http://www.ifanboy.com/content/articles/Confirmed__DC_Cancels_Seven_Ongoing_Titles

Thanks to Rafael Sanz for pointing out the Ifanboy article above.

This is really sad because I think these are 7 really strong and diverse titles.

Doom Patrol – This is a title that only got better over time. The opportunity to see how the Chief messed with the heads of his team and that they eventually broke away from that really connected me to this group. As Giffen started to really spotlight the characters, I really started to love this twisted little title. Matthew Clark has been fantastic on art. It brought in some of the coolness of the Morrison run while bringing in all of the nutty history of the Doom Patrol. This book made sense of it all and made you see how these characters work in a modern setting. Negative Man was my personal favorite character in this book. Although the issues involving the betrayal of Elasti Girl by Steve Dayton and the Chief were really stellar.

JSA All Stars – Freddie E. Williams II is a long time friend of the show and amazing artist. I love the Vertigo and Shadowpact work of Matthew Sturgis. This team has been really interesting to follow. It started off with Magog and Power Girl breaking off into a strike force. This team was having a tough time adjusting to Magog. As a reader, this book and Magog’s solo title seemed to mirror each other in the development of the character. Seeing the rest of the JSA react to Magog in a way that I was feeling added a sense of realism to the book. When he eventually was booted from the team, they grew together as a family and we saw the return of favorites like Atom Smasher and Sand. It also led to the intro of cool character Anna Fortune who has a rich connection to Dr. Fate. As the team came together and grew closer, so did my connection to the title.

R.E.B.E.L.S.- This book is pure classic Space Opera. Issue after issue was filled with intrigue and political drama. I love the sense of an expanded DCU that I got from this title. Tony Bedard did some amazing work at Valiant with Rai and Magnus and it just felt right. I was really sold on this with the Starro Annual came out. Something about that issue just “clicked” what this series was all about. I was a big fan of the minis put together by Jim Starlin so when charcters such as Captain Comet and Adam Strange started to pop into the book, my enjoyment just increased.

Freedom Fighters – It’s an amazing title by the writing team and colorist of Jonah Hex. I am baffled by this one due to how early in the series it is. It seems too soon to cancel it. I genuinely recommend seeking out the minis that preceeded this series and the issues so far. Uncle Sam and the Freedom Fighters show us a dark side to the DCU where we often wonder how they are going to survive, much less win the battle. There is something interesting about the idea that there are secret weapons hidden from various eras in a conspiracy to bring down our country. This has one of those who can you trust flavors and what mysteries are still to come.

Azrael – I have to admit that I don’t pay much attention to sales numbers. I buy what I enjoy and hope the series lasts. With this being a Bat related title, I thought it would be safe. This reminded me of what I liked about the great Simon Dark series. It showed us a different take on Batman’s work. It also reminded us why Gotham City is still a battle against some of the darkest forces. I really liked the focus on religion and how faith means we can’t always confirm what is fact. This is another series that I think needs to be read as a whole to be appreciated for what it is. Fabian Nicieza and then David Hine really did a great job with this one and took some cool risks. It always had some fantastic art as well.

Batman : Streets of Gotham- I was kind of assuming it would be ending after the Heart of Hush follow up. I am sad to see Dini without a Batman title. His work has been very solid. I hope we see some minis from him when his schedule loosens up. I am glad he is still on Zatanna. When they announced all the new Batman titles. It seemed like this one was being set aside. I think this one had nothing to do with sales numbers. As I said, I hope we get Dini back on a Bat title at some point.

Batman Confidential-I adored Legends of the Dark Knight and this series had much of the same flavor. It’s always nice to have a Batman ongoing that just focuses on telling interesting Batman stories that aren’t trapped by continuity. I also think it gives the creative teams a chance to play around with the whole Bat Universe and have some fun with it. I felt this title was always a solid read with some arcs being real stand outs.

