She-Hulk
Wow, sucks, doesn’t it? Something we love is going away. The She-Hulk series, published by Marvel Comics, written by me, largely drawn by Javier Pulido (Ron Wimberly killed it on issues 5-6), with colors largely from Muntsa Vicente (Rico Renzi for 5-6) incredible covers from Kevin Wada and lettered by Clayton Cowles, with wonderful editorial work from Jeanine Schaefer and Tom Brennan, will end at issue 12, which will hit in January, 2015.
I’ve known about this for a little while – it wasn’t a surprise to me. To you guys, however, it seems like it was a bit of a shock, at least based on the massive response I’ve seen on Twitter, FB and in the press. Some wonderful things are being said about She-Hulk, and the team and I appreciate it immensely.
One thing that’s important to realize, which might seem counterintuitive: Marvel loves She-Hulk too. They really do – all up and down the line. I’ve had conversations about this book over the last week with… well, pretty high up folks. They know it’s a series that’s important not just because of what it sells, but because of what it is. For example:
https://twitter.com/Mollyannwakawak/status/524754743902883841
For me, that’s incredibly gratifying, because those responses suggest that I succeeded in what I was hoping to do with this book. Sure, I’m a lawyer, and I wanted to write what I know, but I also wanted to create a project about a woman who didn’t have to read as a “woman” or a “man” or a “superhero” – but instead, just as a person dealing with life, using her expertise and confidence as weapons even more potent than her fists (although she can use those too – like any actual person, Jen Walters has more than one side to her.)
That was my theme for the book from the very start:
I also really wanted to write something that could be read with (or by) kids, but wouldn’t read as a kids’ book, and wouldn’t talk down to anyone. I try to make the legal stuff in the book accessible for non-lawyers, but at the same time, I don’t want to pander. That’s not how the world is, and I want She-Hulk to feel connected to real experiences and real lives.
Based on the way you’ve been reacting over the last few days, it seems like maybe I got there, a little bit.
Why is She-Hulk going away? It’s somewhat about the issues noted here and here, in wonderful articles written by phenomenally kind journalists Oliver Sava over at the AV Club and Brett White at Comic Book Resources. (Many other folks have written amazing things too, and thank you to everyone who has taken the time.) In this day and age, every book has to justify its existence on a financial level, even one as beloved as She-Hulk. Comics is still a business, and there are considerations beyond the creative. However, that’s not really all of it.
Another significant factor – I pitched a twelve-issue arc: She-Hulk Volume 1. The story we’re getting through issues 1-12 is exactly the story I wanted to tell. And let’s take a look at what we actually got here:
- Jen quits her law firm and opens up her own shop.
- Jen brings Angie, Hei Hei and Hellcat on as her staff, goes out on the town and hulks out a little.
3. Jen takes on Kristoff Vernard, the Son of Doom as a client, in an effort to help him avoid deportation from the US.
4. Jen goes to Latveria to help her client, and confronts Dr. Doom (or a giant Doombot, anyway.)
5-6. Jen delves into the mystery of the Blue File, and things get really real.
- Jen, along with Hank Pym, beats up some cats.
8-10. Jen goes up against Daredevil in court, with Captain America on trial.
11-12. The mystery of the Blue File is resolved.
That’s eight stories over twelve issues – it’s not nothing, and I think it will feel very self-contained when it’s all said and done. It’s what Marvel hired me to write, and I’m extremely satisfied with and proud of these twelve issues. Do I have more She-Hulk stories? Why, yes I do. I could write her for a while yet to come, and I have many ideas for where her story would go in the future. I’d like to bring in some of the other professionally-minded people from the Marvel Universe, for one thing (Tony Stark’s shark of an attorney, the ominously named Legal, needs to reappear), and there are many interesting things to be said about the way Jen would continue to try to make her life, superheroing and new business work on her own terms.
I mean, isn’t that what this version of She-Hulk is, in a sense? It’s our own little venture, our own little startup, which we’re trying to do our own way.
