Unfinished Fridays: Worldwatch

Dork Note: Comic book series may not be completed for a variety of reasons...sales too low, the publisher ceases to be, personal conflict, or the creative team just gives up. For whatever reason...I just have to say I DO NOT GIVE A FUCK!!! I WANT TO SEE THE STORIES FINISHED!
Writer: Chuck Austen
Artist: Tom Derenick
Publisher: Wild and Wooly Press (2004)
Includes: Worldwatch #1-4 (4 was never printed)

OK, most of the time I'm not into comics that have a heavy sexual theme to them. I figure if you want to see porn or nudie pictures there are better ways to see them than in a comic. BUT I picked up this book and was surprised it was so good.

Not because it was sexual but because it was overtly over the top and I mean way over the top, but still grounded in a good story. It made fun of this "type" of comic in the best way possible by pushing it to the extreme.

I was rather disappointed when the series was never finished, but I'd still like to see Chuck and Tom wrap it up with a TPB and put out under Chuck's publishing house Wild & Wooly Press.

Fun Fact (clipped from Wikipedia): The last page of Worldwatch #2 featured an announcement from the publisher stating that, as a result of widespread fan disappointment with the writing, Austen had been fired, and that he would be replaced by notable writer Sam Clemens (the real name of legendary American writer Mark Twain). Since, as creator and owner, Austen cannot be fired from Worldwatch, and since Austen has publicly claimed that his work is only disliked by a few vocal malcontents, this was widely perceived as being a failed hoax with the goal of showing that fans would accept the writing if only they did not recognize the writer's true identity. In a subsequent interview, Austen stated that it was intended not as a hoax, but as a joke, and that he was disappointed that most readers had not understood the joke.

Unfinished Fridays: The Lost

Unfinished Fridays: Comic book series may not be completed for a variety of reasons...sales too low, the publisher ceases to be, personal conflict, or the creative team just gives up. For whatever reason...I just have to say I DO NOT GIVE A FUCK!!! I WANT TO SEE THE STORIES FINISHED!

THE LOST, written by Marc Andreyko and drawn by Galen Showman.

The Lost is a black and white comic book mini-series that continues the original story of Peter Pan in the present day, as a darkly humorous modern horror story. It was scripted by Marc Andreyko, from a story by him, Jay Geldhof, Galen Showman, and Mark Ricketts. It was illustrated by Showman, Geldhof, and Ricketts, with covers by Geldhof.

In this story, Peter meets a new girl named Wendy in a train station, and entices her to come away with him. His eternal youth comes from being a vampire, and so are the Lost Boys, including Michael Darling. Far from innocent – Peter has an active, kinky sex life – they use their apparent youth as a lure for men interested in sex with boys their age, whom they then feed on. Peter poses as a underage hustler.

The first two issues were mainly penciled by Showman and inked by Geldhof, with Ricketts drawing a flashback scene in each. They were published by Caliber Comics. The creators then took the series to Chaos! Comics, where it launched a new imprint called "Breakthrough Entertainment", intended for more mature, literary material than Chaos' main line of adolescent-focused comics. Chaos reprinted the first two issues with new covers, and a third issue drawn by just Ricketts and Geldhof, with assistance from Showman and P. Craig Russell. Unhapy with the "patchwork" art of the third issue, Geldhof began illustrating the fourth by himself, but became frustrated by the project, and finished only a handful of pages and the cover art. 

Dork Note: This series first appeared in 1996 under the Caliber Comics publishing banner. It was originally intended to be a four issue mini-series. I REALLY liked this idea of a warped Peter Pan, that is a vampire and keeps kids young by turning them. After only two issues it stopped, however, it resurfaced and relaunched under the Chaos! Comics in 1997. I actually was stoked that I would be able to see how this story played out. I even re-bought the reprinted first two issues when they came out. Then I bought the third issue and waited and waited...then realized there wasn't going to be a fourth issue...so close yet so far away. 

Unfinished Fridays: The Last Galactus Story

Writer and Artist: John Byrne
Publisher: DC Comics (1984)
Includes: Epic Illustrated issues #26-34

John Byrne's The Last Galactus Story storyline ran through the Marvel's Epic magazine format anthology until it was cancelled with issue #34. Whereupon the "Last Galactus Story" died unfinished!

Marvel should compile these pages into a trade paperback or include them as part of the John Byrne's Fantastic Four Trade Paperback run they are doing. It would be nice if it included a finished ending...I can dream can't I.

Here is what John Byrne had to say about the storyline (as quoted by Braden-found on the Comic Book Urban Legends page.)...

