Ah, rumors! First it was that DC would be renaming and renumbering their whole line to reflect the alternate reality of Flashpoint. Then, when the 15 tie-in miniseries were announced, people started hoping the regular books would go on hiatus to keep them from emptying their wallets.
Now, rumor site Bleeding Cool reports that DC will cancel a number of their lower-selling titles in order to make room in their publishing slate.
On one hand, it’s sad to see some of these titles rumored to get the axe in favor of an unrelated set of miniseries. On the other, the titles listed haven’t exactly been setting the shelves on fire, as this analysis of DC’s December sales shows. Flashpoint may have simply been the last nail, or just a convenient time.
And let’s be honest — this is still at the rumor stage. We’ll know more when May solicitations hit this afternoon.
As a reminder, we’re keeping track of the Flashpoint creative teams as they’re announced or leaked.
Depending on what they cancel, I think this could be a good thing. Let’s face it — there are too many Batman books right now, so if one or two of those got axed off, I wouldn’t mind. I don’t know of anyone personally who reads books like JSA All-Stars, DOOM Patrol, or REBELS, and I know they have fans, but it’s just a shame that certain books exist and books that would actually sell (like “Speed Force” or an Aquaman series) haven’t seen the light of day yet.
I hate that it comes down to picking and choosing, but I don’t think this means the end to anything major.
Now if they’re talking about canceling something like Booster Gold or Red Robin — then I most certainly have a problem.
As someone who has enjoyed quite a few low-selling comics in his time (not to mention obscure TV series, movies that were commercial failures, and so on), I have to disagree. It’s not a shame that these books exist as long as there are people who want to read them.
It is a shame that other potentially higher-selling books don’t exist, but to say that someone else’s favorite book should be canceled to make room for yours is a bit selfish.
If you want to go the route where higher-selling products automatically deserve to trump lower-selling ones, then DC, Marvel and everyone else should get out of the comics business entirely and focus on something more lucrative.
I’m not saying they SHOULD cancel the low selling books. So long as DC is making a profit and not going into a negative because of that particular title, there really is no harm in letting it exist.
Sometimes as a reader, it can just feel like there’s a saturation on certain books. I would love it if every reader could have his or her own title, but the sad truth is, there are multiple books about certain characters, while some characters are getting nothing right now.
DC is obviously doing well, so if FlashPoint is going to cancel some titles, it’s not like they are doing so to save money. I would imagine it would be for creative reasons. ‘Something with the idea that we have this big “reality changing” event, and when things return to status quo, we can all have a new jumping on point.
I’m not trying to step on anyone’s toes, because I have my favorite books too, but if a book isn’t selling, I can understand why it would cease toe exist.
“On one hand, it’s sad to see some of these titles rumored to get the axe in favor of an unrelated set of miniseries.”
What better time than a mega-event to sweep low-selling titles under the rug? However, it’s too bad DC couldn’t have just canceled them outright…without the “cover” of Flashpoint. I mean, really….a title selling around 10-20,000 units most likely isn’t even breaking even (when you figure in labor, printing, and distribution costs).
I will miss Doom Patrol and Rebels current incarnations.