THE BOYS ENDS AT WILDSTORM

[MattBrady]

<img src="http://www.newsarama.com/Wildstorm/Boys10.jpg" border="0" align="right">Newsarama has learned that Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson’s Wildstorm series, <b>The Boys</b> has been cancelled by DC, effective with issue #6 of the series, which is currently on shelves. Issues #7-#10, as well as the trade collection – all of which have been solicited – will not ship.

DC declined to comment on the series or even confirm that the series has indeed, been canceled.

The series sales appear to have been healthy enough, with issue #6 seeing an estimated 27,000 copies shipping to stores in December, placing it at #81 on Diamond’s Top 300 list. For that month, only two other Wildstorm titles sold more copies, <b>Gen13</b> and <b>Midnighter</b>. August’s issue #1 saw an estimated 31,000 copies sold.

The series was announced with much hoopla at last spring’s WizardWorld LA, and was heralded by Ennis here on Newsarama (http://www.newsarama.com/WWLA06/DC/EnnisBOys.htm) as the book that would “out-<b>Preacher</b> <b>Preacher</b>.” The phrase was later picked up and used on promotional posters for the series from DC, who saw it as part of the Wildstorm revitalization.

Robertson had perhaps the most succinct description of the series, saying: “The Boys are a team of five super-powered operatives who work for a secret department within the U.S. government. It's their job to monitor and investigate superhero behavior, they gather intelligence- i.e. dirt- on them, and occasionally to use it against them. Just as the C.I.A. has had a use for the Mafia, Sadaam Hussein, and Columbia's FARC terrorists (to name a few), so they also need superheroes. Sometimes they need them on a leash. Sometimes they have to put them down. The Boys are the people who do the job.”

When the series launched, readers found that little of what Ennis and Robertson was saying was hyperbole. The series was violent, rude, crude, and…essentially, what you’d expect if you put Ennis and Robertson together in a room with superheroes.

The series was clearly in crescendo mode in regards to content, and this was clearly seen in issue #6 when, after a super-powered individual was accidentally killed by Hughie, a hamster crawled out of…his backside.

While DC has published graphic violence, sexual situations, and individuals who prefer the ruder and cruder side of life (much of it with Ennis’ name attached) in the past, it has also, on a handful of occasions, pulled material from a comic it felt crossed the line. Again, DC declined to comment on the reasons behind the series cancellation. If the series was cancelled because the publisher felt it was too over the top, <b>The Boys</b> would be in rare company, joining Marvel/Epic’s <b>Void Indigo</b> by Steve Gerber and Val Mayerik, which only saw one issue published before it was ended, due to content issues.

On a purely speculative note, <b>The Boys</b> is a creator-owned property, jointly owned by Ennis and Robertson. After his series, <b>Fallen Angel</b> was cancelled by DC, co-creator of the property Peter David was able to regain the property and move it to IDW, where it has been published since.

When contacted by Newsarama about the situation with the series, Robertson replied:

<blockquote>"<b>The Boys</b> has been canceled effectively with issue #6.

"It became obvious that DC was not the right home for <b>The Boys</b>. DC is being good about reverting our rights so we can find a new publisher and we're in the process of doing that now. I'm continuing to work exclusively for DC in the meantime. I want to thank Scott Dunbier and Ben Abernathy at Wildstorm for all their hard work."</blockquote>

[Arvandor]

Not even a trade? Weird.

[RoiVampire]

why is it being canceled if the sales seem healthy?

[DAV!S]

Who did this? Where do they live? How can I do them the most amount of pain?

The Boys is probably my second favourite title of the past year :(

[saiyanspider]

I got the distinct impression that these guys aren't fans of the Super Hero genre HAHA

[DreamKing]

This makes me sad. I was really enjoying this series. :(

Why do this, DC?

[eltopo]

I'm so pissed I love this freakin book

[LaughingJak]

As ridiculous as it is - i can't imagine the hampster was the straw that broke the camel's back on this one....

[bossofbam]

As Wildstorm puts out crap like the Worldstorm books, the Boys quickly became one of my favorite books...why on earth would they cancel such a good series?

[BillReed]

____in' bizarre.

[GOSD]

WTF?!?!?

:mad: :mad: :mad:

Just when this series was getting revved up.

Jesus Christ!!! :mad:

[Punchy]

WTF?

Bad form DC, bad form.

[amlah6]

Can't wait to give my money to another publisher to read this book.

[Erikcrusade]

Wow. Just....wow. :mad:

[GuitarSmashley]

well now we wait for another publisher to put it out. Avatar I'm looking in your direction.

[Black Beetle]

What the hell? It was starting to become one of my favorites. Hopefully they get the book started back up elsewhere.

[Ironhorse]

Who did this? Where do they live? How can I do them the most amount of pain?

The Boys is probably my second favourite title of the past year :(

I'm with you man, just let me find my bat with barbwire in it. :mad: On the serious side, this is a fu%$&ng shame, along with the delays of Wildcats and Authority, Wildstorm is in fact dead for me, well, except for Midnighter, but if this means that Ennis could be out of the book soon, then bye, bye Wildstorm, see you in hell.

[bishop-m]

I had a feeling that DC wasn't going to be publishing this book for long. It was probably too "over the top" for them. I hope it finds a new home soon...i'll be awaiting further issues...

[deathmasterj]

Bugger, i was waiting for the trade on this one as it looked right up my street! Fingers crossed someone else picks it up!

[Mr Wesley]

Just think about this... if they published the bit with the hamster, how extreme do you think the following issues would be.

I think Lee, Levitz and the suits just got cold feet. I'm sure The Boys will land somewhere where the title will thrive. Not to jump on the bandwagon with Fallen Angel, but IDW might be a good home for it.

[Shoeface]

That ____ing sucks.

[tralfaz]

i think everyone that buys the book deserves an explanation. all buyers should write letters to DC

I DEMAND AN EXPLANATION DC

[DreamKing]

Can't wait to give my money to another publisher to read this book.
I'm hoping that Ennis and Robertson do take it somewhere else. IDW, Image, wherever. I want more of <i>The Boys</i>, dammit.

[Uchiha_Prodigy]

What the heck is wrong with Wildstorm??? First they put Morrison on two books and have them delayed for months, and now they cancel The Boys?? Wow, now my whole week is ruined.

[DAV!S]

well now we wait for another publisher to put it out. Avatar I'm looking in your direction.

No thanks, I want it to ship.

[tralfaz]

Just think about this... if they published the bit with the hamster, how extreme do you think the following issues would be.

I think Lee, Levitz and the suits just got cold feet. I'm sure The Boys will land somewhere where the title will thrive. Not to jump on the bandwagon with Fallen Angel, but IDW might be a good home for it.
my only problem with IDW is that it will probably cost us 3.99 now

[MoneyMelon]

:mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad:

[kingofcities]

well now we wait for another publisher to put it out. Avatar I'm looking in your direction.


Hopefully Image.

And I'll add my cry to the collective WTF. Whoever in management that bitched about this book needs to be sent to Johnny DC. If they didn't know before they printed one page that this book would be this hardcore they don't deserve their job.

[skyking]

This is ridiculous. I can only hope that "The Boys" will find a new home at Image or IDW or Avatar or somewhere...

I would love to know why DC did this.

[Erikcrusade]

WTF?

Bad form DC, bad form.

Not for nothing but...if the creators were having trouble getting their rights back I would agree but that doesn't seem to be the case.

It's DC's right as a publisher to publish or not publish whatever they see fit. As much as I love this book, it definitely grates in the face of everything they are trying to do with their other books. And no one can argue that as good as you or I think it is, it's far from the mass publics cup of tea. As edgy as "Preacher" was, I think this has most definitely "out-Preachered Preacher" in only 6 issues.

The book was well above the threshold of cancellation with, from what I remember, a crazy amount of reorders. Someone will be more than happy to pick this up, I'm sure.

[jeircho]

Never read it and was waiting for the trade but guess that won't happen until they get a new publisher. Hope Dark Horse, IDW, Image or Avataar picks this up as I do want them to continue on the book so that I may finally try it out with the tpb.

[MoneyMelon]

Dear DC,

I hate you

Love,
MoneyMelon

[GOSD]

my only problem with IDW is that it will probably cost us 3.99 nowExactly. :mad:

God damn it. :mad:

[rubick]

Thanks, DC.

Hope the guys can find a new home.

[wjajilp97]

I agree, this was a damn good series. Why DC is cancelling it is beyond me. This SUCKS , and I mean SUCKS:mad:mad: :mad: :mad:

[kingofcities]

Exactly. :mad:

God damn it. :mad:

Thirded. Better not be IDW on general principle.

[jimmyolsen]

"DC declined to comment on the series or even confirm that the series has indeed, been canceled."

So is this NEWS or RUMOR? I wasn't aware that Newsarama had a rumor column! Better not let DC know! :p

[Erikcrusade]

"DC declined to comment on the series or even confirm that the series has indeed, been canceled."

So is this NEWS or RUMOR? I wasn't aware that Newsarama had a rumor column! Better not let DC know! :p

There's a new policy at DC not to leak any info whatsoever on anything. I'm sure offical word will come down soon enough, it'll just be at their own pace.

How bizzare would it be if this ended up at Icon?

[Charlie Hustle]

huh?! i don't understand this at all. The book was hilarious.

[skyking]

Who knows if Ennis was held back due to editorial constraints over the last six issues? Maybe a change in publishers would be the best thing for them. Still, DC - what were you thinking?

Also, Wildstorm is in big trouble. Between Wildcats, the Authority, and the Boys, Midnighter and the rest better pick up the slack.

[gregmas]

I have really enjoyed this series to date, and am a little shocked to see it go. Even though it was a staple Ennis book as far as content goes, I still really loved reading it. It's shocking that any creator owned imprint would object to the content of any book. Oh well. I think this book would do really well at IDW, Image or Avatar, although the numbers might suffer w/o the DC backing. The question also remains that with Robertson under contract with DC, will he be made to draw another company book? That would be unfortunate since he wouldn't have the time to do The Boys as well. Looking foward to see how this shapes up.

Sad News

-G

[Catch22]

Maybe Marvel will pick it up....this title was made for the MAX imprint. That'll teach DC a lesson!

[xdemon]

Can't wait to give my money to another publisher to read this book.

Marvel MAX? :D

[smitch]

Never even heard of it. No wonder it's being cancelled.

[TheLizard207]

there goes my over the crude sex an violece title for the month.

he kept the hampster.
hehehe

[Kinnon]

To whoever, Erik Larsen and image, IDW, Hell, even Quesada and the Marvel Max imprint, buy this comic, publish this comic. For us this was an extremely strong seller, outdoing X-men and uncanny most months, and pretty much at the stage of still gaining early readers and getting ludicrously good word of mouth. This is an absolute no brainer, a solid title that is flagship at any company, easy money for anyone who wants it, we had great preorders on the 1st volume in excess of any ultimate marvel TPB's. Launch the trade with a quick issue #7 or issue #1 relaunch and it'll be like non of this ever happened.

