Yesterday we reported on the shake-up in DC's LEGION LOST series -- writer Fabian Nicieza stepped down from the series and it was revealed that former Marvel Editor Tom DeFalco would take on writing duties for the book beginning with the series' 7th issue. Today, DC announced yet another shake-up on another New 52 title. According to the Source, FIRESTORM writer Gail Simone will be stepping down from the book and that the 6th issue will be her last. Writing FIRESTORM beginning with the series' seventh issue will be writer Joe Harris and Ethan Van Sciver will act as co-writer. Sciver plans to draw and co-write the two part story arc (issues #7 and 8) and artist Yildiray Cinar will take over interiors of the book starting with issue #9.

So what's in store for Firestorm duo Ronnie and Jason? According to DC, the characters will be dealing with the repercussions of wielding their colossal power. Can you image having more than just your hormones to deal with as a teenager? No, thanks. The new creative team will launch a new story arc, "The Firestorm Protocols," which, according to the book's editor Rachel Gluckstern, will take the characters into the "arena of politics and power." What could that mean?

As for Simone, she'll be focusing all of her energy on Barbara Gordon's ongoing series, BATGIRL -- at least for now. What do you think of the shake-up on FIRESTORM? Are you looking forward to the changes being brought on by the Joe Harris and Ethan Van Sciver creative team? Have you been reading the series? Check out two inked pages from the upcoming December issue of Firestorm, below.

Source: DC Source

i hope this was planned all along and not Gail stepping down because of other stuff....

What is this, the third New 52 book to suddenly lose their creative team?

Hope it is because Gail is stepping down. She turned this comic down repeatedly. She only agreed to cowrite it because of her friendship with Van Sciver.

I hope this means she will be writing something that she feels passionate about in the near future.

@Chris2KLee: Keith Giffen suggested at a panel or interview, where he was discussing taking over Superman, that this would be normal for many of the books around month six of the relaunch.

If DC is focused on sales how were these series doing? Also, is Gail possibly looking to keep an eye on Birds of Prey which was her baby for a loooong time and is suddenly going to have Batgirl reintroduced as a member in a few issues?

I mean it seemed like a hot button topic with her when asked about it and initially reports seemed to indicate she wasn't even consulted about Barbra Gordon joining BoP in the new52? eeeh. the whole thing is weird.

Good move by DC, Gail's work on Firestorm has felt off to me. Like she was just going through the motions.

I've got to say i'm glad DC is being proactive with their comics, and changing up the creative teams for books that could probably use a change i.e. Green Arrow, Legion Lost and Superman.

My spidey-sense tells me that there might be danger with the new 52 books.

@Afro_Warrior: this

I have only read what Gale has written in the New 52 but if this and Batgirl is here best im not impressed. I loved the first issue of Batgirl and its good but its not as good as what i herd bop and Secret 6 were.

Hard to know what to really think about this. It's not as if Simone is stepping down from her DC work altogether, but using the term "stepping down" sort of implies a level of drama to something happening behind the scenes.

Is this just Simone wanting to concentrate on Batgirl, or are we seeing the wheels fly off for some of the positivity from the New 52 line?

Why doesn't DC look somewhere else other than it's roster of old mediocre creators for writing duties.

Isn't there anyone new?

i would love to see DC give the books different writers after every few issues, mainly 6 or 8 issues. keeps it fresh, yknow?!?!?! maybe this means she will go back to... BIRDS OF PREY? LET US HOPE!

I hope all of these changes aren't affecting the stability of the New 52 at all :/

I guess every 6 months it will be an all-new New 52, if the creative teams keep changing.

@waruikumo said:

Why doesn't DC look somewhere else other than it's roster of old mediocre creators for writing duties.

Isn't there anyone new?

i would love to see Josh Williamson get an ongoing in DC...

@Grim:

He's taking over I voodoo.

@waruikumo: Scott Snyder, Jeff Lemire, Ivan Brandon, Kyle Higgins, Joshua Hale Fialkov, Joshua Williamson, And Nathan Edmondson are hardly the "DC Old Guard."

@Grim said:

i hope this was planned all along and not Gail stepping down because of other stuff....

No, this was not planned as I understand it. Gail's twitter account made it sound like an unwanted change.

mmmm frustrating..I really want to get into this book.

Why accepting a job if you can't assume...

@218Comics said:

@Grim said:

i hope this was planned all along and not Gail stepping down because of other stuff....