“We ran nine episodes in Epic Illustrated and it still wasn’t enough to save the book,” Byrne remembers, “so it was canceled. Then, of course, there was essentially nowhere else to put it. I kept promising myself that one of these days I would finish it as a story in the Fantastic Four, but I left the book and felt it was no longer my prerogative to deal with those characters since they weren’t ‘my’ characters anymore. Marvel, in one of their Marvel Universe entries, declared that story to be imaginary and I said, ‘Well, jeez, I don’t work on imaginary stories (laughter),’ or I didn’t in those days. So it languishes in comic book oblivion, or wherever the ‘comic book stories that never get done’ go.”

John Byrne then offered this up to fans if they are curious how he would have ended it (as quoted by Braden-found on the Comic Book Urban Legends page.),...

"We get to the end and he battles a Rogue Watcher, who is actually the same Watcher present when Galactus first appeared. This was the same Watcher who didn’t do anything to stop Galactus from being created and who’s consumed with guilt. So what the Rogue Watcher was trying to do was move an entire galaxy away from Galactus and hide it, so that at least one would be spared.”How could the Rogue Watcher do this? Byrne came up with the idea that by focusing the collected stars’ energy into the galaxy’s core, the Rogue Watcher would then be able to propel the galaxy away from Galactus. Byrne explained, “The Rogue Watcher was taking the stars of the galaxy and moving them so as to create a tunnel effect through it’s core. And if you believe a word of this, you’ve been reading far too many comic books (laughter)!”
“Galactus then battles the Rogue Watcher,” Byrne continues. “It’s almost at the end of the universe; all the entropy has worked up to its full vigor and the universe is running down. In order to defeat the Rogue Watcher, Galactus finally consumes every last shred of energy that is in the universe. Galactus becomes the final repository of all energy in the universe. He then cracks the seal on his helmet, takes his helmet off, and all the energy that he’s stored up explodes out of him. He becomes the big bang of the next universe, with Nova becoming the Galactus of that universe.

Unfinished Friday: Battle Chasers is being finished?!

Update: Joe Madueria’s Battle Chasers is coming back as a comic book and game.
Joe promises he will end the unfinished story before moving onto a series of three issue arcs, saying “I partially just want to update it. I think it’s going to get a visual overhaul too. My art style and storytelling style, everything’s sort of changed and evolved over the years.”

Below is my original post for the series not being finished.
Comic book series may not be completed for a variety of reasons...sales too low, the publisher ceases to be, personal conflict, or the creative team just gives up. For whatever reason...I just have to say I DO NOT GIVE A FUCK!!! I WANT TO SEE THE STORIES FINISHED!

This series actually had a lot of issues in before it fell unfinished...9 in total with a few variety covers. The series was launched in 1998 under the Wildstorm imprint Cliffhanger (how ironic) . The book was plagued with major delays with the longest being issue #7; taking 16 months to come out after issue #6. Issue #9 came out in 2001 and was left unfinished...fans were not happy and Joe Madureira was tagged with the stigma/curse of "late or never". He said in 2005..."one of those things that I think about every once in a while, and not having finished it bums me out… I would love to do it at some point, but it would be very far out."

Back in 2010 a Battle Chasers Anthology HC was released which I wrote about...SERIOUSLY! What are you thinking Joe Madureira?

Unfinished Fridays: Wonder Woman - Bondage

Clipped from Bleeding Cool:

Here's what Sienkiewicz had to say about the project,"Frank and I were jazzed about working together again. We were up for doing another series and churning the waters on on some old DC character, as he'd done with Dark Knight.

Wonder Woman seemed like a pretty good choice. She been simultaneously revered and handled poorly in some incarnations. To me she's always been a '"symbol" more than a character that has been well-utilized in a story context. The most interesting stuff was the earliest - and felt the ripest for revisiting.

The fact that her creator William Marston also created the precursor to the lie detector and was into bondage lent a weird kinky vibe and made the idea of mucking with her and her origin a potentially fun trip. The image was done by me to visually test the water, so to speak and my own comfort level, if not everyone else's, about how far it could be pushed. I did some others that were far more extreme, no one has seen those, this one was relatively tame by comparison. Still it was perhaps a bit over the top, but I think Frank and I invited that."

Unfinished Fridays: The Silencers

Dork Note: Comic book series may not be completed for a variety of reasons...sales too low, the publisher ceases to be, personal conflict, or the creative team just gives up. For whatever reason...I just have to say I DO NOT GIVE A FUCK!!! I WANT TO SEE THE STORIES FINISHED!

THE SILENCERS - written by Fred Van Lente and drawn by Steve Ellis

There was a completed four issue mini-series from Moonstone Press; which was later reprinted in a trade paperback called The Silencers, The Black Kiss. Unfortunately, when the series moved to a new publisher, Image, for whatever reason only one issue was produced in the second volume - leave the second series unfinished.

