ELLIS ON NEXTWAVE CANCELLATION; SERIES OF MINIS TO CONTINUE

**MattBrady** · 10-17-2006, 02:03 PM

Writer Warren Ellis issued a statement Tuesday to his "Bad Signal" email list commenting on the cancellation of his Marvel series Nextwave with January's issue #12. The statement follows in its entirety...

Okay. I just this second got the go-ahead from Nick Lowe to talk about this. So here we go:

Sales on the singles are okay, if not great. Sales on the first collection have apparently been terrific.

We were on such a roll with NEXTWAVE that I was actually into the idea of doing a second year, which is highly unusual for me and work-for-hire properties. So Marvel sat down and looked at the numbers, as they wanted to do a second year too.

What they found was that, at our current sales levels, they could afford for me to write it, but not for Stuart to draw it. Stuart, as a Marvel-exclusive artist, commands a fee commensurate with his astonishing talent. I'm WFH-exclusive too, but they just send me whisky and loose women and I'm fine. So, basically, I could continue to write NEXTWAVE, but we'd need to find another artist. This, to me, was just wrong. I mean, Stuart would obviously be given a far better job that had actual readers attached to it, but it still seemed a bit like the numbers were conspiring to fire him for doing his job too well.
Everyone at Marvel pitched in to try and make it work, but the numbers were just against us.

So NEXTWAVE #12 will be the final issue of the ongoing series.

(To clear up a common misconception: NEXTWAVE was always pitched as an ongoing series. However, my original intent was to do 12 and then pass it on to someone else. This got garbled, somewhere down the chain of communication, and so the first issue or two got solicited as "part xxx of 12".)

However. The numbers game changes when you posit things in terms of limited series.

NEXTWAVE #12 will be the last issue of the ongoing series: but there will be more NEXTWAVE to come, presented as a sequence of limited series.

This was all worked out some months ago, so I had plenty of time to work the final NEXTWAVE sequence into a conclusion of sorts. #11 even features a twelve-page spread that you'll have to buy six copies of the comic to assemble into its full splendour. Everyone wishes I'd thought of that eight or nine months ago.

That was the news. Return to your duties.

-- W

jedifish · 10-17-2006, 02:17 PM

Awww, breaks my heart.

Travel Exiter · 10-17-2006, 02:28 PM

Yea, I think thats something that alot of people don't realize is that its the payroll that kills alot of books.

Its not that a particular book sells poorly, it just doesn't sell well enough to pay the wages of the creators.

I think in the next decade we're going to see this problem get addressed in one way or the other

Connor · 10-17-2006, 02:31 PM

This sucks because I think this is one of Marvels best books right now! But I doubt I would want to see anyone else but Ellis and Immonen on the book, it just wouldn't be the same.

Tom Daylight · 10-17-2006, 02:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MattBrady

This was all worked out some months ago, so I had plenty of time to work the final NEXTWAVE sequence into a conclusion of sorts. #11 even features a twelve-page spread that you'll have to buy six copies of the comic to assemble into its full splendour.

oh you f%$^#@Y^&I)$(^'%$"#)")*(tard.

BillReed · 10-17-2006, 03:00 PM

It was fun while it lasted and I look forward to a future incarnation.

BeastCharming · 10-17-2006, 03:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Travel Exiter

Yea, I think thats something that alot of people don't realize is that its the payroll that kills alot of books.

Its not that a particular book sells poorly, it just doesn't sell well enough to pay the wages of the creators.

I think in the next decade we're going to see this problem get addressed in one way or the other

I like Nextwave, but I think it should be pointed out it *was* selling poorly. Lowest-selling Marvel title, probably. Around 20k in sales isn't going to be enough to continue paying someone who needs to provide for his family too.

Strange though that it can be different when it's minis? Because this implied Immonen would be the artist for those minis? Or not?

Anyhoo, I've been enjoying it, but not loving it, so I think I'll just bow out with #12. It's been good for a year, I'll likely put Brave & the Bold in its spot (if that ever gets solicited, being conspicuously absent yet again in the DC previews...)

Groovie Mann · 10-17-2006, 03:07 PM

always thought it was only to run 12 issues. i bought the first trade and it was fun.

StoneGold · 10-17-2006, 03:07 PM

With a book like NextWave, it might be for the best anyways. Go out on top, like Arrested Development. There's no chance for it to get not as good.

Pupasweet · 10-17-2006, 03:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Travel Exiter

Yea, I think thats something that alot of people don't realize is that its the payroll that kills alot of books.

Its not that a particular book sells poorly, it just doesn't sell well enough to pay the wages of the creators.

I think in the next decade we're going to see this problem get addressed in one way or the other

Can someone clue me in on how much a top tier creator like a Warren Ellis can be compensated for writing a book like this (exclusive of the whisky and loose women Marvel provides)?

Thanks,

Spaz_Monkey · 10-17-2006, 03:19 PM

I can't imagine this book without Immomen on it. His work is so perfect for Warren's skewed images of super hero comics.

michaelman9 · 10-17-2006, 03:24 PM

I'ld bet that a series of mini's would sell better. They'ld have new #1 issues often, a lot of blunt jump on points, and could be collected for those of us who want new stuff in trades.Maybe the break will give people a chance to catch on to it.

