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by **LOLtron** » Mon Feb 17, 2014 9:26 am

The series will be ending with issue #12.

Source: Gail Simone's Twitter

Gail Simone announced on her Tumblr that her DC series The Movement would be ending with issue #12. The series was one of two "teen focused" books released by DC in 2013, along with Green Team: Teen Trillionaires, which ended last month. While The Movement had a small fanbase on various Internet sites, the series never gained a large readership. In January 2014, the book had an estimated 6,600 sales, the second lowest of New 52 books (the lowest being the aforementioned Green Team: Teen Trillionaires.)

Simone mentioned that the characters seen in The Movement might appear in another series in the future. With the cancellation and probable reboot of Teen Titans, it wouldn't be surprising to see some of The Movement appear there.

Written or Contributed by ThanosCopter

READ THIS ARTICLE ON THE FRONT PAGE, HUMANS!

by **syxxpakk** » Mon Feb 17, 2014 9:28 am

I tried it out when it started, but it wasn't moving me. I assume it was partially because of the story but also because I just can't get into anything by Gail Simone.

by **Draco x** » Mon Feb 17, 2014 9:30 am

Wasn't surprised to hear this as the sales for the book weren't that great overall.

by **Juan Cena** » Mon Feb 17, 2014 9:42 am

Here's a thought: Who would be in for Gail Simone writing a relaunched Teen Titans?

by **syxxpakk** » Mon Feb 17, 2014 9:58 am

Not me.

by **Chessack** » Mon Feb 17, 2014 11:38 am

Not surprising. In fact, I thought it was announced already... but maybe it was just a rumor.

I tried the first 4 issues because it was Gail, but I never could get into the story. Gail made a mistake of the first order with the series by not making anyone in it immediately likable. I presume eventually some of them turned into likable characters (or would have over time), but you can't expect readers to follow a team book where they don't like anyone.

Gail ought to know better, so I'm rather puzzled by why she wrote it the way she did.

by **StrongStyleFiction** » Mon Feb 17, 2014 1:44 pm

Gail ought to know better, so I'm rather puzzled by why she wrote it the way she did.

Because DC doesn't want any of their characters in the New52 to be likable? Likable characters are not gritty and serious enough for the likes of Dan Didio and Jim Lee.

by **S.F. Jude Terror** » Mon Feb 17, 2014 1:46 pm

Missed opportunity for an article full of constipation jokes, ThanosCopter!

by **Punchy** » Mon Feb 17, 2014 1:59 pm

If a comic is cancelled and nobody was reading it, does it make a sound?

by **Chessack** » Mon Feb 17, 2014 2:05 pm

StrongStyleFiction wrote:Because DC doesn't want any of their characters in the New52 to be likable? Likable characters are not gritty and serious enough for the likes of Dan Didio and Jim Lee.

Good point.

Though I, at least, thought she did a pretty good job of making Barbara likable at the beginning, before all the event-crossover crap derailed the Batgirl series. From issue 1 - 12 or so, Barbara went through a fairly good character arc, starting out lacking confidence and ending up earning it back, etc. I realize many people didn't like the character for other reasons (they liked Steph or Cass better, or they wanted Babs in a wheelchair still, or what have you), but I think the way Batgirl was written at least put the character in a likable light. In fact for a long time I said that Batgirl was the only New 52 comic I was reading that presented its character as likable.

So to see the writer of that series, the only one who seems to have made any attempt to endear the title character to the reader, turn around and write another series where it's like she was actively trying to get me to HATE all the characters, remains a little puzzling.

by **GLX** » Mon Feb 17, 2014 2:22 pm

Chessack wrote:Not surprising. In fact, I thought it was announced already... but maybe it was just a rumor.

I tried the first 4 issues because it was Gail, but I never could get into the story. Gail made a mistake of the first order with the series by not making anyone in it immediately likable. I presume eventually some of them turned into likable characters (or would have over time), but you can't expect readers to follow a team book where they don't like anyone.

Gail ought to know better, so I'm rather puzzled by why she wrote it the way she did.

Gail Simone wrote:I think it took a little while for people to really adopt the characters, which was a conscious choice but also a risky one in this very cautious market where people have to be extra careful of which books they choose.

by **dairydead** » Mon Feb 17, 2014 2:23 pm

Draco x wrote:Wasn't surprised to hear this as the sales for the book weren't that great overall.

interesting.

by **GLX** » Mon Feb 17, 2014 2:29 pm

Chessack wrote:
Good point.

Though I, at least, thought she did a pretty good job of making Barbara likable at the beginning, before all the event-crossover crap derailed the Batgirl series. From issue 1 - 12 or so, Barbara went through a fairly good character arc, starting out lacking confidence and ending up earning it back, etc. I realize many people didn't like the character for other reasons (they liked Steph or Cass better, or they wanted Babs in a wheelchair still, or what have you), but I think the way Batgirl was written at least put the character in a likable light. In fact for a long time I said that Batgirl was the only New 52 comic I was reading that presented its character as likable.

So to see the writer of that series, the only one who seems to have made any attempt to endear the title character to the reader, turn around and write another series where it's like she was actively trying to get me to HATE all the characters, remains a little puzzling.

I remember being able to get through the first Batgirl trade just fine. When I got a chance to read the second one, I couldn't finish it. To me, her work is tolerable at best, and dull at worst.

by **Chessack** » Mon Feb 17, 2014 3:10 pm

Well, OK, so she took a risk, did something experimental, and it didn't pan out. I've no problem with it, as long as she and the rest of the folks at DC know that this is what they are doing. (Obviously, SHE did... whether THEY did we will probably never know.)

I'd love to get her to expand on what she means by the cautious market and people being careful which books they choose. I don't disagree, but I'd love to hear her insights as to why she thinks the readers/buyers are so, for lack of a better term, risk-averse. What does she mean by this? That people only buy Bat-titles and X-books because they know what those are, and won't try new/unusual characters? And if so, why does she think that is? Or is she talking about something much more mundane, such as "at $3-4 a shot, comics are expensive and people aren't going to spend $48 waiting a year for a story to develop." Which I think is also a valid point and probably true.

But it's hard to tell what she means by that statement.

by **AngusH** » Mon Feb 17, 2014 7:50 pm

Chessack wrote:Or is she talking about something much more mundane, such as "at $3-4 a shot, comics are expensive and people aren't going to spend $48 waiting a year for a story to develop." Which I think is also a valid point and probably true.

I tend to agree - especially with the Big Two. The fact is that there are so many damn books being released by Marvel/DC involving their A-list characters that it's a tough ask to get people to take a risk on a new idea or new characters. The comic reader base is not really a growing crowd from what I gather, and they aren't getting any richer. They'll pick up them shiny #1s, but it's unlikely that they'll still be there for the 2nd or 3rd arcs.

The kind of folks that are looking to take risks, are probably spending more time concentrating on the upcoming Image titles than they are DC/Marvel - favourite writers aside.