S.w.o.r.d.

[NightBeetle]

S.W.O.R.D. Campaign

The Astonishing X-Men spinoff book S.W.O.R.D. by Kieron Gillen and Steven Sanders has been cancelled from #5 by Marvel. Sorry, folks, I’ve been enjoying it too. But as we know in this game, and cancellation isn’t always forever. And can be reversed. On the Nerdery blog, Greg Hyatt is launching a campaign to save the book.
It even has the support of artist Steven Sanders and a nod from writer Kieron Gillen.
Campaigns have in the past helped the likes of Spider-Girl and Deadpool to survive. And as part of Blackest Night, a number of comics returned for one extra issue, in keeping with the resurrection of the dead theme.
There are many possibilities for fans to consider though. Could we get a relaunch? A back-up strip? Maybe the cast taking over another title? But it’s also worth remember that in interviews Kieron Gillen wrote the book so that so the first five issues wraps off neatly. So you will get a decent, planned ending.
I don’t suppose there’s any way to get Deadpool involved in the title? He only seems to have five monthly titles coming out now…

 

[BrianWilly]

Five issues? Wow Marvel.

 

[Tron Bonne]

Five issues? Wow Marvel.

Doctor Voodoo got canceled at 5 issues, too.

 

[Mike555]

So now beast is stranded there great.

 

[MightyAvenge]

I think Marvel should take this opportunity to throw Beast bacj in with the Avengers, especially since The Avengers will be relaunching with a new number 1.

 

[hippie_hunter]

S.W.O.R.D. Campaign

I really love that image. For some reason I just really like the relationship that Beast and Brand have

 

[BrianWilly]

Was it just not making any money whatsoever or something? 'Cause I personally can't imagine judging whether a series has legs or not based on a grand total of three whole issues out and only two of those with any sales info whatsoever, but then I don't run a major comic book company so what do I know?

 

[hippie_hunter]

I think Marvel should take this opportunity to throw Beast bacj in with the Avengers, especially since The Avengers will be relaunching with a new number 1.

Hah, Beast will most definitely come back to the X-Men while Bendis loads the Avengers with nothing but A-listers and his pet characters.

 

[MightyAvenge]

So, lame. This is the best time for Beast to be on the Avengers. This is the Heroic Age, we are coming up to. Beast left the X-Men because he does not agree with Cyclops the X-Mens approach to situations at the moment. The Avengers and the Heroic Age leads me to believe that the Avengers will be the Moral Compass of the Marvel Universe for the next year or two. Other teams including the X-men will slowly follow suit. Until then, I say Beast should go to the Avengers because they will deal with issues in more of a way that Beast would like things to be dealt with.

 

[hippie_hunter]

I really do not want Bendis writing Beast. Fraction does a rather good job with him.

 

[Tron Bonne]

Was it just not making any money whatsoever or something? 'Cause I personally can't imagine judging whether a series has legs or not based on a grand total of three whole issues out and only two of those with any sales info whatsoever, but then I don't run a major comic book company so what do I know?

Yeah, that's what I think as well. This got canned at 5 issues, Voodoo at 5, Exiles at 6. I just don't understand how something can be cut so quick. Shouldn't you at least wait a year to see if the sales at least increase to above cancellation range? I guess they just sell so low on arrival Marvel sees it as an instant failure.

 

[Mike555]

So i guess beast will come back to tghe x-men soon enough then.

 

[bryanss3]

Wow so another great book that Marvel barely pushed canned.

 

[TheCorpulent1]

Was it just not making any money whatsoever or something? 'Cause I personally can't imagine judging whether a series has legs or not based on a grand total of three whole issues out and only two of those with any sales info whatsoever, but then I don't run a major comic book company so what do I know?

Gillen himself explained this on his blog or something; I read it on CBR's article about the cancellation:

The monthly series, by Gillen and artist Steven Sanders debuted in November 2009 to estimated sales of 22,000. By the second issue, the figure had dropped to barely 15,000.

"Comics operate on a system of pre-ordering," Gillen wrote. "As in, the first issue’s orders were in before anyone had even read a single page of the book. The numbers which people are reporting are low enough that the inevitable second issue dip -- also ordered before anyone had read Issue 1 -- would move it into a clearly dangerously low sales for a book in the X-family. In other words, I actually don’t feel that bad about the cancellation. It was already on unsteady ground before anyone had even read the thing, and got annoyed over Sanders’ Beast design or my over-verbal theatrics."

So apparently it was practically over by the time it started.

Anyway, not surprising but certainly unfortunate. I wish it had managed to last a little longer, but who knows? Maybe this'll free Gillen up for a Beta Ray Bill or Ares ongoing. His mythological comics seem to sell a little better.

 

[TheCorpulent1]

Interesting blog post about the cancellation of SWORD and the sales strategies of Marvel and DC in general:

http://goodcomics.comicbookresources.com/2010/01/19/s-w-o-r-d-is-cancelled-why-god-why/

 

[Mike555]

As long as i get beast in a ongoing title once a month i'll be fine.

 

[TheCorpulent1]

Beast is why I'll miss SWORD most of all. I'm not gonna start reading Uncanny X-Men or anything.

 

[Mike555]

I recomend astonshing x-men corp it is hardly connected to the current x-stories and the last few issues have been awsome.

 

[TheCorpulent1]

I meant I'm not really gonna read X-Men comics in general. Not really interested in the X-Men. X-Factor is the only X-title I read.

 

[runawayboulder]

Astonishing X-Men never seems to come out on time.

 

[JewishHobbit]

I think it has been for the past few issues but I don't know, I'm so disenchanted with the title that I only buy it on slow weeks.