Move over, Grant Morrison and Brian K. Vaughan. There’s a new tear-jerking writer in town, as the fans on Comic Bloc will attest to:
[T]hat was one of the most tragic endings of a comic book ever… and I almost cried as much as I did when I read “We3″ or “Pride of Baghdad”. SOO SAD!!!!!!!!!
What book are they talking about? What is causing such upset? Find out after the jump.
Let’s just say that the ending of DC’s recent Captain Carrot revamp haven’t gone down too well with the target audience:
“Well, that’s it … I know the mini was entitled ‘The Final Ark’ and I curse myself for not seeing this coming, but damn them for doing this. First things first, I will never understand or accept why this title had to be tied into the multiverse and the sham that is Countdown, but to have it end this way … it just craps all over yet another one of my treasured childhood memories.”
“I’m angry. I’m upset. I’m NOT impressed or happy with the fact that this ending was (reportedly) mandated from DC editorial. Kudos to Morrison & Shaw! for the work on the issues; they were - save for this ending - great, and reminscient of the 20-issue run (and three-issue Oz-Wonderland War) that I remember and loved from my ‘childhood’ (I was 12 when the series first hit the stands). If nothing else - DC just dismissed another Golden-Age character (Peter Porkchops) with absolutely no respect.”
“If someone knows the mailing address for DC Comics, PLEASE post it. I intend to write and express my horror, concern, sadness, and disappointment… and support for a resolution to this horrible fate.”
The ending in question…? Well, no-one dies, but the characters end up on regular DC Earth as regular animals. Not that that’s definitively the ending, according to co-creator Scott Shaw!:
The “ending” (and title) of CAPTAIN CARROT AND THE FINAL ARK! was handed to us by DC. I don’t see it as an ending at all; just the end of the first part of a multi-part epic. (Bill and I already have come up with a number of options with which to restore the Zoo Crew to their status quo, and we’re eager to resolve the situation with which they seem to be stuck.) Our goal (which I think we met and even surpassed) was to make CCATFA! upbeat, fun, clever, and a breath of fresh air that stands out from the all depression, darkness and death that seems to have taken over comics in recent years.
My take on it is that DC is intentionally testing the waters for MORE Zoo Crew adventures, but they want to see if the finale to CCATFA! raises enough fans’ concern that a follow-up mini-series, special, “giant” or graphic novel will sell well enough to justify it. (Our goodguy editor, Joey Cavalieri — who was extremely supportive during the creation of the mini-series — confirmed to me that he’d love to consider our proposals for follow-up projects, but only AFTER DC got some sense of the demand for a resolution to the events of CCATFA!)
In other words, Bill and I are ALL for a follow-up Captain Carrot and the Zoo Crew! project; it’s up to readers like you to help make it happen. We’d really appreciate all of your support!
Quick, get writing. Your emails and letters are the only things stopping the Captain from ending up as Zatanna’s stage bunny for the rest of his life…
December 14th, 2007 at 1:27 pm
Well, there is no story in superhero comics that can’t be undone, so I think we’ll see the Zoo Crew again some day. I’m skeptical of believing letters and cards will turn the tide, of course—at the end of the day it will be the sales figures on this miniseries that determine whether they return in the near future.
December 14th, 2007 at 1:32 pm
So basically DC wanted a giant cliff hanger to drive up demand.
It sounds like letter writing won’t help, they want sales. They want that final issue to get “I have to buy the big revalation issue” type sales.
December 14th, 2007 at 5:24 pm
Also, according to other statements both Shaw and Morrisson made, the mini actually took place on Earth C or C-Minus.
They haven’t been to Earth-26 yet.
If that info is accurate. But for that we’d need to ask either one of them.
December 14th, 2007 at 11:38 pm
…Letters? I’ve a better idea. Let’s put a few 2×4s upside Didio’s head. Perhaps *that* will get the message across that he needs to quit killing off the characters we love just so he can masturbate his ego.
December 15th, 2007 at 12:36 am
You know, I don’t like Didio’s current direction with DC, but I think we need to at least realize that besides being that lowly and hated creature know as Executive Editor, he’s also a person, who is just trying to do their job. I don’t think he’s trying to “rape” our childhoods, he’s just trying to do what he thinks will be interesting and enjoyable. Of course, and especially with this latest move (although Didio isn’t responsible for every single problem that there is with DC) he’s wrong. But seriously, can we avoid talking about smashing his face in with a giant piece of wood.
December 15th, 2007 at 2:04 am
Here’s hoping the beloved characters get the support their fans clearly think they are due. Me? I just love that Bully was the first to comment on this post.
And yea, OM, I really hope you meant
2×4-inch custom made index cards should be gently placed on Didio’s cranium, that read “Zoo Crew Must Not Be Domesticated”. Just a little reverse viral marketing there…
December 15th, 2007 at 9:21 am
I loved the ending - it was a bit different than a typical ending but it seemed like the story will continue in JLA or something…
I loved it all 3-issues and felt like I just came back from the 7-11 with a slurpee, a GI Joe comic and CCAHAZC! in tow, the writing was just like the classic series.
For the record DC, this is the first mini-series I have bought as ’singles’ in years…all because of the name from my childhood…and even though I have the originals in color, I will also buy the Showcase book when it comes out collecting the original series.
And would I be a really sorry case if I also admitted I would buy a hardcover DC Archives of this series and a full line of DC Direct action figures?
December 15th, 2007 at 2:49 pm
“Let’s put a few 2×4s upside Didio’s head.”
does anything sum up the pathetic-ness of on-line fandom today than a freakin’ Captain Carrot fan casually throwing out violent threats against a real person?
what is wrong with you?
what is wrong with all of us?
December 16th, 2007 at 9:10 pm
They’d have to take the 2×4s out of their butts first.
December 16th, 2007 at 9:20 pm
It would be best if Captain Carrot and friends never appeared in a mainstream DC comic again. Instead, have them appear in a series similar to Spidey Super Stories aimed at the kiddies.
That their characters are based on DC’s main characters would be mostly lost on the kiddies, but the sudden realization when they are older would add a bit of intrigue in their wee little brains in the stories of the real DC characters.
December 16th, 2007 at 10:42 pm
Didio was right at HeroesCon, fans would rather piss & moan on-line than write an email of rational thought or mail a letter. Proved here as most just threw off the idea of writing and then we devolve into smashing heads in. Sad.