Even though it's the 2nd week in February, DC is doing some spring cleaning in its "New 52" universe. Between April & May, 8 "New 52" books are being cancelled.
In April:
I, Vampire gets staked after 19 issues. Maybe turning Andrew Bennett evil, while Mary Seward, formerly Mary, Queen of Blood, regained her humanity, wasn't the smartest idea after all. Nothing says jump the shark quite as succinctly, don't you think?
DC Universe Presents ends after 19 issues. More proof that the anthology format just isn't manageable in this day and age. May's cut list brings another example........
Sword of Sorcery, revived in September as a home for 80's heroine Amethyst, Princess of Gemworld, and written by TV & comics veteran Christy Marx, ends after 8 issues. DC finds out again that a double-size anthology series, priced at $3.99 per issue, just won't sell. If you missed out, don't despair, there will be a trade paperback likely out before the end of the summer.
As for the rest of the May cuts:
The Savage Hawkman, Deathstroke, & Fury of Firestorm, The Nuclear Men all end with issue 20. Former boy genius Rob Liefeld had been attached to the first two as of last year, when his first "New 52" books bit the dust. Hawkman will be part of the new Justice League of America (separate from the other Justice League), debuting later this month. Firestorm & Deathstroke will turn up again elsewhere in due course. In fact......
Team 7, Deathstroke's other series, ends with issue 8. The former Image property didn't catch on at all. One gets the feeling that the lone remaining book that crossed over from Image, Stormwatch, being shoehorned retroactively into DC history, per a coming storyline in All Star Western, isn't long for this world, either, and will likely take All Star Western, Jonah Hex's current home and the lone anthology still being published, with it when it does go. The Ravagers, which features another Image refugee in Caitlin Fairchild (formerly of Gen13), is also gone in May, but bank on Fairchild, Beast Boy, et al, to hook up with the Teen Titans ere long.
In semi-related news, Cartoon Network confirmed what a lot of fans had suspected might happen, opting not to renew Young Justice & Green Lantern, clearing room for Teen Titans Go! & Beware the Batman, rather than let all 4 series air together in an expanded DC Nation block. Expect the current comics based on the Young Justice & Green Lantern cartoons to be gone as well, probably by the end of the summer for the same reason.
As long as this summer's mega-event, built around the Justice League & Phantom Stranger, among others, doesn't affect the lone DC book I'm still reading, All-Star Western, I'm happy. Otherwise, I'm going to do some trimming of my own. Stay tooned.
2 comments:
I knew the YJ tie-in comic had been discontinued (it was announced about 2 months ago), many fans of the show suspected the end was coming for the TV series as well. Personally I'm disappointed at CN's decision, as YJ was one of the best shows they have right now, and to kill it and Green Lantern just to make room for the two other DC shows is stupid. There's room for all 4 shows I think.
Currently there is a petition drive to get CN to reconsider, although from what I have heard, Weisman has moved on to other projects. He knew about CN's decision months ago.
I hope that Greg Weisman plans on bringing more YJ action in the form of DTVs.
Ironic Amythyst didn't do well, her DC Nation shorts have received good reviews and for a while people thought it was worth resurrecting as a fully fledged series.
In my heart, Clark Kent/Superman will always be with Lois Lane! I think a Wondy/Batman romance might have been more interesting.
Hmm, I seem to have forgotten about YJ being cut from the comics roster, too.
Part of the prob with Amethyst/Sword of Sorcery was people had already decided they weren't spending $4 a month on a book with 2 features, as two war anthologies had bitten the dust before Sword came out. Even having Christy Marx writing (and she's moving to Birds of Prey, BTW) didn't help sales, given her rep with fans.
I too think Superman & Lois are meant to be. It's just a case of Dan Dorkio & Geoff Johns deciding to one-up Joey Quesadilla over at Marvel (after breaking up Spider-Man & MJ in the books). My local shop owner is not digging the changes on the GL books, fearing a drop in sales.
Of course, the way they're doing things now, with Supes & Wonder Woman, maybe Batman can date Zatanna........
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