Just get this mother back on the shelf, if DC are back to the self censoring days of old, and frankly too _____ to publish (Authority anyone ?) then forget them, In a world where every other adult concept waters itself down for the sake of arses on seats, or the teen demographic, The Boys was never going to apologise to anyone from day one.

So thanks for letting the guys go DC, your loss will be someone elses gain, I look forward to some shrewd EIC making the appropriate announcement soon. I'll hit every regulars standing order tomorrow and let them know, but I'm pretty sure they'll all be waiting as long as it takes.

Good luck pitching any "hard hitting" "adult" or basically anything the equivalent of rated R / cert 18 DC, I'm going to have to take it with a pinch of salt for a while.

[eltopo]

there goes my over the crude sex an violece title for the month.

he kept the hampster.
hehehe

hahah the hamster classic

[HailHydra]

so, the only wildstorm book that ships on schedule goes down? ha!
seriously, though, apparently at DC there is no room for funny books... at all. dark humor doesn't even escpae this weird mandate.
oh, and the hamster freaks them out, but an openly gay character in green lantern being insinuated to want to commit beastiality is fiiiiine, right?

[Grimral]

They are likely afraid of the backlash this book could cause. They see what's happening with Grey's Anatomy's Isiah Washington and his use of the word fag and the press Disney is getting as a result. The series is way over the top but it was a great read. Hopefully it will continue someplace else.

[jayvee]

Crap. Crap. Crap.

This was the only DC/Wildstorm book I ever paid attention to.

[jimmyolsen]

There's a new policy at DC not to leak any info whatsoever on anything. I'm sure offical word will come down soon enough, it'll just be at their own pace.

How bizzare would it be if this ended up at Icon?

Actually that's not a new policy. In fact, their policy is primarily geared toward rumor columns, which is why Newsarama posting this surprises me!

[WildKard]

The question I have with this is that even if another publisher does pick it up Robertson is still involved in a DC contract so when does that expire and when can we expect more Boys goodness?

[mqboyd]

First of all, I'd like to thank DC comics for killing The Boys with issue #6, I mean, it wasn't like it wasn't one of the best new series to come out of the big two in recent years. Thank you DC for taking a great piece of work away from your loyal fans. I guess this means I have more money to book another Superman book. Woo-hoo!!! Well, it was a joy while it lasted but hopefully since the material is creator owned there's a chance that it could land somewhere else.

[Erikcrusade]

Actually that's not a new policy. In fact, their policy is primarily geared toward rumor columns, which is why Newsarama posting this surprises me!
Well then a re-enforcement of it then?

[CrimsGhostUK]

This strikes me as a bit strange, it's not like people who picked up the book were likely to be offended, it was aimed at, and picked up by Ennis's core audience who were just getting warmed up to the series as it picked up the pace. The book may have been anti-superhero in some respects, but wasn't as subversive as X-Force/X-Statix on the matter. The sad thing is that there was actually a story being told, and DC have pulled the plug mid-arc which is kinda insulting to the 30,000 odd fans who were buying this book.

[Mick]

So DC - out of the blue - decides to cancel one of Wildstorms best selling books at issue six.


Is this part of their grand new vision for the imprint? To cancel any book that sells well and comes out on time.

[Kinnon]

Oh yeah, and I can fully appreciate folks reservations with IDW, but it's William Christensen at Avatar who get my wariness unless he could guarantee the monthly schedule was maintained.

Oh, and if Darick can't be released to pursue it at another publisher then let it die where it falls, I've no interest in any replacements.

[GuitarSmashley]

No thanks, I want it to ship.

ennis has a good relationship with avatar.

[Ye Olde Iowa]

Wow. This was unexpected. I dropped this after issue 2 because my pull list was under some serious inflation, but planned on picking it up as a trade, but damn. I know this was a strong seller at my LCS and it looks like it put up damn good numbers. I know that it got much more graphic and insane after the first two issues, but I hadn't seen much that really went beyond Preacher, so I'm pretty surprised by this (after all, I'm on the third trade of Preacher and I'm more and more shocked with each new page). I'm guessing someone else will pick this up pretty quickly and it will sell like gangbusters for them.

[jimmyolsen]

Well then a re-enforcement of it then?

Haha, exactly! Exactly! That's what's going to be interesting to see! The repercussions, if there are any! ;)

[jaredgood1]

This totally sucks. I honestly hope it winds up under Icon, as Bru and Phillips seem to think it's a good deal.

[Moriarty]

why is it being canceled if the sales seem healthy?

The same reason DC cancelled Manhunter despite its sales being strong; politics within the editorial office, methinks.

[leafinsectma]

Maybe DC got sick of Ennis & Robertson pissing on their superheroes? Man... that sucks. I hope they find a new publisher soon. I don't wanna have to wait months and months (or years?) to see it continue.

[Royharper]

I will admit, at first the book was a guilty pleasure of mine but I think it just it went too far at defaming capes and making the whole image of superheroes look dirty and tawdry. I did not think it was going to go as far as it did. In the end I thought it made all the other DC titles look bad. It is a great book if you like things that destroy the image of superheroes and the things they stand for but I personally am not that jaded. I like my superheroes the way they are.

[RichJohnston]

There have already been a number of content problems with the book that LITG reported on, the word came down on this book being cancelled a few weeks ago.

It feels like a repeat of the old attitude at DC to The Authority.

[Gunslinger]

It seems that DC can take this kind of Ennis-ess!!!
I really hope Marvel by this and publish it in the Icon line!!!

[DAV!S]

ennis has a good relationship with avatar.

Yeah, but I've never seen an Avatar book ship on time for more than two issues.

[Disco Cookie]

Oh for goodness sake...

It is a creator-owned property (ie. less profitable for DC in the long run) with extreme mature content (ie. it makes the suits in Warner rather squeamish when right wing christians write to them and complain that they're publishing icky stuff or if they can take heat over something/anything). DC is a business and business realities dictate decisions.

Yes, it's sad to see a good book go but if Fallen Angel taught me anything it is don't count anything down and out until it truly is. It sounds like DC is making it easy for them to go elsewhere (and I should hope so!) so thumbs up for that.

[Ken B.]

Maybe DC got sick of Ennis & Robertson pissing on their superheroes?

That's my bet. The money they would get from publishing the book might not be worth having the parodies of their main bread and butter being shown to be perverts and sickos. You can only pay people to make fun of your properties for so long.

DC is still giving them the rights back so its not like all is lost.

[skyking]

There have already been a number of content problems with the book that LITG reported on, the word came down on this book being cancelled a few weeks ago.

It feels like a repeat of the old attitude at DC to The Authority.

Links, please?

[FrostyFrog]

Dear DC,

Suck it. Nobody messes with my man Garth.

Sincerely,
FrostyFrog

[Hobowatcher]

Just think about this... if they published the bit with the hamster, how extreme do you think the following issues would be.

I think Lee, Levitz and the suits just got cold feet. I'm sure The Boys will land somewhere where the title will thrive. Not to jump on the bandwagon with Fallen Angel, but IDW might be a good home for it.
Lee and Levitz getting cold feet? They put out books with incest, Hitler porn, and a slew of other unsavory subjects. Just look at Desolation Jones' first arc. It had a lot of seedy elements, and it was incredibly well written. This was not. Ennis was just retreading old ground with nothing to show for it. The Boys was Mediocre at best. I was panning on dropping it at six in the first place. I'm glad Wildstorm/DC wised up. They wised up when they learned from the Millar/Authority fiasco.

[SDM]

DC is cancelling the first Wildstorm title worth reading in years. Great move.

[HailHydra]

ennis has a good relationship with avatar.

i'd imagine he would with virgin too, with seven brothers... and they don't seem to be whiny about ennis-ish stuff.

[Dave Fury]

:mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad:

That is the greatest banner ever!

But, I'm still pissed that DC cancelled this book. What is wrong with them?

At least they are reverting the rights, so one of my favorite titles can continue. Still stupid of them though.

[grendel824]

Sounds like a bad choice for DC/Wildstorm. "What? You want to give us money for a good comic? No, no thanks." I hope somebody else picks it up and the creators and new publisher make a ton of money from it - they'll certainly get mine.

[PreCrisisDC]

Are these guys frakking serious??? This series was off the hook so far and sales number were healthy? @%$#--A-freaking-mazing. I cannot believe this.
:mad:

[Punchy]

Pimping my thread:

http://forum.newsarama.com/showthread.php?t=98818

Vote Filthy Peons! Vote!

[RedRonin]

Hilarious. Comic book with Dr. Light raping someone is okay. Superboy punching someone's head off is okay. A hamster crawls out of someone's butt? Cancel that title.

The only good thing about this is, if they take the title to another publisher they won't have to tone down the violence or resemblance to DC's characters.

[Twigglet]

Crap.

Was looking forward to the trade :(

[PreCrisisDC]

There is so much crap coming out and book not even coming out on damn time and one of the better books is yanked???? This is unreal--what's next telling us that Bilson and Demeo are returning for another run on Flash?

[lorbaat2]

I said it in Talk@, and I'll say it here-

I'm glad. This series was a huge disappointment. Ennis is just re-treading old ground in it.

With any luck, it will fail to find another publisher, and maybe Ennis will write something a little more original.

[skyking]

That's my bet. The money they would get from publishing the book might not be worth having the parodies of their main bread and butter being shown to be perverts and sickos. You can only pay people to make fun of your properties for so long.

But you would have to think that DC knew what they were getting into when they greenlighted this project and it's not as if they have shied away from adult themes in their regular books (gratuitous violence in Infinite Crisis, the use of rape as a plot device in Identity Crisis) and this was under the Wildstorm imprint so why cancel it now?

Why not cancel it at 12 issues and get two trades out of it?

Also, I haven't read or heard that much complaining about this series. Was there a planned boycott of this series?

If published today, would Preacher last six issues? Sandman?

This is just ridiculous.

[bizzarodemon]

WOW! well if that's their decision ok...but that means i'll be dropping deathblow, wwetworks, authority and wildc.a.t.s as well. seriously dc/wildstorm...whoever left the company with your gonads should be tracked down.

[IronWolf]

That Sucks Simple as that.

[Ken B.]

But you would have to think that DC knew what they were getting into when they greenlighted this project and it's not as if they have shied away from adult themes in their regular books (gratuitous violence in Infinite Crisis, the use of rape as a plot device in Identity Crisis) and this was under the Wildstorm imprint so why cancel it now?