No, this was not planned as I understand it. Gail's twitter account made it sound like an unwanted change.

I don't know if it was planned, but I believe Simone said in an interview recently that she's going to be doing a new team book that DC hasn't announced yet. I don't think she's on the way out or anything.

@Afro_Warrior said:

@Grim:

He's taking over I voodoo.

thhaaaaaats right! i knew he was doing something, but i forgot what. Still, i would rather he got something that CANT fail. I feel like if Voodoo disappeared no one would care, and thats why he got it. I think he's proven himself enough DC!

Why am I starting to think that the honeymoon period for the New 52 is over? Static Shock's shake up. Legion Lost with Nicieza. And now this? Something about this does not seem planned at all, even if it seems that the time for the first story arcs in this new order are on the verge of concluding within the next few months. All I can really think of is that she really does want to spend more time with Batgirl and the possible crossovers with the BoP. But why such an abrupt change? And in light of all the other shake ups...I don't know. Maybe paradise is slowly being lost now...

@Afro_Warrior said:

Good move by DC, Gail's work on Firestorm has felt off to me. Like she was just going through the motions.

I've got to say i'm glad DC is being proactive with their comics, and changing up the creative teams for books that could probably use a change i.e. Green Arrow, Legion Lost and Superman.

this

@Pbott

said:

I have only read what Gale has written in the New 52 but if this and Batgirl is here best im not impressed.

and this

Can't say I'm surprised. I haven't been following this monthly but that first issue was a train wreck. I'd just scrap the entire series

@jsphsmth said:

Hope it is because Gail is stepping down. She turned this comic down repeatedly. She only agreed to cowrite it because of her friendship with Van Sciver.

I hope this means she will be writing something that she feels passionate about in the near future.

Really? Do you have a source for this? It's not that I don't believe you, just that I'd be interested in learning more.

@cambot3000 said:

@218Comics said:

@Grim said:

i hope this was planned all along and not Gail stepping down because of other stuff....

No, this was not planned as I understand it. Gail's twitter account made it sound like an unwanted change.

I don't know if it was planned, but I believe Simone said in an interview recently that she's going to be doing a new team book that DC hasn't announced yet. I don't think she's on the way out or anything.

She did, but I don't know if they were related. Her tweets sounded like it was an unwanted change, though I don't know if that means it was out of her hands.

@Honor Woman: Finally found it. http://firestormfan.com/2011/08/22/gail-simone-on-firestorm/

@Grim said:

i hope this was planned all along and not Gail stepping down because of other stuff....

Im not sure if its a mini or ongoing but she has another project with Brian Q. Miller in the works

@Pbott said:

I have only read what Gale has written in the New 52 but if this and Batgirl is here best im not impressed. I loved the first issue of Batgirl and its good but its not as good as what i herd bop and Secret 6 were.

She DOES seem out of her element. The problem is that it seems like she was forced onto Batgirl and Firestorm. DC thought she was the only one who could justify Babs as Batgirl again and EVS begged and pleaded for her to come onto Firestorm with him. I'd like to see her do a book she actually wants to write.

@chalkshark said:

@Chris2KLee: More like the sixth. Green Arrow, Static, Voodoo, Superman, Legion Lost, & now Firestorm are all seeing creative shuffles. Honestly, I think there was one more, too, that was announced at the same time Green Arrow & Static were. Can't remember which title it was.

Most of those have gotten bad bad reviews so it doesn't surprise me. DC wants to rather try another creator then just canceling it which works for me. Static and Green Arrow has potential to be great comics as long as they have good writers (both taking over are good writers too).

Would love to know what the background to this story really is.....

The first issue was unarguably mediocre at best, but the following ones started to get significantly better, #3 was one of the best issues of November's new 52. I hope the new writer will receive Simone's notes for the story arc, because it just started to get interesting.

Shuffling writers already, and in most DCnU on-goings...sheesh!

off all the reboots this was the one i was most excited about...and the most disappointed in, i really wanted to like it.

Didn't get into Firestorm. They made one of the main leads a stereotypical 'dumb jock' and the costume...it screams of the 80's or something. I still don't understand how they got into the costume in the first place.

I honestly don't think this is really that big of a deal. Creators switch books after completing an arc all the time, especially on the less popular books like Firestorm or Legion. Here's to hoping Gail gets another book that better suits her writing. I miss Secret Six already.

Nooooooooooo, I was really enjoying it too, oh well it can only get better right?....right?