Comic Book Publisher Ends Relationship With Vendor Over Marriage Equality

On Tuesday independent comic book publisher Oni Press announced that the company will stop purchasing office and packaging materials from ULine due to their ties with Family-PAC, a political organization which has tried to block marriage equality in the state of Illinois.

In a statement signed by the company's staff, including its publisher Joe Nozemack and Editor in Chief James Lucas Jones, Oni said, "Everyone is entitled to their opinion and beliefs, but it is also up to us whether or not we choose to support them. We choose instead to support our readers, creators, and employees regardless of their gender identity, race, or sexual orientation which is why effective immediately, we are severing all ties with ULine and pursuing a relationship with a local vendor."

ULine is controlled by Richard Uihlein, who, according to Crain's Chicago Business, is one of Illinois's most prolific Republican contributors. He has contributed to Family-PAC, which targeted robocalls against proponents of marriage equality, like, Rep. Mike Smiddy, as well as the Illinois Family Institute, another state-wide conservative group.

"While our professional relationship with ULine has been a prosperous one," stated Oni, "the fact that Family-PAC is funded in part by ULine's CEO, Robert Uihlein, is information we simply cannot abide or ignore."