Comic Vine News

280 Comments

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

Avatar image for syncig
SynCig

1105

Forum Posts

1

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 45

Edited By SynCig

@Impala: Ah I see. Then I agree that Red Lanterns will definitely be sticking around.

Avatar image for reignmaker
reignmaker

2484

Forum Posts

25

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 4

User Lists: 4

Edited By reignmaker

I dropped Sword of Sorcery before DC did. If Beowulf would have been the main component and Amnethyst the backup, the book would probably still be alive.

Avatar image for jonny_anonymous
Jonny_Anonymous

45773

Forum Posts

11109

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 3

User Lists: 32

Edited By Jonny_Anonymous

with every cancellation DC get's less and less diverse

Avatar image for darkmount1
Darkmount1

1535

Forum Posts

19439

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 1

User Lists: 12

Edited By Darkmount1

Man, we need somebody to take over DC editorial with one thing the current administration seems to be missing: SENSE.

Avatar image for chalkshark
chalkshark

1271

Forum Posts

407273

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 1

User Lists: 6

Edited By chalkshark

To answer your question... No, the publisher is not giving any of it's titles a decent chance at finding an audience. Constantly shifting creative teams, axing promising titles to make room on the shelves for the next "new" thing, it's just chaos. We're a year and a half into the "new" 52, and DC's line of titles is as wildly unstable as ever. At this point, I'm seriously considering dropping everything but Batman, Green Lantern, and Legion Of Super-Heroes, as they seem to be the only titles with any kind of stability in creative teams and story lines. Everything else is a dice roll.

Avatar image for scarlet_spider_forever
Scarlet_Spider_Forever

168

Forum Posts

58

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

Really sad to see Deathstroke go. Great comics

Avatar image for xblah_blahx
xblah_blahx

2893

Forum Posts

161

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

Edited By xblah_blahx

@akbogert said:

@Dark_Guyver: He's already shown up as a coming attraction in Red Hood and the Outlaws, ostensibly having agreed to take them out.

Completely forgot about that page in RHATO #16. Ill still look forward to that encounter!

Avatar image for impala
Impala

270

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

Edited By Impala

@SynCig:

Sales for December for titles below 18K mark

  • 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

And I don't see Red Lanterns being cancelled any time soon cuz sales are 39K

Avatar image for teerack
Teerack

10703

Forum Posts

1614

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 64

Edited By Teerack

Nice!

Avatar image for syncig
SynCig

1105

Forum Posts

1

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 45

Edited By SynCig

@crevicekid: Idk if this is true or not but it seems like a lot of people are picking up Red Lanterns in hopes that it will get better or so they don't miss anything Lantern related. I have no idea what the sales numbers are but it feels like a lot of people that don't really enjoy the series are still buying it. Maybe once that stops it will be cancelled. I am only picking up Green Lantern and none of the others. Big fan of the GL mythos and most of the characters but I haven't been impressed with the other series. That's just me though.

Avatar image for animehunter
animehunter

9750

Forum Posts

7141

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 5

Edited By animehunter

Except for Ravagers and Sword of Sorcery never really cared much for the others. it's just unfortunate that we don't get to see any more development of these characters: Rose Wilson, Caitlin Fairchild & Amethyst, but I hope I'm wrong and we still get to see them play a big part in some books.

Avatar image for nightfang3
NightFang3

12417

Forum Posts

399437

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 3

Edited By NightFang3

@Jonny_Anonymous said:

Wut? Are they even trying to get these books to sell any more? Team 7 just started and Deathstroke has JUST been given a new creative team. Does the Edge corner of DC comics even exist anymore?

I'm wondering that myself.

Avatar image for jameskm716
JamesKM716

2018

Forum Posts

1

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 4

Edited By JamesKM716

NO! Deathstroke, Team 7 and Sword of Sorcery?! I loved those comics. (Well the newest arc for Deathstroke)

Avatar image for dondave
dondave

41764

Forum Posts

345855

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

Edited By dondave

@Zeeguy91: he going to be writing Superboy

Avatar image for akbogert
akbogert

3323

Forum Posts

193

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 5

User Lists: 31

Edited By akbogert

@Dark_Guyver: He's already shown up as a coming attraction in Red Hood and the Outlaws, ostensibly having agreed to take them out.