Here’s what I can say at this point about additional Jen Walters adventures – the door isn’t closed. Like I said, I think everyone wants to see more She-Hulk, done more or less the way it’s been done thus far. Still, it’s very important to let Marvel know in a concrete fashion – you’ve all been doing amazing work on social media and so on, but there’s another way, too… pick up the issues, whether digitally or in print versions at your local retailer. Buy the trades. Volume 1, collecting issues 1-6 is out now both in print and digital, and Volume 2 will be out soon. You can give the book reviews on Amazon (at that link I just provided) and Goodreads. If you haven’t added the book to your pull list at your local retailer, do it. Issue 12, the final issue for the moment, is in the Previews catalog right now, with order code NOV140813. If you go to your shop and ask them about adding She-Hulk to your pull list, they’ll do it, and then they’ll order another copy. If enough shops do that, well, it certainly sends a nice message that these are the sorts of books you want, will read, and will support.
I also like these hearts: . They’re green. Just like She-Hulk.
Anyway, thank you for reading, for writing, for reviewing, for Tweeting, for telling your friends and customers and colleagues about the book. I know how special this book has been to me, and knowing that it means as much as it seems to for all of you is truly wonderful. If you want to talk more about She-Hulk, books like it, or anything else, my Twitter handle is @charlessoule, and Marvel Comics is @Marvel.
Case… closed?
October 24, 2014 at 8:10 pm
Reblogged this on Geek Pilgrimage and commented:
I was really bummed by the cancellation of She-Hulk. I’m glad Charles is seeing all of the love people have for his work.
October 24, 2014 at 11:06 pm
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
October 24, 2014 at 11:59 pm
Thanks for writing it. I’ve pre-ordered the book since issue 1, and it has not disappointed once. It’s very unfortunate, but at least we got 12 issues.
October 27, 2014 at 9:00 am
[…] a su propia opinión del asunto en su blog. Tanto uno como el otro dan algo de esperanza a los fans, aunque siguiendo la trayectoria de […]
October 27, 2014 at 8:58 pm
I read a lot of comics, but really think this is one of the best ongoing series published right now. Too bad.
October 28, 2014 at 3:01 am
I was really distraught to hear that She-Hulk ends in January, but wanted to thank you for writing a fantastic comic. It is actually the reason I got back into reading comics after a very long hiatus. As an attorney myself, its refreshing to see a super heroine who not only slays it in the superhero sense, but professionally as well.
October 28, 2014 at 3:44 pm
That was the idea! Thank you very much – very glad you’re enjoying the series.
October 31, 2014 at 1:46 pm
[…] easy to interpret that conclusion as reactions to the apparent end of Soule’s run on She-Hulk, or even his impending departure from all DC titles, and while I think those readings certainly […]
November 1, 2014 at 5:51 pm
Reblogged this on I've Made a Huge Tiny Mistake.
November 15, 2014 at 11:34 pm
Hello Charles, First, what an excellent book She-Hulk has been. I have been pre-ordering this book from my LCS (Shout-out to Troy at Flashback comics in Woodbridge, VA) since issue #1; I enjoyed your writing so much that it brought me to your Letter 44 work which is excellent too!
I get about 25-30 Marvel titles a month, and She-Hulk is constantly one of my favorite monthly reads.
The writing and dialogue has been so well done, and I think the art is unique and brought a different flair not seen in most other Marvel books and complemented the She-Hulk book greatly. IF Marvel’s reasons for letting it go are strictly based on sales, then SHAME on them, and further I think that letting this book go homogenizes Marvel’s line.
Please pitch a 12-issue Vol 2 story =). I love the continuity you’ve created w/ this character and I feel you deserve to keep this title going.
Regards,
John B Haralson III
November 17, 2014 at 2:25 pm
Thanks for the kind words, John – and particularly for checking out Letter 44 as well! We’ll see what happens with more She-Hulk – I know I’d certainly love to write more!
December 17, 2014 at 3:59 am
So sad to see She Hulk go.
December 19, 2014 at 4:40 am
[…] and, while I’m sad to see Soule’s run come to an end, I’m glad to see it happen only after his initial plan has run its course. Soule’s She-Hulk is an excellent, self-contained story capable of engaging anyone who likes good […]
December 27, 2014 at 10:51 pm
Sorry to say, but Bob Ingersoll called you out on some legal errors…
http://www.comicmix.com/2014/12/26/bob-ingersoll-the-law-is-a-ass-338-she-hulk-is-trying-my-patience/
Just letting you know. But I guess you could always argue that the laws in the Marvel universe are different from those in real live. Certainly the members of the Avengers and X-Men routinely violate the laws of physics with absolutely no consequences!
