Cancelled Comics

 When it comes to comics, I can think of few things that bum me out more than when a title that I like ends up being abandoned by its creator(s). I know that there are always reasons for why this happens, but that does not stop it from being disappointing.

For example, take one of the comics I've written about on this blog before: District 14 (original title: Cité 14) , by Pierre Gabus & Romuald Reutimann. Its been years since Season Two (in case you wonder, the volumes of District 14 are called 'seasons') came out and, aside from some artwork, there has not been a word of a Season Three. Yes, I am well aware that The Fantastic Voyage of Lady Rozenbuilt is sometimes listed as the third season, but as far as I'm concerned, it shouldn't be: Lady Rozenbuilt, while perfectly good, was a prequel/spin-off, focusing on the character of Captain Bigoodee and his past. It didn't advance the actual main story in any way. 

That said, although their title languishes in comic-book limbo and its disappointing that we will most likely never get another comic featuring Michael, Hector, Vanita and all the other inhabitants of the District, Gabus and Reutimann did resolve some of their plot-threads, so they did not leave their readers completely hanging.

A better (or worse, depending on how one looks at things) example is another French comic: La Guilde de la Mer (The Guild of the Sea), by Nancy Pena. Set in an archipelagic world of several kingdoms, all populated by various races anthropomorphic animals, the comic focuses on the titular guild whose merchants are the only ones allowed to travel between the various nations.

La Guilde de la Mer is a comic that has a lot going for it, its biggest strength, in my opinion, being its world-building. Pena's fictional world is a fascinating place and its clear that she has put a lot of thought in it. The Characters that populate this world, while not among the greatest I've encountered in comics, are nonetheless engaging enough for me to be invested in them. 

Unfortunately, La Guilde de la Mer was cancelled after only two 48 page volumes (the standard format for European comics), meaning that all the intriguing plot-points Nancy Pena set up, including one about the protagonist's mother becoming the leader of a gang of criminals, will never be resolved. Story-wise, La Guilde de la Mer is all set-up with no payoff and as such, I can not in good conscience recommend it to my readers, much as I would like to.

I honestly don't know why La Guilde de la Mer did not sell well enough. Its not as if the French are strangers to the concept of comics not featuring any human characters, nor was Nancy Pena a newcomer on the scene when she made it. Whatever the reason, it failed to find traction with the public and that is a shame.