Why not cancel it at 12 issues and get two trades out of it?

Also, I haven't read or heard that much complaining about this series. Was there a planned boycott of this series?

If published today, would Preacher last six issues? Sandman?

This is just ridiculous.

I think DC's response was exactly what someone concerned with the content would do. They let it go for six issues and still had problems in regards to its content so they yanked it. And gave the creators the rights to the property. Everyone wins, the fans will just have to wait because Robertson signed an exclusive deal (put the guy on a book that actually sells well, he's too good a talent to use for side projects)

More than not, I think DC realized it was the same Ennis "God I hate Superheroes so f***ing much kill them all!!!" spiel.

[leafinsectma]

That's my bet. The money they would get from publishing the book might not be worth having the parodies of their main bread and butter being shown to be perverts and sickos. You can only pay people to make fun of your properties for so long.

I'd probably do the same thing if I was DC, I don't blame them at all. Still, I'm hoping to see it up and running again sometime soon. I miss it already :(

DC is still giving them the rights back so its not like all is lost.

Yeah that's nice of them to do that and make it easy for Ennis/Robertson to set up shop somewhere else (even if they are making fun of the JLA and whoever else).

[SuperFobby]

uh... i don't see how the reason for cancellation could possibly have anything to do with the relative offensiveness of the content. maybe THE BOYS was trying to out-preacher preacher, but it hadn't gotten there yet.

just in case you don't recall, preacher had:

SPOILERS (for you fools who never read preacher)

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

- a pedophile who threw heroine orgies and made porn starring children

- angels who spent all day doing coke and screwing whores

- a man who constructed a giant woman out of slabs of meat and had sex with it

- the descendant of jesus being crushed by a fat guy falling out of a helicopter

- cannibals

- a dog eating someone's penis

- an ending that involved the actual physical murder of god himself at the hands of a primary series antagonist

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

...now, the boys hasn't got anywhere near all that yet. all they had was some fake superheroes sexually harassing their new member. is dc that sensitive about the image of superheroes in general? didn't they publish WATCHMEN, which involved a superhero who was a rapist as well as a vigilante?

if it wasn't content, and it wasn't sales, i'd like to know what it was...

[NickVinson]

The subject matter of this title was better suited for Vertigo.
Honestly, how many titles that come out of that line don't have a "Mature Readers" rating already geared into the retailers heads?

Personally, I am saddened at the loss of work that both creators will have to account for. But I don't think an outright boycott of ALL Wildstorm product is warranted. That just seems silly.

For my own personal tastes this book didn't do it for me. On many many levels not Ennis' strongest writing. However, artwise Robertson was hitting it out of the park. Which he always does.

-N

[STL]

Won't be missed.

[lorbaat2]

if it wasn't content, and it wasn't sales, i'd like to know what it was...

It might simply be that it was not a good satire. I mean, in Preacher those things happened, but in context it was amusing. The Boys was just... lame.

DC might not have been willing to keep publishing that material if that was all Ennis was going to do with it.

[Erikcrusade]

It is a creator-owned property (ie. less profitable for DC in the long run) with extreme mature content

This is actally a really good point that I think people are missing. The fact that it is creator owns means that DC has less attached to it but at the same time, also has more to lose should it enflame the masses.

Those of us who have read the bnook and enjoyed it have to admit there's an awful lot of perversity in it - not just sex but extreme and depraved sex, beastiality, extreme violence - anybody who has read up to the current issue has to say it's clearly way outside the realm of anything being publsihed with superheroes today.

It could be that DC decided to cut it's losses now and it simply didn't feel comfortable publishing the book in the current climate their company seems to be in of "reinventing" the superhero for a new generation. HAving read all the wildstorm stuff thus far and a fair amount of DC this book would seem to fly in the face of everythig they are trying to do with their other books. I don't think there's any shame in that. It wasn't a good fit...so it will fins a good fit. (And those crying over the Marvel - they had a hard time keeping a charcater they portrayed as gay out of the closet...do you rewally thing they will go anywhere enar this? I seriously doubt it.)

With it's numbers as high as they were by guess is it ends up at Image (recent issues of "The Walking Dead" give me confidence is that this is something they wouldn't have a problem publishing.)

More power to them if it does. The fact that Robertson didn't just up an walk from his exclusive with DC as this book was the whole reason he signed it to begin with shows me there maybe a lot more here than we're giving credit for.

Either way, I'm not sure it's a good guy bad guy situation. At least not yet. DC seems to be giving the rights back to the creators no problem and we've yet to hear from either side what the deal is. I wish they were still publishing the book. But I also understand and don't fault them if it was going over some lines that even they eventually decided couldn't cross.

[Erikcrusade]

Hilarious. Comic book with Dr. Light raping someone is okay. Superboy punching someone's head off is okay. A hamster crawls out of someone's butt? Cancel that title.

The only good thing about this is, if they take the title to another publisher they won't have to tone down the violence or resemblance to DC's characters.
There s a world of differenc ebewteen the way those two events were protrayed and the context they were told and this book. Let's not be naive now.

[Erikcrusade]

Oops. DOuble post.

[The 'Nam]

Just think about this... if they published the bit with the hamster, how extreme do you think the following issues would be.

I think Lee, Levitz and the suits just got cold feet. I'm sure The Boys will land somewhere where the title will thrive. Not to jump on the bandwagon with Fallen Angel, but IDW might be a good home for it.

IDW = automatic price increase to 3.99. No thanks.

Image would do well.

But if it does indeed continue, and Robertson's exclusive...who's the new artist?

[skyking]

I think DC's response was exactly what someone concerned with the content would do. They let it go for six issues and still had problems in regards to its content so they yanked it. And gave the creators the rights to the property. Everyone wins, the fans will just have to wait because Robertson signed an exclusive deal (put the guy on a book that actually sells well, he's too good a talent to use for side projects)

More than not, I think DC realized it was the same Ennis "God I hate Superheroes so f***ing much kill them all!!!" spiel.

Maybe, but it still doesn't explain why DC even gave it six issues then. If you want to "Outpreacher Preacher" and Ennis is writing the book, DC knew what they were getting into when they signed up. Also, this was a book that was selling. Is DC suffering from an embarrasment of riches that they are willing to tell close to 30,000 people a month, "No thanks. Keep your money."? (not including the people they would have pulled in on the trades)

So, DC cancels Manhunter and The Boys? Because Nobody Demanded It!

[Erikcrusade]

uh... i don't see how the reason for cancellation could possibly have anything to do with the relative offensiveness of the content. maybe THE BOYS was trying to out-preacher preacher, but it hadn't gotten there yet.

just in case you don't recall, preacher had:

SPOILERS (for you fools who never read preacher)

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

- a pedophile who threw heroine orgies and made porn starring children

- angels who spent all day doing coke and screwing whores

- a man who constructed a giant woman out of slabs of meat and had sex with it

- the descendant of jesus being crushed by a fat guy falling out of a helicopter

- cannibals

- a dog eating someone's penis

- an ending that involved the actual physical murder of god himself at the hands of a primary series antagonist

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

...now, the boys hasn't got anywhere near all that yet. all they had was some fake superheroes sexually harassing their new member. is dc that sensitive about the image of superheroes in general? didn't they publish WATCHMEN, which involved a superhero who was a rapist as well as a vigilante?

if it wasn't content, and it wasn't sales, i'd like to know what it was...

Most of this was way later in Preracher though. Look at the first six issues of this book compared to the first six issues of PReacher. I think you'll find it out PReacher's Preacher.

[kurupted]

Maybe Marvel will pick it up....this title was made for the MAX imprint. That'll teach DC a lesson!you already know if that happens we'll get 50 "quesada is trying to sabotage dc by swiping 'the boys' threads here":p

but imo it'd be the perfect home for it. that or icon

[Ace]

My natural instinct is to actually be pretty ok about this, because I'm frustrating by the backlash against capes, since it's the genre I like, and I get annoyed when people look at it with a lot of disdain(there's no comic I despise more than Millar's work on the Authority and he's even a "fan" of the genre), but in truth, people liked this comic and it ended, and I know how it is to like something and have it end WAY before it ought to, and so I feel real bad for the people who liked it.

My hope would be that Ennis gets to use his additional free time to work on something he wants to build up (as opposed to knock down), in a genre that he actually enjoys, though I know the constraints of the industry are tough when it comes to that sometimes.

[Bry Kotyk]

I'm glad. This series was a huge disappointment. Ennis is just re-treading old ground in it.

With any luck, it will fail to find another publisher, and maybe Ennis will write something a little more original.
Aren't comments like this sort of like going to a nightclub, only to loudly proclaim that you hate dance music?

You're certainly entitled to your opinion, but this was still a title that was enjoyed by many people, and even had healthy sales to justify its existence. It may not have been what you wanted it to be, but it seems pretty clear that Ennis and Robertson were happy with it. As the now-old saying goes, "if you don't like it, don't read it". What do you gain by revelling in a cancellation that many people are clearly upset about?

[FatMaleGamer]

The Boys was my favorite current ongoing title. I read all of Preacher, and I painstakingly collected all of Hitman five years after it ended. DC didn't object to God biting a Jesse Custer's eye out. Nothing was said when Lobo got buttraped by Bueno Excellente. What's the deal here?

Whatever the reason for DC's poor decision, whoever starts putting out The Boys is guaranteed to get my money.

[skyking]

ErikCrusade does make a good point that this was a creator-owned property though.

[khuxford]

Now I truly feel stupid for not having followed Sarah's glowing reviews and actually picked up the book. Maybe I'll buy the run Saturday...

[GreenDevil]

Dc just losing money from me..i'm smiling (angerily), i hope it moves to MAX...


DC has no balls!!!

[kurupted]

uh... i don't see how the reason for cancellation could possibly have anything to do with the relative offensiveness of the content. maybe THE BOYS was trying to out-preacher preacher, but it hadn't gotten there yet.

just in case you don't recall, preacher had:

SPOILERS (for you fools who never read preacher)

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

- a pedophile who threw heroine orgies and made porn starring children

- angels who spent all day doing coke and screwing whores

- a man who constructed a giant woman out of slabs of meat and had sex with it

- the descendant of jesus being crushed by a fat guy falling out of a helicopter

- cannibals

- a dog eating someone's penis

- an ending that involved the actual physical murder of god himself at the hands of a primary series antagonist

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

...now, the boys hasn't got anywhere near all that yet. all they had was some fake superheroes sexually harassing their new member. is dc that sensitive about the image of superheroes in general? didn't they publish WATCHMEN, which involved a superhero who was a rapist as well as a vigilante?

if it wasn't content, and it wasn't sales, i'd like to know what it was...you missed that every descendant of jesus was born from incest

if there was trouble with its content its probably because ennis was taking such a big s**t on the superhero genre

[RedRonin]

There s a world of differenc ebewteen the way those two events were protrayed and the context they were told and this book. Let's not be naive now.
Right one was done for humor the other was a "crisis".