December 27, 2014 at 11:15 pm
I have met the gentleman in question at a number of conventions. While he seems to be a nice man, he also seems to be extremely focused on what he sees as legal inaccuracies in the She-Hulk series, and has spoken to me about them at extraordinary length, in person. As you point out, She-Hulk is set in the Marvel Universe, which has its own procedures, laws and so on. But more importantly, it is a STORY. This arc had to run in three issues – sixty pages, which isn’t much. It’s not a court transcript, it’s a comic book. And so, I chose the moments from the case that I thought would highlight the drama and provide a compelling experience for my non-lawyer readers (and from what I have heard, the majority of my lawyer readers, with the apparent exception of Mr. Ingersoll). I did not believe, for example, that readers would be all that interested in a discussion of specific damages and how they might be determined in a wrongful death case – it’s an extremely dry, mathematical exercise that involves the apportionment of liability among various involved parties, along with potential mitigating factors. Some may enjoy reading about such things – perhaps Mr. Ingersoll is among them – but I decided to leave that part of the case out (although I do reference damages in the case in issues 8 and 9). The purpose of any She-Hulk issue is to be a hell of a read, and nothing else. It’s always a tricky, interesting balance between accuracy and story. I go for accuracy when I can, but believe me, I’ll bend things when I have to if it serves the story.
I am sorry that Mr. Ingersoll was disappointed in the story in She-Hulk 8-10. However, if he or other readers are looking for more rigorous examples of legal procedure, then I would suggest that they simply read court transcripts and decisions. Many, many of these are part of the public record, and often they are much longer than sixty pages!
December 28, 2014 at 1:44 am
Yeah, but court transcripts are sadly lacking in giant Doombots! 🙂
January 2, 2015 at 4:00 am
No! She Hulk Not Die! She Hulk Can Not Die! Growl! No Hulk Ever Die! No Hulk Should Ever Die, Anyways! Hulk Part Of Dr. Banner, and Dr. Banner Part Of Hulk, And Hulk Say: Hulk and Dr. Banner, Not Ever Die! Hulk and Dr. Banner, Can Never Die! Growl! Save The Hulk!
February 1, 2015 at 11:18 pm
[…] YOUR LOCAL COMIC STORE bit. You can check out Soule’s reaction to the new here on his blog The Case of 10,000 Things. One important thing he does say is that there is still the possibility of She-Hulk comics in the […]
February 2, 2015 at 2:15 am
[…] Law and Disorder by Charles Soule. This trade paperback collects the first six issues of Soule’s now canceled run of She-Hulk. Having never read any stories involving She-Hulk (her first appearance in a comic […]
February 19, 2015 at 5:57 pm
Hi, enjoyed the series. What’s next for you? Also for Javier Pulido if you know?
Thanks
February 19, 2015 at 6:26 pm
I’m working on three Inhuman-related series for Marvel – the core Inhuman title, as well as Uncanny Inhumans and Attilan Rising. I’m on the weekly Wolverines title (issue 7 just hit shelves this week), which is sort of a long-form serialized story – lots of crazy fun. And then there are several titles that haven’t been announced yet, but should be soon. I also continue to write my ongoing science fiction title Letter 44 for Oni Press, which just released its 14th issue, and the trade for the first volume (issues 1-6) is available on Amazon and at bookstores everywhere.
Don’t know what Javier has planned, but I’ll be watching with interest.
February 22, 2015 at 12:36 pm
[…] a lot of alarm and disappointment over the series being canceled. The writer, Charles Soule, soon responded in his blog to the concern of the fans by clarifying the series was not in fact being cancelled, he had originally […]
February 24, 2015 at 9:50 am
😦 My daughter LOVES loves LOVES this she-hulk series. It’s really interested her in reading. We are very sad.
February 24, 2015 at 12:23 pm
You know, that makes me partly happy and partly sad – I’m glad she found it, and VERY glad it’s interesting her in reading, but obviously sad that there isn’t more of it for her to read. I’ll do what I can to make sure she gets more down the road, and thank you for writing!