Avatar image for circularlogic
CircularLogic

320

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 34

User Lists: 0

Edited By CircularLogic

Every title here deserved it unfortunately. Yeah, Jordan brought new life to Deathstroke, but the damage was done. I didn't even realize people still bought Firestorm.

In any case, Jordan's doing Superboy now, so that's cool. my main concern is who will be getting their own books when DC is reaching out for even Z-listers like Vibe to fill 52 titles. Cyborg? Martian Manhunter? Shazam? New Secret Six? The Others? I'm excited.

Avatar image for lumberjacktheripper
LumberJacktheRipper

5

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

Red Lanterns is like that d bag on survivor who never gets voted off because no one likes him and the other survivors know they can take them to the end as they won't get any votes...

Avatar image for jonny_anonymous
Jonny_Anonymous

45773

Forum Posts

11109

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 3

User Lists: 32

Edited By Jonny_Anonymous

Wut? Are they even trying to get these books to sell any more? Team 7 just started and Deathstroke has JUST been given a new creative team. Does the Edge corner of DC comics even exist anymore?

Avatar image for haydenclaireheroes
haydenclaireheroes

12525

Forum Posts

8572

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 1207

User Lists: 14

Not really surprised by the titles cancelled. Can't wait to see what comics takes their place

Avatar image for noj
noj

1400

Forum Posts

1

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 13

User Lists: 0

Edited By noj

Sucks for fans of those books but I really hope whatever is replacing them will be awesome. Hopefully one of them is the rumored JLI relaunch with R.B Silva and Snyder's Superman book may be coming sooner rather than later. I would also love a new Booster Gold series.

Avatar image for outside_85
Outside_85

23518

Forum Posts

18735

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 39

User Lists: 1

Edited By Outside_85

Pleased that Dial H and Demon Knights endure, not bothered by these looses.

Less pleased that they cant give a decent explanation for why they needed WTF gimmick to begin with.

Avatar image for the_tree
the_tree

8456

Forum Posts

28513

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 2

User Lists: 14

Edited By the_tree

Sad to see Team 7 go, I mean, s###, it's only had five issues. At least Justin Jordan has a place on Superboy, though. That may give me an actual reason to check the series out.

Avatar image for zeeguy91
Zeeguy91

1625

Forum Posts

16

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 10

User Lists: 0

Edited By Zeeguy91

All I'm saying is that Jordan better be given another book and Deathstroke better still be around. Maybe they could give Suicide Squad over to Justin.

Avatar image for xblah_blahx
xblah_blahx

2893

Forum Posts

161

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

Edited By xblah_blahx

I wonder where Deathstroke will be ending up. Hopefully in the pages of Noghtwing.

Avatar image for impala
Impala

270

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

Edited By Impala

So it comes to total 8 with DC Universe Presents and I,Vampire

Avatar image for deactivated-62dfe515b2439
deactivated-62dfe515b2439

430

Forum Posts

3

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

@crevicekid said:

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

That mentality is exactly why its still hanging around.

Avatar image for rixec
Rixec

463

Forum Posts

3

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 14

User Lists: 0

Edited By Rixec

Aw man; I'm losing Team 7, Ravagers, and Sword of Sorcery.

Avatar image for crevicekid
crevicekid

14

Forum Posts

410

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

Edited By crevicekid

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

Avatar image for zeeguy91
Zeeguy91

1625

Forum Posts

16

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 10

User Lists: 0

Edited By Zeeguy91

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

Avatar image for icarusflies77
Icarusflies

13296

Forum Posts

43217

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 14

User Lists: 14

Edited By Icarusflies  Moderator

Wow! I'm surprised by Team 7 and Sword of Sorcery, but I can't say I'll actually miss any of the cancelled titles.

Excited to see what will replace 'em.