[Midas]

Not much more to add other than to put my name down as someone SEVERELY disappointed in Wildstorm for canceling this book. Here's hoping they find a new home soon! It was gross but a perfectly legitimate perspective on superheroes. I mean, if you had the power of a god, just how altruistic would you be (or would you use your powers to get women, get rich, get powerful, etc.)?

[bprdfla1]

This is absolute cr@p.
My only solice is that being creator owned, it'll probably move to a publisher with some cojones.

[leafinsectma]

Regarding Robertson being exclusive... maybe they can put a clause in his contract saying he could do The Boys somewhere else? Like another poster said, I hope DC puts him on a major book.

[Violent Gorilla]

I liked some things about this book, but was bored by yet anohter "They're the Justice League, except CORRUPT!" pastiche. I liked the central theme of the book, though.

[MurrayC]

why is it being canceled if the sales seem healthy?

Two words: "Paul Levitz"

[MurrayC]

This makes me sad. I was really enjoying this series. :(

Why do this, DC?


Two words: "Paul Levitz"

[TheGrayHulk]

Yep, one of the best new comics of 2006... and Ennis said he had a 60+ issue series in his mind... so damn it to hell.

I really don't think it was more violent than, say, Punisher, so I really think Marvel/Max should publish the rest (that would be a kick in the nuts for DC if it really starts to sell, due to the controversy).;)

Maybe a problem could be that The Boys featured characters based on the JLA, but I suppose they're different enough to be put in the company of, say, the Squadron Supreme characters?;)

Besides, that could be a great cross-over: The Seven vs the Squadron! (add Midnighter and Apolo and you'll have 3 versions of Superman and Batman!):p

[Dirtbagjeff]

Damn it. Who's responsible for this crap? They deserve a swift hard kick in the nads for this one. They should at least still put the trade out; or let the readers know why.

[MurrayC]

i think everyone that buys the book deserves an explanation. all buyers should write letters to DC

I DEMAND AN EXPLANATION DC

Two words: "Paul Levitz"

[Green Llama]

There must be more completed all ready past issue 6...I hope we don't have long to wait before somebody picks this book up!

Frak DC!

[manasteel88]

wow...well i seriously just bought 1-6 this weekend and loved it...so this is kinda bs...

[Bobo Da Hobo]

I see Levitz is busy whacking the censorship button again.


Good form DC. I eagerly await giving Marvel my money this week

[SuperturboZ]

oh man that totally sucks!

I hope it finds a new home. I have a feeling that it won't be that hard though.

[Corrupteddragon]

damn i just started reading this series too, well since Ennis is doing so well at Marvel, maybe they can bring it over to Icon or something.

[Brian Garside]

This title sold very well for us at All New Comics, and was building steam with each issue. The first six issues were really well done, with good storytelling, and excellent art, and it was a book that we had no problem recommending (to mature readers of course).

I'll be eagerly awaiting an announcement about the Boys' new home...although I do hope it's not Avatar as I can't make heads nor tails of their section in Diamond, and I have no interest in seeing the Leather Handbag Edition of the Boys #1, or the Diamond Studded Fetish version of the Boys #1, or the Silver Embossed Codpiece version of the Boys #1 or the....umm, well I think you get the point.

[Dalarsco]

Lame. I don't even read this book and I still think it sucks. If it contains things inappropriate for Wildstorm than move it to Vertigo. Don't pull a Fox.

[Knowbrainer]

Well... damn.

I'm sure the book will pop up somewhere else (and hopefully continue the issue numbering). I just don't want to see it at Avatar or IDW. Avatar tosses out a million and one covers for books (just look at their frigging section in Previews) and IDW... well, I'm sure as hell not ready to shell out $3.99 on a regular basis for something I want to read. That, and IDW isn't the right fit for them. Image or self-publishing would probably be the best choice.

[mqboyd]

Okay, so I guess I'm past the shock of The Boys being shown the door by DC, I guess my next bit to tackle would be the disdain towards writers who have a disdain towards the capes. Truth by told, I'm a huge fan of costume heroes, ie, Spider-Man and the likes, but I also enjoy reading the other side of the game so to speak. It's in the creators rights to tell the best possible story that they can and if that means bashing the capes genre then so be it. As long as I get the best possible story that said creator can tell and at the some time be entertaining then I'm willing to give it a shot. I guess what I'm saying is it's okay to poke fun at something just as long as it's quality work.

Cyclops Sucks!!!

[Sparvid]

1: $3.99 - I thought IDW comics were ad-free (DDP says: "That's not a bad thing...that's a good thing")

2: Exclusive contracts, don't they often allow a creator to do creator-owned material elsewhere?

[dalunt]

Lame. I don't even read this book and I still think it sucks. If it contains things inappropriate for Wildstorm than move it to Vertigo. Don't pull a Fox.

Exactly. I think they should just move it to Vertigo as well.

[Noam Choseed]

Well... damn.

Image or self-publishing would probably be the best choice.

I agree if Image can publish Bomb Queen, it can definately handle The Boys:cool: :D :cool: Maybe Dark Horse, but Image would be a better fit. Either way, a mainstream publisher is in my opinion the best home for it. It needs to be seen by an audience predisposed toward superheroes.:D :D :D

[snikt!!]

I'm not surprised....good titles as this, are too intelligent for a mediocre audience!

Muscles, costumes, and boobs....a smile on a superhero, a nice way to act...a lil' part of terrorism to fight.....a very known char (if he'll have 3 claws is better) and you'll have a good book....ready to sell copies...

The Market is goin' to fall.

I'm sure they'll call it a MASTERPIECE after 10 years.....You bet?!

Amen

[ShinAkuma666]

I am also one of those that was waiting to get this in tpb but I will buy it when it is released by another publisher.

I am also surprised at the reaction from DC, its not like they did not know what to expect from the creators; they get the scripts, theres conversations over content, etc...

Will continue to follow the situation and will get the tpb when it is released :)

[ptsteelers]

Well, As DC has screwed me out of a good book, I shall now screw them on sales of their other WS titles. Yeah, I know, not going to show up in the grand scheme of things, but ... One voice - One vote.
Bye-bye Gen13
Bye-bye Midnighter
Bye-bye Wetworks
Bye-bye Tranquility
Bye-bye ....ummmm... hell, I still gotta get Wildcats and Authority.
:(

[God-Man]

Wow, that is shocking news. The only reason I can possibly think of for the cancellation is because of the controversial subject matter.

[Akcoll99]

I feel bad for the retailers who have alotted orders, and more importantly dollars, towards 4 issue AND a trade that wil now never ship. They could have easily directed that money towards other books that were shipping and would have netted them a profit instead of a 'cancelled' notice... Bad form DC...

[PhilipAMoore]

Won't be missed.

by you .

I am sad to see this happen I love this series it is one of my favorite books I hope they get this up and running quickly I just don't want it to end up at Avitar I was never able to look at the series DICKS and feel anthing but dirty

good day

[reedariam]

Unfortunate. I hope (a) this didn't sour Ennis & Robertson to the idea of continuing and (b) Robertson is free to pursue this title outside of his contract...and the book is able to continue.

Name the publisher/imprint...I'm there.

[Redmond]

As dull as I find those college humor books, I don't understand why they should be cancelled. They add to the diversity (however dull they are once you're past puberty).

[TheGrayHulk]

Exactly. I think they should just move it to Vertigo as well.

It shouldn't matter if it's Vertigo or Wildstorm. It was a "suggested for mature readers" book, and that should mean the same anywhere.

[PhilipAMoore]

Exactly. I think they should just move it to Vertigo as well.

unfrotunatly this quoating an interviews from Garth Ennis you can get away with alot more at wild storm then Vertigo and more at Marvel Max then wild storm and avitar more then any were else.

Vertigo hasn't done super hero Comic books in over ten years not since the invisables and they arn't planning on it

good day

[jmyoung]

I had a feeling that DC wasn't going to be publishing this book for long. It was probably too "over the top" for them. I hope it finds a new home soon...i'll be awaiting further issues...

I find it hard to believe it was too "over-the-top", because this book had yet to out-Preacher Preacher. Maybe it was a question of that was then, this is now, or maybe because Preacher was under the Vertigo imprint and this is a Wildstorm book?

[[NM]]

Wow this sucks.:(

[ptsteelers]

As dull as I find those college humor books, I don't understand why they should be cancelled. They add to the diversity (however dull they are once you're past puberty).

:rolleyes:
A) you never read past issue #2, so you didn't see the bigger picture
or
B) you did buy past issue #2 and spend your money on something you consider boring.

Which one man? Which one?
:D

[<sage>]

This is unbelievable, I'm am really shocked. This has been one of the best new series of the year. I hope it finds a new home very fast I absolutely love this book. You really ____ed up DC/Wildstorm

[bsmith]

It shouldn't matter if it's Vertigo or Wildstorm. It was a "suggested for mature readers" book, and that should mean the same anywhere.


should be, but isn't. Frankly, I was surprised that the Wildstorm brand put this out, as it's a bit too much even for their new identity.

Vertigo would be a logical fit and I wish it would go there, but maybe the superhero content wouldn't fit.

Anyway, I hope we get the real story soon - and that those quality creators get a chance to showcase it somewhere else.

And, as much as I love DC's diversity - best in the field, bar none - they really should have had a sit-down with these guys at the beginning if they felt it might get a bit too much (if that's the reason it's canned).

BSmith

[Ravengregory]

I agree. This is one of the best books out right now.

[REMOH]

Welcome to the world of politics; it's everywhere. Pretty soon there will be a super-human registration act; and we don't even have any super-heroes.

[McEvil1]

Bugger, i was waiting for the trade on this one as it looked right up my street! Fingers crossed someone else picks it up!


If you go to http://www.dccomics.com/wildstorm/ & type in The Boys in the search bar in the upper right corner, the site still has issues #7-10 & the trade listed for release.

:mad: :mad: :mad: DC sucks!:mad: :mad: :mad:

[exultant801]

what is this millar/authority fiasco everyone is referring to? didn't that run its' course? there was even an absolute made from it.

[bebopeva88]

Wow...weird. Between this and the way DC handled the Authority Vol. 1 when Millar was on the book, it really isn't a good thing for Wildstorm/DC.

[Ken B.]

Welcome to the world of politics; it's everywhere. Pretty soon there will be a super-human registration act; and we don't even have any super-heroes.

Oh for God's sake...

