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Six DC Titles Canceled, Major Shift In Creative Teams

Bob Harras and Bobbie Chase discuss the latest changes being made at DC Comics.

In a recent interview DC's Senior Vice President Bob Harras and Editorial Director Bobbie Chase revealed that five DC Comics titles are being canceled and that there will be major changes made to the creative teams. Based on the information released earlier, SAVAGE HAWKMAN, TEAM 7, FURY OF THE FIRESTORM, DEATHSTROKE, RAVAGERS, and SWORD OF SORCERY are all being canceled.

BATWING cover by Ken Lashley
BATWING cover by Ken Lashley

Some of these titles were launched relatively recently following the previous round of cancelations by DC, so the question remains, did the publisher really give these series a chance to blossom and thrive, or were they eliminated prematurely?

According to Chase and Harras, although SAVAGE HAWKMAN and DEATHSTROKE are two titles that are being canceled, we will continue to see these characters in the DC Universe in the future. For example, Hawkman will appear in JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA.

Cancelations are not where it ends, however. The heads of DC revealed that there would be major shifts made to creative teams, as well. Many creators who are seeing their titles come to an end (Christy Marx and SWORD OF SORCERY, for example) will be moving on to other titles.

According to the interview writer Michael Alan Nelson will be taking over SUPERGIRL from Mike Johnson. Writer Tom DeFalco is being replaced by Justin Jordan (DEATHSTROKE), and Jimmy Palmiotti and Justin Gray are both moving to BATWING. Additionally, Sterling Gates (SUPERGIRL) will be taking over THE JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA'S VIBE for writer Andrew Kreisberg starting with issue #4.

DC is also rolling out "WTF Certified" where the publisher will push things to the limit. You can see the first "WTF Certified" moment this April.

What do you think of the news? Were you reading any of the series that have been canceled? Are you looking forward to seeing the changes made to any of these creative teams?

Source: CBR

280 Comments

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MyComicStoreDotNET

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Quite a few cancels, can't wait to see the new titles!

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deactivated-5a82f294c6df1

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How about they cancel Batwing instead Sword of Sorcery? Seriously Sword of Sorcery is being awesome and it's too recent to cancel. Batwing has been a boring piece of crap since day one.

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Black_Claw

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Edited By Black_Claw

And yet another Young Justice book cancelled. Why is DC screwing up chances for the teen heroes to shine?!

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kagato

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Edited By kagato

Red Lanterns, Stormwatch and Batwing really need to go, i feel they have all been living on borrowed time, uninteresting characters, lack of interesting enemies to battle or any chemistry between their extended cast, surely they all have to be in the next round?

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Agent_Prince

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Edited By Agent_Prince

Good article, very informative and to the point too. It is a shame when books get cancelled (happening a lot at DC), but these cancellations don't surprise me

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Avengers_4everXX

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Edited By Avengers_4everXX

@hazmat103: It's a Batman title they won't cancel it no matter how bad the sales are. Thus why Batwing stays even though it's sales are lower than some of the cancelled titles, and of much worse quality.

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Jenkale

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Edited By Jenkale

im official done with dc. this is ridiculous. crap like green arrow keeps getting a chance but books like sword of sorcery that has been good from the start and sales well you drop? they obviously arent basing this on sales because they have plenty of other books that sale either the same or less so what is their problem? this limiting to 52 titles gimmick is so annoying. bye bye dc, see you if and when you ever get your act together

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Impala

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Edited By Impala

@Perfect 10: As of this month Green Arrow will be very good if not superb with jeff lemire on it. And 4 of this 6 were lowest selling. And i don't consider 2-3 books as plenty.

December Sales:

  • Legion of Superheroes – 16.9K
  • Dial H – 16.2K
  • Ravagers – 16.1K
  • Stormwatch – 15.4K
  • Team 7 – 15.3K
  • Demon Knights – 15.1K
  • Batwing – 14.7K
  • Sword of Sorcery – 13.8K
  • Hawkman – 13.6K
  • Deathstroke 13.5K
  • Firestorm – 12K
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Bitchgurl

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Edited By Bitchgurl

Only affects Deathstroke for me, though still  love the guy. 
 
Hope he shows up in Batman.

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Signs

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Edited By Signs

I hope they give John Stewart his own series green lantern corps suck had to drop it.

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BatWatch

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Edited By BatWatch

@cagedleo730: Well, I guess that's true, but the impression I get is that unless you are a real big name, DC will usually put you on a title for an arch and then pick you up if it does well. I knew Fabian had not been promised anything, but I was hoping it would turn in to something.

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BatWatch

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Edited By BatWatch

@Impala said:

@BatWatch: It's not like this books are cancelled immediately they all were solicited for April so they can surely finish this arc on Ravagers

Well, I am sure they will finish out the arc. I'm just saying it was too bad it did not go longer since the new writer was doing well.

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jstndmnd

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Edited By jstndmnd

I am just looking forward to Superboy's new writer. So much potential with the character but none of the writers seem to have found it yet. It looks like Justin is going to take a darker approach with Superboy.

