Last week Executive Editor Dan DiDio revealed that DC Comics is canceling Blue Beetle, a move made official on Monday with the release of February solicitations.
Not to be outdone, Marvel on Tuesday announced the cancellation of She-Hulk. Again. But at least the publisher did so with humor: “She’s been savage. She’s been sensational. She’s been an avenger. She’s been a lawyer. She’s been a bounty-hunter. But there’s one thing She-Hulk has always been, in all of her many series … cancelled. But it hasn’t stopped her yet!”
On his blog, She-Hulk writer Peter David responded to the news in similar fashion:
I’ve known about it for a couple months but didn’t say anything because I’m not big on making with the bad news.
I have to admit, I’m shocked. Shocked. The market has always been so supportive of books with female leads, and She-Hulk has never had a title canceled out from under her before, so I could never have seen this coming.
Writer John Rogers, who co-created Jaime Reyes, had a more … pointed … reaction to the cancellation of Blue Beetle:
Wow. It’s almost as if basing your entire business model around a series of must-buy big event crossovers in a market with limited purchasing resources hurts your midlist.
Although I’ve gotten some outraged e-mails from fans, I have to say this isn’t unexpected. Both DC and Marvel are in a weird place right now — are they publishing companies in a dying market or IP companies in a growing one? The answers to these questions demand different strategies, neither of which are necessarily the best circumstances for the creative participants.
Rogers then goes on to ponder creator ownership, digital distribution and the serialized comics format. It’s an interesting read.
(Rogers link via Dirk Deppey)
November 19th, 2008 at 12:19 pm
From John Rogers:
“But it seems damn silly to bend storytelling to a format sold almost exclusively in low-attendance, often creepy specialty shops scattered across the nation.”
Geez…I feel for the guy, but does he have to insult the entire comics retail landscape? Way to generate good will toward his future web-based projects!
I know we hear every day how the internet is going to revolutionize storytelling, revitalize the comic artform, put a chicken in every pot, etc….but it’s time for the disgruntled (Rogers) and the arrogant (Robert Kirkman) to put their money where their mouths are and bring about this brave new world. Until they actually take some risks and make some serious investments, it’s all just talk.
November 19th, 2008 at 12:20 pm
I don’t know if I have ever been so sad about the cancellation of a title. I’ve always jokingly referred to She-hulk as one of the two best books that no one read, but I never realized how true it was. What’s especially aggravating is that Jeph Loeb’s horrible, horrible Hulk book is still going (and selling like gangbusters).
I’m off to shoot a pleading, yet ultimately impotent and pointless e-mail to Marvel’s editorial.
November 19th, 2008 at 12:57 pm
Seems that Marvel is being rather flippant as well as a bit stealthy in announcing this cancellation. At least Didio was the bearer of bad news himself and seems genuine unhappy that this happened.
November 19th, 2008 at 2:01 pm
“At least Didio was the bearer of bad news himself and seems genuine unhappy that this happened.”
Buh?
November 19th, 2008 at 2:07 pm
“Geez…I feel for the guy, but does he have to insult the entire comics retail landscape?”
Given that the distribution channels for traditional comics are a dead-end (small and shrinking), yes, he does.
Remember, the direct market IS NOT THE BE ALL AND END ALL of distribution. It’s dwarfed by the bookstore channels–which, in and of themselves, are in trouble and shrinking. Anyone with ANY intelligence and business sense at all (which probably excludes 90% of the internet fans) is going to change their focus to some distribution channels that aren’t in trouble.
November 19th, 2008 at 2:31 pm
“(T)there’s one thing She-Hulk has always been, in all of her many series … cancelled.”
Only in comics would this not be a conclusive argument for dropping the character and making up something new.
November 19th, 2008 at 2:32 pm
P.S. The Blue Beetle writer shows remarkable arrogance in blaming other people for the fact that “our version” didn’t sell too well.
November 19th, 2008 at 9:09 pm
So, how long before Ms. Marvel gets the axe?