This is the working world here folks. It's not like first amendment rights were violated or anything. DC hired them to make a product, the product was deemed too much for DC, and the canceled it, yet still gave the creators their rights to the project. I can't stress this enough: they gave them the rights to move it elsewhere. That is extremely generous for DC to do.

[AAB]

uh... i don't see how the reason for cancellation could possibly have anything to do with the relative offensiveness of the content. maybe THE BOYS was trying to out-preacher preacher, but it hadn't gotten there yet.

just in case you don't recall, preacher had:

SPOILERS (for you fools who never read preacher)

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

- a pedophile who threw heroine orgies and made porn starring children

- angels who spent all day doing coke and screwing whores

- a man who constructed a giant woman out of slabs of meat and had sex with it

- the descendant of jesus being crushed by a fat guy falling out of a helicopter

- cannibals

- a dog eating someone's penis

- an ending that involved the actual physical murder of god himself at the hands of a primary series antagonist

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

...now, the boys hasn't got anywhere near all that yet. all they had was some fake superheroes sexually harassing their new member. is dc that sensitive about the image of superheroes in general? didn't they publish WATCHMEN, which involved a superhero who was a rapist as well as a vigilante?

if it wasn't content, and it wasn't sales, i'd like to know what it was...


Interesting question. I read the first three issues of this series and I did not find it necessary to spend any more cash on this, but I still checked it out browsing in shops.

Yet, we live in a much more conservative political climate now that when Preacher (Liberal 90's tech boom in full swing) was introduced. -Hey now, before you all start working your openers on each of your can of worms, I am personally not condeming or condoning "Preacher" or "The Boys", but speculating on the Time/Warner CORPORATE behemoth's plan's to maximize some profits on the 'super-hero'. Not like though a new reader would stop and just become 'jaded' or 'distraught' by only reading either of those two titles out of the myriad of titles that each of the big two compete for real estate on a a shop or book store's shelf space. -Does Barnes and Noble and Borders carry "The Boys"? I could see a parent wondering how the heck their child found that title, and then chastise one of those large sellers if that title was purchased there -being found on the spinning metal rack thing that also offers the kids comics; not the graphic novels section.

[Xero]

Great book, it will definitely have no problem finding a new home.

[Errorist]

This is insanity.

If it's true...

What makes it worse is that I had (for some really strange reason) assumed it was a mini-series that ran 6 issues.

Now I'm doubly dissapointed. :-(

[JDoudican]

wow

DC FAILS

[mike oxbig]

There's going to be a line to get the rights to publish this book. 25k+ is nothing to sneeze at nowadays especially with a book that should be big in trade form.

I wouldn't stress it too much people, if anything all this commotion may help.

[AAB]

This is insanity.

If it's true...

What makes it worse is that I had (for some really strange reason) assumed it was a mini-series that ran 6 issues.

Now I'm doubly dissapointed. :-(

Yet so inadvertently psychic... ;)

[Muffin922]

I'm going to be one of many people who will say this: NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!

I don't want this book to finish!

[MadLoveShogun]

askws@dccomics.com

Here's Wildstorms email address. I suggest that all of you take the time to drop them a line and let them know how you feel about this turn of events. Cursing and petty name-calling is encouraged.

[jonnynyc]

They are likely afraid of the backlash this book could cause. They see what's happening with Grey's Anatomy's Isiah Washington and his use of the word fag and the press Disney is getting as a result. The series is way over the top but it was a great read. Hopefully it will continue someplace else.

One situation has nothign to do with the other.
By repeating someones use of hate speech you are promoting it and contributing to the problem.
He didn't just "use" the word. He called his gay co worker the word in anger while he was choking another cast member. He then admitted and apologized for it. But then denied it AT THE GOLDEN GLOBES in front of said co-worker, the rest of the cast and the entire press room!!
Please don't minimize this very real bit of hate by comparing it to DC being whimpy about publishing a totally great, outrageously funny but slightly graphic comic.

That said, I will miss The Boys. It was AMAZING! I will buy it no matter what company it lands at.

[Switch]

2: Exclusive contracts, don't they often allow a creator to do creator-owned material elsewhere?
Been told details on most of those contracts usually only have the creator-work pre-existing at other companies when written into the exclusive. Would be good if they let these boys continue The Boys outside.

[CCMD]

Unbelieveable, i will post a nice long rant tomorrow..I own a shop as a lot of you know Collectors Corner in Maryland and we have cycled through 75-85 copies of THE BOYS #1 counting re-orders..we have 45 subscribers to this title alone and are selling another 25-35 off the RACK with no DECLINE in SALES in our STORE at ALL!!!, This book had everything we need in a long running sales sense, with a steady team proven attached.
I am so angry at DC COMICS right now, i think we all deserve an explanation, you are now taking money from me in a direct way, i honestly feel like we are all owed a an explanation as to why low selling poor quality books are allowed to continue while a book that has tremendous long term potential sale like THE BOYS, especially all the $$$ we would have made in TRADE PAPERBACKS alone!!!
We had 15 to 20 people in the STORE talking about this being cancelle dthat were visibly upset, literally couldn't even believe..
BOB WAYNE, DC, why in the hell would this book be cancelled! WHY???

Thanks alot for inspiring confidence in us RETAILERS!....
I am betting someone wasa sensitive Nancypants over there and the content was just too much for them..unreal...i'll reserve comment till we know for sure why but thats my guess/

[Scorned1]

DC, what a bunch of cowards.

[EmeraldGuy32]

WTF?!?!!?!?!??!?!?!

This is my favorite book!! God ____ing Damnit DC!! ____! IF Robertson is still exclusive, who's gonna draw The Boys if it goes to a new publisher. Seems to me like perhaps DC tricked Darrick into signing an exclusive saying he'd work on The Boys only, then cancel it and put him to work on crappy DCU books.

[Steranko72]

Well very easy !! Kill off an other title who sells a lot !!
Thank you Mr Didio... last one was "Solo" owner of two "Eisner Awards".
That's next...some Vertigo titles...
Could someone at D.C. takes responsability for this guy and banned him from the office of editor.
Please, I'm a faithfull reader since now 20 years, I've never seen that.
Could someone kick his ass of D.C. comics, he's the shame of this compagny !!

[parasitedj]

I've been reading comics for over 30 years I've read every imaginable super hero story and I'm burned out on them. With The Boys it was refreshing nothing to new you might remember the Ennis graphic The Pro with a prostitute who gets super powers or Rick Veitch's Brat Pack, but The Boys made me do something I haven't done in along time laugh out loud while reading a comic! Sure DC wants to play it safe before mom finds out what you been reading! I've been reading the newsarama posts for awhile now but nothing has made me write anything here until now! So with that said I'm glad to be done buying comics this year with all the marketing crossovers which get undone in a couple of years anyways. So with the last issue of Planetary I'll be done, Ellis can keep pimping himself out for more diluted stories of the same. there really needs to be a breath of fresh air in the industry right now! It's a shame that something finally comes along only to be canceled because the publisher wants to play it safe. Hey we the people don't matter we only support you! So with that said I ride off into the sunset.

[lpmiller]

sigh. C'mon DC, it's ok to make fun of hamster lovin' superteens.

[MattBrady]

Well very easy !! Kill off an other title who sells a lot !!
Thank you Mr Didio... last one was "Solo" owner of two "Eisner Awards".
That's next...some Vertigo titles...
Could someone at D.C. takes responsability for this guy and banned him from the office of editor.
Please, I'm a faithfull reader since now 20 years, I've never seen that.
Could someone kick his ass of D.C. comics, he's the shame of this compagny !! Dude - chill the hell down. Didio is Executive Editor of the DCU side of things. Nothing to do with Wildstorm, editorially.

MattB

[tiso_spencer]

F^%K you DC. Done with your company. Screw completing 52 now or getting any of the WildStorm Universe titles that I was enjoying.

[beetle1million]

Love this book. Can't wait to see it picked up somewhere, as we know it will be, and hopefully the original issues will be reprinted with their content unaltered.

Because, yes, it's been fairly common knowledge that at least a few pages of The Boys were redrawn before we saw the final product, I believe the oral sex and orgy scenes specifically.

For everybody saying that the book hasn't exceeded the limits of, say, Preacher, which DC did print, why would censorship be an issue here: The book has already been changed several times, and possibly for different reasons than we're expecting. For example, there's a different rule when measuring what's acceptable in the realms of gruesome violence, than the one used in measuring 'just how graphic can this underage sex scene be'. I have a feeling that after several times having to rewrite and/or redraw scenes, Ennis and Robertson were probably asked again, and decided they should move else where. I'd be shocked if there wasn't already a prospective company talking to them prior to the press release of this news.

In short, besides explaining why some things may have been censored, yes, I'm also suggesting that this may not have been DC cutting the book, rather, Ennis and Robertson wanting their creative vision to go unmarred and DC allowing them to do so.

[Livewire2nd]

I was just talking about this book the Other day And we Keep getting new People in shop wanting ot read this book. I can't even tell you how many times we've had to reorder it. Also we Ordered like 30 Copys of the ttrade and for a shop our size that's saying somthing since we Norm only order one or 2 copys at a time. We think that one of DC's parent Companys laid the Smackdown on them and they had to get rid of it.

[Steranko72]

Dude - chill the hell down. Didio is Executive Editor of the DCU side of things. Nothing to do with Wildstorm, editorially.

MattB

So okay, who's responsible for this mess !!
Thanks Matt...but I still don't like Mr Didio...:D

[Jeremy Williams]

I'm having flashbacks from the old Authority boards! ;)

[cookiejar]

This really sucks....I liked reading all the effed up shiznit that went on in this book....

I'm hoping Image grabs it....

I already give Marvel too much of my money

[Erikcrusade]

I really don't think it was more violent than, say, Punisher, so I really think Marvel/Max should publish the rest (that would be a kick in the nuts for DC if it really starts to sell, due to the controversy).;)


I guarantee you the violence wasn't the issue with the book. It was the (sometimes very deviant) sexual material. Which, more than likely, will be the thing that keeps Marvel from publishing it.

[Erikcrusade]

I see Levitz is busy whacking the censorship button again.

People really need to know what the "c" word means before they start throwing it around. The book isn't being censored. No one's stopping it from being published. DC/WIldstorm simply made the decision that they are not the one's who will be publishing it anymore and they are working to get the rights back to the creators so they can find someone who is.

People deciding they're not going to read any other Wildstorm books simply because DC/Wildstorm has deicided not to publish a book that is admittedly over the top and has very mature subject matter probably aren't mature enough to be reading "The BOys" in the first place.

[G Dog]

Maybe, but it still doesn't explain why DC even gave it six issues then. If you want to "Outpreacher Preacher" and Ennis is writing the book, DC knew what they were getting into when they signed up.

