News
Magazine faces backlash for Allegedly Intentionally Cropping Nnedi Okorafor’s name off her Book Cover
On Monday, Nigerian-American author Nnedi Okorafor announced that her novel “Who Fears Death” has been optioned by HBO and is in early development as a TV series.
She said that George RR Martin, author of “Game of Thrones,” is set to be the executive producer of the show.
While reporting the story, print and online magazine Vice used the headline: “George R.R. Martin is adapting an African sci-fi novel for TV”.
The photo that accompanied the headline is a collage of George RR Martin’s photo and the cover of Nnedi’s book, but her name was taken out.
The act has elicited backlash from the Writers’ community as well as other Twitter users.
One user who argued that Vice may have cropped the cover to make the photo collage fit, added that “it’s still stupid” and “crappy”.
Unless I'm missing something they just cropped the book cover top/bottom to make it fit. No photoshopping? Agreed it's still stupid. pic.twitter.com/TQPgwzcFA8
— Justin Davis (@ErrorJustin) July 12, 2017
To clarify: I agree with everyone that this is crappy. I just don't ascribe malice to it.
— Justin Davis (@ErrorJustin) July 12, 2017
The author of the article Lincoln Michel, who said he’s a freelancer and had no hand in the headline and title, has also apoligised for the error, adding that he has sent several messages to Vice to edit the post.
as a fan and the writer, I really apologize about this! I contacted my editor, didn't see the headline or image beforehand.
— Lincoln Michel (@TheLincoln) July 11, 2017
I don't work for VICE or know their process (just a freelancer) but I agree it's egregious and should be fixed
— Lincoln Michel (@TheLincoln) July 11, 2017
@VICE is looking for our trouble…don't make us rain down our collective Nigerian fury on you pic.twitter.com/z70WFkkwBr
— Nneoma, MD (@nneomamd) July 11, 2017
Your cousins from the Carribean are coming too! pic.twitter.com/YVPuCbcshq
— Torchy I am Windrush Brown???????? (@MinoWarrior) July 11, 2017
That's disgusting. Boo, @VICE, boo!
— Justine Larbalestier (@JustineLavaworm) July 11, 2017
Vice you are being trash. Nnedi, that's horrible. (A show of that book of yours sounds incredible tho, was away so missed the announcement!)
— Louie Stowell (@Louiestowell) July 11, 2017
I thought @vicenews was supposed to be forward thinking. This is highly disappointing.
— Jessica Denson (@Newsie2) July 11, 2017
Pro-actively removed or unthinkingly cropped? Pretty poor either way
— robertsharp59 (@robertsharp59) July 11, 2017
Looking on Amazon your name is clearly there. So what's the logic? Seriously, someone had to specifically remove the name from the cover.
— John Anthony (@JohnWMAnthony) July 11, 2017
@VICE It's not 'an African sci-fi novel.' It's "Nnedi Okorafor's African sci-fi novel". Fix this please. And put her name back on her cover!
— LaShawn is doing FiMyDaNoMo (@TboneJenkins) July 11, 2017
That's pretty messed up for an industry screaming for diversity and gender equality.
— Stephen Feterowski (@Fed7277) July 11, 2017
It's marketing. They have room for one "star" in their brains. Gross. And in this case, obviously racist.
— Kevin Kautzman (@KevinKautzman) July 12, 2017
You leave her name out of the tweet AND manually crop Nnedi Okorafor's name off her own book's cover??? That's not okay literally AT ALL.
— Kayla Whaley (@PunkinOnWheels) July 11, 2017