However, I think that it's dumb that people buy more of "vol 2 #1" #13, but that's just how the market.

Generic Eric · 10-17-2006, 03:30 PM

More Nextwave by Warren Ellis and Stuart Imonom is great news. Why is a series of mini series would be a more economicly feasable alternative to a continuing series?

jedifish · 10-17-2006, 04:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by michaelman9

I'ld bet that a series of mini's would sell better. They'ld have new #1 issues often, a lot of blunt jump on points, and could be collected for those of us who want new stuff in trades.Maybe the break will give people a chance to catch on to it.

However, I think that it's dumb that people buy more of "vol 2 #1" #13, but that's just how the market.

Kind of like all those series of mini-series for Venom?

Bird Flu Man · 10-17-2006, 04:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MattBrady

Sales on the singles are okay, if not great.

He is a master of spin.

joem26 · 10-17-2006, 04:30 PM

Now, what I want to know is, will there be a single oversized hardcover collecting all 12 issues or do I have to buy two premiere HCs? I've been on the fence on whether to read this or not and now that it is semi finished it seems like a good time to read it.

Michael Heide · 10-17-2006, 04:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MattBrady

#11 even features a twelve-page spread that you'll have to buy six copies of the comic to assemble into its full splendour. Everyone wishes I'd thought of that eight or nine months ago.

Steranko did it fourty years ago in Strange Tales. Back then, it was a four-page spread. The hardcover and softcover editions, however, printed the spread on a fold-out spread, so you didn't have to spend twice the money. I wonder if that is possible in a Nextwave-Collection as well.

And I've got to admit, I dropped the series from my pull list. I liked the book, but it was starting to get repetitive. Machine Man's "Fleshy Ones" was funny first, but the joke was beaten to death. The same with the Captain's skull-and-bones cursing. Or with Dirk Anger's suicide attempts. And after seven issues, I still can't tell Tabby and Elsa apart most of the time.

All in all, the book was a much needed reinvention of the superhero genre that sadly failed to reinvent itself regularly. Every issue reads the same (except for rare, but brilliant side gags like Rorkannu).

Grendel Prime · 10-17-2006, 04:44 PM

NextWave is the best new series to come out this year. In fact, I'd put it in my current top five favorite books from any publisher. Shame it has to end. I hope Ellis and Immonen get to revisit these characters at some point soon. (Then again, I've been wanting a follow-up to The Hood series since the first one ended.)

But, the series-of-mini-series concept just doesn't seem to work for any publisher other than Dark Horse (The Ultimates might prove me wrong when/if vols 3 and 4 ever appear). So, I'm not holding out much hope for a sequel.

Midas · 10-17-2006, 05:02 PM

It's been a fun book but I think twelve issues of it will be enough. People are already starting to complain that it's formulaic (and it is, but that doesn't make it bad). It will have been a good run and we can all look forward to Ellis's and Immomen's next projects.

nietoperz · 10-17-2006, 05:16 PM

At least this means that #12 is not the end. More Nextwave has to be good news!

jza1218 · 10-17-2006, 05:17 PM

Goddammit..

FallenFate · 10-17-2006, 05:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Michael Heide

Steranko did it fourty years ago in Strange Tales. Back then, it was a four-page spread. The hardcover and softcover editions, however, printed the spread on a fold-out spread, so you didn't have to spend twice the money. I wonder if that is possible in a Nextwave-Collection as well.

And I've got to admit, I dropped the series from my pull list. I liked the book, but it was starting to get repetitive. Machine Man's "Fleshy Ones" was funny first, but the joke was beaten to death. The same with the Captain's skull-and-bones cursing. Or with Dirk Anger's suicide attempts. And after seven issues, I still can't tell Tabby and Elsa apart most of the time.

All in all, the book was a much needed reinvention of the superhero genre that sadly failed to reinvent itself regularly. Every issue reads the same (except for rare, but brilliant side gags like Rorkannu).

I'm very obviously in the minority here, but I HATED this book. It was way too much of a radical departure from the basis of the original characters. Actually, with the amount of people who complain about Civil War having everyone act out of character, I'm surprised more people didn't hate this book.

Those of you that liked it, I'm sorry that a title you liked is getting the axe. I know how that feels, it's happened to plenty of titles I've loved in the past.

Of course, now I'm hoping to see a series thsat uses Machine Man the way he was meant to be used as not as comic relief in a book that takes characters I enjoyed as serious characters with serious flaws and issues and makes them into laughingstocks.

Nychavok · 10-17-2006, 06:57 PM

I'm glad it's getting canceled, a lot of the humor in this book was really lame...

FlipNite · 10-17-2006, 07:07 PM

is the fan favorite, meets his deadlines, superstar artist taking over Ultimate Spider-Man?

Reliant · 10-17-2006, 07:09 PM

Actually, I think the mini-series format works a lot better for this particular book than the ongoing. I really wish a lot more books would go this route, if nothing else but to keep certain creative teams together...