where is this cancellation talk coming from?

[varo]

has anybody read something somewhere?


i haven't

[DelBubs]

At another Alpha Flight message board, a list of cancellations was posted. AF was mentioned.

Venom – cancelled issue 18, Sept. 2004
Warlock – cancelled issue 4, Dec. 2004
Emma Frost – cancelled #18. Jan. 2005
Silver Surfer, cancelled # 14, Oct. 2004
Loki, cancelled #4, Oct. 2004
NYX, cancelled #7, Jan. 2005
Guardians, cancelled #5, Oct. 2004
Mary Jane – cancelled #4, Sept. 2004
Man Thing, cancelled #3, Sept. 2004
Runaways, cancelled #18. Sept. 2004
Thor: Son of Asgard, cancelled, #12 Jan. 2005
Alpha Flight, cancelled #12, Feb. 2005

[Scarlettspiderg]

It was mentioned on www.comicboards.com

[maniac mike]

ANADAF might be "retooled" after isssue 12 just like there're doing to Runaways and She-hulk.

I wish Scott would drop us a line and let us know.

MM

[Cliff]

It looks like Marvel is just testing the waters with some of these titleswith the full intention of dropping them within a year. It's agrevating. If they concentrated talent into making one or two solid titles, they'd probably have better sales.

I never saw Man Thing on the shelves and was sort of looking forward to a new series...hmmm....

[Scarlettspiderg]

I did'nt even know Man-Thing had a new series, shows how good Marvel's marketing is.

IMO Marvel need to push new book more. Hopefully Alpha Flight will last long past 12 issues (I've already emailed Marvel asking them not to stop, I've joined the Fight For The Flight and I've introduced 2 people to the world of Alpha Flight).

[Ottawa Renegade]

I did'nt even know Man-Thing had a new series, shows how good Marvel's marketing is.

IMO Marvel need to push new book more. Hopefully Alpha Flight will last long past 12 issues (I've already emailed Marvel asking them not to stop, I've joined the Fight For The Flight and I've introduced 2 people to the world of Alpha Flight).

I just went through this issue (9) to verify something and sure enough...do you recall that a few years ago, half the ads in a comic were for OTHER comics? They don't do that anymore, really. I looked though #9 and saw only a half page ad for X-Men/F4. Everything else was for video games, clothes, and other types of Marvel merchandise.

Took a flip through JSA #67 for ads for other DC comics and came up empty. Same with Identity Crisis #6. Think they might benefit from advertising in that book?

I guess both companies must have foudn that that sort of thing wasn't really helping sales, but I disagree. I don't know how they can judge that. I recall seeing the ad for the Sandman series a few years ago ("I will show you terror in a handful of dust") and thinking that this had just jumped to my must-have list.

I'm trying to recall how I found out about Alpha flight returning. I think it may have been here. Every couple of months I'd scan around for guest-appearances and such and I ws totally surprised to fidn out about a new series. But I didn't find out from Marvel.

[Ben]

You are correct, Marvel doesn't know how to properly advertise it seems. I think Alpha Flight would have done WAY better if they advertised it in other books, had a gues appearance or two in other books, and offerend subscriptions to it. Just sticking it on the shelf doesn't make people find it. Alpha Flight in the past has has a select bunch of buyers. I know that there are fans out there that just have no idea the book is being printed. Marvel should also look at advertising thier books in other media. They have all these movies coming out, why not have a trailer featuring one or two of thier comic books! hype it up, make it seem exciting! In that context you would rake in lots of new customers. I don't understand how they can put the time and money into a new product, but not tell the people it's out there...

Ben

[Legerd]

Hmmm. Can you say: tight wads?

[Somebody]

The Comicboards list included at least two minis (Loki and Guardians).

But on AF, it seems to have been true...

ALPHA FLIGHT #12
Written by Scott Lobdell
Pencils & Cover by Clayton Henry

"Days Of Future Present, Past Participle" Conclusion!
Alpha Flight continues to get their hands dirty playing in the timestream. Can they set things right before the end of their final issue? They darn well better! And you won’t believe who shows up to say good-bye!

February 2 :: 32 pages :: Marvel PSR :: $2.99

Cover: http://comics.toonzone.net/solicitat...haflight12.jpg

[Legerd]

Nah, it'll be the old AF returning just in time for Mac to die... and be ressurected before the end of the issue.

[Le Messor]

I know at least one person who got interested in AF after the 'Wrath Of The DreamQueen' ads that ran in Excalibur, which she read.

So they kind of work (tho' I don't know if she ever picked it up, or just borrowed my copy).

- Le Messor
"But maybe, we could spend some time together soon? Some night when I'm not being held hostage by a raving psychotic."
- Joyce Summers

[Barnacle13]

Again all the arguements boil down to poor marketing. Guess Marvel needs to fire us all and hire a new marketing group, cause we sure didn't get the job done for them! Not that I think this title would've survived long without the original cast being around in some form, but it might have given them time to realize the direction needed to be changed. You can assume that the decision was made long ago and we're just now hearing about it. In fact, Scott's comment elude to the fact he's known for some time. My guess is after the empty 6 issue first arc the decision was made. You have to fault the writer/editor somewhat for that. There was little action, little plot development, and little character development across that arc. At the end of it we were still asking what the characters' powers were. I'm still not sure we know in some cases. They could have changed the direction and gotten more action into the story or revealed more of the characters. I also think sending the Original team into space lost a lot of readers. Had they kept back even a couple of those characters it might have made a difference. Imagine Puck and Heather staying behind. Puck could remain the anchor and Heather could help Sas with the difficulty of leadership. Also it would have opened up an opportunity to see Eugene and Heather interact now that Mac and a child are in the picture again. But alas none of that matters now. Chop! Chop! We got the axe!

[DelBubs]

The sending of the originals into space was suppose to be the lead in into the Uncanny Alpha Flight limited Lobdell put a proposal in for, (supposition). Though it does strike me as bloody stupid to allow the originals to disappear from the MU without making sure they could be returned in a feasable way.

[Barnacle13]

Yes, but Lobdell's supposition was also that ANADAF would be accepted enough to warrant a second title. Seems to me the approach was a bit backwards. Why not bring back the tried and true team for the first adventure. Go ahead and send them to the Plodex homeworld, but follow their expolits. In the meantime, spin the new group off and start up that title. Basically switch the roles of the first arc. Once freed from the Plodex ship the newbies take over defending the country while the orginals head out to save a race of aliens. I doubt very seriously that Avengers West Coast would have succeeded if it hadn't built on the success of Avengers. Let's face it, while Hawkeye and Iron Man might have had a following the rest of that team was pretty much second tier. That book helped to elevate them a little, to say 1 1/2 tier. Who would've cared about Mockingbird biting it if her character hadn't been built upon in that book. I think Lobdell could have had that here, but the thinking was all backwards. Unfortunately this means we'll be without AF for awhile to come now, unless they help colonize the Plodex homeworld and lead the attack on Earth only to be stopped by the Incredible X-Spider Avengers or something like that. It just irks me they didn't really try! Didn't listen to the fans until the fans said "I'm not paying $3 to see something that isn't AF!" Even worse, they made it difficult for many to even have a chance to not like the book. At least if they'd offered subscriptions many folks would have suffered through a year of it. Marvel could have done a lot to make this title more of a success. In the end, they chose to go the other route. Let it flounder until it had to be put out of its misery. This is a large part of why I don't buy comics much anymore. I grow tired of Marvel and their business practices.

Barnacle