Earlier today a source revealed that Marvel's ongoing X-23 title has been canceled by the publisher. The news comes on the heels of a string of cancelled books from the publisher including ALPHA FLIGHT, VICTOR VON DOOM and the DESTROYERS. These cancelations were a result of, according to Marvel Editor-in-Chief Axel Alonso in a recent Q and A, "new budgetary mandates" which forced Alonso and his team to "rethink the strategy."
Looking at the solicits to the upcoming February 2012 X-Men titles, X-23 is clearly missing, and according to a previously released solicit for issue #20, the issue will have the character returning to Utopia to decide whether or not she will take part in Regenesis. Whether X-23's title is missing for this very reason or not, remains to be seen. Will her book end now that she will be joining AVENGERS ACADEMY starting with issue #24 as well as a VENOM miniseries? We reached out to the series' writer Marjorie Liu to ask about the book's status, and are still awaiting her response to the news. As of last week, Liu reported on her blog that she is presently working on the lettering for X-23 #19 as well as two projects she cannot yet disclose.
The reveal that X-23 may be canceled is somewhat shocking considering the title sold fairly well compared to other Marvel books like AVENGERS ACADEMY and X-FACTOR. What do you think of the news? Have you been reading X-23? Will you be sad to see the title go?