Hey, fellow Melties, don’t you hate it when you invest in a new title, shell out a hundred bucks, tell other people to read it (like, say in a published column) and then it limps to the finish line like the Dodgers did this season?   Yeah, I hate when that happens, too, and sadly, several recent books have let a lot of readers down.  Let me warn you now, this is gonna get a little ugly, peeps.

Let’s take a look at “Air,” shall we? “Air” was touted by many very respectable reviewers and publications for its originality and strong lead character.  Hell, Neil Gamian even compared it to the works of Salmon Rushdie.  I was in – actually from the very first columns I posted here, I told people to read “Air.”   And for the first half of the issues, it lived up to the hype.  I thought the story moved, the plot unfolded in good arcs and cliff hangers and the characters evolved weekly.  But some where around issue 14, “Air” started to lose its way.  There were several issues where the story literally just stopped like Wilson had run of out ideas or pulled a thread in her own story.  But I was invested and kept reading hoping “Air” would find its way back to its innovative beginnings where it utilized historical characters and events and simultaneously tapped into a universal fear of terrorism that we all felt deep inside.  But no such luck.  It became clear by issue 17 that the “Air” we had come to love was no more.  The story limped along almost painfully till the inevitable announcement that “Air” would end its run in issue 24.  I wish I had some other word for the ending of “Air” other than lame, but that’s honestly how I felt about it.  24 issues of wasted investment.

Now let’s take a drive down “Greek Street” – yet another title I personally touted early on.  ”Greek Street” was well received by the comic community and rightfully so – it was a modern, violent take on Greek mythology.  Utilizing classical literature and characters in comics is one of my favorite lines of storytelling, so “Greek Street” was right up my alley.  With each issue, the story became more intricate – even becoming a little hard to follow at times.  But I’m all about using my noggin, so I welcomed the depth and complications.  I even forgave the side story focusing on the British soldier who returned from the war – a deviation I never really liked.  However, by the time the story got back to Eddie’s self-loathing crisis, it seemed like there weren’t many places left to go with it… maybe “Greek Street” became too smart or clever for its own good because it clearly had taken a wrong turn and the inevitable ending was announced.  Well, when I finished the last issue, I was completely annoyed that I had bothered to read the series at all.  In case you’re still reading, I won’t blow it for you, but trust me, it’s an abrupt, unsatisfying non-ending to what started out as an above average foray into modern genre fair.

So what’s really the problem here?  Is it writers who pitch a title, but don’t really have an ending to their own story?  Or does the fault lie with the publishers who flake on their writers early not allowing them to finish what they actually did have planned?  Having come from television, I saw examples of both sides of the question – i.e. those of you who got pissed when “Firefly” was cancelled in the middle of its first season know what I’m talking about.  Well, comics are no different.  As a fan and reader, nothing gets me more than investing in a title and then having it yanked so the writers are forced to abruptly end the story without much thought.  And as a writer, I get equally irritated when a writer gets a shot at publishing something new and exciting, but never really had an end in mind.  Trust me, comic book fans remember both of these scenarios when it comes time to decide if they should give a new series or a new writer a try.

Now, I don’t want to give the impression the publishers get it wrong.  A recent example of doing it right is “Daytrippers” – a complete story that was well executed in the number of allotted issues.  At the end, I didn’t feel cheated or hoodwinked – I felt respected because the writers obviously knew the story they wanted to tell and accomplished it in ten issues.  The same could be said for the genius story of “N” which was told in completion in only four issues.  See, it can be done without a huge commitment from either the writer or the publisher.  Or, it can be done on the opposite end of the scale as in “Y: The Last Man” – an amazing, in depth story that took 60 issues to be told in its entirety.

So, what I’m asking is pretty simple.  Publishers, since we’re the ones shelling out the 2.99 or 3.99 per book, show us a little regard when you abruptly decide to cancel a title in the middle of its run before the writer has a chance to honor the end of the story for the people who have been reading it.  And writers, getting the opportunity to publish a book is a rare and privileged one – please honor the chance you’re given by having a worked out story to tell when you embark on the first issue so those of us who go along with for the ride get a satisfying experience.