Well, here's the thing. Out-Preachering Preacher doesn't just mean extreme violence and sex. Preacher more, MUCH more than just that. Preacher told an amazing story with a ton of heart. The Boys is extreme violence and sex directed towards superheroes.

*yawn*

[Burnt Frog]

I agree that this is an absolutely awful decision. But don't shoot the messenger. WildStorm has published edgy and cool stuff by Ennis in the past, it's probably not them who axed it. DC hates anything edgy and cool, they vastly prefer 70-year-old men in ridiculous costumes. :mad:

I will post a email to WildStorm letting them know my feelings about this (which they will hopefully pass on to DC management). I have the horrible suspicion that I be will using that email address quite a lot.

Why oh why did you have to sell WildStorm to the Plantation Jim? What would the Authority 13-24 have been like if it had stayed at Image? Maybe WildCats version 3.0 would still be going, and not strangled in its infancy by DC hacks. :mad: :mad: :mad:

[leafinsectma]

Gotta love the passion here on the boards for The Boys. People are actually gonna boycott DC/Wildstorm? Wow. I'm doing no such thing but I might cut back a little...

[Erikcrusade]

askws@dccomics.com

Cursing and petty name-calling is encouraged.
Because people who do that will be taken so seriously and it will get so much accomplished.

[Master Bates]

DC...

You make my ass sting.

[khuxford]

Well, here's the thing. Out-Preachering Preacher doesn't just mean extreme violence and sex. Preacher more, MUCH more than just that. Preacher told an amazing story with a ton of heart. The Boys is extreme violence and sex directed towards superheroes.

*yawn*

Out Preachering Preacher is pretty much referring to the violence, sex and language...seeing as how the stories are different, it isn't about anything else. :)

[G Dog]

I see Levitz is busy whacking the censorship button again.

Except that it's not censorship. If they were forcing changes on the book, I would agree, but they aren't doing that. They're simply choosing not to publish the book and allowing the creators to shop it around.

[bizzarodemon]

gotta write to these bums

[khuxford]

DC...

You make my ass sting.

See that's why DC is washing their hands of it. Too many potential lawsuits from customers who were surprised to find that the issue stung their ass as soon as they turned their back on it. :D

[G Dog]

Exactly. I think they should just move it to Vertigo as well.

Yeah, because Vertigo is the perfect place for an over-the-top superhero book.

[bizzarodemon]

Dear Editors,

Never have I felt compelled to write to a publisher about my displeasure
before.

The cancellation of The Boys seems to me on the outside to be cowardly. Surely
you can't take issue with the content of the book; you don't sign Garth Ennis
to write a mature readers title and expect Beatrix Potter or even Clive Barker.
So, sorry, if you're going to come out now and say you have a problem with the
content, you're just a bunch of chickens, in my humble opinion.

The book also seems to have a very solid sales base and my local retailer is pushing the book to his customers all of the time; so it isn't sales either.

Personally it is one of the books I look forward to the most every month and
this sudden and, lets be honest about it, unwarranted cancellation really
pisses me off because it doesn't make sense. DC has published plenty of books with
more graphic content than anything I've seen in the pages of the Boys so far. Why the weak knees now?

As I won't be able to get the next few issues of The Boys as they were
scheduled to come out, you can count on not selling any copies of Gen13,
Deathblow, Wetworks, WildC.A.T.S or The Authority to me at any time in the
future. I also won't hesitate to apply this same boycott to the main DC
universe books I buy should a similar lack of ambition rear it's head there-
certainly the cancelling of Manhunter already has that group on thin ice.

Just because comics are hitting the mainstream in a big way doesn't mean they
ALL need to have the shiny glow of a GAP ad.

[G Dog]

I feel bad for the retailers who have alotted orders, and more importantly dollars, towards 4 issue AND a trade that wil now never ship. They could have easily directed that money towards other books that were shipping and would have netted them a profit instead of a 'cancelled' notice... Bad form DC...

You realize that they don't have to pay for the issues that aren't shipping, right? They're getting the money back.

[Erikcrusade]

Well, here's the thing. Out-Preachering Preacher doesn't just mean extreme violence and sex. Preacher more, MUCH more than just that. Preacher told an amazing story with a ton of heart. The Boys is extreme violence and sex directed towards superheroes.

*yawn*

It's pretty sad that people aren't seeing, much like Preacher, the bigger story that is being set up in this book beyond the extreme violence and deviant sex. THis is what makes Ennis an amazing character writer. I think the Boys has the potential (and I actually think it will in time) be just as revered as Preacher for it's own reasons.

And as far as people thinking Robertson won't draw this if it moves - you're dead wrong. I'm sure DC is well aware of why Robertson was unhappy in his exclusive with Marvel and will do everything in their power to keep him happy, including allowing him to continue on The Boys wherever it ends up (and my money is on Image at this point.) THis is an extremly unique situationa nd one that I think has no precedent.

I think anothe rpoint that has to be looked at is that it's entirely possible that Ennis and Robertson asked to move it somewhere else. Robertson clearly said that DC was not the home for this project. Sounds to me like someone who may have had a hand in the decison, instead of the decison being made for him.

[avery]

DC Comics... a comic company run by your stuffy uncle.

I read many DC books before anyone bashes me.

[reedariam]

Dear Editors,

Never have I felt compelled to write to a publisher about my displeasure
before.

The cancellation of The Boys seems to me on the outside to be cowardly. Surley
you can't take issue with the content of the book; you don't sign Garth Ennis
to write a mature readers title and expect Beatrix Potter or even Clive Barker.
So, sorry, if you're going to come out now and say you have a problem with the
content, you're just a bunch of chickens, in my humble opinion.

The book also seems to have a very solid base and my local retailer is pushing
to his customers all of the time; so it isn't sales either.

Personally it is one of the books I look forward to the most every month and
this sudden and, lets be honest about it, unwarranted cancellation really
pisses me off because it doesn't make sense. DC has published plenty of books
worse than anything I've seen in the pages of the Boys so far. Why the weak
knees now?

As I won't be able to get the next few issues of The Boys as they were
shceduled to come out, you can count on not selling any copies of Gen13,
Deathblow, Wetworks, WildC.A.T.S or The Authority to me at any time in the
future. I also won't hesitate to apply this same boycott to the main DC
universe books I buy should a similar lack of ambition rear it's head there-
certainly the cancelling of Manhunter already has that group on thin ice.

Just because comics are hitting the mainstream in a big way doesn't mean they
ALL need to have the shiny glow of a GAP ad.

Is that what you've e-mailed to the askws e-mail? Be sure to!

As long as we don't come off as immature jackasses DC/Wildstorm will feel the heat about this decision when there are 100s of letters of censure in their accounts over one this.

Maybe next time they'll be more consistent in their decisions (they knew what the product would look like, I'm sure, before issue 1 hit the stands...)

[Erikcrusade]

Dear Editors,

Never have I felt compelled to write to a publisher about my displeasure
before.

The cancellation of The Boys seems to me on the outside to be cowardly. Surely
you can't take issue with the content of the book; you don't sign Garth Ennis
to write a mature readers title and expect Beatrix Potter or even Clive Barker.
So, sorry, if you're going to come out now and say you have a problem with the
content, you're just a bunch of chickens, in my humble opinion.

The book also seems to have a very solid sales base and my local retailer is pushing the book to his customers all of the time; so it isn't sales either.

Personally it is one of the books I look forward to the most every month and
this sudden and, lets be honest about it, unwarranted cancellation really
pisses me off because it doesn't make sense. DC has published plenty of books with
more graphic content than anything I've seen in the pages of the Boys so far. Why the weak knees now?

As I won't be able to get the next few issues of The Boys as they were
scheduled to come out, you can count on not selling any copies of Gen13,
Deathblow, Wetworks, WildC.A.T.S or The Authority to me at any time in the
future. I also won't hesitate to apply this same boycott to the main DC
universe books I buy should a similar lack of ambition rear it's head there-
certainly the cancelling of Manhunter already has that group on thin ice.

Just because comics are hitting the mainstream in a big way doesn't mean they
ALL need to have the shiny glow of a GAP ad.

If they are being cowardly than you are being infantile if you're making off the cuff boycotting threats without having any of the story behind this.

Incidently, you do know what the word cowardly means right?

[tiso_spencer]

I dont even care what the story is. This book should not have been canceled. As far as I am concerned it is all DCs fault whether one of their parent companies could not take this book or someone high up at DC Comics did not want it to sell. Either way, after 52 is done since I made it this far with it DC will never not a dime from me. Also WildStorm, outside of StormWatch PHD and maybe even Wetworks and/or Tranquility are not getting anything else from me. Screw you Morrison and Jim Lee for delaying Authority and Wildcats.

[Dr Manolis Dooplove]

so one of the few wildstorm books that actually ships on time and is worth reading is getting shitcanned like this?

i had already booted the morrison books because of the latenss, now only buying Gail's stuff

DC knew this was going to be extreme, it's the whole point of the book. they hadpublished preacher, and it made their vertigo famous.

[James Asia]

Frigging garbage, man. This is like, one of the only Wildstorm books to ship on time, and without fill-in teams. I guess laziness gets rewarded, while showing up for your job and doing what you agreed to does not.

[cookiejar]

www.imagecomics.com/messageboard/viewtopic.php?t=25044

There you go guys, I posted on the Image messageboard.. go there and let em know you WANT them to pick up this title!

[bob_at_york]

I dropped the book last month, that is why it got cancelled.

[smackroscoe]

Well, I'll be looking forward to this getting scooped up by a smarter publisher very soon. Hopefully, they'll just open up with a trade and carry on like nothings happend.

60 issues of The Boys will be a great thing to look forward to.

[SpaceButler]

:mad: I loved this book. I hope we see it again soon. And at the same price. :(

[TerryX]

Boo DC!!!!!!!!:mad:

[Booger T]

Aside from the Patriots losing to the Colts, this is the worst news of the week! DC really needs to grow a pair, it makes me wonder how Preacher was ever allowed to be completed.:( :mad: :(

[panicbxmb]

if Robertson is staying exclusive to DC, that means whenever The Boys relaunches it's going to need a new artist....

OH ____ THAT. :(:(:(

[bob_at_york]

if Robertson is staying exclusive to DC, that means whenever The Boys relaunches it's going to need a new artist....

OH ____ THAT. :(:(:(
I think DC would let him work on it. They mainly just don't want him working at Marvel.

[HouseStark]

Boooo on you DC! Booooo!

As you can tell by the number of posts in this thread ... this is not a popular decision. I hope it isn't becuase some religious or political party has given them flack. I would find that hard to believe though ... given the subjectmatter and laguage of most Vertigo titles. An explanation would be nice.

