Paula Deen Comic Book To Live On In Wake Of Major Brand Implosion

Deen as a comic book cover girl.

Deen as a comic book cover girl.

Now that Paula Deen’s big business deals have fallen like so many dominos in the wake of her admission to using racist language, it might seem like there aren’t many companies out there eager to sell goods with her name attached. Not so in the world of comics, apparently, as one publisher says it’s going ahead with plans to release the comic book Female Force: Paula Deen in October.

Bluewater Productions announced this week that “despite the recent media hailstorm and public criticism aimed at celebrity chef Paula Deen … it will not change plans to publish its Female Force biography comic book title featuring the embattled TV personality due out this fall.”

We know what you’re thinking — are they actually standing by her or is this whole thing just an excuse to kick her while she’s down? After all, the promo photo does show her rising out of a tub of butter. Not so, the company president tells Reuters.

“We’re moving forward with this Female Force series because she fits in with women like Julia Child and Barbara Walters,” Darren Davis, Bluewater’s president tells Reuters. “We’re not going to flambé her.”

That being said, he adds in the statement:  “We do not condone her use of racial insensitivities, and think that intolerance has no place in a just society. But despite her recent failings, we also strongly believe she still has a powerful story to tell; one that fits the female empowerment model of our books.”

She’ll be in pretty famous company: Other women who have been featured in the series include Hillary Clinton, Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor, Michelle Obama, J.K. Rowling and Angelina Jolie.

Deen won’t be getting her hands dirty in the process, however, as a spokesman says that she hasn’t responded to Bluewater’s requests for help on the tome. When subjects do cooperate, the publisher usually donates around 25% of the profits to a charity of the subject’s choice.

Comic book to detail rise, fall of celebrity chef Paula Deen [Reuters]

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