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Tuesday, November 04, 2008

Breaking: Robin, Nightwing, and Birds of Prey Canceled


Three Bat-Family books -- all heavily identified with writer Chuck Dixon -- have been canceled.

Robin ends at #183, Nightwing at #153, and Birds of Prey at #127.

Was it sales? Could secret Batman RIP plot developments (possibly hinted at by this io9 article) be the culprit?

Probably both.

Though the exact reasons why Dixon so abruptly left DC have never been disclosed, this latest turn of events must have had something to do with it.

Then again, all three titles suffered from multiple sudden changes in creative teams, destabilizing storylines and alienating readers. It might have been that these cancellations were planned all the time, and DC didn't care too much who filled in the gaps -- or that things were so messed-up, a sudden break seemed like the best option.

And as I wrote in a "sales commentary" post on Oct. 20:

"The formula (and I know I have written this before, so please bear with me):

1. Take your second-tier & some of your third-tier books and apply the Top 50 Test on them.

2. Top 50 Test: are these books starring your best, most licensable intellectual property making it to the top 50? If not: overhaul them.

3. Get top writers & artists for each second tier/third tier book. Carefully talent search for these titles. Pick teams that are willing/likely to stay for at least two complete arcs (if not a full year). <---- this part most important. 4. If the title had been hopelessly mired in bad creative decisions/fill-ins, cancel it outright & start from scratch."

While there is no question that starting these titles over again (or creating new, related ones) and slapping a "#1" on each will tremendously spike sales -- will the readers go for it?

Well, if the new books are really good, perhaps. If they are "Titans"/"Green Arrow & Black Canary" good -- perhaps not.

Oooooh, my "Oracle" post earlier today was so ironic!

Anyway, maybe we are looking at the beginning of a whole new DC. Can more changes be on the horizon?

15 comments:

  1. Well this puts a nice damper on my day.

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  2. DC Comics is about to flame the frig out. Long term readers/hangers-on will be lost, between anger over this cancellation/relaunch and price hikes. You get major and sustainable spikes when you relaunch Wonder Woman, not BoP.

    I realized that before the end of the year, every single regular series and mini-series I've been following at DC will have been dropped, with nothing on the horizon to replace them. Vixen seems poised to become the last monthly DC Comic I'll read.

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  3. That's a kick to the head. I follow all three of those titles, and was thinking it was kind of neat they'd all made it to the '100s'. Hope there's something to fill the void, and, at the very least, DC relaunches Birds of Prey. Especially since they'd mentioned Manhunter would be showing up there since her title was cancelled too.

    Have a good day.
    George Morrow

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  4. I'm really sad about the cancelation of Birds of Prey. This book got me into comics and continues to be one of my favorites. This news, along with the cancelation of Manhunter makes me worry about the state of strong female characters in the DCU.

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  5. How can anything Chuck Dixon helped bring about ending be a bad thing?

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  6. Oh, sure, all books I read. And I like BOP with Bedard on it...Not quite Simone, but haven't read anything by the guy I haven't liked yet.

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  7. Wow, what is happening. Not quite a fan of Robin, but I knew a good few who enjoyed. Maybe it is part of the Batman R.I.P. thingie...or maybe DC is just "letting people go" more often because of the sales desired or...conflicts of some sort. Anyway's, I knew The Flash title wasn't doing the greatest and they're restarting after the "kill"(?) Wally. (I shrug and click "publish my comment")

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  8. I kinda figured BoP would die without Gail Simone. She brought me back to that book after almost a decade of being away.

    Sometimes I feel like DC right now is very much Marvel in the 90s.

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  9. http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=17496

    "I understand that following the events of "Batman RIP," both main Batbooks will be put on hiatus for a short period, replaced by a new title, "Battle Of The Cowl" by Grant Morrison."

    "We’ll see a struggle for the legacy of the Batman after the events of the "Batman R.I.P" storyline, between the likes of Robin, Jason Todd, Nightwing, Damien and who knows, maybe Azreal and Bat-Mite while they're at it."

    "So "Nightwing" will be renamed "Red Robin" while "Robin" becomes… "Batman And Robin.""

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  10. Also... "Gotham Girls"

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  11. So much for that nice Adam Hughes poster from this past summer.

    Birds of Prey has suffered mightily since Gail Simone left, as has Robin under anyone's guidance except Chuck Dixon's. Nightwing has always been on a slippery slope, it seems.

    Ah well...

    As I mourn the cancellation of these books, I can rejoice in the cancellation of the Republican hold on the US government. Of course, they will be trying to start over at #1 in four years. Let's hope that Obama has a good, long run.

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  12. "Sometimes I feel like DC right now is very much Marvel in the 90s."

    Exactly. Of course we'll know for sure if they cancel a title with it's second-to-last issue or decide to dump the Archie or Milestone characters after a few years and then do nothing else with them.

    (I tell you, nothing beats obscure nerd humor.)

    Have a good day.
    George Morrow

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  13. thanks a bunch DC! you've canceled one of about 4 comics my wife really likes (that being BOP).

    Hopefully we'll get more Batman RIP or Crisis crossovers.... I guess I should look on the brightside, this saves me $3 a month.

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  14. That is terrible news. Birds of Prey was one of my favorite titles and I used it for the topic of my grad school application essay to business school.

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  15. Anonymous6:32 AM

    Riots.
    In the streets.

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