I like my reading library diverse and it’s always sad to see titles that add to that being cancelled. These are all books I genuinely got enjoyment from. I look forward to seeing the next projects from the creators involved.

By DrNorge

3 thoughts on “DC Cancels Seven Ongoing Titles: Shout out to Ifanboy”
  1. Very disappointed on the Batman titles going, I agree with your comments on Confidential.
    Some of the best story’s have come out of that book, the resent one with the Blackhawks being a classic.

    JSA All stars has become my number one JSA book over the last few months, with some fantastic character driven story’s. I cannot imagine what they are going to do with the characters now, there is surly too many to go back into the JSA book?
    Perhaps Power Girl will stick with JLI and that will become a ongoing we can only hope, but I fear for the likes of Roxy, King Chimera, Anna Fortune and Tom Cat who all fitted in this book and still had back story’s to explore.

    The others I didn’t pick up so I cannot comment on, but I have heard good things about all the books especially R.E.B.E.L.S, so if they have been cancelled purely due to sales it is a disappointing move by DC.

  2. I will say I will miss Doom Patrol however I cannot say the same about the other titles except maybe REBELS.

    Azrael was too heavy and the religious overtones just turned people off in droves. Good riddance. Art work at times in this one was terrible as well.

    JSA All Stars. I am sorry but these characters just dont mean anything to the big DC picture. Plus I could do without Power Girl altogether. The Magog issues are the kiss of death. this character plain sucks. The art work however was great. No loss here.

    Freedom Fighters. If this title had not begun in the first place would it have made a difference?? Nope. Uncle Sam and the gang are back to the boneyard and hoperfully do not surface for another 20 yrs. A fun read here but dead from issue one.

    The Bat books. Lets face it the Bat family is waaaaaay too bloated right now and almost confusing to the entry level comic fan. What to buy? Entry level buyers didnt know what was relevant and what wasnt. Some had to go..and they can still cut more as it is. Red Robin, and Batgirl need to disappear as well. Sorry to offend but guys too much non relevant bat crap out there. Trim the fat and cut it to three titles. Dini needs to get on one of the core titles though. Great stuff from him

    Doom Patrol and REBELS I will miss. I dont think they hit a big enough audience but these were quality books I will miss em.

    Sorry to be sacreligious but some of these cuts were needed!!

    I am out.

  3. We’re going to have to agree to disagree here on the cuts being “needed”. First of all, you are welcome to your opinion on what you like and don’t like. With the amount of product available, we are all bound to have different opinions and I do get interested in different viewpoints such as yours.

    My question is why would you applaud or want less choice on the comic market place? If you don’t like it, don’t read it. I don’t see how that translates into “needing to be cut”.

    Red Robin and Batgirl are brilliant. Are you really saying that you want all book in the Batman universe to only feature Batman? Tim Drake has a rich history of consistently having his own book and it has always been a solid seller. To say that his book should be cancelled is just baffling to me. If you aren’t reading Batgirl, you should try it. It’s one of the really more exciting and enjoyable newer titles that DC has published. The writing is top notch and the character is just plain fun. There is nothing cookie cutter about it.

    Your comments are very confusing because it seems like you firmly feel that comic racks should have less choice and diversity and that to me is really a sad viewpoint. Comic books are about artistic creativity and to imply that there should be only books on the shelf that cater to one type of fan really makes no sense.

    If Freedom Fighters were never published, would it matter? I adored both minis and love the current series. If they never published another issue, I would be glad for my time spent with these characters so it matters to me.

    The bat family is way too bloated? You are clearly reading different titles than I am. I think this is the most creative the bat books have been in years.

    When I walk into a comic shop, can I buy everything on the shelf? No way! Does that mean that those books need to be cut? That’s just plain silly. Bring on the diversity and choice in comics.

    Again, I have no issue on what books you like or dislike. The great thing about variety is that there is something for everyone. It’s sad when truly unique titles are cancelled because it takes away from some of the choice available when you walk into a comic shop. That is a tragedy.

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