JL United, GothamByMidnight, Omega Men, Lobo, Doomed Ending

[drew]

Five DC Comics series from its main DC Universe line are set to come to an end in the coming months, CBR News has learned from a DC Entertainment spokesperson: "Justice League United," "Gotham By Midnight," "The Omega Men," "Lobo" and "Doomed". "Doomed" is not in DC's December's solicitations, suggesting that November's issue #6 is the final installment of that series; the others reach their final issue in December. (CBR News has reached out to DC for clarification on the end of "Doomed.")

Additionally, "Catwoman" will have a new creative team as of December's issue #47: Writer Frank Tieri and artist Inaki Miranda. Outgoing series writer Genevieve Valentine will remain part of the "Batman and Robin Eternal" writing team.

"Justice League United" will reach its end in December with issue #16, from writer Jeff Parker and artist Travel Foreman. The series was originally announced as "Justice League Canada," but was retitled as "Justice League United" before its launch in April 2014. The final "Gotham By Midnight" issue will be #12, by writer Ray Fawkes and artist Julio Ferreira, released roughly a year after the book's debut in November 2014.

"The Omega Men" will end with issue #7, from Tom King and Barnaby Bagenda. The book received critical acclaim upon release along with fan buzz surrounding the fate of former Green Lantern Kyle Rayner; it launched as one of DC's "DC You" titles in June of this year, an initiative emphasizing diversity in storytelling approaches, creators and characters. A new twist on Superman villain Doomsday, "Doomed" was also a "DC You" launch series, debuting in June from the team of Scott Lobdell and artist Javier Fernandez.

"Lobo" ends its run in December with #13, from writers Cullen Bunn and Frank Barbiere and artist Robson Rocha.

Much of the writing talent working on the ending books still have other active projects at DC. "Justice League United" writer Parker is writing the "Batman '66 Meets The Man From U.N.C.L.E." miniseries, announced late last week and starting in December; "Omega Men" writer King remains on "Grayson" and Vertigo series "Sheriff of Babylon;" "Lobo" writer Bunn is still on board "Green Lantern: The Lost Army," "Aquaman" and "Sinestro;" "Doomed" writer Lobdell continues on "Red Hood/Arsenal."

http://www.comicbookresources.com/artic ... d-and-lobo

[RowdyFromScrubs]

-I was just starting to get into Catwoman, so that is bad news. Catwoman seems like she can be a tough character to write well.

-JLU I always thought that it was an odd roster, so never picked it up. I'd read a pre-Trinity War/Forever Evil Justice League of America book. That had a nice mix of characters.

-Loved Gotham By Midnight so sad to see that go. I think it was really finding its own spot in the Gotham & the DCU. People never seem to pick up the darker/magic side of DC. I wonder if people would pick up a title that had more of a rotating cast: like one arc would focus on Spectre, then the next one is Phantom Stranger, Zantanna after that...maybe Nightmare Nurse could somehow tie the thing together.

-Not really a Lantern/DC Space guy, but Omega Men seemed like it was a poorman's Guardians of the Galaxy

-Lobo didn't seem to get the essence of the character right. To me, he was supposed to be more of a dark comedic character. I didn't read much of this series, but that didn't come across to me.

-Doomed this just really wasn't a good idea. I'd guess it was just filler, like Klarion.

So wonder when the other shoe is going to drop on :Midnighter, We're Robin, Dr Fate, Black Canary, Cyborg, Red Hood/Arsenal & Martian Manhuner? I'm diggin' Manhunter, but not reading any of the other ones. They should re-vamp Cyborg and make it Cyborg and the Metal Men

I suppose it'd be bad form to announce that 90% of DCYou is canceled three months after it started. Plus DC probably doesn't have ten new book ideas sitting on a shelf, although I'd like to pitch the idea of a Doom Patrol book too. Could a de-powered Superman & RoboBat be having a backlash against the entire brand? I do agree with your point from facebook(or Kyle's if he does the Fun/Profit facebook) about how C'Verge didn't do any favors for DC in the eyes of LCS's.