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depinrock3587

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Edited By depinrock3587

Go batwing go !!!

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00 Raiser

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Edited By 00 Raiser

Batwing looks WICKED!

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Zoch81

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Edited By Zoch81

lm little sad see Team 7 and Ravagers getting cancelled but other hand Im glad there going be new writer on Superboy the book needed a new direction Im not sure why Supergirl needed new writer have wait and see.

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RayeGunn

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Edited By RayeGunn

Sad to see some of these go, but it's not unexpected, if they're not selling, they're not selling... I think Sword of Sorcery and Team 7 could have been given more time, but realistically I know they probably weren't going to find the readers they needed any time soon. :-/

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hamlet33

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Edited By hamlet33

Nooooo not Deathstroke! oh well. At least Suicide Squad and Red Hood and The Outlaws arent on the chopping block just yet...

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thatlad

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Edited By thatlad

this wtf thing is a really really awful idea. The best selling comics tend to be "good writer, agood story" gimmicks don't sell long term. Eg there were loads of holy shit moments in hickmans ff run but I stayed in that book because of the smaller character driven moments. I remember Ben and Johnny look thru the barrier more fondly than the oncoming horde of annihalus

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TheMess1428

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Edited By TheMess1428
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TommytheHitman

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Edited By TommytheHitman

Damn Deathstroke's ending. HEY LIEFELD FANS don't you find it weird how every title Liefeld has written since the New 52 began has gotton cancelled?

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RedLanternRage81

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Edited By RedLanternRage81

I like the Red Lantern Title... They are the yin and yang of the Green Lanterns. The only title I read was Savage Hawkman, Carter Hall is a bad ass.The other ones i dont know much about, but I hate to see any title go.

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Spawn92

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Edited By Spawn92

Im getting really fed up with DCs cancellation spree. Some of these books will have LESS than 10 issues when they get cancelled. The only book Im reading right now is Green Arrow anyways.

Im not giving DC a chance until they give their characters and creative teams a chance.

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slade_wilson

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Edited By slade_wilson

We need a Red Robin title ASAP. I'm over my title getting canceled. Leifeld killed it and there was not enough time for Jordan to resurrect it despite the fantastic past three issues.

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Hanson724

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Edited By Hanson724

@braynehurricane said:

@crevicekid said:

I wonder when Red Lanterns will finally get the chop? I only get it so I don't miss anything Lantern related.

@millennium said:

how did red lanterns, dial h, and gi combat not get on the list

For all of you asking about Red Lanterns - it's selling at around 40K. That's about three times as much as most of these listed. It economically makes sense to keep the book around. Though I agree it's a very mediocre book and I'd much rather have seen that gone (and potentially replaced with a better Lantern spin-off) than Sword of Sorcery which I liked quite a bit and is being cut very short.

I love the Red Lanterens. Atrocitus is a great character and its a different take on the Lantern universe. I'm surprised at all the hate but to each their own. Sword of Sorcery would have done much better at $2.99. I bought the first two issues and liked them but couldn't spent the $4 on it after that I mean is it as good as Batman? Justice League? Probably not. Having said all that yeah...DC needs to focus on content and not their amount of books theyre trying to keep up with.Katana? Nocenti killed Catwoman so I don't have much faith it will last. Vibe feels the same DOA. However I can't wait for JLA so what do I know? :))

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Avenging-X-Bolt

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Edited By Avenging-X-Bolt

@Signs said:

I hope they give John Stewart his own series green lantern corps suck had to drop it.

GL Corps is getting a new creative team soon so you might be able to pick it up

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Dman1366

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Edited By Dman1366

So they are basically getting rid of every Wildstorm book. fck that. I hope that they replace these with gen 13 and w.i.l.dcats

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JakeN7

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Edited By JakeN7

@Zeeguy91 said:

Seriously?? Both of Justin Jordan's books are being cancelled????!!! Why??!

Because he's taking over writing duties on both Superboy and Green Lantern: New Guardians. Also, poor sales.

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Zeeguy91

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Edited By Zeeguy91

@JakeN7 said:

@Zeeguy91 said:

Seriously?? Both of Justin Jordan's books are being cancelled????!!! Why??!

Because he's taking over writing duties on both Superboy and Green Lantern: New Guardians. Also, poor sales.

thanks, but I already got like ten other replies explaining.

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JakeN7

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Edited By JakeN7

@TommytheHitman said:

Damn Deathstroke's ending. HEY LIEFELD FANS don't you find it weird how every title Liefeld has written since the New 52 began has gotton cancelled?

Liefeld still has fans? Since when?

@Zeeguy91 said:

@JakeN7 said:

@Zeeguy91 said:

Seriously?? Both of Justin Jordan's books are being cancelled????!!! Why??!

Because he's taking over writing duties on both Superboy and Green Lantern: New Guardians. Also, poor sales.

thanks, but I already got like ten other replies explaining.

Yeah I figured. Oh well. lol.