Comic Book Resources is reporting:
Readers scoping out CBR’s coming advance look at Marvel Comics February X-Title solicitations will notice one omission: the “X-23” solo title.
CBR News has learned that the monthly comic starring Wolverine’s clone daughter has been canceled. Reached for comment, a spokesman for Marvel would not confirm the end of the series but did say that writer Marjorie Liu has more work to come from the House of Ideas.
The move comes on the heels of several abrupt cancellations earlier this month for titles including “Victor Von Doom,” “Alpha Flight” and “Destroyers.” However, while those projects were either miniseries that weren’t yet published or solicited or one that saw its planned launch as a monthly scuttled, “X-23” presents a different case entirely. Aside from being an established monthly title, the comic is currently Marvel’s only ongoing starring a female lead and the one written by arguably their most recognized female writer in Liu.
Skitch Commentary: I have heard nothing by good things about this book, so it would be a shame to see it go. CBR is typically pretty good about only reporting facts, so I tend to think this story is true, even if Marvel doesn’t seem to have really officially confirmed it. Probably waiting to see what kind of fan outrage this news would cause first.
I think it is very premature to start doom crying, but more Marvel cancellations along with the layoffs in Marvel’s editorial and marketing departments are definitely signs that Marvel might be circling the wagons.
CBR also pointed out that Marvel seems to be double publishing some of their more successful sales to help boost income. Definitely a smart strategy, but at 4 bucks a book that can get very costly to readers.
I really think the better solution here would be to take a closer look at their digital distribution and take more advantage there. Price drops on titles after a month or digital exclusive titles MARKETED AND PRICED PROPERLY (unlike Spider-Girl) could be the right way to go.
But I am just armchair quarterbacking. I can’t pretend to have any real business knowledge.
Grey’s Commentary: I normally don’t like to invade Mike’s posts, but this bothers me on a personal level. This is just another example of Marvel’s complete and utter lack of faith in their female characters, and their willingness to throw them to the side under the pretense of low sales rather then ever attempt to promote the book. This isn’t a new thing, either. Spider-Girl sold by nature of having loyal and diehard fans for a decade despite Marvel doing anything they could to cancel the book. The replacement Spider-Girl, Arana, lasted a full eight issues before her book was cancelled. Dan Slott found a niche when he did She Hulk, making the character as must read as she could be, but things fell to pieces after he left and now where’s the character? X-23 is a rarity in Marvel’s catalog by being a solo title featuring a female character, and by rarity, I mean that I’m 99% sure that hers is the only female solo title they publish. On top of that, they have an amazing female writer handling the book in the magnificent Marjorie Liu. This is the kind of book they should be promoting to men and women alike, especially since it’s not a hardcore blood bath that you’d expect from the clone of Wolverine.
If you missed out, buy it in trade. It’s been kinda like Marvel’s Batgirl (the good one, not the current one), completely under the radar for most readers but better then the majority of the rest of the line it’s in.
