CROSSGEN PUTS EL CAZADOR IN DRYDOCK

[MattBrady]

Publishing changes continue apace at CrossGen, apparently. Following the previously announced end of Sojourn, it has been revealed, via Diamond solicitations for August, that Kiss Kiss Bang Bang #7 had been cancelled by the publisher, while CG’s Barbara Kesel announced on the CrossGen messageboards that El Cazador will end – albeit temporarily – with issue #6.

Kesel wrote: “The ship that is EL CAZADOR will be putting into port at the end of issue 6. We’re bringing it to rest while Cap’n Chuck goes off in search of a pencilin’ privateer that can fill the boots of our departing Steve Epting. Steve’s been kidnapped by the crew of the good ship Marvel under the terms of exclusivity or death! (Perhaps we’re exaggerating a bit about the death part...) It’ll be an arduous search, but El Cazador will leave port again, 'cause we’d as soon scuttle this scow as gnaw off our own pegleg, so you can be certain you haven’t seen the last of ARRRRRRRR favorite pirate epic!”

The series had been solicited through issue #8, which was scheduled to ship in July.

In regards to Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, given the formerly reported juggle of artist Mike Perkins to Raven House, speculation is running that without Perkins, KKBB is merely going on hiatus until he is done with Raven House.

Inquiries to the health of KKBB as a series were not answered by Kesel.

Additionally, the publisher’s Diamond listing cleared the books, so to speak, canceling the new printing of the first Sojourn trade as well as trade volumes 2-5; the first Traveler edition of Route 666, the third trade collection of Negation, and Warrior Women and Mythic Men: CrossGen Covers.

On the plus side, CrossGen is currently listed as having three books come out in August: Raven House #1, Negation War #6, and Abadazad #6. In addition, two trades are still on the schedule: El Cazador vol. 1 Traveler, and Lady Death Traveler vol. 2.

[xdemon]

I wonder if Crossgen will officially pull up stakes in early 2005 just to spite everyone saying they will be gone by the end of 2004.

[ShinAkuma666]

Steve’s been kidnapped by the crew of the good ship Marvel under the terms of exclusivity or death!

I bet he wanted to be kidnapped

But seriously, the company is sinking and Raven House #1 is shipping in August ?!?

Who will want to try a new book by them ?!

I am all for encouraging a company that is having hard times, but not a company that is canceling every comics they have, including their top seller Sojourn.

Anyway...

[Strike]

None of this is a surprise.

What WILL be a surpise is if Negation War 6 is ever finished or Raven House ever published, or if those trades are ever released.

[ChrisArrant]

Negation War might be slowing down too; I just noticed Paul Pelletier's signed up to do She-Hulk #6.

[idkidd]

Inquiries to the health of KKBB as a series were not answered by Kesel.

I want to support Crossgen but do they not even communicate with the press anymore?? Silly announcements through their message boards just get me more annoyed. BE TRUTHFUL CROSSGEN AND HONEST WITH YOUR FANS!!

[grphxkindaguy]

Originally posted by idkidd
I want to support Crossgen but do they not even communicate with the press anymore?? Silly announcements through their message boards just get me more annoyed. BE TRUTHFUL CROSSGEN AND HONEST WITH YOUR FANS!!

....and the death-throes of CrossGen continue.

What a long, slow, sad ending to a great company that had a *lot* of potential & good product.

Ruse, Sojourn, Negation, you will be greatly MISSED by yours truly!!!

Good luck to Steve Epting! Anyone know what he'll be working on @Marvel?

[Nerby727]

As much as I like their books and all . . .I wish it was over. It's like watching something slowly die but it won't quite expire completely. A word of advice . . . . .

Run towards the light Crossgen . . . .Hell . . .SPRINT towards it!!

[grphxkindaguy]

Originally posted by Nerby727
As much as I like their books and all . . .I wish it was over. It's like watching something slowly die but it won't quite expire completely. A word of advice . . . . .

Run towards the light Crossgen . . . .Hell . . .SPRINT towards it!!

In this case, that light is AN ONCOMING TRAIN!!!

[tsunamicdrake]

With Crossgen ending the majority of their core titles last year, and the difficulty of getting issues to press last summer. I am surprised that Sojourn has lasted this long.
I am disappointed on how they are ended the series, what the writers should have done is killed the entire main characters off.
Crossgen may try and bring it back in the future, but if they wait to long readers may forget what has happen so far. I have a feeling Crossgen may be out of business by the fall of this year.

[Godfather]

God, what a fucking shame. Somehow I knew I was reading the last El Caz with #6. I was just praying that they'd at least have another issue ready for a somewhat decent end.