Whew, that was like a purging!  You know how when you get really drunk and the next day you’re so totally hung over that you spend hours praying you’ll be able to just “get up?”  And once you do, you feel SO much better?  Yep, that’s how I feel right now.  And btw, Vertigo guys, I didn’t intentionally target you.  Just so happens I was invested in these titles which both ended recently.  But then again, if you threw us a bone with a review copy once in a while, it wouldn’t be as financially painful when one of our favorite titles goes down.  No disrespect, but I’m just sayin’.

Peace, love and all that jazz.

Follow me on twitter: @TVStaceyLevin

New to comics? Fresh Ink’s Blair Butler has some suggestions for where to start. If you want to dig deeper into comics, come in to Meltdown and talk to Meltcast’s Chris or Caleb about some of their suggestions or just browse the our aisles.

DARK HORSE COMICS
BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER #26 CHEN CVR
BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER #26 JEANTY CVR
OH MY GODDESS RTL TP VOL 12
STAR WARS INVASION #1 (OF 5)
UNBOUND SAGA ONE SHOT
WITCHFINDER IN THE SERVICE OF ANGELS #1 (OF 5)

DC COMICS
ASTRO CITY THE DARK AGE BOOK THREE #3 (OF 4)
AUTHORITY #12
BANG TANGO #6 (OF 6) (MR)
BATMAN AND ROBIN #2
BATMAN CONFIDENTIAL #31
BRAVE AND THE BOLD WITHOUT SIN TP
BROKEN BLADE VOL 01
DEAD ROMEO #4 (OF 6)
EL DIABLO THE HAUNTED HORSEMAN TP
EMMA VOL 09
FINAL CRISIS AFTERMATH RUN #3 (OF 6)
GEARS OF WAR #8 (MR)
GREEK STREET #1 (MR)
GREEN LANTERN CORPS #38 (BLACKEST NIGHT)
GREEN LANTERN REBIRTH #1 SPECIAL EDITION
JONAH HEX #45
JUSTICE LEAGUE CRY FOR JUSTICE #1 (OF 7) CVR A
JUSTICE LEAGUE CRY FOR JUSTICE #1 (OF 7) CVR B
LOONEY TUNES #176
MIGHTY #6
SECRET SIX #11
SOLOMON GRUNDY #5 (OF 7)
STRANGE ADVENTURES #5 (OF
UNWRITTEN #1 2ND PTG (MR)
Y THE LAST MAN #1 SPECIAL EDITION

IMAGE COMICS
ASTOUNDING WOLF-MAN #17
CHEW #1 2ND PTG (PP #873)
CHEW #2 (MR)
EXISTENCE 2.0 #1 (OF 3)
FIREBREATHER TP VOL 01 (NEW PTG)
SAVAGE DRAGON #150 (NOTE PRICE)
SPAWN #193
SPAWN ENDGAME TP VOL 01
SWORD #18 (MR)
WITCHBLADE #128 ROSS CVR B
WITCHBLADE #128 SEJIC CVR A

