There is no single answer to whether you should keep reading Neil Gaiman. Allegations reported by Tortoise Media and New York Magazine, Gaiman’s denial, and the dismissal of three related lawsuits are distinct facts—not a verdict readers can simply inherit. The decision may depend on what you want from a particular work, how comfortable you feel reading it now, and whether the way you access it fits your values.
What was reported—and what Gaiman has said
Allegations against Gaiman first became public through reporting by Tortoise Media in 2024, according to the Associated Press. In January 2025, New York Magazine published an investigation featuring allegations from eight women. The AP described those allegations as accounts of sexual misconduct and reported that Gaiman denied engaging in non-consensual sexual activity.
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Gaiman renewed his denial in a February 2, 2026 post on his website, writing: “The allegations against me are completely and simply untrue.” That is his stated position; it is not independent corroboration. The allegations, in turn, should be attributed to the people who made them and the outlets that reported them, rather than presented as findings by a court.
What the dismissed lawsuits do—and do not—establish
On February 9, 2026, the Associated Press reported that federal judges had dismissed three lawsuits connected to Scarlett Pavlovich’s allegations about events in New Zealand. The reported outcome is that those lawsuits were dismissed. It does not, by itself, establish that a court determined the truth or falsity of all the allegations made publicly about Gaiman. Nor should dismissal be described as an exoneration.
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That distinction matters when deciding what to read: a legal disposition has a defined scope, while the public record includes allegations and responses that are not all resolved by the reported dismissals. The AP account does not establish a judicial finding on the broader set of public allegations.
Can you still read Neil Gaiman?
Yes. Choosing to read a book is a personal decision, not a declaration that allegations are true or false, and not an obligation to take a public position. You can also decide not to read him, to pause, or to approach different works differently. A decision made for your own comfort and values does not need to serve as a universal rule for other readers.
It may help to separate a few questions that can otherwise blur together:
- Do I want to read this work now? You may still feel curious about a story, or find that the allegations have made reading it uncomfortable. Either response is a sufficient reason to continue or stop.
- Am I comfortable buying a new copy? A direct purchase may feel different from borrowing a book or choosing a used copy. These are different ways to access a work, not guarantees about who benefits financially from any particular edition or transaction.
- Does the format change my decision? Gaiman’s work includes prose and comics, among other forms. You might feel differently about a specific book, a comic, or an adaptation; choosing one format does not settle the wider ethical question.
- Am I reading from enjoyment, curiosity, or pressure? You do not have to finish a book—or begin one—to prove that your view is thoughtful.
Is it possible to separate the art from the artist?
There is no neutral formula that makes this choice for everyone. Some readers can attend to a story while holding the allegations and Gaiman’s denial in mind. Others find that knowledge changes the experience so much that the work no longer feels enjoyable or worth their attention. And some draw a line not at reading, but at buying new work.
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Rather than asking whether art can always be separated from its creator, ask what separation would mean in your own case. Is it enough to read a copy you already own? Would borrowing or buying used feel different? Do you want to revisit a work you remember fondly, or would that make the experience harder? These questions clarify your own boundary without requiring you to resolve facts that remain contested in public reporting.
How the publishing response fits in
In January 2025, Dark Horse said, as quoted by the AP: “Dark Horse takes seriously the allegations against Neil Gaiman and we are no longer publishing his works.” Publishers Weekly reported on January 15, 2025, that HarperCollins had no new Gaiman books scheduled at that time. The latter was a dated report about scheduled books, not confirmation of the publisher’s current policy. Neither report establishes the present status of every publishing or adaptation relationship.
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These responses may matter to readers weighing the wider cultural consequences of continuing to engage with an author’s work. They do not decide whether a particular book is meaningful to you, and a publisher’s action should not be mistaken for a court’s finding.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Making the choice concrete
Coraline and The Sandman are among the works named in the AP’s reporting. If one specific title is the question in front of you, consider it on its own terms rather than treating reading Gaiman as an all-or-nothing commitment. You might read a copy you already have, borrow one from a library, choose a used copy, seek out an adaptation, or decide that you would rather not engage with it. None of those options needs to be framed as a complete ethical solution.
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You can revisit your decision later. Reading now does not require you to defend every choice you make in the future, and pausing does not require you to settle what you might feel about the work years from now.
Quick Recap
Sources and dates
- The Associated Press reported on January 15, 2025, on allegations first emerging through Tortoise Media and on New York Magazine’s investigation, as well as Gaiman’s denial.
- The Associated Press reported on January 27, 2025, that Dark Horse would no longer publish Gaiman’s works.
- Publishers Weekly reported on January 15, 2025, that HarperCollins had no new Gaiman books scheduled at that time.
- Gaiman’s website published his renewed denial on February 2, 2026.
- The Associated Press reported on February 9, 2026, that federal judges had dismissed three lawsuits connected to Pavlovich’s allegations.
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