10 Marvel Comics by Famous Writers That Were Canceled Mid-Run

Across its 80+ year publication history, Marvel Comics has hosted many of the best writers in the industry. These writers were so pivotal to the company’s success that they became a key component of Marvel’s marketing strategy.

This would lead to a winning formula that mostly still works today: Give a beloved character to a beloved creative team. Make a lot of money—repeat the steps. However, the complex world of comics publishing has many variables, and various circumstances have led to the cancellation of comics that could have been smash hits.

10 Christopher Priest Left Falcon’s Fate Uncertain

Captain American and the Falcon #1-14, 2004-2005

One year after finishing his acclaimed run on Black Panther, superstar writer Christopher Priest would take on Marvel’s newest mainline Captain America title. On paper, this was a great fit. Priest’s run on Black Panther was lauded for its balance of action and political intrigue, and he was likely to excel at applying these sensibilities to Cap and Falcon’s new outing. Right off the bat, Priest gave the duo a memorable new threat: the enigmatic villain known only as “Anti-Cap.”

The book was decidedly more experimental than the average superhero comic, both in plot and in the artistic contributions of Bart Sears and others. Priest believed that this was a main contributor to the title’s downfall. With the release of a new Captain America title written by Ed Brubaker, sales for Captain America and the Falcon plummeted, and the title was canceled. The last issue ended with the implication that Falcon had been murdered by Anti-Cap, only to turn up fine in other Marvel publications.

9 John Byrne’s “Last Galactus Story” Was Cut Short at the Finale

Epic Illustrated #26-34, 1984-1986

Having already cemented himself as a premiere talent, writer-artist John Byrne set out to tell his most ambitious story yet on the pages of Marvel’s Epic Illustrated anthology. With ten planned installments, Byrne would take readers on an epic ride to the end of the Marvel Universe, where only Galactus and his herald Nova were left standing.

When Nova discovered signs that the universe was dying, she and her master embarked on an epic quest to discover the source of its demise. In the penultimate chapter, Galactus was confronted by an ancient Watcher who claimed to be his creator. Unfortunately, Epic Illustrated’s low sales would cause the title’s cancelation, felling the Devourer of Worlds before his story could end. Though he has explained his intended ending in recent years, this remains the most legendary story that John Byrne never finished.

8 Kevin Smith Left Readers Wondering Who Bullseye’s Target Was

Daredevil/Bullseye: The Target #1, 2002

While several Hollywood writers have taken a shot at writing comics, not all of them can make the transition. Fortunately, acclaimed director Kevin Smith took to it like a duck to water. The lifelong comics fan helped revitalize Daredevilduring the launch of “Marvel Knights” and woulddeliver memorable works for both Marvel and DC.

Picking up three years after the conclusion of Smith’s run, The Target sees Matt Murdock still mourning Karen Page’s death at Bullseye’s hands. Though the hero is preparing to confront his adversary once more, Bullseye is preoccupied, taking on a lucrative contract to kill the eponymous target of the story. Unfortunately, this set-up is all fans would get. With his film career taking priority, Smith was unable to finish the second issue.

7 Roy Thomas Did His Best to Make Doctor Strange Relevant

Doctor Strange #169-183, 1968-1969

While modern audiences know him as an A-list hero, Dr. Strange existed on the periphery of Marvel’s popularity spectrum for years. Created by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko as a feature for Strange Tales, the character managed to carve out a niche audience for himself. Unfortunately, Ditko’s art proved to be a vital component of the character’s appeal, and the feature declined in popularity after he left.

Strange Tales was soon re-titled to Dr. Strange, with Marvel editorial making a concerted effort to elevate the hero. To this end, superstar writer Roy Thomas was given the reins, collaborating with the likes of Dan Adkins and Gene Colan. Though his initial stories were of considerable quality, the book was rudderless in the sales department. The series ground to an abrupt halt in issue #183, with its remaining subplots being tied up in other heroes’ comics.

6 Steve Gerber and Mary Skrenes Couldn’t Finish Their Masterpiece

Omega the Unknown #1-10, 1976-1977.

Steve Gerber was a true iconoclast in comics. Not content to write insipid superhero fare, Gerber gave the Marvel Comics of the 1970s a major shot in the arm. His work on Man-Thing and Howard the Duck explored heavy themes for the time: existentialism, race relations, and the absurdity of modern life were but a few ideas Gerber deftly explored. Following his success on the aforementioned titles, the fan-favorite writer would pair with writer Mary Skrenes for their most ambitious project yet: Omega the Unknown.

