Wildstorm RIP

Interesting news that Wildstorm is being closed down by DC following their recent bi coastal realignment. To be honest, they lasted under DC a lot longer than I thought they would. Although DC have a long history of buying other properties and absorbing them into their line, Wildstorm was always kept distant and never really felt part of the DC group. The only real effect of the acquisition was bringing Jim Lee into the fold.

While far from my favourite line ever, the Wildstorm brand seemed the best of the original Image set. Superior colouring and production values helped elevate commercial but less than stellar art above its limits, though the stories were never much to write home about. Having said that, Chris Sprouse, JH Williams, Art Adams, the Gaijin Studio, Adam Warren, Kevin Nowlan, John Cassaday, Travis Charest, Brian K Vaughn and Alan Moore all pooled their efforts at one time or another, so it was never entirely creatively corrupt. However, the constant rotation of creative teams on largely interchangeable titles usually failed to inspire even the most fleeting of interest.

DC say they will be resting the characters before they eventually return, but I hope they are kept as part of a separate continuity rather than being integrated into the main line. Much as the JLA and Teen Titans have suffered from poor rosters in recent years, I really don't want to see Deathspoon, Killbum, Razordark and Booble* joining the DC iconography...

*(OK, those are made up names, but I bet they were considered at some point!)