Fearless Defenders is coming to an end. The all-female team book by Cullen Bunn and Will Sliney was missing from the Marvel January previews. Bunn, Sliney and Executive Editor Tom Brevoort confirmed the book will be cancelled after issue 12.
I wanted to share artist Will Sliney’s thoughts via his blog on the fan support for this book:
“It’s a sad day today as it has been announced that Fearless Defenders will be coming to an end with issue 12. It’s especially sad because of the outpouring of love the book received at New York Comic Con. With so many fans telling us how they love the book.
But even with the news, I refuse to be downtrodden because I truely believe we created something that we can be proud of.
Fearless Defenders will be looked back upon in ten years as so many peoples first and favourite book. I think it opened up a world of comics to a lot of people and the proof was in how many fans told me last weekend that it was their first ever comic book.”
Ironically I learned the news at GeekGirlCon ’13.
I loved this book. Valkyrie and Misty Knight were an incredible odd couple with a Lethal Weapon inspired chemistry. New Mutant Dani Moonstar, a brand new Warrior Woman, Clea and Elsa Bloodstone eventually joined the mission as Valkyrie recruited mortal women to be new Shieldmaidens of Asgard.
The breakout character was Dr. Annabelle Riggs. The nerdy lesbian scientist was killed by the object her her crush but then formed a supernatural symbiotic existence with Valkyrie that had so much story potential. Annabelle was the everywoman who proved to be extraordinary.
Inhumanity is a major new status quo in the Marvel Universe with everybody people suddenly transformed by the Terrigen Bomb explosion in Infinity #4. One of the first “new” Inhumans was introduced in Fearless Defenders #10.
Cullen Bunn makes Fearless Defenders a pure joyride of action, humor and a showcase for some incredible female characters. The book featured some innovative and gorgeous covers by Mark Brooks. I hate to see this title end but I’m confident Bunn, Sliney, Editor Ellie Pyle and the whole team will give us an entertaining final ride and proper sendoff for these amazing women.
Cullen, a special thanks for the Hellcat appearance!
By Editor