There is a "The Complete Silencers" TPB from Dark Horse; which includes the mini-series, the single issue (seem above from Image) and supllemental material of what the second series would have been - so there is that - for what it is worth! 

Of course being the whore I am - I bought both!

Clipped from Wizard Magazine:

Unfinished Fridays: 1963

Dork Note: Comic book series may not be completed for a variety of reasons...sales too low, the publisher ceases to be, personal conflict, or the creative team just gives up. For whatever reason...I just have to say I DO NOT GIVE A FUCK!!! I WANT TO SEE THE STORIES FINISHED!
1963, written by Alan Moore and a variety of artist was originally released in 1993.

Clipped from Wikipedia: The series has never been finished as originally intended. When first announced, the limited series was supposed to be followed by an 80-page annual, illustrated by Jim Lee, in which the 1963 characters were sent thirty years into "the future", where they met then-contemporary 1993 characters published by Image Comics. Moore intended to make a commentary on how the air of "realism" brought to Marvel Comics in the early 1960s had paved the way for the "mature" and "grim and gritty" American comics of the 1990s. Unfortunately, Moore was less than halfway through writing the script for the annual when Jim Lee announced that he was taking a year-long sabbatical from comic book art. Moore put the script aside, and after that year had passed, many things had changed. Rob Liefeld had left Image, which meant that some of his characters could not be used. Jim Lee was swamped with work and unlikely to be able to complete the work. The tide had changed, and superhero comics had begun to get less and less gritty, and Moore states his growing disinterest with writing superheroes.
Dork Note: There was supposedly personal conflicts between creators, but that is just rumors.

Unfinished Fridays: The Clock Maker

Dork Note: Comic book series may not be completed for a variety of reasons...sales too low, the publisher ceases to be, personal conflict, or the creative team just gives up. For whatever reason...I just have to say I DO NOT GIVE A FUCK!!! I WANT TO SEE THE STORIES FINISHED!
The Clock Maker was written by Jim Krueger and penciled by Matt Smith (Act I) and Jason Baroody (Act II). Published by Image Comics in 2003.
Clipped from Wikipedia:
The Clock Maker was originally intended to be a 12-issue limited series. Later, it was divided into three acts. The first four issues were reprinted as Act I. Act II was made up of all-new material, and Act III was never published.

The first four issues were published as double-sized editions with a 1:1 reproduction ratio, meaning the original art was not resized when it was published. The books were folded in half to fit on standard news racks, and in the current sized protective polymer bags. Despite the detailed view of the art, readers reacted negatively to the oversized format, perceiving a decline in potential value. After the fourth issue, The Clock Maker adopted the standard comic dimensions.

Act II was never printed in the serial format, but only as a 48-page graphic novel in 2004. Act three was intended to be published in the same manner, but, to this date, has never surfaced. Krueger maintains that the book will be out “in the near future” and that a collection will also be forthcoming.

Clipped from Wizard Magazine:

Unfinished Friday: Fell

Dork Note: Comic book series may not be completed for a variety of reasons...sales too low, the publisher ceases to be, personal conflict, or the creative team just gives up. For whatever reason...I just have to say I DO NOT GIVE A FUCK!!! I WANT TO SEE THE STORIES FINISHED!

Fell was written by Warren Ellis and drawn by Ben Templesmith. Published by Image Comics in 2005, the series runs for 9 issues. This isn't the typical Unfinished Friday, because in a way this book was open ended. It just never continued. There was a TPB of the series; which collected the first 8 issues.

Here is the kicker there were 9 issues published...leaving one tiny little issue hanging out there all by itself. This makes me think this is an unfinished series; otherwise why exclude one issue. Making this series a...Unfinished Friday Special!

Unfinished Fridays: Daredevil Bulleyes: The Target

Dork Note: Comic book series may not be completed for a variety of reasons...sales too low, the publisher ceases to be, personal conflict, or the creative team just gives up. For whatever reason...I just have to say I DO NOT GIVE A FUCK!!! I WANT TO SEE THE STORIES FINISHED!

DAREDEVIL BULLSEYE: THE TARGET, written by Kevin Smith and drawn by Glenn Fabry was a limited series that focused on Bullseye.

I bought the first issue in 2002...and then waited for the second one...that was 15 years ago. It was an interesting take and hopefully if time and schedule permit, Kevin Smith and Glenn Fabry can do the second issue. If they did, at least it would make comic book history with the longest time between the first and second issue. And shit, I'd probably still buy it.

