Among the responses were some from fellow creators, including writer James Tynion IV, who said on Twitter, "I can’t in good faith support new work by Warren Ellis, and so I won’t. I’m disappointed in Image for publishing it."
Last July, a site called So Many of Us, which identified itself as "a collective of people who have been targeted and manipulated by Warren Ellis, the author" published a statement and testimonials from some of their group, which numbered 62. In it, the group described Ellis’s actions and urged change. Among the steps the group offered as a path forward was the suggestion that some of the group were open to a "mediated transformative justice action" with Ellis.
On Wednesday, the group published a new statement indicating that Ellis had not contacted the group in the 11 months since the original statement was published, and once again urging him to engage. "Today, as Ellis returns to comics without making amends to anyone involved in SoManyOfUs.com or accepting the ramifications of his actions, the renewal of ardent public support alongside calls for accountability is reassuring," the group wrote. "We reaffirm our call for Warren Ellis to earn the opportunity to become the man so many people believed him to be."
Late Thursday, Ellis sent an Orbital Operations email to his 23,000 name list in which he indicated that he had just become aware of the offer and had responded indicating his willingness to participate. A post on the SoManyofUs site confirmed his contact.
In addition to again apologizing for his conduct in the past, Ellis also apologized for the reveal of Fell, citing his failure to alert Templesmith that he "still had work to do" to address his past, and to work with Image to make sure they were similarly aware that work remained before they were put in a position of publicly associating themselves with the book. "This is another example of my lousy judgment," Ellis wrote. "I now add both him [Templesmith], and Image, to the list of apologies I owe."
In the wake of the reaction and the latest developments, it’s unclear whether Fell will return, and if so, when. A collection of the first eight issues was released in April of 2007 (see "’Fell: Feral City’ Trade Paperback"). A ninth issue was released in 2008, and no further issues were published.
