The short-lived and underappreciated DC Comics discussion

[OBrianTallent]

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.

[Hilden B. Lade]

Any thread with a chance to plug Simon Spurrier's Sandman Universe: Hellblazer, is a chance that I'll take.

[married guy]

I liked this one...



... it was sort of like Shadowpact, before Shadowpact.

This was one of those books that launched with Zero Hour that piqued my interest and always meant to pick up but didn't.

[j9ac9k]

Count me in as a supporter of "Primal Force." Cancelled before its time.

[Lee Stone]

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.

[OBrianTallent]

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.

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.

[Agent Z]

Greg Rucka's Checkmate was also great.

[lemonpeace]

so much worldbuilding potential!

[Jim Kelly]

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.

[batnbreakfast]

IMG_20210126_085107.jpgReally liked Dan Jolley's writing

[SJNeal]

This was one of those books that launched with Zero Hour that piqued my interest and always meant to pick up but didn't.

Well it was canceled at #14. I hope you're happy...

[married guy]

Well it was canceled at #14. I hope you're happy...

And I've lived with that guilt for 25 years. A sour stone that sits in the bottom of my belly.

[Agent Z]

Palmiotti and Conner's Power Girl.

[Robanker]

Palmiotti and Conner's Power Girl.

That book was really fun in a time where that sort of thing seemed taboo.

[SJNeal]

Palmiotti and Conner's Power Girl.

While I did enjoy Palmiotti and Conner's run, I actually may have liked Winick and Basri's better... (blasphemy, I know ).