While I'm glad that Dixon and CG are looking for a replacement for El Caz, I'm not going to hold my breath while it sinks to Davey Jones locker

I'm sure there's plenty of capable artists, but I really will miss Epting on this title. It's so perfect

[youbastards]

Who cares anymore...El Cazador was just a money-maker clutching to the coat-tails of Pirates of the Caribbean hype...it was never that great anyway.

KKBB was doomed to get canned, how much can you do with the horny spy/beautiful sidekick that hasn't been done to death already.

However, I am sad to see the company crumble away like this. Just suck it up and admit you failed and put everything out of it's misery at once.

[perk9600]

This is an altogether shocking turn of events.

Okay was that thick enough for everyone?

Seriously though I can't see myself trying another CG book until they can get the ship somewhat righted. I know I don't want to invest anything in a series that will never see the light of day.

I don't know what it is going to take, but financing or something to stop the bleeding would be a good start(bleeding? Heh at this point it is hemorrhaging). Just some kind of sign that things aren't just going to keep spiraling down. Anyone else feel that way? I ordered Soujourn Volume 1, but I'd really like to cancel it because I know that there is nothing after volume 4 and that volume 4 isn't the end of the series.

[Michael P]

Well, this just gets worse and worse. I've officially passed from detached amusement to pity in regards to Crossgen.

[Caleb Gerard]

idkidd makes a good point. Did I miss a press release saying that Bill Rosemann is no longer doing PR duty?

Caleb Gerard, EIC www.comicworldnews.com

[Frans Blix]

Originally posted by ChrisArrant
Negation War might be slowing down too; I just noticed Paul Pelletier's signed up to do She-Hulk #6.

Hot damn. I'd welcome Pelletier as a full-time artist on She-Hulk. He'd be perfect for it, and an upgrade over the current artist, who has been adequate, but Pelletier's Negation work has been the best I've seen from him, IMO.

The real snag on Negation War is probably losing Laura Martin to X-Men.

[xdemon]

Originally posted by grphxkindaguy
Good luck to Steve Epting! Anyone know what he'll be working on @Marvel?

I would love for Marvel to put him back on the Avengers. Maybe he will do the second Avengers book.

[Frans Blix]

Originally posted by Caleb Gerard
idkidd makes a good point. Did I miss a press release saying that Bill Rosemann is no longer doing PR duty?

You may have just missed it. He left the company a few months ago.

[Warewolf]

Originally posted by perk9600
Seriously though I can't see myself trying another CG book until they can get the ship somewhat righted. I know I don't want to invest anything in a series that will never see the light of day.

Yeah, that's a good way to keep the company in business...don't buy any of their product

[Reaper]

I've been hitting this site every day just to check if there is an announcement about CG stopping publication altogether (I don’t know that this is imminent – as a reader I'm just expecting and dreading it). CG has had some great books that I have really enjoyed: Sojourn, Route 666, Negation, Brath, The Path and Way of the Rat have all been personal favorites. God, how CG has nose-dived…

-Tim

[OM]

...And as the ship continues to sink, it's most critically-acclaimed title winds up going from pirate ship to doing Graf Spee impressions - unable to leave port without getting sunk.

Vegas odds at CrossGen surviving to 2005 are 139 to 1 against...

[SpyGuy]

Originally posted by MattBrady
In regards to Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, given the formerly reported juggle of artist Mike Perkins to Raven House, speculation is running that without Perkins, KKBB is merely going on hiatus until he is done with Raven House.

Inquiries to the health of KKBB as a series were not answered by Kesel.

Yeah, I noticed this myself this morning when I checked the Diamond site. Needless to say, as a KISS KISS BANG BANG fan, I was not happy but not overly surprised either.

CrossGen is just going through the motions of publishing some RAVEN HOUSE comics in order to establish their property.

As for KKBB, I will be absolutely stunned if an issue #7 makes it to the stands. Barbara, I'm a longtime fan and all, but give us a formal, straight answer on the status of KKBB. Is it cancelled and if not, what month is it scheduled to return?

[ParisCub]

Originally posted by xdemon
I would love for Marvel to put him back on the Avengers. Maybe he will do the second Avengers book.

Well, for starters, he's doiing plenty of covers for all the Avengers Disassembled Tie-in comics... Hope he comes back to Avengers indeed!

[grphxkindaguy]

Originally posted by Frans Blix
The real snag on Negation War is probably losing Laura Martin to X-Men.

They didn't LOSE Laura Martin to X-Men, they lost her b/c SHE WASN'T GETTING PAID ANY LONGER.

who will color NEGATION WAR now? Will the mini-series even finish, or should we expect an abrupt ending a la Sojourn & Crux?

[Caleb Gerard]

Now, would it be ironic if CG went backrupt and had to auction off their properties after all the fuss with buying up Lady Death?

I do not want to see CG fail. I want to see some of the properties have continued life... somewhere.

CJG, www.comicworldnews.com