Though Omega the Unknown is fondly thought of as a cult-classic today, it failed to generate sufficient sales in its initial run. The series ends on a massive cliffhanger, as the title character is seemingly shot and killed by the police. With Gerber being fired from Marvel soon after, the remaining plot threads of the series were unceremoniously resolved in the pages of The Defenders.

5 Not Even Stan Lee Could Keep the Silver Surfer Aloft

Silver Surfer #1-18, 1968-1970

Out of all the countless hit-characters he co-developed with Jack Kirby, the Silver Surfer was a favorite for Stan Lee. The space-faring hero was the perfect vehicle for Lee’s overwrought, pontificating writing style, and Lee jumped at the chance of writing the character in his first solo series. Paired with veteran artist John Buscema, Lee relentlessly put Norrin Radd through an emotional ringer.

Though Buscema’s art was truly exceptional, many fans felt that Lee leaned too far into soap-opera in this series. Devastated by its impending cancelation, Lee pulled a final Hail Mary: bringing back co-creator Jack Kirby for the final issue. The duo would tease a “Savage” new direction for the Silver Surfer, hoping that a potentially villainous turn could generate renewed interest in the series. It did not, however, and this new direction was never followed up on elsewhere.

4 Peter David’s All-New X-Factor Fell Victim to Modern Buying Trends

All-New X-Factor #1-20, 2014-2015

Peter David is the most prolific X-Factor writer in the history of the title. Having successfully re-tooled the book in the ’90s, David’s second stint in the early 2000s was arguably even more successful. With the end of the aforementioned series, David was given a chance to capture lightning in a bottle for a THIRD time. Having already demonstrated a gift for elevating 2nd-tier heroes, David would load the roster of All-New X-Factor with a star-studded cast.

Despite rave reviews for its entire run, All-New X-Factor was canceled after 20 issues. Though poor sales were the ultimate reason for its cancelation, David would elaborate on this in his blog. David hypothesized that fans were “trade-waiting,” i.e., waiting for the stories to be collected in a trade paperback format. While there is nothing wrong with this, it can inadvertently lead to a comics’ monthly sales falling below acceptable margins.

3 Roy Thomas’ Attempt at a New Direction for Mar-Vell

Captain Marvel #17-21, 1969-1970.

While he would ultimately spawn a rich comics legacy, Captain Marvel was not a fan-favorite in his initial years. Created in the pages of Marvel Super Heroes by Stan Lee and Gene Colan, the Kree-born Mar-Vell would receive his own title soon after his debut. While these early stories were serviceable, the character lacked a strong narrative hook that would set him apart.

Fortunately, Roy Thomas devised a clever solution. In an homage to the original Fawcett Comics’ Captain Marvel, Thomas would pair Mar-Vell with the young Rick Jones. By clicking the Nega-bands together, the two characters would switch places in the Negative Zone. Though this idea was novel, the series was unceremoniously canceled five issues into the run. Noteworthy guest appearances would re-ignite the title, however, with Mar-Vell receiving his definitive creator in Jim Starlin.

2 Roy Thomas and Neal Adams Almost Saved the Original X-Men

X-Men #56-66, 1969-1970.

It is almost inconceivable now, but The X-Men was a struggling title in its initial years of publication. Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, both men would leave the book fairly early on to alleviate their respective workloads. Once again, Roy Thomas was the man to assume the bulk of the writing duties after Lee’s departure, making him an MVP in this era of Marvel.

Thomas would receive his definitive partner on the title in issue 56 — superstar artist Neal Adams. Under the creative direction of this talented duo, X-Men would finally show signs of life. However, the title was nonetheless canceled in issue 66, with Thomas teaming with Sal Buscema and Sam Grainger to unceremoniously tie up the remaining plot threads. Thankfully, sales figures for the Adams-illustrated issues were positive, leading to the books rebranding as a reprint title. Ironically, this cancelation led to one of the greatest creative overhauls in comics history.

1 The Hulk’s First Run Was Far From Incredible

Incredible Hulk #1-6, 1962-1963

Following the rampant success of The Fantastic Four, Stan Lee and Jack Kirby were ready to unleash their new creation. Drawing on their collective experience with monster stories, the two worked to create a 20th century take on Dr. Jekyll and Mister Hyde, with a tragic hero who could double as a sometimes-threat to the world. It was this conceit that gave the world The Incredible Hulk, undoubtedly set to become Marvel’s next big hit.

Of course, this is not what happened. The series was infamously all over the place: changing the conditions of Hulk’s abilities on the fly from issue-to-issue. Additionally, for a comic titled The Incredible Hulk, many readers felt that there was far too much emphasis on Hulk’s teen sidekick, Rick Jones. Canceled after six issues, Hulk would go on to be a founding Avenger, and his next solo outing in Tales to Astonish set him back on course for his future stardom.