MARVEL COMICS
AGENTS OF ATLAS #7 DKR
AMAZING SPIDER-MAN FAMILY #8
ASTONISHING TALES #6
CABLE #16
CAPTAIN AMERICA FIGHTING CHANCE TP VOL 02 ACCEPTANCE
CAPTAIN AMERICA POSTER BOOK
CAPTAIN AMERICA REBORN #1 (OF 5)
DAREDEVIL FATHER TP
DAREDEVIL NOIR #4 (OF 4)
DAREDEVIL NOIR #4 (OF 4) CALERO VAR
DEADPOOL MERC WITH A MOUTH #1
DESTROYER #4 (OF 5) (MR)
EXILES #4
FANTASTIC FOUR #568
INVINCIBLE IRON MAN #15 DKR
MARVEL DIVAS #1 (OF 4)
MARVEL ILLUSTRATED TP THREE MUSKETEERS
MARVEL YOUR UNIVERSE #6
OFFICIAL INDEX TO MARVEL UNIVERSE #7
PLANET SKAAR PROLOGUE ONE-SHOT 2ND PTG PANOSIAN VAR
RUNAWAYS ROCK ZOMBIES PREM HC
RUNAWAYS ROCK ZOMBIES PREM HC DM ED
SCOURGE OF GODS FALL #1 (OF 3) (MR)
SCOURGE OF GODS FALL #1 (OF 3) US VAR (MR)
TROJAN WAR #3 (OF 5)
UNCANNY X-MEN #513 DAX
USA COMICS #1 70TH ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL
WAR OF KINGS #5 (OF 6)
WOLVERINE #72 2ND PTG MCNIVEN VAR

MISC. COMICS
A G SUPER EROTIC ANTHOLOGY #106 (A)
BATTLESTAR GALACTICA FINAL FIVE #4 (OF 4)
BETTY & VERONICA DOUBLE DIGEST #172
BOYS #32 (MR)
BOYS TP VOL 04 WE GOTTA GO NOW (MR)
CODE GEASS LELOUCH OF THE REBELLION GN VOL 04
COLOR GN (MR)
DEAD RUN #2
FARSCAPE STRANGE DETRACTORS #4 (OF 4)
FINDING NEMO REEF RESCUE #1 (OF 4)
IMAGINARY FRIENDS RISE OF THE VALENTINE GN
IRREDEEMABLE #4
JUGHEAD AND FRIENDS DIGEST #33
MUPPET ROBIN HOOD #2 (OF 4)
ON BENDED KNEE GN (A)
SIMPSONS SUPER SPECTACULAR #9
SOULFIRE #10 JOE BENITEZ CVR
SOULFIRE #10 MICHAEL TURNER CVR (RES)
STRANGE EGGS JUMPS THE SHARK (MR)
SWALLOWING THE EARTH GN
TOY STORY MYSTERIOUS STRANGER #2 (OF 4)
TWELVE REASONS WHY I LOVE HER GN (O/A) (MR)
VAMPIRELLA COUNTDOWN TO SECOND COMING SAMPERE SKETCHBOOK
VERONICA #195

MERCHANDISE
EUREKA SEVEN NOVEL VOL 01 BLUE MONDAY

It looks like DJ Caruso can find himself a new project, as the adaptation of Y The Last Man has hit a snag: it’s all out of men.

Shia LaBeouf had been attached to star as Yorrick, the last male alive on Earth after a plague wipes out the rest of his gender. Based on the popular and excellent Vertigo comic of the same title, Y would have seen Shia adventuring across a post-apocalyptic American landscape, trying to figure what made him special and whether humanity could be saved.

But now Shia feels he’s been there and that he’s done that. Talking to Wizard Magazine he says:

“You take Sam and you put a monkey on his shoulder,” said LaBeouf of Yorick’s sidekick Ampersand. “I don’t know if it’s that big a differential. It seems like he’s the ordinary guy in an extraordinary situation again.

He added, “I’m not willing to make that movie currently, and may be too old to play the role by the time it does come around.”

If that’s Shia’s reasoning for not taking projects – he’s already done the ordinary guy in an extraordinary situation – will he ever make another movie? That’s sort of his whole appeal,that he’s an ordinary guy. Shia’s not about to start playing the kinds of extraordinary characters that Schwartzennegger and Van Damme play, that’s for sure. And I don’t think that Yorrick and Sam are at all similar; for one thing, Yorrick is way less of a dipshit than Sam is. Might there be some other reason at the heart of this all?

I would imagine that LaBeouf was the glue that held the project together. What happens next? Probably Development Hell for the forseeable future.

via: Y THE LAST MAN GETS UNMANNED.