Posted in: Comics | Tagged: dc comics, HRL, suicide squad: the black files

DC Comics Cancels Suicide Squad: The Black Files — For Now

Published Thu, 27 Jul 2017 08:00:17 -0500

DC Comics has decided to postpone Suicide Squad: The Black Files in its entirety before the first issue has even been published. They state that they intend to resolicit the series in the future, but at the earliest that would be November, if at all.

Earlier this month, comic book writer Jai Nitz send out an e-mail to a number of retailers talking about his plans for Suicide Squad: The Black Files #1 in August, which was due to get its Final Order Cut-Off date. He detailed a number of new characters that he would debut in the comic, that would play a significant role in the DC Universe at a later date, and called it his New Mutants #98 — the comic that launched Deadpool and Domino.

https://twitter.com/JAINITZ1/status/884522968038223872

They included the historical Aladdin, revealed to be a Green Lantern; a monstrous character who evolved into something stronger, Pokémon-style; and Doctor Endless, a new genderqueer character who modelled themselves on The Endless from Neil Gaiman's Sandman. We ran some of the images, and Neil Gaiman — who has a contractual arrangement with DC Comics over the use of those characters — got wind of the situation and made some calls.

At the time we understood that, lawsuit averted, the comic book was amended so as not to infringe on DC's agreement with Neil Gaiman. However, it clearly touched a nerve and it may not have been able to have been addressed in time. And despite the extra sales I'm told that the book got as a result of the fuss, DC has stopped the series in its tracks.

Here's what was originally solicited:

SUICIDE SQUAD BLACK FILES #1 (OF 6)
(W) Mike W. Barr, Jai Nitz | (A) Philippe Briones, Scot Eaton | (CA) Frazer Irving

Two members of Task Force X are back in these all-new adventures! First up: "REVENGE OF KOBRA" by writer Mike W. Barr and artist Philippe Briones. To oppose the terrorist Kobra is to earn his undying hatred, and that's what the samurai Katana did when she killed his beloved Eve. Now, Kobra stalks Katana beyond the bounds of the Earth itself, to a supernatural world where he will steal from her everything that she has-including her very soul! And in "SUICIDE SQUAD BLACK," by writer Jai Nitz and artist Scot Eaton, Sebastian Faust, the U.S. government's top arcane operative, has gone rogue! To track down America's most dangerous magician, Amanda Waller assembles a special ops team unlike any other: an expendable coven of dark arts experts including El Diablo, Enchantress and Gentleman Ghost. They are Suicide Squad Black, and they will take you to places where even the dead can die!

SUICIDE SQUAD BLACK FILES #2 (OF 6)
(W) Mike W. Barr, Jai Nitz | (A) Philippe Briones, Scot Eaton | (CA) Frazer Irving
Trapped inside her Soultaker sword, the soul of Katana is torn between staying with her murdered husband or rejoining the world of the living. Meanwhile, Kobra's Queen, Eve, makes nefarious use of Katana's body as she infiltrates the Suicide Squad. Also in this issue, Suicide Squad Black tries to leave its deadly first mission in the past and get one step ahead of the apocalypse warlock, Sebastian Faust. To beat the sorcerer, this magically fueled task force needs something he covets. But like all things Suicide Squad, their next mission is no ordinary smash-and-grab, but rather a jewel heist on Gemworld!

SUICIDE SQUAD BLACK FILES #3 (OF 6)
(W) Mike W. Barr, Jai Nitz | (A) Philippe Briones & Various | (CA) Frazer Irving
"KATANA: REVENGE OF KOBRA" part three! Trapped in the mystic dimension within the Soultaker sword, Katana and her husband, Maseo, fight the forces of the mad swordsmith Muramasa, who has amassed an army to invade the world outside-our world!
"SUICIDE SQUAD BLACK" part three! Suicide Squad Black comes face to face with Sebastian Faust, who naturally makes Amanda Waller's supernatural enforcers an offer they can't refuse. Will the Suicide Squad make (another) deal with the devil?
RATED T+