Unfinished Fridays: Puncture

Dork Note: Comic book series may not be completed for a variety of reasons...sales too low, the publisher ceases to be, personal conflict, or the creative team just gives up. For whatever reason...I just have to say I DO NOT GIVE A FUCK!!! I WANT TO SEE THE STORIES FINISHED!
Puncture was written by Russell Uttley and art by Ben Oliver.  6 issues were published by Com.X in 2002 .
Clipped from Comics Bulletin a review by Craig Lemon: The biggest problem with Puncture is the scheduling. Ah, you know this. You also probably decided to drop the book after #2 or #3 when your retailer stopped bringing it in due to the erratic shipping schedule. Uttley refers to this obliquely in his editorial at the front of this issue; a break-in and all components stolen would be good enough excuse you might think, but not for a whole number of retailers. So, providing you actually want to buy this issue in the first place, where the heck can you get it from? Your retailer. It’s available on re-orders. Go in there, and demand they order you a copy. If the retailer refuses, change your retailers. Or order online – you can get this book, if you want it. And you should want it.

Unfinished Fridays: The Chemist

Comic book series may not be completed for a variety of reasons...sales too low, the publisher ceases to be, personal conflict, or the creative team just gives up. For whatever reason...I just have to say I DO NOT GIVE A FUCK!!! I WANT TO SEE THE STORIES FINISHED!


The Chemist was written and drawn by Jay Boose. 2 issues were published by Image comics, #1 in 2007 and then #2 a year later in 2008.

Jay Boose is clearly a talented guy. The story and art are perfect for the tale he is telling. Even after a year between issues I still bought the second issue. A third issue is not coming, I know it, but..

..FUCK THAT! I know it's hard having a day job and doing shit at night; especially as an animator and the crazy hours you have to work. Believe me I know!

But come on dude! , you need to finish the series. Just get it done and then collect it all into a TPB. I will happily plop down cash on the counter to pick it up. Easy as pie, minus all the hard work to get it done, of course.

Unfinished Fridays: Dusty Star

Dork Note: Comic book series may not be completed for a variety of reasons...sales too low, the publisher ceases to be, personal conflict, or the creative team just gives up. For whatever reason... I just have to say I DO NOT GIVE A FUCK!!! I WANT TO SEE THE STORIES FINISHED!

Dusty Star was written by Joe Pruett and drawn by Andrew Robinson. 2 issues were published in 1997 and then an issue in 2006 by Image comics.

This book falls into a rare category of SUPER-FRUSTRATION! Much like the book The Lost, this book came out, but was unfinished then was revived YEARS LATER again to be left unresolved. It makes me sad as a fan.

Funny side note: Dusty Star Special Edition-46 page hardcover book to include issue #1 along with a new 24-page installment is in the works, but the release date is TBA. BUT here is the kicker it will be listed at $25...yep TWENTY FIVE BUCKS! Read it and weep that is $ .50 a page! UPDATE: I believe this was NEVER REALEASED EITHER!!!

Unfinished Fridays: Doc Frankenstein and Shaolin Cowboy

Comic book series may not be completed for a variety of reasons...sales too low, the publisher ceases to be, personal conflict, or the creative team just gives up. For whatever reason...I just have to say I DO NOT GIVE A FUCK!!! I WANT TO SEE THE STORIES FINISHED! Doc Frankenstein created by Geof Darrow and Steve Skroce, written by the Wachowski Brothers and drawn by Steve Skroce. Published by Burlyman Entertainment in 2004 and ran for 6 issues.

Shaolin Cowboy created, co-written (opening dialog in each issue is written by the Wachowski Brothers), and drawn by artist Geof Darrow. Published by Burlyman Entertainment in 2004 and ran for 7 issues.

The Wachowski's started Burlyman Entertainment; which is ironic based on one of their personal lives, but this comic book company had a really strong beginning then simply...faded away...

I really enjoyed these two series especially the free flowing consciousness writing style of Shaolin Cowboy. Plus Geoff Darrow's art in it was just beyond...WOW!

Perhaps one day they will compile these series and wrap them up both into TPBs.

Unfinished Fridays: ULTIMATE WOLVERINE VS HULK

I am going to start this weekly post about UNFINISHED SERIES with one; which had a happy ending. From here on out, there are no more happy endings...sorry Dorks!

HAPPY ENDING! for one series!

ULTIMATE WOLVERINE VS HULK, written by Damon Lindelof and illustrated by artist Leinil Yu. The book starts off with a bang! When Wolverine wakes to find that he has been ripped in half by the Hulk, DAMN! This book was scheduled to be a 6 issue mini-series, but it only saw two issues in print then went dead. The third issue was scheduled for April 19th, 2006 then pushed to May 17th, then August 9th, then September 20, October 25, November 1st, November 8th, and finally December 27th at which point it was canceled by Marvel until further notice. What happened...who knows? HERE IS AN UPDATE: Supposedly this is going to be finished and released this year...that 2009! AND IT WAS!!!