Criteria here is to discuss comic book series that were short-lived, and underappreciated at their time. Could be a mini series from back in the day, could be a series that was cancelled due to lack of interest, etc.
What comes to mind?
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Criteria here is to discuss comic book series that were short-lived, and underappreciated at their time. Could be a mini series from back in the day, could be a series that was cancelled due to lack of interest, etc.
What comes to mind?
The first run of Booster Gold. It brilliantly touched on America's growing obsession with fame and wealth-from-fame. It was speaking to its time, which was the heyday of [I][URL="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lifestyles_of_the_Rich_and_Famous"]Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous[/URL][/I], but it's still relevant today when you consider the thirst of so many to make it as social media influencers.
It had a decent run, lasting 25 issues over two years. Booster's been back since, ranging from Blue Beetle's "bwahaha" partner in the JL, to "the greatest hero you never heard of" and (the best since his own title, IMO) is enormous role in [I]52[/I]. Nothing, however, really lived up to those first 15 or so issues of his inaugural title.
I’ll start if off with...
[img]https://i.ibb.co/1nLnvKc/D3-E9-F495-68-B5-4197-9-FED-377-EC45-EB8-F7.jpg[/img]
...this book was JUST hitting its stride when it was cancelled.
[QUOTE=Riv86672;5341190]I’ll start if off with...
[img]https://i.ibb.co/1nLnvKc/D3-E9-F495-68-B5-4197-9-FED-377-EC45-EB8-F7.jpg[/img]
...this book was JUST hitting its stride when it was cancelled.[/QUOTE]
Oh yeah. I [B][U]adored[/U][/B] [I]The Power Company[/I]. Busiek's Kirk dePaul is my favorite of all the Manhunters.
I'm assuming 'short run' would be less than three years or 36 issues?
The first runs of Booster Gold and Blue Beetle both come to mind. 24 and 25 issues, respectively.
Blue Devil was good and almost made it to 36 issues.
Atari Force was better than the name implied. But what do you expect with Conway and ********Lopez on the book? Uunfortunately, it was cancelled after 20 issues.
Amethyst's ongoing ran 16 issues and was pretty good. But you'd probably want to factor in the 12-issue mini that preceded it, as it was a continuation of it. Not bad at 28 issues, total.
Arion, Lord of Atlantis lasted exactly 35 issues, one shy of 36. It was a good fantasy comic.
(Note: Atari Force, Amethyst and Arion were all given one last Special issue to wrap up their storylines.)
For me, it was Aztek, the ultimate man, only ten numbers.
[QUOTE=Riv86672;5341190]I’ll start if off with...
[img]https://i.ibb.co/1nLnvKc/D3-E9-F495-68-B5-4197-9-FED-377-EC45-EB8-F7.jpg[/img]
...this book was JUST hitting its stride when it was cancelled.[/QUOTE]
Good choice buddy! When I was reading the OP, this is the series I was absolutely going to mention! It needed more recognition for how Busiek was using his appreciation for all things DC as fodder for stories in this title - from Bork, an obscure character everyone had forgotten to Haunted Tank to Scorpio, to actually using Firestorm when nobody else seemed interested.
[QUOTE=DrNewGod;5341203]Oh yeah. I [B][U]adored[/U][/B] [I]The Power Company[/I]. Busiek's Kirk dePaul is my favorite of all the Manhunters.[/QUOTE]
^^^Same. That version was very solid!
[QUOTE=j9ac9k;5341316]Good choice buddy! When I was reading the OP, this is the series I was absolutely going to mention! It needed more recognition for how Busiek was using his appreciation for all things DC as fodder for stories in this title - from Bork, an obscure character everyone had forgotten to Haunted Tank to Scorpio, to actually using Firestorm when nobody else seemed interested.[/QUOTE]
Yeah, Haunted Tank and Firestorm just got woven into the narrative and I was like, “oh hell no”!
Another book I liked was Chase...
[img]https://i.ibb.co/Wtn9QTw/3-BC7817-A-DAF4-40-AB-8267-64-EADAF544-B7.jpg[/img]
I remember the book being a little scattershot in terms of story quality, and I didn’t enjoy the obligatory Batman cameo, but Chase’s backstory was good, and there was a ton of potential there.
Maybe it was a case of being ahead of its time? I have to think a book like this might do a little better nowadays.
[QUOTE=Lee Stone;5341248]I'm assuming 'short run' would be less than three years or 36 issues?
The first runs of Booster Gold and Blue Beetle both come to mind. 24 and 25 issues, respectively.
Blue Devil was good and almost made it to 36 issues.
Atari Force was better than the name implied. But what do you expect with Conway and ********Lopez on the book? Uunfortunately, it was cancelled after 20 issues.
Amethyst's ongoing ran 16 issues and was pretty good. But you'd probably want to factor in the 12-issue mini that preceded it, as it was a continuation of it. Not bad at 28 issues, total.
Arion, Lord of Atlantis lasted exactly 35 issues, one shy of 36. It was a good fantasy comic.