[Young Vision]

This is ____ing ________!!!! ____ YOU ON THIS DC!!! I HOPE MARVEL BUYS IT AND PUBLISHES IT AS A MAX TITLE AND THAT WOULD BE THE BIGGEST UP YOURS EVER:mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad:
















:( :( :(

[Solidius]

I am a sad panda. :(

They stopped the A-Train...

[POWRSURG]

You realize that they don't have to pay for the issues that aren't shipping, right? They're getting the money back.

Yes, but they choose to buy X units of The Boys instead of other books. Had they known in advance that The Boys would not exist they may have used that money for other products in order to bring in revenue. Sure, no store is going to be that hurt by the loss of one book, but it is still a problem for retailers. Heck, having looked at this and next week's solicits for The Boys and seeing that issue 7 was due either today or next week (it was supposed to be next week) I brought the book up around a fellow customer and thought that I had talked him into purchasing the next issue with my praise for the book. Now it was all for naught. :(

[Brandon191]

Man, this is such a bad decision on DC's part. The Boys is the best new book of the year. :(

[aries_insaneus]

This is ____ing ________!!!! ____ YOU ON THIS DC!!! I HOPE MARVEL BUYS IT AND PUBLISHES IT AS A MAX TITLE AND THAT WOULD BE THE BIGGEST UP YOURS EVER:mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad:















:( :( :(

that is one p!ssed off person right there. i just wish sooner rather than later we could get some details of why it has been canceled, or at least garth ennis reply. btw is this the first time a book has been cancelled so close to its next book coming out?

[Terrorbyte]

I've enjoyed quite a bit of Ennis' work, with Preacher an all-time favorite and Punisher MAX a pull list mainstay since #1, but The Boys was just awful. The plot was unimaginative, the pacing was dead slow, the violence was more schlock gore than brutal realism and the sexual content reeked of pandering. Hell, at least Marshall Law was funny with its over-the-top nature ... and beat the concept behind The Boys to market by a decade or so.

These past six issues have been a train wreck in slow motion. I really, really want to see Ennis and Robertson move on to better things and forget that this series ever existed.

[furioso2012]

Not even a trade? Weird.

If DC is working to give rights to GE and DR, then putting out a trade under the Wildstorm/DC imprint would probably make that action more complicated. Whoever steps up as the new publisher would benefit from issuing the trade in tandem with the book's relaunch or continuation.

[seesoul]

NOOOOOOO!!

[Cat-Scratch]

Two words: "Paul Levitz"

Do you have any proof to this allegation? Or are you just blindly accusing?
Some hard fact that Mr Levitz would be nice to see, especially after you've
repeated the same "answer" three times at least. Care to expand on it?

The series was enjoyable, but it's cancellation could be due to any number of reasons.
If no other publisher picks it up, just adds to the mystery. So lets wait and see, folks.

[khuxford]

if Robertson is staying exclusive to DC, that means whenever The Boys relaunches it's going to need a new artist....

OH ____ THAT. :(:(:(

Your name is appropriate. You're panicking over nothing. DC and Marvel let their exclusive creators do work for smaller publishers fairly often. The exclusivity often winds up being that you can't work for the other Big Two publisher.

[Aquaduck]

While I was buying the series, I really didn't find it very good. I was giving the first arch a try, but felt that it wasn't very ground-breaking or fun. It seemed to be just gratuitous violence and sex without a good story line. It did have its moments, but not really worth an ongoing.

Also, have you complaining fanboys considered: MAYBE THIS IS ELLIS' WAY OF MAKING HEADLINES SO HE CAN TAKE THE SERIES SOMEWHERE ELSE. Maybe it wasn't DC's fault that it got canceled. But, even if it was DC's decision, it really is not that big of a deal. MAYBE DC saw that this story wasn't pulling in new readers and canceled it to get new creative ideas out there. Quit complaining before you know the details.

[khuxford]

While I was buying the series, I really didn't find it very good. I was giving the first arch a try, but felt that it wasn't very ground-breaking or fun. It seemed to be just gratuitous violence and sex without a good story line. It did have its moments, but not really worth an ongoing.

Also, have you complaining fanboys considered: MAYBE THIS IS ELLIS' WAY OF MAKING HEADLINES SO HE CAN TAKE THE SERIES SOMEWHERE ELSE. Maybe it wasn't DC's fault that it got canceled. But, even if it was DC's decision, it really is not that big of a deal. MAYBE DC saw that this story wasn't pulling in new readers and canceled it to get new creative ideas out there. Quit complaining before you know the details.

If Ellis tries to take this series elsewhere, I, for one, think that Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson should sue him for all he's worth. Does that bastard have no scruples? :D

And we know the details of the sales...they were better than most Wildstorm titles.

Doesn't mean we shouldn't wait for all the facts before making assumptions here, though.

[enigma75]

DC...

You make my ass sting.

Might wanna try switching to gerbils. :rolleyes:

[Kevinjt4]

The series sales appear to have been healthy enough, with issue #6 seeing an estimated 27,000 copies shipping to stores in December, placing it at #81 on Diamond’s Top 300 list. For that month, only two other Wildstorm titles sold more copies, <b>Gen13</b> and <b>Midnighter</b>. August’s issue #1 saw an estimated 31,000 copies sold.

Anyone (dealers included) out there know what the average print run is for issues these days NOT including Civil War, 52, or Infinte Crisis?

Seems like were back to the old Valiant days...



Kev

[tunabeard]

I'm hoping that Ennis and Robertson do take it somewhere else. IDW, Image, wherever. I want more of <i>The Boys</i>, dammit.


I'm with you...take it to IDW

[foolwriter]

Just to add my voice to the choir, and in the hopes that someone at DC reads these posts or that one of the creators might glance over it, I've gotta say this really sucks the big one. Yes, The Boys is juvenile and shameless and violent and grotesque and utterly, utterly filthy, but, damn it, I LIKED it. After losing NEXTWAVE, this is the addition of insult to injury.

I hope someday one of the big two sees fit to publish (and continue to do so) a smart, irreverant satire of it's bread and butter, no holds barred.

Please, IDW, pick up The Boys.

[mrblasphemy]

[QUOTE=Erikcrusade]It's pretty sad that people aren't seeing, much like Preacher, the bigger story that is being set up in this book beyond the extreme violence and deviant sex. THis is what makes Ennis an amazing character writer. I think the Boys has the potential (and I actually think it will in time) be just as revered as Preacher for it's own reasons.QUOTE]

Agreed. Ennis isn't exactly an intellectual writer, but he knows what he's doing with a story and he knows how to create likable characters. Wee Hughie and Starlight were both really interesting, and I was looking forward to seeing what happened with them. I hope I still will.

DC can publish what they want, but I wish it could have worked out that a company in the business of publishing good stories would publish this good story.

[Adam G]

Right when this book was starting to become one of my favorites :( . Anyway, I don't think that Ennis will relaunch it without Darrick. I was talking to Darrick at this past year's Wizard World Philly and you could see how fired up he was to be working on this and that he planned on being on all 60 issues.

Hopefully DC can be somewhat classy and let Darrick draw it when it starts back up even if he is still exclusive. It's the least they can do, to the creators and the fans.

[SpyGuy]

Well, at nine pages in, I doubt my opinion will mean much, but I am seriously pissed off about this...and will be even more if this actually does turn out to be more of Paul Levitz's offended delicate sensibilties bullsh|t (ex. THE AUTHORITY). Hopefully, Rich Johnston or somebody's chasing this one down and posting the real story somewhere in a big, bold font.

[Negation]

Damn I was waiting for the trade.
DC sucks.

[drastic_q]

Hmm, I wonder if there are stacks of The Boys #7 sitting in a warehouse somewhere until they'll be destroyed/recycled. I bet a stray copy might be worth a few bucks.

Oh, and this sucks. It just seems like everyone's covered that already. I hope the transition to a new publisher is smooth and quick. I don't want this comic to fall off of my radar and miss the next few issues.

DC could make it up to me if they put out an Absolute Preacher.

[G. Favreau]

Eeh... I'm almost scared to go to my comic shop this weekend and am somewhat glad that I already went to pick up my stuff.

I can think of only 3 people there that didn't read The Boys, and I was one of them, I was, in fact, waiting of the trade to come out.

DC not commenting on this is pretty strange, though. If it was indeed Ennis and Robertson wanting to take the book elsewhere they could easily say so. If it was just "We don't feel that a book like The Boys should be part of our publishing line-up.", the same.

But the fact that they're not commenting on this leads me to believe two things :

1) They're in negociation to limit the damages. Either to convince Ennis and Robertson to tone down the book or to convince them to stay with Wildstorm.

and

2) They're attempting to not give the book extra publicity in case the negociations fail.


After all, we're talking about a creator-owned book, here. DC acknowledging the book will give it a lot of momentum were it to be published at another publisher.

[Deathangel]

EDIT: On second thoughts, I wholeheartedly agree with this:

I've enjoyed quite a bit of Ennis' work, with Preacher an all-time favorite and Punisher MAX a pull list mainstay since #1, but The Boys was just awful. The plot was unimaginative, the pacing was dead slow, the violence was more schlock gore than brutal realism and the sexual content reeked of pandering. Hell, at least Marshall Law was funny with its over-the-top nature ... and beat the concept behind The Boys to market by a decade or so.

These past six issues have been a train wreck in slow motion. I really, really want to see Ennis and Robertson move on to better things and forget that this series ever existed.

[Erikcrusade]

Well, at nine pages in, I doubt my opinion will mean much, but I am seriously pissed off about this...and will be even more if this actually does turn out to be more of Paul Levitz's offended delicate sensibilties bullsh|t (ex. THE AUTHORITY). Hopefully, Rich Johnston or somebody's chasing this one down and posting the real story somewhere in a big, bold font.

People did read this book right? I mean it's not like this was over a swear word and a simple sex scene between a man and a woman. There's was some serious violence and not just sexual content, but extremely deviant sexual content as well as excessive adult language in these issues. I can understand that a major publishing company who's whole focus right now is attempting to "re-introduce" their whole super hero line to a new gneration of readers just got to a point where this book was diametircally opposed to everything they are trying to do not only with the re-launch on their own universe but also the re-launch of the Wildstorm universe.

Let's not kid anyone here, this was a full on adult book that was seriously exploring the concept of ablsoute power corrupting through incredibly adult subject matters. This is so far beyond "Th Authority" in adult subject matter it's not even funny.

Not to mention the fact that to my knowledge nothing has been edited or adjusted beyond what the creators themselves were willing to do themselves in issues 1 through 6.