[NiklasJ]

A few others also went to miniseries status...

http://www.newsarama.com/25888-batman-6 ... icits.html

I liked the JLU, except the very long wait between Lemire leaving, convergence jump and Parker getting started...

[drew]

-I was just starting to get into Catwoman, so that is bad news. Catwoman seems like she can be a tough character to write well.

I really want to like a Catwoman comic, but cant get into it consistently...who wrote her well? gail simone run maybe...

- I do agree with your point from facebook(or Kyle's if he does the Fun/Profit facebook) about how C'Verge didn't do any favors for DC in the eyes of LCS's.

yeah that's just my speculation (and kyle hasn't had a good point since the early 90s )

[fudd71]

-I was just starting to get into Catwoman, so that is bad news. Catwoman seems like she can be a tough character to write well.

I really want to like a Catwoman comic, but cant get into it consistently...who wrote her well? gail simone run maybe...

Catwoman volume 2 the Ed Brubaker stuff is all really good some personal favorites of this stuff include the Relentless and Crooked Little Town story lines. The Anodyne storyline that began vol. 2 by Ed Brubaker with Darwyn Cooke on art is my personal favorite Catwoman story the trade is call Dark End of the Street for some reason but that is worth checking out if you haven't.

I also think most of the Chuck Dixon stuff from vol. 1 is really good. Catfile (issues #15-18 coming out of zerohour) and Year 2 are stand outs from that run.

Even the non Dixon stuff from that first volume is really good. From Lifelines by Jo Duffy at the very begining to Deborah Pomerantz Family Ties and Only Happy when it Rains (I don't remember the writer but that is right after Cataclysm before No Man's Land) right on into the John Ostrander written No Man's Land Catwoman issues.

Needless to say there have been many talented creators who have told some great stories with Catwoman, just not in a long while. The begining of the New 52 with Judd Winick wasn't terrible but it felt like a slightly different character then the one most of us knew. Then issue #13 Ann Nocenti took over for a Death of the Family cross over and the book quickly became terrible and in someways incomprehensible.

[drew]

The nocenti run made me jump off

[JohnMayo]

Apparently Omega Men will continue until at least issue #12:

http://www.comicbookresources.com/artic ... t-issue-12

[jacovny]

JLU looked to be developing, under writer Jeff Parker, into something far better than it had been under Lemire. Parker took over a title plagued by sloppy storytelling, with an uninspiring roster of heroes, and seemed to be transforming it into something very compelling. In his scant three issues he's presented a brainy team-up book with a rotating roster for each mission, their recruitment based upon statistical probabilities. It's a fascinating concept, and Parker writes outstanding dialogue, giving every character a distinct voice and role to play. He made Etrigan interesting for the first time since Action #587 (when Byrne managed to do it), and after reading issue #13, I'm actually intrigued by the character of John Henry Irons. When was the last time anyone wanted more of Steel? But I enjoyed Parker's take on them to a degree that I would try solo titles with those characters, if Parker was writing them.

In short, the title seemed to be finding itself after a forgettable first year...and then D.C. cancels it.

So a company that keeps losing sales, is getting clobbered by Marvel every single month despite their historically iconic properties, and can't seem to attract top writing talent, puts a very good writer on a book that seems like an excellent fit, then doesn't give him a fair chance to attract an audience. I just don't understand anything this company does anymore.

[erickowabunga]

From a retailer perspective on Gotham by Midnight, I think John nailed it. We recommended to people that like other Templesmith books, and they dislike the writing. We recommend it to folks that like Fawkes writing on Constantine, and they dislike the art . . . The issue with this book is that the two creative components are not jiving in harmony it seems.

I read the first two issues myself, and wanted to like it. I am not a big fan of water color looking art, so I usually am turned off by Templesmith art. However the art didn't turn me off, it was acceptable. The writing had good moments, and there were some creative things that I read that I liked, but overall I just didn't get in to it.

This is a book that has a chance, but the audiences that the two creators bring don't seem to jive together - not sure if anyone else has felt or heard the same thing.