(Note: Atari Force, Amethyst and Arion were all given one last Special issue to wrap up their storylines.)[/QUOTE]
I completely agree with Booster Gold, Blue Beetle Blue Devil and Arion. I would add those Night Force and 'Mazing Man, both entertaining but in completely different ways
[ATTACH=CONFIG]105171[/ATTACH]
Robert's Hawkman run. It is so good.
[QUOTE=LAWtoyoto 432;5341544][ATTACH=CONFIG]105171[/ATTACH]
Robert's Hawkman run. It is so good.[/QUOTE]
I don't think was really "short-lived" or underappreciated. this was probably the most celebrated run on Hawkman since, like, Hawkworld. it doesn't feel necessarily "short-lived" either, it felt more like it came, told it's story, then ended; as a good story should.
There's a few from the 90's.
Chronos (12 issues)
Hourman (25 issues)
Young Heroes in Love (18 issues)
Teen Titans (Jurgens) (24 issues)
I completely forgot about Huntress. Her first series from 1989 only lasted 19 issues, but I think it would've lasted much longer if it was marketed to the right people.
DC chose to promote her (and still half-arsed it) as a member of the Justice League.
Buzz developed before JLI #24 that the new Huntress would be joining the team, and the book was given to the JLI editor to keep it in the same 'family' of titles.
But she barely appeared in the series and was never really treated like a full member.
Meanwhile, her comic was very pulp-y and utilized a grungy charcoal-like inking style that helped the book look unique. Again, though, I'd say the book was mismatched with the target audience. If it was in the 'New Format' (a cheaper alternative to the Baxter paper at the time), alongside Green Arrow and The Question, I think it would've done a lot better.
[center]Definitely, my choice would be [B][I]Firestorm[/I][/B] (1978):
[img]https://2.bp.blogspot.com/aWPva6d723o1cAzlqsMfhvs7HQyCSbtNnb_5XUhPmxi5HLv62yTKK5qdIMN1ZlIRN9Psy4snPNszUw=s1600[/img][/center]
[IMG]https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51rqgF6xDcL.jpg[/IMG]
Six issues of pure gold, and not loved enough !
I quite liked the Simone All-New Atom, even if just for presenting the idea that the Atom, a shrinking hero and world's smallest man, was dating Giganta, a growing villain and world's largest woman.
She made Ivy Town weird, but not Doom Patrol weird. It was a cool run.
Also the Palmiotti/Conner run on Power Girl. I enjoyed their take a lot back then, especially before they started working on Harley Quinn and the latter would sexually harass Karen at every turn. They stopped twelve issues in because the schedule was starting to be too much for Conner if memory serves, but I think they intended to do more.
Justice League of America's Vibe by Geoff Johns and Andrew Kreisberg which helped in rescuing Vibe from the scrappy heap.
I also have a soft spot for Atlee's miniseries.
PREZ by Russell/Caldwell
John Francis Moore's Walker Gabriel/CHRONOS book
Damage, one of the only bright spots of DC’s New Age of Heroes...
[img]https://i.ibb.co/rxXcBKJ/13410279-17-EE-480-F-947-D-B24-DAA5-B38-AA.jpg[/img]
DC created their own version of The Hulk, and it was pretty good.
The design was nice. Both the monster -and- the man were written well. The reaction to a Hulk like being running around the DCU was well done, and Damage’s encounters w. The Suicide Squad and Justice League didn’t feel forced. The encounters also helped establish Damage as a legit heavy hitter without the SS or JLA looking like idiots for the sake of the story.
The book only scratched the surface, as DC has so many interesting and unused books and crannies that could have been explored via Ethan Avery/Damage.
So many (which maybe I'll talk about in a later post), but the one I always think of when this subject comes up is VEXT (1999). That lasted all of six issues--from Keith Giffen and Mike McKone. It was so original and not your usual super-hero comic book. Given the talent involved, I thought sure it would go on for awhile--even twenty issues would have been nice.
Vext was one of many gods, from the Jejeune Realm--he being the god of mishap and misfortune, whose existence was a series of mishaps and misfortunes. He's made redundant and ejected onto Earth where he has to start up a new life.
[img]https://www.fortressofsolitude.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Vext-770x789.jpg[/img]
[IMG]https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/marvel_dc/images/3/30/Solomon_Grundy_Vol_1_1.jpg/revision/latest/scale-to-width-down/340?cb=20090410064916[/IMG]
This was pretty underrated.
[QUOTE=LifeIsILL;5342345][IMG]https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/marvel_dc/images/3/30/Solomon_Grundy_Vol_1_1.jpg[/IMG]
This was pretty underrated.[/QUOTE]
Okay, now I can see it!
Yeah that was a surprisingly good book.
I liked this one...
[IMG]https://i.pinimg.com/564x/46/a2/fe/46a2fed823fc5f60cfc7f14c819e0159.jpg[/IMG]
... it was sort of like Shadowpact, before Shadowpact.
[QUOTE=Korath;5341708][IMG]https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51rqgF6xDcL.jpg[/IMG]
Six issues of pure gold, and not loved enough ![/QUOTE]
Great shout.
Have you read the electric warrior series by Moench and Blaikie from the mid 80s?
