Creators Cullen Bunn and Will Sliney have announced that Fearless Defenders has been cancelled as of issue 12.
The series, which launched with an all-female team made up of characters including Valkyrie, Dani Moonstar, Clea and Misty Knight, saw a slow decline in sales over the course of the last year, despite guest artists including Stephanie Hans and Phil Jimenez coming onboard for standalone issues. Although people may say this proves that the book shouldn’t have had an all-female cast – 12 issues is the same length that Matt Fraction and Terry Dodson/Jamie McKelvie’s Defenders book ran.
It seems likely that Defenders simply isn’t a name brand for readers anymore. At any rate, here’s a photo of Bunn and Sliney doing their best Misty Knight and Valkyrie impression. We’ll be returning for some more character profiles here on The Beat before the book ends, because they’re some of my favourite things.
Based on this and other similar situations I’ve seen in Comicbookdom I’m starting to wonder if the people who appear to be a massive presence on the internet and the people who do the comic book buying are completely separate? A lot of garbage seems to keep floating while good (or at least noble) efforts that appear almost tailor-made to answer issues brought up online can’t seem to tread water. This seems like it could be a “Snakes on a Plane” scenario where a ton of people online made big noise about it but then never put their money where their mouths are. Could it be that the online image of artistically aware, responsible and socially conscious comicry is actually just a vocal minority? I’m not being sarcastic but honestly asking as I count myself in the latter category.
I used to think the whole “if you people like these books then start buying them” answer from industry talking heads was just more snark but maybe that’s actually what’s at issue here after all?
Going by some of the comments I’ve seen online (*cough*youtube*cough*) I most certainly hope they’re a very small minority.
Efforts to promote series such as FEARLESS DEFENDERS might be noticeable, but they don’t really seem to have much effect. The individual decisions to buy or not to buy the series aren’t influenced by praise. If someone doesn’t care to read about individual characters, what arguments are going to change his mind?
FEARLESS DEFENDERS might well have been doomed from the start, because it was more a motley collection of characters looking for an audience than it was a creator’s vision of a storyline.
SRS
I used to think the whole “if you people like these books then start buying them” answer from industry talking heads was just more snark but maybe that’s actually what’s at issue here after all?
Why would you think those statements were “just more snark?”
The comics companies aren’t all in league in a vast right wing conspiracy against Tumblr. They’re a business. They’ll keep comics that fit your views alive so long as they sell.
And, to be fair, I think titles like this and Captain Marvel having trouble has more to do with the characters and storylines involved not being particularly compelling than it does fans not buying them because they star women.
I dunno, this is the first time I’ve ever heard of this comic.
The most upsetting thing about all of this, is the awesome Age of Ultron issue was never collected in the trades for this series. Booooo.
Sorry to see it go. Was definitely having some fun with new twists to old boy’s only cliches. (The Valkyrie/Annabelle = RickJone/CaptainMarvel)
Really enjoyed this. Hope everyone doesn’t end up stuck in limbo for very long.
Has Cullen Bunn ever sold a comic that sold more than 50k copies?
This was as doomed from the start as Vibe and Katana, but even moreso because Marvel has issued multiple versions of the Defenders within the past decade (Giffen/DeMatteis/Maguire original team, The “Last” (cough) Defenders, Fraction/Dodson, this thing), none of which has stuck or made any significant impact other than to confuse the buying audience. At this point, the title means nothing at all thanks to Marvel watering down what little concept it had (other than Stan Lee ripping off the title of another TV show due to a legal loophole).
Just stop. For a few years, at least.
Why was Fearless Defenders cancelled?
Simple arithmetic:
Low selling book @ 2.99 + adding $1 to the cost = cancellation.
I am sure the excuse for its demise, will be it was a comic with an all female cast. The Fearless Defenders was a comic that was just bad. Stock characters, and the story lines were not compelling.
Sad really considering it contained heroes with such untapped potential.
ebd- I dunno if people will say that it was the female cast. They were unproven characters (as anchors for books) and creators that have no track record of commercial success. I doubt the same creative team would’ve had any greater success with like, a book starring Black Knight and Maverick.
“At this point, the title means nothing at all thanks to Marvel watering down what little concept it had (other than Stan Lee ripping off the title of another TV show due to a legal loophole).”
That’s the ultimate effect of all the reboot/relaunch mania that has completely taken over Marvel.
Mike
Here’s the next big Event: the CANCELLER, a SUPERvillian that roams the comic universe, picking off low performers and low hanging fruit. He annihilates the weak, and threatens the strong. He is relentless, swinging the scythe of comic-death wherever he goes. Watch as the CANCELLER enters comics at random, and announces the end of the title! Weeping, wailing!No company, character, creative team or continuity is immune to the CANCELLER!!!!!
Come on — the lessons learned of this cancellation *should be* that you can’t raise the price of a book mid-run containing B/C-level characters and expect it to continue on.
The solicitations for issue #8 — with the price increase — came out around the time issue 5 shipped. Is anybody (Marvel?) surprised that sales started to tank even worse around issue 7?
I kinda liked the book. I liked (most of ) the characters and the writing. The art wasn’t my cuppa, but somehow it all worked together. This book seemed fresh and young to me. And I really enjoyed the covers and the creative concept designs behind them. Kudos to all for a job well done- I enjoyed the ride.
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