And yet another of my favorite titles gets axed. Here is the October solicitation for Astonishing X-Men #68 courtesy of Newsarama:
ASTONISHING X-MEN #68
MARJORIE LIU
GABRIEL HERNANDEZ WALTA (A)
Cover by PHIL NOTO
FINAL ISSUE!
• Through thick and thin, from marriage to apocalypse, the X-Men have always stood together as a family.
• Is there anything in this world – or any other – that could break them up?
• It all ends here as Marjorie Liu bids a fond farewell to the Astonishing team!
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99
The thing is, Astonishing hasn’t been doing that bad in sales. Sure, it’s been skirting above the 20k milestone (23k in June) but it’s still up there unlike other titles which are floundering, like Morbius with only 14k. So why cancel Astonishing if it’s steady? I’m sure there is probably a reason, and that might do with how it’s 3.99 vs 2.99, perhaps they could give it a price cut? Or maybe they simply felt it ran its course?
It often feels like Astonishing doesn’t ‘fit’ with the whole Marvel NOW! thing, staying out of the AvX stuff and whatnot, but that’s been good for Astonishing. It’s allowed it to be its own title.
The worst part about this is while most of the main characters in Astonishing have homes in other titles, since Gambit’s solo was cancelled, this leaves the Cajun without a home unless one of the other titles picks him up. I haven’t heard any news of such a move, though it might be something that will crop up in the November solicits. Crossing my fingers he does get picked up, just not by Remender in Uncanny Avengers… though since apparently someone will die in #13 according to the October solicitations… there will be an opening.
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