Chain Gang War from John Wagner and Dave Johnson was cruelty cut short despite the great reception.
I’d have lived that series to have run as intended, although they did a good job of wrapping it up.
[IMG]https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1347707841l/702411.jpg[/IMG]
Shadowpact
[QUOTE=WelcomeBackFrank;5343017]Great shout.
Have you read the electric warrior series by Moench and Blaikie from the mid 80s?[/QUOTE]
Didn't even knew there was a previous series, I'll give it a try someday I guess !
[QUOTE=WelcomeBackFrank;5343022]Chain Gang War from John Wagner and Dave Johnson was cruelty cut short despite the great reception.
I’d have lived that series to have run as intended, although they did a good job of wrapping it up.[/QUOTE]
Tell me about Chain Gang War, what was it about?
[QUOTE=tib2d2;5343403]Tell me about Chain Gang War, what was it about?[/QUOTE]
3 vigilantes who become sick of the justice system letting them down take the law into their own hands.
But The Punisher it is not.
As expected from a writer as clever as Wagner, this is a nuanced approach but not without fun.
I re-read it a month ago for the first time since it came out and I loved it just as much, albeit for different reasons.
[QUOTE=Icefan;5342383]I liked this one...
[IMG]https://i.pinimg.com/564x/46/a2/fe/46a2fed823fc5f60cfc7f14c819e0159.jpg[/IMG]
... it was sort of like Shadowpact, before Shadowpact.[/QUOTE]
I opened this thread specifically to mention Primal Force! It was really good, and could've lasted a lot longer; Seagle had so many stories left to tell... *sigh*
To my knowledge, none of the original characters ever appeared again. Which is a shame, because Meridian and Klaw had so much potential.
[IMG]https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/617Z%2BrWRaGL._AC_.jpg[/IMG]
Shadowpact, Primal Force and Power Company most definitely. I would also add Power Girl. I was really liking where Winick was taking the character and lived Basri's art. Zatanna is another I wish had continued but my most missed is Frankenstein agent of SHADE. I loved that quirky book.
Any thread with a chance to plug Simon Spurrier's Sandman Universe: Hellblazer, is a chance that I'll take. :cool:
[QUOTE=Icefan;5342383]I liked this one...
[IMG]https://i.pinimg.com/564x/46/a2/fe/46a2fed823fc5f60cfc7f14c819e0159.jpg[/IMG]
... it was sort of like Shadowpact, before Shadowpact.[/QUOTE]
This was one of those books that launched with Zero Hour that piqued my interest and always meant to pick up but didn't.
Count me in as a supporter of "Primal Force." Cancelled before its time.
I'll chime in for Shadowpact, also.
Even though JLDark really is Shadowpact. Really. It is.
The name is an illusion created by a spell of enchantment to help the book sell.
It would be Mystic Knights of Gotham, but they felt that might push things a bit too far and cause the spell to backfire.
[QUOTE=Lee Stone;5345852]I'll chime in for Shadowpact, also.
Even though JLDark really is Shadowpact. Really. It is.
The name is an illusion created by a spell of enchantment to help the book sell.
It would be Mystic Knights of Gotham, but they felt that might push things a bit too far and cause the spell to backfire.[/QUOTE]
While I might agree JLD is Shadowpact in spirit...I miss Blue Devil and Nightshade. If only Ram V would add them to his line up.
Greg Rucka's Checkmate was also great.
[img]https://imaginethatcomics.com/app/uploads/2018/08/Z-Scan-1-44.jpg[/img]
so much worldbuilding potential!
I did some looking back at the publishing history to see which comic book was dropped first--not counting any one-shots and not including later acquisitions like Quality. In fact the National Allied/Detective Comics/All-American publishing group were dedicated to keeping every new title going in perpetuity--allowing that sometimes these titles went through name changes and completely different directions. The first comic book to be dropped was ALL-FLASH, after a good run of 32 issues. GREEN LANTERN actually survived for a longer time (probably thanks to Streak the Wonder Dog), going out after 38 issues.
I think SCRIBBLY was the first series to die after a relatively short run--only 15 issues. That series started in 1948 and this seems to be when National began to have bad luck with new titles. MISS BEVERLY HILLS OF HOLLYWOOD had a limited run of only 9 issues. Her companion, MISS MELODY LANE OF BROADWAY only got 3 issues. THE ADVENTURES OF OZZIE AND HARRIET lasted a mere 5 issues. THE ADVENTURES OF ALAN LADD held on for 9. ROMANCE TRAIL got 6 issues--but that was followed a couple months later by DANGER TRAIL that went for another 5 issues. An oddball title from around that period (circa 1950) was FEATURE FILMS MAGAZINE and there were only 4 of those.
However, those titles were the exception. Most new titles that National Comics launched in the late 1940s and early 1950s had long runs.
Edit Correction: Actually the first title to die after a short run--an All-American publication--was MOVIE COMICS which only went for 6 issues in the early 1940s. And PICTURE STORIES FROM THE BIBLE had a four issue arc--but that was maybe the first limited series, as it was soon after collected in one complete volume.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]105311[/ATTACH]Really liked Dan Jolley's writing