Marvel’s Cancellation Silent Treatment
The sudden cancellation of Nighthawk continues an alarming trend in Marvel comics – cancelling comics with little to no notice. Fans of Nighthawk found out the news simply by noticing that there were no release dates past October. No word from Marvel, just fans looking for dates and finding squat. Writer David Walker went to Twitter to talk about the cancellation, highlighting the lack of sales at fault.
2/2 – Quality is not always enough to guarantee success. Comic books are an industry that is driven by money and sales. Sad but true.
— David F Walker (@DavidWalker1201) August 27, 2016
Walker is right of course. For comics to do well they have to sell. But, comic sales rely on fans. Marvel needs fans to keep their comic world alive yet they frequently take stories away from them. If fans continuously have stories cancelled on them, what will make them go out and buy comics? It’s a fine line Marvel walks. They put the pressure on fans to create sales while having little faith that they’ll deliver sales. Then POOF! There goes a comic series.
It doesn’t help that fans get the silent treatment from Marvel on word of cancellation. Marvel often keeps cancellations hush hush since the fanbase of cancelled comics is usually small. However, if Marvel spoke up about possible cancellations, could there be a uptake in sales? It’s a very likely outcome – fans hear a comic they are reading is up for cancellation, they in turn go and buy said comic, maybe even getting other comic fan’s to help.
I heard your support, and appreciated. Sometimes things don't work out. Pick yourself and keep moving. https://t.co/XCNFCvBB9x
— David F Walker (@DavidWalker1201) August 27, 2016
Walker spoke of the pressure on fans to deliver sales. Still, he spoke of how loud their appreciate and support was. In the comic world these things happen, they’re inevitable. But it’s important to give fans notice and truth. It’s a heartbreaking reality that comic teams and fans face alike: comics get cancelled. Sometimes they get a proper ending and send off when more often than not they don’t. For comics to succeed Marvel needs to give fans more of a chance. The silent treatment needs to end.