RANT TIMING #9: DC Stop Dixon Around

When asked about Frank Tieri’s fill-in issues on Batman & The Outsiders, which tie-in with the Batman R.I.P. storyline, Chuck had some very simply words to say on his message boards.

I am no longer employed by DC Comics in any capacity.

Now to speculate, I assume Chuck had some not so friendly words to say about the direction Morrison is taking Batman and got the brunt of it. As an alternative, perhaps DC was not thrilled with the direction his titles were going and canned them? This takes Chuck off of Robin, Batman & The Outsiders, and the Booster Gold fill-in issue he is doing, issue #11, will be one of his last pieces done for the company. And what does this do to Storming Paradise? Does this mean it will receive a new writer midway through the miniseries, or has Chuck completed it?

I like to think nice things about a company, I really do. I like to stay positive about comics, but when something like this occurs, it get me wondering a bit. Like everywhere else in the world, higher ups and editorial will like what they like, and dislike what doesn’t work for them, even if the fans seems to be digging it. Devin Grayson is another person who unceremoniously received the axe from DC, and her reasoning, according to sources back when her upcoming Batwoman title first got canned, was questioning editorial. Is there such a thing as maintaining opinion inside of a company without being ostracized for it? Not to bring up Grant Morrison again, but his comments about Countdown seemed to imply that editorial mandate made that series happen, and now he has to adjust his scripting accordingly to match with what was put out. Will he get the axe too? If he does, certainly will have an either further backlash amongst the fan community than getting rid of Dixon did. Which is why it will probably not occur, or else DC becomes the bad guy. Heck, I’m even reminded of when Mark Waid was unceremoniously removed from Fantastic Four by Bill Jemas over at Marvel. Wieringo left the title in protest and fans refused to pick up another FF issue until they got their team back; eventually Marvel caved, righting their mistake and moving Roberto Aguierre-Sacasa and then newcomer Steve McNiven’s Fantastic Four work back into a separate title, where it was originally going to be in the first place.

Where will Chuck Dixon wind up after this? I’m hoping Joe Quesada pulls a George Steinbrenner and gobbles him up for Marvel by offering him something huge, because a man like him deserves to be writing. Right now, other than DC I see one title on his schedule, which is Frankenstein for Dabel Brothers. I would crave seeing Chuck Dixon’s work on a title like Amazing Spider-Man or Avengers: The Initiative. For now though, we are simply left without a new team on Robin and are unsure as to whether there will be a Batman & The Outsiders after issue twelve. Am I perturbed? You betcha.

Let it turn out that Dixon chose to leave DC under his own volition, please. I want to think nice things about the companies I read comics from. Can you do that for me, DC? Oh, and how about someone awesome writing Robin to wash this bad taste out of my mouth too. That would be nice.

Time to go cry into a bowl of ice cream, mourning Dixon’s exit. I think Rocky Road would be a fitting flavor.