facebook. Also present on FB, with unknown creation dates and few members, are: Penny Arcade Dickwolves, Dickwolves, another Dickwolves, Team Dickwolves, Dickwolf, and Dickwolves of Austin.
May 28, 2011
- Dickwolf Training Camp is a location on Foursquare.
May 30, 2011
- Whitney Phillips clarifies the intent of the “Dickwolves MEGAPAPER.”
June 17, 2011
July 1, 2011
July 17, 2011
- Michael O'Reilly revisits the topic in light of the fallout from another internet controversy.
July 22, 2011
- Stabbing Contest podcast discusses the continuing fallout of the dickwolves controversy. (The guest caller interrupts a lot, but the podcast itself is interesting.)
July 24, 2011
- Todd VanDerWerff mentions that the subject of dickwolves arose at the Penny Arcade panel at San Diego Comic Con.
July 27, 2011
July 28, 2011
- Megan King comments.
July 31, 2011
- @dickwolves Twitter account still active.
August 21, 2011
- Lucas Stonehouse adds an update to the end of his post of January 30, 2011.
- The subject of dickwolves and PAX comes up on 4chan:
It went on for pages, straying into discussion of DC Comics, Law & Order SVU, etc. There was this, though:
For the record: not depressed, but definitely still interested. A bit amused, too, if you look at the date of 4chan’s discussion, and then go back and look at Mike/Gabe’s tweet of February 1 to @JohnnyRoyalC.
August 29, 2011
- Luna Lindsey comments.
September 18, 2011
- After switching hosting from The Escapist to Penny Arcade, James Portnow of Extra Creditz comments on Twitter, starting here.
This goes on for a while–there’s some back and forth with commenters and some retweets, which you can find for yourself in the timeline.
And later:
November 24, 2011
- Matthew Jay of Snackbar Games comments.
December 11, 2011
- Jane Litte comments.
December 14, 2011
- Author John Scalzi comments.
December 16, 2011
- In reference to the guest comic at Penny Arcade that day.
December 27, 2012
- SilentSlade comments in light of some other Penny Arcade activities.
January 24, 2012
- Rowan Kaiser makes brief mention in an article on Gameranx.
April 10, 2012
- Whitney Philips, mentioned above as writing an essay on the dickwolves controversy, reflects upon how that went.
May 14, 2012
- @TeamDickwolves appears on Twitter.
May 16, 2012
The dickwolves controversy is referenced after Gabe tweets his support for the game Tentacle Bento, which got booted from Kickstarter when it was found to be in violation of their Terms of Service.
- Oh No! Video Games! - “Penny Arcade, Tentacle Bento, A Summation”
- Scott Madin, guest blogging on Shakesville - “Today in Rape Culture”
- rapedtosleep.tumblr.com, title “Go Team Dickwolves!
- Starlight and Shadows comments.
- Lt. Chubbins comments.
July 1, 2012
September 11, 2012
November 28, 2012
- Krahulik cites “The Sixth Slave,” the comic that started this whole things rolling, as one of his favorite WoW-related Penny Arcade strips.
March 18, 2013
- (Extremely) Extended Blog Post: Why is there a “No Girls Allowed” Sign on this Video Game? - from the Clark Honors College Game Studies 2013 site
April 4, 2013
- The Baying of the Dickwolf - Phineas Delgado
June 8, 2013
- #1ReasonWhy Gamers <3 Dickwolves: Understanding Sexism in the Gaming Community - A session at the Computers and Writing 2013 convention
June 11, 2013
- Penny Arcade: The Cognitive Dissonance of Sexism - Andres Alvarez
June 21, 2013
- The Fullbright Company cites the dickwolves issue as one of several reasons they chose to pull out of PAX Prime.
-
Penny Arcade needs to fix its Krahulik problem - Daniel Kaszor, Financial Post
June 22, 2013
- 1250: Anger Leads to Suffering - Pete Davison
September 2, 2013
- On stage at PAX, Mike Krahulik (Gabe) says he regrets removing the Dickwolves merchandise from the Penny Arcade store. Robert Khoo, Penny Arcade’s business manager, agrees that those who were offended by it should have been ignored rather than engaged.
Please continue to Part 2. This post is now too large to edit; the Tumblr editor crashes.
Questions? See the FAQ. Thanks!
