Birds of Prey has been cancelled. Nuts.
I liked the series a lot, although it suffered, a lot, when Gail Simone left, and Black Canary left basically contemporaneously. Sean McKeever's complete mishandling of the characters nearly killed the series for me, and I can't really say enough bad things about his run. While Tony Bedard's work is, as always, journeyman-acceptable, it's not got quite the spark. Again, this is largely a problem with Black Canary's departure; as soon as she makes a guest appearance, the series' dynamic roars back to life.
According to the link, this is fallout from the Birds' tenuous link to the Batman family of books. Since my disinterest in the Batman RIP (which I don't even know what that means) and "under the cowl" shenanigans can be measured with off-the-shelf astronomical instruments from neighboring solar systems (i.e., my disinterest is large; I am committed to my disinterest to the point that I will be unhappy if you try to explain the Bat folderol to me), my displeasure that this malarkey is taking a book I do like with it is, if not epochal, certainly not quotidian.
Posted by Greg at November 6, 2008 5:57 PM
I am committed to my disinterest to the point that I will be unhappy if you try to explain the Bat folderol to me
No explanations; just pointing out that you're missing the best Batman story in, oh, twenty years by avoiding Morrison's run. No other Bat-titles necessary. But hey, it's a free country, again.
If no other Bat-titles are necessary, why is BoP getting cancelled?
I am getting Morrison's run, though I haven't actually read any since before RIP got started. There's a taint by association there with the rest of the line.
I believe that Morrison is leaving Batman after RIP is complete. Whatever is happening after that ("The Battle for the Cowl"--urgh) is down to the Bat-office.
It sounds less like "something in RIP is forcing us to cancel titles" and more like they're taking the opportunity to winnow underperforming titles from an overextended franchise. This happens periodically at both companies.
Grant Morrison is supposed to be back on Batman after Battle for the Cowl.
I think DC would be cancelling Birds of Prey sooner than later without the excuse of a Bat event. If I have the chart correct the only uncancelled ongoing DC Universe series with lower sales are Blue Beetle and Jonah Hex and I'm pretty sure there's some editorial championing keeping those titles afloat. Oh, and Simon Dark. I dunno what's going on with Simon Dark.
RIP/Battle for the Cowl etc explained.
Rember KnightFall/KnightQuest?
It's Morrison retelling it.