To compare this to the Authority/Millar controversy is just asanine. The circumstances are completely different (The Authority are all charcaters owned by DC/Wildstorm - The Boys are a creator owned project. The Authority was edited at the time against Millar's wishes - to my knowledge nothing has been edited in "The Boys" without the creators involvement.) Not to mention Millar has since buried the hatchet with DC and LEvitz and has come out and said he understands they were DC/Wildstorm properties and are allowed to do whatever they please with characters THEY OWN.

The book obviously from this thread has a vocal group of fans and it sales at Wildstorm/DC were still far above many indie titles and it would be a coup for an indie to pick this up and publish it (and as a matter of fact I almost see this as a very positive thing for whatever other publisher picks it up) as the fan base is alreayd built in and there and publicity is almost certainly already wirtten for the first major push for the book.

People need to relax and stop blaming. It's a shame that DC didn't see this book in their publishing future, but such is life. It will live on, and if for no other reason than for DC to keep him happy while he's signed to an exclusive with them, with Darick Robertson. JUst chill and keep your eyes open and most importantly, if you are a fan, make sure you BUY it when it comes out, who ever puts it out.

[kurupted]

what IS the millar/authority debacle?

someone please break it down or those of us that arent aware of it

[Tenebras]

guess this is a good time for a first post, I am a huge fan of this book. Its a shame to hear that DC would drop such a good title. With that being said I do believe the sex in the book seemed excessive, I mean it just seemed thrown in there so people would be like "ooooh this is dirty" and so that you could feel like you where having some kind of guilty pleasure. That being said I am only on issue 3 right now and my other 3 issues are coming in tommorrow so I am sure I will be in for quite the read.

Definately a very solid book, I think Ennis does a great job of writing his work so that it reads almost like an HBO tv show or something, it feels like it should take like 60 minutes to get the jist of the whole plot of the issue.


Oh well guess my pull list is without DC comics once more

[Erikcrusade]

Eeh... I'm almost scared to go to my comic shop this weekend and am somewhat glad that I already went to pick up my stuff.

I can think of only 3 people there that didn't read The Boys, and I was one of them, I was, in fact, waiting of the trade to come out.

DC not commenting on this is pretty strange, though. If it was indeed Ennis and Robertson wanting to take the book elsewhere they could easily say so. If it was just "We don't feel that a book like The Boys should be part of our publishing line-up.", the same.

But the fact that they're not commenting on this leads me to believe two things :

1) They're in negociation to limit the damages. Either to convince Ennis and Robertson to tone down the book or to convince them to stay with Wildstorm.

and

2) They're attempting to not give the book extra publicity in case the negociations fail.


After all, we're talking about a creator-owned book, here. DC acknowledging the book will give it a lot of momentum were it to be published at another publisher.

Creator owned deals are not always as simple as just letting the people walk to another publisher. Contracts are always complex, especially in regards to licensing rights. I believe I once read somewhere that in the case of DC creator owned books there's lots of things reagrding first look rights to movie and televison adapatations as well as certain timeframes written into contracts in regards to a trade paperback and other reprints of materials. While cancellations, i'm sure are worked into the contracts, I'm sure it's usally figured by sales numbers and not neccessarily content as it would appear to be here. There's an awful lot of red tape to go through here.

[Erikcrusade]

what IS the millar/authority debacle?

someone please break it down or those of us that arent aware of it
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Millar

[Paladin]

Totally shocked! :confused: :confused: :mad:

Been faithfully picking this up since the beginning.

Well, if the long odds are in the air, then I better check my lotto ticket. I'm sure to have won tonight.

Heck, maybe then I could fund the book.

[Erikcrusade]

Via Heidi McDonald at "The Beat" (http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/):
Asked for comment, writer Garth Ennis provided the following statement:



It’s become obvious to all concerned that The Boys should never have been published at DC, and to their credit they’re working hard to release the rights so that Darick and I can find the book a new home. We’re already looking at offers from a number of publishers, and plan to return with #7 and the first trade collection in a matter of a few months.

Thank you to everyone who’s bought and supported The Boys to date. I’ve gotten a real kick out of the response we’ve gotten over the first six issues, and I’m looking forward to getting stuck into the next fifty-four. Believe me, what we’ve got coming up will make #1-6 look like a quiet evening on Sesame Street.

One other thing: I want to say thank you to Ben Abernathy, Scott Dunbier and Jim Lee for all their help and support. Good guys, pleasant to deal with, never anything less than gentlemen. I’m going to miss doing the book with them.

That seems to cover it all. Robertson confirms that he has plenty of work lined up at DC, where he is exclusive, but will be given dispensation to work on THE BOYS wherever it lands.


Seems to me the feelings were mutual about DC being the wrong place for the book, but it's future looks not only plausible somewhere else, but a forgone conclusion.

People need to chill and be patient and stop with the bahsing and boycotts already.

[jj4000]

Geez, this was a good book.


Why are books that suck being pushed while good books with great potential get shelved???

[jj4000]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Millar



what a disaster

[tiso_spencer]

Laugh my ass off when that other publisher has this new age Preacher racking up the money for that company and DC is just going to look stupid. You keep Preacher in print and various trade printings yet the Boys was too much for you? You are totally done with me DC after 52 wraps up.

[kurupted]

lmao i'd almost forgotten those avengers knock-offs millar wrote

[grendel824]

What's funny is that I'm disappointed and I haven't even read the series yet (don't get me wrong - I bought them all as they came out, I just haven't had much free time to read them and I keep my likely "favorites" at the bottom of the pile so I can guarantee to have something good left to read). Still, anything with Ennis's name on it (or Robertson's, by now) is an automatic buy for me, at least until they disappoint me for five straight years of books, in which case I'll reevaluate the situation. I only met him once briefly, but he was a really, really nice guy, which buys him an extra year if he really starts to write badly.

Criticism-wise, since this seems like it would apply here, while I enjoy Ennis's sense of humor and many of the "gross-out jokes" he's made before, I often find them unnecessary and sometimes they even get in the way of the story a little (a few examples in Preacher come to mind. My Mom is currently reading the series so I've been re-reading it before lending it to her, and while my Mom is cool, I can only imagine that some people who would otherwise love his storytelling might be turned off by an abundance of that kind of humor). I'm not in favor of cancelling anything because of it, of course.

[fast eddie]

Wow. This really stinks. I loved this book and it sold very well at our store. I can't believe DC would hype this book as one-upping Preacher, and then punish it for doing just that. Strange. Cancelling books that sell well just doesn't seem like good business sense and certainly not good for the industry.

As far as taking the book elsewhere, I don't think IDW is a good fit. It doesn't seem to mesh with their other offerings, plus as some people have stated, it will likely be $3.99. I really think Image is the way to go, if indeed Mr. Ennis and Robertson are shopping for a new home for the title.

[SMARTASS8]

I see Levitz is busy whacking the censorship button again.


Good form DC. I eagerly await giving Marvel my money this week

At least Levitz lets characters smoke in his comics.:D

[kurupted]

and he lets the dr lights, superboy prime's, black adams of the DCU go about doing whatever they want for a crisis event :p

[drifter13x]

Wow, that is a stunning and idiotic move. I've enjoyed this book since issue 1, and It was really starting to roll, now this? Someone either lost thier balls or let thier personal views get in the way of good buisness and good comics. I really hope this finds a home, because it was a series I looked forward to each month.

Ultimate "up yours" move? Move it to marvel max.

[G Dog]

Dear Editors,

Never have I felt compelled to write to a publisher about my displeasure
before.

The cancellation of The Boys seems to me on the outside to be cowardly. Surely
you can't take issue with the content of the book; you don't sign Garth Ennis
to write a mature readers title and expect Beatrix Potter or even Clive Barker.
So, sorry, if you're going to come out now and say you have a problem with the
content, you're just a bunch of chickens, in my humble opinion.

The book also seems to have a very solid sales base and my local retailer is pushing the book to his customers all of the time; so it isn't sales either.

Personally it is one of the books I look forward to the most every month and
this sudden and, lets be honest about it, unwarranted cancellation really
pisses me off because it doesn't make sense. DC has published plenty of books with
more graphic content than anything I've seen in the pages of the Boys so far. Why the weak knees now?

As I won't be able to get the next few issues of The Boys as they were
scheduled to come out, you can count on not selling any copies of Gen13,
Deathblow, Wetworks, WildC.A.T.S or The Authority to me at any time in the
future. I also won't hesitate to apply this same boycott to the main DC
universe books I buy should a similar lack of ambition rear it's head there-
certainly the cancelling of Manhunter already has that group on thin ice.

Just because comics are hitting the mainstream in a big way doesn't mean they
ALL need to have the shiny glow of a GAP ad.

Yeah, that's it. Be condescending and call them cowards.

Good show, you're sure to get the book uncancelled.

[DeadFett]

Well, this makes 2 of my 3 favorite titles cancelled. First Nextwave and now The Boys. This sucks...

[ootah]

AH! AH! Well done, DC!:D
This sort of crap isn't worth the dead trees it's printed on! Take that Ennis! :D

[OMAC]

WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAT???????????????????????? ???

[katapult]

:sits, staring at the screen.....slackjawed:

um... huh? why?! Even if it was becaus of content in upcoming issues, why not put out the promised trade. I hope a new publisher picks it up soon.

-Kat

[wespierce1]

DC, although becoming a tad more risky with some of their titles, they still don't want to have anything that is so blatantly "in your face" with it's vulgarity, violence and sex. Even the Vertigo titles have been mellowed out to the point where they are almost completely mainstream. The Boys, however, wouldn't even fit in DC's new model of Vertigo titles. So they put it into the Wildstorm Universe, which they still want as a mainstream, though alternative, universe.

So, it makes sense that they would back down from a book like this, no matter the quality.

I sincerely hope that they do, in fact, find a new publisher-especially since it took them 6 issues to really go anywhere with the title. Be interesting to see where it ends up.

[wespierce1]

Laugh my ass off when that other publisher has this new age Preacher racking up the money for that company and DC is just going to look stupid. You keep Preacher in print and various trade printings yet the Boys was too much for you? You are totally done with me DC after 52 wraps up.



I have to wonder why you would wait if you're really that peeved about it.

[FrankCastle]

joey q or anyone else at marvel... please do not let this title die, or end up at a publisher who will overcharge, or constantly run late

The Boys = Marvel Max

yes please.

[HeX111]

Let's think... have I ever seen this before? DC cancels a moderately selling Wildstorm title right when it starts picking up more readers... hmmm... for some reason, I'm remembering about 3 other cases where this has happened... in the past 4 years...

this is crap... but at least Ennis and Robertson are goign to try to take the book elsewhere..

[Mick]

they put it into the Wildstorm Universe, which they still want as a mainstream, though alternative, universe.


The Boys is Wildstorm Signature, not Wildstorm Universe. :p